Eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day can sometimes feel really hard. With so many different foods to choose from, it’s quite the adventure to discover the foods we like or dislike. We don’t always like the taste or texture of certain foods, and that can make trying new things scary. Playing with food helps us to explore different textures, tastes, and smells, and gives us the space to reflect on our likes and dislikes while discovering new foods.

Create your own paint using simple pantry ingredients and your own stamps out of various fruits, vegetables and dry goods like beans and pasta. Explore different colors and intensities, shapes, and patterns and reflect on what you see, feel, and smell while you create! The more choice and experience you have in the kitchen, the more you will enjoy and feel confident cooking and trying new foods!

This activity is a part of Connecting the Dots: Health as Art. Learn more about how the arts improve social determinants of health, support child development, foster health-promoting behaviors, and discover new resources and activities that connect the dots between social-emotional health, physical activity, and nutrition through art at school and at home!