Cooler temperatures and colorful leaves are on their way. We’re welcoming fall with more than 50 fall things to do around Utah. Pick and choose your favorites to create your own custom fall bucket list. 

The weather is starting to cool off, the leaves are changing and there is so much fun to be had.  Utah is full of great experiences, whether you want to spend time out in the crisp fall air or stay home working on simple projects.  Whatever mood you are, in it is nice to have a list of exciting ideas to choose from, and we have more than 50 suggestions for you to build your own fall bucket list.

Outdoors

• Drive the Alpine Loop or other local canyons to see the leaves
• Explore a corn maze
• Visit the local farmer’s market
• Go on a hike to see the fall colors
• Go camping in the colors
• Go apple, pumpkin, squash, pepper or tomato picking at a local “pick your own” farm
• Go pick your own pumpkin from a pumpkin patch
• Practice recreational shooting
• Go hunting
• Go Trick-or-Treating
• Tell scary stories around a campfire
• Go on a hay ride
• Join in a family and friend turkey bowl football game

Entertainment

• Plan a fall trip
• Run a 5-K race or run in a haunted race
• Watch a scary movie
• Host or attend a Halloween party
• Visit Gardner Village in Midvale for Witchfest and Witches Night Out
• Attend a dance performance of Thriller by Odyssey Dance Crew, locations throughout Utah
• Participate in Oktoberfest at Snowbird Ski Resort
• Visit This is The Place Heritage Park, Salt Lake City
  • Little Haunts during the day
  • Haunted Village in the evening
• Participate in Wheeler Historic Farm Pumpkin Days in Murray
• Visit the Heber Valley Railroad Pumpkin Train
• Check out the Dia De Los Muertos activities, Utah Cultural Celebration Center, West Valley

Home

• Do fall cleaning
• Decorate the house
• Host a football watching party
• Host a Halloween party
• Gather family for Thanksgiving dinner
• Rake up and play in the autumn leaves
• Clean out garden beds to prepare for next year
• Plant spring bulbs
• Plant a tree — Autumn is a great time to plant a tree, but be sure to water well if it is a dry autumn.

Food

• Do a chili cook-off
• Make apple cider
• Harvest fall produce and preserve it by freezing, drying or canning (jams, jellies, whole fruit, etc.)
• Throw a homemade doughnut party – invite friends and family over for fun and doughnuts everyone can enjoy. Try them  baked or fried.
• Make caramel apples
• Try a new recipe for Thanksgiving (pie, stuffing, etc.)
• Throw a party where everyone brings a different kind of pie
• Host a crock pot party
• Try a new homemade soup, like  Apple & Butternut Squash Soup (page 7) to help keep you warm as the days get colder.

Crafts

• Pumpkin carving – A tradition that never gets old. Find your favorite printable template or draw freehand to make your pumpkin carving creation.
• Decorate/paint pumpkins to look like a favorite book character – Painting and decorating pumpkins is just as fun. They also last longer without wilting.
• “Boo” ding dong ditch the neighbors – Leave a bag of goodies on someone’s front porch and run away – once you have been “boo-ed” you hang an image of a ghost near your front door so others know you have been “boo-ed.”
• Start a fall gratitude journal
• Create a new autumn decoration
• Make a new Halloween costume
• Sew homemade hand warmers

Books 

This is a way to transport yourself and your little ones into another world of fun, adventure and fantasy. Cuddle up with a blanket and enjoy some of these favorites this autumn.

• Scary chapter books:
  • Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
  • The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
  • Coraline by Neil Gaiman
  • Doll Bones by Holly Black
• Halloween picture books:
  • Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
  • The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams
  • Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michal Rex
  • Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson
  • Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
  • In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz
  • The Hallo-wiener by Dav Pilkey
  • Bats at the Library by Brian Lies
  • Frankenstein by Rick Walton and Nathan Hale
  • Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson and Samuel Thaler
  • A Very Brave Witch by Alison McGhee and Harry Bliss

  • One Witch by Laura Leuck

  • Curious George Goes to a Costume Party by Margaret Rey
  • Where is Baby’s Pumpkin? by Karen Katz
• Thanksgiving picture books:
  • ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey
  • Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano
  • The Ugly Pumpkin by Dave Horowitz
  • A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman and Jeff Shelly

This article was written by Kirsten Lamplugh, Intern at the Salt Lake County USU Extension office, BS in Family and Consumer Sciences 

Make your kids feel valued and loved by spending one-on-one time with them. Here are some ideas to get you started.

