Market Sprouts

We can inspire curiosity and empower even the pickiest eaters to fill their plate with more fruits and vegetables by exposing children to farm-fresh local produce, teaching them how to prepare it themselves, and giving them the freedom to shop for it at their very own farmer’s market.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance and Education Program (SNAP-Ed NY) introduced a new addition to their interactive nutrition education sessions called“Market Sprouts” incorporating interactive nutrition education,cooking, and a farmer’s market shopping experience that allows kids to select ingredients to recreate recipes at home with their families.

SNAP-Ed NY of the North Country, the Morristown Central School District, Martin’s Farm Stand, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County collaborated to bring Market Sprouts to life for elementary and middle school aged children at the Morristown Elementary School this summer. The students learned about nutrition and food culture, prepared healthy recipes daily, discussed how local food is grown, and discussed how food waste can be used to enrich the environment. Students were excited to roll up their sleeves and cook each day. SNAP-Ed Nutritionists introduced many familiar and some new fruits and vegetables, discussed the health benefits, and shared culinary tips about each recipe. Safe knife practices and other cooking skills were developed as recipes included ingredients from every food group.

The program culminated when their classroom was suddenly transformed into a Market Sprouts farmer’s market stocked with the produce from Martin’s Farm Stand including juicy peaches, fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, and more. Students each received a budget of $10 Market Sprouts Bucks they could“spend”at the market to purchase produce. By this time, the students had experienced cooking with the produce and had recipes to take home to recreate with their families using their market selections.

Last updated August 20, 2024