Follow Pico and Tati through a local market, where everyday ingredients invite conversations about food, family and the people who grow it.
Pico notices the colors first.
Green plantains. Orange papayas. A pile of fruit he cannot name.
Tati notices the sounds: greetings across the aisle, a bag being filled and someone explaining which fruit will be ready to eat tomorrow.
A market visit can begin with a shopping list and become a lesson in paying attention.
Beside Abuela, the children discover that choosing food means asking questions. What is this called? How do you prepare it? Should it feel firm or soft?
Sometimes an answer leads to a family memory.
“My mother used to cook these,” Abuela says, picking up an ingredient. Suddenly, dinner has a story.
When visiting a market with children, give them one small task. They might find an unfamiliar vegetable, help choose an ingredient or ask a willing vendor how something is usually cooked.
Keep the conversation friendly and brief when stalls are busy. Ask permission before taking photographs, and let children know that displays are someone’s livelihood.
Back at home, place your chosen ingredient on the kitchen table. Look at its shape and texture before preparing it together.
The market adventure continues with the first bite.
A little adventure to try: Create an ingredient passport with its name, a drawing and the meal your family made.