As a young adult, some of my favorite memories were when I had one-on-one time with my parents. Even now when I go home, I cherish the time when my mom and I run to the gas station to get drinks. The moments you spend with your kids will impact them in many positive ways. Here are six ideas of ways to spend quality time with your kids.

1. Take them on a date. The first Christmas after I had moved away from home, my Christmas present from my dad was a date with him before I went back to the craziness of school. We went to dinner at my favorite restaurant then bowling. It was a good time for us to talk about how school was going, my plans for the future, etc.  

2. Take them to run an errand with you. This can be as simple as going to the gas station to fill the tank. This gives you an opportunity to talk in the car. This can also be a teaching opportunity. For example, teach them how to pump the gas.

3. Go on a trip with them. My parents took us each on a week-long graduation trip. They would  plan activities that were of particular interest to us. Since I love the theatre, my parents took me to see Fiddler on the Roof. It was a great experience to watch a show I have always loved the music to, but had never seen.

4. Plan a family vacation. Though it’s a family trip, you can still make one-on-one time with each child. My mom and I are not big hikers while my dad and sisters are. So while they would hike, my mom and I would play card games together. Another example is going on a walk with one child before everyone else gets up.

5. Birth day date. This idea is taken from the blog Your Modern Family. Each month, on the day the child was born, he or she gets to stay up an extra 20-30 minutes and chooses a special activity. For example, if your child was born on May 15, then on the 15th of every month it is his or her night to stay up. These activities are best when electronic free and can include such things as going for a walk, baking easy cookies, playing a board game, etc.

6. Surprise your kids. Whether it is bringing lunch to school or getting ice cream together, there are many ways to spend one-on-one time with kids. This helps them know you love them, are a support system for them and that they can talk to you about anything. When they are younger, make an effort to spend one-on-one time with each of them. It can be tucking them into bed, after school homework time, etc. Put the phone away and focus on them. Your undivided attention will make them truly feel loved and appreciated.

This article was written by Kayla Orton, Utah State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Intern, Salt Lake County

Want to give your kids every opportunity to thrive and succeed? Try making time in your routine for family meals. 

Was it truly just one generation ago that the majority of American families ate at least one, if not two, meals together every day? In today’s fast-paced world, Sunday dinner as a family is a great tradition, but it is a giant step away from more regular or daily time spent eating and socializing around the table.

In recognition of its importance, September is now branded as National Family Meals Month. Why all the fuss about sitting down together for a routine that may only last 15-20 minutes? The benefits are actually numerous.

Utah State University Extension’s Food $ense program lists a few of the benefits–especially for children whose families eat together five or more times a week as opposed to those whose families eat together two times or less each week:

• Nutrition and physical development – kids eat more fruits and vegetables, get a wider variety of nutritious foods, have lower rates of childhood obesity, and make healthier choices when they are on their own.
• Emotional development – kids are better able to manage negative emotions, are at less risk of developing eating disorders, and have more positive interactions with others.
• Social development – kids learn important turn-taking skills, have improved communication skills, and learn appropriate ways to share thoughts, feelings, and opinions.
• Academics – kids are more likely to make A’s and B’s in school,  and they develop larger vocabularies, even more than those who read together with their parents.
• Behavior – kids are much less likely to use marijuana, alcohol, or tobacco or have friends who use these substances and are less likely to engage in other risky behavior such as premarital sex.

If a family is new to the idea of eating meals together, there will undoubtedly be a few challenges. For example, it may be unrealistic to go from zero meals together to every day. So, set a realistic goal all family members can agree on —  it may very well be Sunday dinner once a week and that is a great start. If dinner isn’t the best option, perhaps having family breakfast time on Saturday may work better for you.

Here are some additional tips for making family mealtime a positive experience:

1. Plan meals ahead of time.
2. Schedule a set time for meals.
3. Involve all family members in the meal prep and clean up.
4. Turn off the TV and all other electronic devices, including phones.
5. Have pleasant conversation and leave discipline and other negative emotions for another time.

