How-To Guide to Smarter, Healthier, Happier Kids

Three or four times a week we read books for the boys' bedtime routine. Everything from
to
. We have read and re-read books to the point Gunner corrects me when I try to speed the bedtime process up and paraphrase.
Jesse and the boys-0122.jpgView full sizeMy husband, Jesse, and the two boys Gunner and Gauge reading a great gardening & vegetable book Muncha, Muncha, Muncha by Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas.

In Michigan, March is Reading Month – a chance for schools to encourage and support literacy. This week is also National Ag Week – highlighting the industry of agriculture and the value it has within our everyday lives. March is also National Nutrition Month....I'm not sure if it's the luck of the Irish today, but I believe we have hit gold! Reading, Agriculture, and Nutrition....in my home they have always went hand in hand.

Growing up on a dairy farm, I would race out to the mailbox to grab my dad's edition of the
or
. Between baseball cards and farm equipment trading magazines, my brother Chase gained an interest in reading. My mother loved to try the latest recipes in
. And my second love of the summer (next to going to the county fair) was the local library's reading program.
Books can open up imaginations. Allowing children to experience an event or feeling through a character can make the actual experience more relatable and comfortable. As busy parents, I know we are all constantly seeking teachable moments in our children's everyday lives. Those precious five minutes in between teeth brushing and prayers can convert a picky eater, spark their interest in a future garden project, explain how the milk gets from the cow to their milkshakes and instill the value of farm fresh food. Books can be pretty darn powerful.
Do you have a picker eater? Try
. Want to introduce a new fruit? Spend time enjoying colorful scenes at
. Going to your son or daughter's first farmer's market? Help them experience it first through the book
. The reading list is endless and the great thing is books are free at your local library or are the buy of the century when found at a garage sale. For more book ideas, I recommend checking out
.
So tonight while wearing green pajamas, invite your family to read a book about a fun nutritious story involving agriculture – you'll cover all four special holidays and spend some quality time together – that's something to celebrate!

Busy Parents Alphabet Vegetable Soup

Serves 6

Adapted from The Produce Foundation for Better Health

Ingredients:

2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken or vegetable broth

1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup alphabet pasta (uncooked)

1 bag frozen vegetables or 2 cans mixed veggies

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and pasta to a sauce pot.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Add vegetables and cook for 10 more minutes.

4. Top with Parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.

Feel free to add a protein source (chicken, hamburger, etc.)

Let your children play with their food by finding the alphabet noodle letter corresponding to the first letter of each vegetable in the soup!

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