In partnership with Produce Perks Midwest, WeTHRIVE! is bringing fresh, locally grown produce to children and families through the WeTHRIVE! Child Care Initiative.
In August, Tee Tee’s Daycare in Mt. Healthy and Play N’ Learn Childcare in North College Hill began to receive weekly deliveries of fruits and vegetables from Mustard Seed Farm‘s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
“The CSA boxes usually contain at least four produce items,” explains Katherine Togher (left), a population health specialist with Hamilton County Public Health who oversees the WeTHRIVE! Child Care Initiative. “Some of the items so far include tomatoes, peppers, okra, green beans, basil, apples, eggplant, and zucchini.”
The CSA boxes are delivered on Thursdays and Katherine, who is a registered dietitian, sets out that week’s bounty so families can choose what they want to take home. She encourages the kids to touch, smell, and taste the fruits and vegetables.
Katherine also provides recipes, coloring pages, and information on how to use and store the produce. She talks with the parents about how they cook at home, offering suggestions for incorporating the produce into their meals and snacks.
The child care providers, children, and families look forward to getting a new box of produce every week. Apples are always a big hit with the kids (see photo at right), but Katherine notes that peppers are also popular.
Some kids who usually refuse to eat any fruits or vegetables are now the most excited to see what’s been delivered. Older children who attend child care after school ask to use the produce to make dinner.
“One dad remarked that the produce tastes so much better than what he gets at the grocery store,” Katherine says. “The parents come back every week, excited about trying something new. The families are eating more fruits and vegetables and coming out of their comfort zone.”
From Farm to Early Care and Education
Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) is one of six components of the WeTHRIVE! Child Care Initiative. The others are Nutrition, Outdoor Play & Physical Activity, Screen Time, Oral Health, and Breastfeeding & Infant Feeding.
Farm to ECE is a national initiative similar to Farm to School. “It’s about increasing exposure to local fruits and vegetables, promoting access to gardening, and offering education about nutrition and the food we eat for children age zero to five,” Katherine says. The CDC promotes Farm to ECE as a benefit to children, families, child care providers, growers, and the local economy.
The WeTHRIVE! Child Care Initiative re-launched in February 2024. Learn more about the initiative here or contact Katherine Togher.