Additional helps are available online from Food $ense, including conversation starter ideas and  making the meals fun using themes (e.g. Taco Tuesday). Ideas for menu planning with recipes can be found there (e.g. citrus chicken salad, oatmeal nut pancakes and honey glazed chicken).

Learn more about family mealtime or eating healthy on a limited budget here, or contact your local USU Extension office to find out about upcoming classes taught by certified nutrition education assistants in your area. From the Food $ense homepage readers can select from a variety of additional information resources for menu planning, preparing foods, eating healthier, and incorporating physical activities in the day.

Food $ense in most counties also has a local Facebook presence. For example in Iron County, search for “Food $ense Iron County” or see “Food $ense Utah State University.”

Kathleen Riggs is the Utah State University Extension family and consumer sciences professor for Iron County. Questions or comments may be sent to kathleen.riggs@usu.edu or call 435-586-8132.

Have you ever wondered what you will be like and what you will have accomplished 10 years from now? Are there lessons you’ve learned you never want to forget? How about writing a letter to your future self and connecting yourself to the future?

Dear Future Me:

How are things going?  Have I been following my dreams? Have I made it?

I understand if I’m not where I thought I would be.  Sometimes things work out differently than expected, but have I made the most of what I’ve been given?

Right now, my goals include buying a house within five years and getting settled in my career.  I would like to be married and start a family, but I also understand those things don’t always go according to plan.  After some time, I would like to start a small business, maybe even sell products at the local farmers markets.  Currently I’m not sure what product I want to sell, but I know inspiration will come as I continue to explore new ideas.

Future me, I hope I am still a saver when it comes to money.  There are so many things I want to do and see, and it won’t happen if I spend more than I make.  But I’m trying to set good habits now so I can be more successful.

Future me, have my dreams changed? Have I myself changed and grown?  I hope I have, and I hope I am a better person than I am today.  I hope I continue to help those less fortunate and become a friend to all.

Keep moving forward despite the hard and discouraging times; success is always within reach.  Smile, it will help me feel better and brighten the day of those around me.

I believe in me!

Love,

Me

Writing a letter to your future self is something that can be truly beneficial.  Do you ever look back on your recent past or distant past and think, “I’ve changed so much,” or “I haven’t quite accomplished what I hoped to at this point in my life?” Have you forgotten what your dreams were five or 10 years ago?

I want to invite you to write a letter to your future self. Pick a date — five, 10, 20, or however many years in the future you’d like.  Include things that are meaningful to you, hopes, dreams, passions, apprehensions, fears, etc.  For example, you could write about a weakness you are trying to overcome and in the years to come, you may find that though it was challenging, you were able to change.

Other things you may include as you write your letter:

•       Things you’ve learned in life and want to keep close
•       Things you’d like to improve
•       Things you think you are already good at
•       Motivational thoughts
•       Dreams and goals
•       Financial, career, and family goals and plans
•       What motivates you to work hard
•       Dates you are planning to have some specific things accomplished
•       Ask yourself things you truly wonder about your future self
•       Talk about what you are already doing to accomplish your goals

Ask, “What am I doing now to be the person I’d like to become?  That is where it all starts.

Writing to yourself gives you the opportunity to check in on progress and reassess where in your life needs more work and effort.  Maybe you find in 10 years you have drifted far from your goals, but the goal still remains.  What are you willing to change now to reach that goal? Reading this letter to yourself can help you realign and re-evaluate how you will reach further than you ever have before.

You can write a handwritten letter and store it in an envelope labeled with the date you would like to open it.  Another option is provided at www.futureme.org where you can write a letter and it will be emailed to you on the date you request.

Make It a Back –To- School Family Activity

You could even make this a family affair and invite your children to write a letter to themselves about what they want to accomplish in the coming school year. Let them set personal goals for themselves, acknowledge their strengths, and identify things they want to work on.  Then it could be fun for the whole family to read their own letters at the end of the school year and see what has happened in all of your lives the past nine months.

This article was written by KJ Lamplugh, USU Extension Finance & FCS Program Assistant, Salt Lake County

References:

https://www.futureme.org/

We know eating together as a family is important, but sometimes it can be tough. Try these tips to make your family meals a success, and make an effort to eat together as a family during National Family Mealtime month in September.

