Fruits and Vegetables

Now that summer is here, there are so many seasonal fruits and vegetables available!  In addition to food you may grow, there are so many incredible choices at local farmers markets and grocery stores.  As a teacher, I always liked to incorporate healthy eating with good literature.  Here are some of my favorites!
Sometimes food is not the main theme of the book, but when the characters eat something, you may want to try it, too.  Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon is this type of book.  After Stellaluna's mom defends her from the owl they get separated.  Stellaluna lives with birds in their nest until she learns to fly well.  After existing on a diet of worms and bugs, her mom introduces her to mangos.  I had never eaten them before I read this book.  What a treat!
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey is a Caldecott book from the 1940's.  I love the kitchen, because it reminds me of my very early childhood.  Blueberries are so delicious!  I can understand why Little Sal ate all the blueberries she picked.
Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert is so much fun!  The book shares the joy of planting and harvesting vegetables, along with the delight of eating the vegetable soup.  One of my many great memories from my days as a kindergarten teacher is helping the children make vegetable soup in the classroom!  It's never the same, and it's always so tasty!
Another great book by Lois Ehlert is Eating the Alphabet:  Fruits and Vegetables from A-Z.  This is a wonderful alphabet book as well as a fun way to introduce your child to a wide variety of great food.  Maybe you and your child can eat your way through the alphabet this summer!