It’s been a while, work and family and the dog and growing veg has all meant no time for writing posts.
Also, I am vegan now – as of Monday. So I haven’t been feeling creative with food as have been wanting to stop eating dairy, eggs and fish which were the last animal products still in my diet.
So it’s just me in my family whose vegan at the moment, they don’t know it but eventually I will only be cooking vegan meals at home, it’s a time of transition.
Anyway, I’ve had this short blog post in my mind for a long time.
Carrots
My mum was ahead of her time in many ways. She worked Earthscan publishing, and I can remember on one of our visits to Wales her taking us to the newly established, Centre for Alternative Technology, she also stayed at the Findhorn Garden and was very much a free spirit. One year, I can’t remember whether it was 1976 or 1977 – we went on a train to Wales to go to a festival at Tipi Village. We hitched a lift with friends and stayed in their tipi.
I will never forget that weekend, though it’s very vague now. But one thing has stayed with me – carrots. There were sacks of carrots scattered around the site – and all the children would grab a carrot as they ran past. I can remember cantering round the site, pretending to be horses and munching carrots.
Now, most times I go shopping, I buy organic British carrots (non organic and/or imported just don’t have that carroty flavour). I eat them whole on the way home. And yes I don’t wash them but with them being organic, I don’t have to worry about pesticide residues.
Every time I eat one I think of that festival, every time. My children usually have one and though it might not be as exciting as a festival, maybe when they grow up, sometimes they’ll eat carrots whole and remember being with me.
Food Associations
So it’s not a randomised control study, it’s anecdotal evidence. But it illustrates if you give fruit and veggies to children at celebrations, events and special times,* they will associate them with positive feelings and memories and by doing so, you’re helping lay down healthy eating habits for adulthood.
*Also I’d say every mealtime and snacks too but really that goes without saying.
Annie's Dorset Kitchen 