With school starting, it may feel like your family is getting pulled in all directions.  Piano practice, football games, swim team tryouts, school projects, and study groups may be filling up your family’s schedule.  An important way to keep your family connected in busy times is having meals together.  Family meals have been associated with improved diets, academic performance and vocabularies. They also decrease the risk of children experiencing depression, eating disorders, and drug/alcohol use.

This may be why September has been declared National Family Mealtime month, and Healthy Family Meals month in Utah. Here are some tips that can help make family mealtime a habit.

1. Plan and prioritize. Make family mealtime a priority by planning it in your day.  Plan when, where, and what you will be eating.  Let your family know that it is important for everyone to be present.  Take time each month (or a few times a month) to plan your meals.  This can help you save time and money throughout the month.
2. Make it work for your family.  Is family dinnertime not working?  Try family breakfast, lunch, or afterschool snack time.  Just take time to sit together, share a healthy meal (or snack), and connect as a family.
3. Ditch the electronics.   With so much socializing happening online, we can lose touch with the art of conversation.  Help your family spend time together undistracted by turning off or putting away cell phones and other electronic devices.  Parents, this includes your devices too!
4. Keep it simple and fun.  Family mealtime doesn’t need to be a source of stress.  By planning your meal and involving the whole family in the prep and cleanup, you can keep it from being a burden.  Also, don’t put too much pressure on yourself that it has to be a certain way (see tip # 2).  Use this time to talk about your days and fun memories.  Avoid discussing topics that may lead to contention: discipline, etc.

Equipped with these tips, we invite you to take the pledge to start the habit of more family mealtimes this September.

For more family mealtime tips, check out our resources at CreateBetterHealth.usu.edu.

This article was written by LaCee Jimenez, Food $ense (SNAP-Ed) Coordinator with Utah State University Extension

Help prepare your older children to be responsible babysitters with these tips and ideas.

Is your son or daughter interested in babysitting? It’s important to help youth understand that watching kids is a big responsibility, and keeping them safe adds to their duties. Here are ideas to discuss with them to help keep the children they tend safe.

• Always wear and reapply sunscreen. As a general guideline, the SPF number is the number of minutes you can go before you need to reapply the sunscreen.

• Keep your eyes on the children at all times when you are around water, including ponds and swimming pools. Kids can get hurt even on slip and slides, so keep your eyes out for possible danger.
• Be aware of hot cement. The cement can often get so hot that it burns the kids’ feet. If you want to have fun with sidewalk chalk, find a shady part of the sidewalk where children can draw their creations.
• Be aware of strangers. Play in the backyard as much as possible. If this is not possible, keep an eye out for strangers and suspicious vehicles.
• Drink plenty of water, especially if you are outside and sweating and losing water. Both you and the kids need to stay hydrated.
• Be aware of the temperature outside. If it is above 90 degrees, it is probably safer to find something to do inside.
• Prepare simple snacks that are healthy and safe. Make sure vegetables, fruits and hot dogs are cut up in small pieces. Don’t give children a treat on a stick unless they are sitting down to eat it. Running around and eating food on a stick could cause them to fall and jam the stick in their throat.
• Have a first aid kit handy.
• Have fun and be safe!

Another responsibility a babysitter has is dealing with tantrums, bad behavior and irrationality. These behaviors can often be handled through a time out. Attached is a recipe for a glitter “calm down jar” that also doubles as a timer. As kids focus on the settling glitter, it helps them calm down. Once all the glitter settles, the time out is over. It can be found here. Your youth may want to add a “calm down jar”  to their babysitting kit.

This article was written by Kayla Orton, Intern with Utah State University Extension – Salt Lake County

A light supper, a good night’s sleep, and a fine morning have often made a hero of the same man who, by indigestion, a restless night, and a rainy morning, would have proved a coward.

–Lord Chesterfield

As parents, we know our children need a healthy, balanced diet to perform well in school. However, do we recognize what a vital role sleep plays in student performance? Teenagers extend their waking hours to accommodate school, work, sports and social life, cutting back on hours meant for sleep. Yet, whether they are teenagers or younger kids, even Superheroes need sleep to be at their best! Research shows that:

• Shortened sleep times seem to cause higher levels of anxiety (Silva, et al. 2017).
• Shortened sleep times seem to cause an increase in feelings of hunger, but a decrease in food enjoyment (Silva, et al. 2017).
• A one-hour increase of sleep time is associated with a 14 percent decrease in the odds of being obese (Timmermans, et al., 2017).
• Teenagers who consistently went to bed late craved more high-sugar foods at breakfast, and then continued to eat 53 percent  more food throughout the day (Asarnow, et al., 2017).
• These same teenagers, when they altered their habits and went to bed earlier, voluntarily chose healthier foods for breakfast (Asarnow, et al., 2017).

