I used to go to the Farmer’s Market in Old Oakland (Oakland, CA) with my mom back in the days. It was on Friday mornings so skipping school was not an option. I would have to wait to be off of school to tag along. It was a lot of fun sampling all the different types of fruits available by the vendors. Farmer’s Market is now in every city throughout the Bay Area and opened on various days and time. This is very convenience for working families especially if you want to include your kids.

My mom still loves going every Friday because it reminds her of the public markets in Cambodia where everything was freshly picked and available for the day. There was no refrigeration system available when she was growing up in the 60s and 70s out in the countryside so families grew their own food or shopped daily for fresh ingredients.

In Downtown Concord, close to where I live, Farmer’s Market is usually opened on Thursday evenings in the middle of Todas Santos park. It is an awesome time to take your kids on a hot summer evening where you can grab food and sit on the grass while listening to some music in the background.

Over the years, I have been struggling with my weight and I am now practicing mindful eating and healthy choices. I try to fit in 2-4 exercise session at the gym for a minimum of at least 30 minutes. It is not that easy, but every step I take counts. I am also trying to make eating fresh vegetables fun to myself and my kids. My oldest son will eat it, but is very particular about what kind. My second son will not eat it at all. My daughter is only 9 months so she doesn’t know the difference yet.

This morning my husband and I took the kids to a small Farmer’s Market in Walnut Creek. It was only about 15 vendors. It was super small, but it was a lot of fun. The kids were excited about tasting persimmons, peaches, and pomegranates. They even tried Afghan flatbread. We saw a variety of fruits and vegetables. My 4 years old asked a bunch of questions and we went around and named a bunch of vegetables that he is not familiar with. He learned about “Kale” and “Persimmons” today. I was excited as kids seeing all the beautiful colors and fresh smell of the flowers, the peaches, rosemary, cilantro and tomatoes.

I am definitely going to work on being more organized with my grocery shopping to avoid waste and make better healthy choices. I learned that eating healthy does not have to feel like a chore on my checklist; instead you can make it a fun adventure. Plus, I think if I include my family on this journey I will be successful.