Less anxiety, decrease in obesity, healthier food choices…there’s no question that sleep should be  an important part of your Superhero’s diet!

This article was written by Cathy Merrill, Family and Consumer Sciences, Extension Assistant Professor, USU Extension, Utah County

References:

Asarnow, L.D., Greer, S.M., Walker, M.P., & Harvey, A.G. (2017). The impact of sleep improvementon food choices in adolescents with late bedtimes. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60¸ 570-576.  Accessed at  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.11.018

Silva, A.A.S.C., do Vale Cardoso Lopes, T., Teixeira, K.R., Mendes, J.A., de Souza Borba, M.E., Mota, M.C.,

Waterhouse, J., Crispim, C.A. (2017). The association between anxiety, hunger, the enjoyment of eating foods and the satiety after food intake in individuals working a night shift compared with after taking a nocturnal sleep: A prospective and observational study. Appetite, 108, 255-262. Accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.10.005  

Timmermans, M., Mackenbach, J.D., Charreire, H., Bardos, H., Compernolle, S., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., Oppert, J.-M., Rutter, H., McKee, M., Lakerveld, J. (2017). Preventive Medicine, 100, 25-32. Accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1026/j.ypmed.2017.03.021

Ready or not, school will be starting soon for many Utah kids (if it hasn’t already). When kids walk in the door after school, they are STARVING. Let the aroma of this crockpot bread entice them beyond the cookie jar. It’s ready when they are!

Slow Cooker Boston Brown Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 c wheat flour
• 1/2 c rye flour
• 1/2 c cornmeal
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 c powdered milk
• 1/2 c sugar, honey, or molasses
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 2 c water
• optional: 1 c raisins, 1/4 c sunflower seeds

Directions:

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine and mix briefly to moisten thoroughly. Place dough in greased #10 can, loaf pan, bundt cake pan, or make a 2/3 batch and grease two spaghetti sauce cans – whatever will fit in your crockpot with the lid on. Add enough water to reach halfway up the sides of the pan, put the crockpot lid on (with tinfoil, if necessary) and cook on low overnight or all day, or on high for 3-5 hours. Let cool before taking the bread from the pans.

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Dittli. Submitted by Cathy Merrill, Family and Consumer Sciences, Extension Assistant Professor, USU Extension, Utah County

Summer is almost over, but there’s still time to do a few more fun things with your family. Check out this list for inspiration.

1. Visit your county fair – see the animals and all the fun exhibits youth and adults have made.
2. Make your own bubbles and have a family bubbles contest.
3. Go fishing at the urban fishery or a lake.
4. Go to a concert in the park.
5. Take a drive to see the beauties of nature.
6. Go to the park and throw frisbees.
7. Make kites and fly them at the park.
8. Go to a garden or orchard and pick your favorite vegetables or fruit, or visit the farmers market and bring some new food home to try.
9. Make homemade ice cream in a bag or a can.
10. Go on a smartphone scavenger hunt in your neighborhood – let everyone come up with items to find.
11. Interview a family member about what he or she did for fun as a kid.
12. Make your own pizzas together.
13. Pick your favorite family movie and watch it together.
14. Make your own family crest or other family art project that you can hang in your home.
15. Take a trip to the library and have everyone select a children’s book to read at home.
16. Go for a hike in a park or somewhere you have always wanted to see.
17. Visit the zoo or bird refuge.
18. Take a walking tour to see historical sites in your town.
19. Visit an area museum.
20. Watch the sunset together.
21. Go camping…even in your backyard.
22. Play croquet or other fun lawn games.
23. Go on a geocaching adventure near you home.
24. Make your favorite float – with ice cream and root beer or your favorite flavor of soda – maybe after “Back to School” night.
25. Have a water balloon fight or squirt gun duel.
26. Go on a bike ride as a family.
27. Make an obstacle course and invite the neighbors for an evening of fun.
28. Have a neighborhood “unbirthday party” for everyone.
29. Make cookies together and deliver them as a surprise to a neighbor.
30. Make your own bowling alley in the back yard using cans or soda pop bottles and balls.
31. Have a hoola hoop contest with your family and friends.

This list was compiled by Marilyn Albertson, Utah State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Associate Professor, Salt Lake County

Making shopping fun for your kids will make shopping more fun and easier for you too! Check out these 11 entertaining and educational activities to keep kids busy at the grocery store!

In our last article, “10 Tips for Surviving Grocery Shopping with Kids,” one of our tips was to give children age-appropriate activities to do during shopping trips. To help you do this, I’ve collected a variety of of parent-proven activities for all age ranges. While some of these take a little planning and preparation, it is worth laying the groundwork to transform shopping with your family from dreaded and stressful to enjoyable and painless!

(Although the activities are grouped in specific age categories, many can be used for a wide range of ages.)

Shopping with little ones

1. When young children get to help pick out produce and other items, it makes them feel like part of the team, and they are more likely to eat what they pick out, too! Make sure you give them choices you can live with, such as, “Broccoli or cauliflower?” You can also combine this activity with the matching game (#7 below) to make it more exciting.
2. You can help your children feel important by asking them to help carry things, either while walking or while riding in the cart. They can have items they are in charge of until checkout.
3. If you feel crafty, you might enjoy making a “grocery game” for your child to take on each shopping trip. This can be used with toddlers as well as preschoolers, or pictures can be replaced with words for beginning readers. You can find the tutorial here.

Shopping with preschoolers

4. Play “I Spy.” Before entering the store, let children pick out a specific color, shape, number or letter and see how many of the object they can find while shopping. Compare from trip to trip to see what things are most common in the store.
5. Play alphabet or letter scavenger hunt. Write out letters of the alphabet (or draw shapes or colors for younger children) on a paper, and let children cross off each one they find. If this doesn’t last long enough, you can have each letter, shape or color listed multiple times.
6. Play a matching game. Put pictures of products your family often uses on cards (you may want to laminate these for use on other shopping trips). Good sources for pictures are store ads and coupons. Let children match these cards to the products at the store. Each time they find a match, they turn the card into you. It’s fun to see how many they can match each time.
7. Play a guessing game. Give hints about what you are going to get next and see if the kids can guess what it is before you get it off the shelf.

Shopping with school-aged kids

8. Put them in charge of the shopping list. Make a shopping list on your tablet, phone or on paper, and put your child in charge of crossing items off as they are put in the cart. For younger kids you can use pictures for the shopping list instead of words.
9. Have your child sort the groceries as you put them in the cart. They can sort by category, such as by food group (fruits and veggies, grains, protein, dairy/calcium), by color or by size. Let them choose categories to put things into.
10.  If you have multiple kids to wrangle, play grocery bingo! Each child gets a board and they mark off items they see as you walk around the grocery store. The first to mark off five in a row wins! Below are several options to make your own bingo cards or download free cards to print.
    • Make bingo boards with pictures using clip art, Google image search or cutting out pictures from the grocery flyer. You can use this free bingo template. 
    • Use this site to make bingo boards with any words you would like.
    • These blogs each have two to four grocery-themed bingo cards you can download and use: U Create, Louisville Family Fun, Life Love and Thyme

If you laminate the cards or put them in sheet protectors, you can use dry erase markers to mark off items and they can be used again and again.

Middle school and above

11.  This is a great time to guide your children in learning to shop for the best deals at the grocery store. Have them help create your shopping list, using store ads and coupons if possible. Teach them how to look for unit pricing on the shelf tags at the store, as well as how to figure it out for themselves so they can do the calculations if unit pricing is missing on the shelf or not shown in equivalent units. Find a simple child-friendly explanation of how to figure out unit pricing here. 

These activities, along with ideas from our previous article, can make your trips to the supermarket more pleasurable for the whole family. Have fun, and maybe enjoy singing a song in the car on the way! 

This article was written by Alissa Weller, Healthy Family Fun Box Elder County Coordinator, and Carrie Durward, PhD, RD, Assistant Professor and Extension Nutrition Specialist