{"id":19904,"date":"2026-02-19T10:42:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T15:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/food-health\/?p=19904"},"modified":"2026-03-03T15:37:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T20:37:01","slug":"exploring-maine-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/food-health\/2026\/02\/19\/exploring-maine-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"Kids In the Kitchen: Exploring Maine Foods"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2014 By Kate Yerxa<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

This blog is the third blog in a series of three about ideas to get children of all ages involved in the kitchen. The blog series expands on our previous blog post, From Picky Eaters to Kitchen Helpers: Making Mealtime Fun<\/a>.<\/p>\n

From potatoes to wild blueberries, Maine produces so many healthy local foods that can be found at the grocery store, the farmers\u2019 market, or right from a farmer, fisher, or shellfish harvester. You may also find many Maine foods at your local food pantry that have been grown and donated by local farmers and community groups like the University of Maine Cooperative Extension\u2019s Maine Harvest for Hunger<\/a>. This blog provides some ideas about how to include Maine foods into your weekly meals on a budget, and plan ways to find local foods year-round. When we choose local, nutritious foods, we help our whole community stay healthy and support local farmers.<\/p>\n

Exploring Maine Foods<\/h3>\n

You don’t need a large budget to enjoy local foods. Many Maine food products are healthy, low-cost foods. Root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and beets are cheap, stay fresh for a long time, and are packed with vitamins. Try making a big pot of Maine fish chowder or corn chowder, using local milk and potatoes, or enjoy some Maine buckwheat ployes for breakfast. Even in the winter, you can find a variety of Maine foods. The Maine Federation of Farmers\u2019 Markets has put together a webpage, \u201cWhat\u2019s In Season,\u201d<\/a> that lists what\u2019s in season by month to help you think of ways to add local foods into your meals.<\/p>\n

Creating a weekly menu using local Maine foods in January may seem overwhelming, but you don\u2019t have to have Maine foods in all of your meals. Instead, think about small shifts in ingredients you can make with some of your dishes. Below are some ideas for kid-friendly and budget-friendly dishes that use seasonal Maine foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Day<\/strong><\/th>\nMeal Ideas<\/strong><\/th>\nLocal Ingredients<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Sunday<\/td>\nSeasonal Roasted Vegetables<\/a> and Chicken<\/td>\nPotatoes, carrots, and parsnips
\nTip: double the recipe and use the roasted vegetables and chicken as toppings for the baked potato bar.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Monday<\/td>\nCorn Chowder<\/a><\/td>\nMaine potatoes
\nOption: If your local grocery store sells chowder fish pieces (fresh or frozen) you can make an affordable Maine fish chowder.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tuesday<\/td>\nBreakfast for Dinner: Blueberry Pancakes<\/a><\/td>\nLook for frozen Maine Wild Blueberries to add to pancakes.
\nOption: You can also use local Maine apples to make a tasty topping for the pancakes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wednesday<\/td>\nMaine Baked Potato Bar<\/td>\nMaine Russet Potatoes
\nOption: Use leftover chicken and roasted Maine vegetables from Sunday as toppings.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thursday<\/td>\nGrain Bowls<\/a><\/td>\nLook for frozen Maine vegetables like broccoli, or use leftover roasted vegetables from Sunday if you didn\u2019t use them for the Baked Potato Bar as toppings for the grain bowls. This is also a good make-ahead meal (cooking the grain ahead of time and using the leftover protein).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Friday<\/td>\nChili and Corn Bread<\/a><\/td>\nMix and match our yummy chili recipes using Maine dry beans and your preferred ground meat for your household:
\nBlack Bean and Squash Chili<\/a>
\nVegetarian Chili<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Saturday<\/td>\nLeftovers and Apple Cinnamon Bread<\/a><\/td>\nMake sure to plan how long you can keep leftovers safely in the refrigerator or freezer using the FoodKeeper App<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Check out the University of Maine Cooperative Extension\u2019s Mainely Dish Recipes<\/a> for more low-cost meal inspiration.<\/p>\n

Even though there is still snow on the ground, now is the time to start planning your garden. Learn about starting seeds at home<\/a> and the best vegetable varieties for Maine gardens<\/a>, or if space is limited, learn about gardening in small spaces<\/a> or container gardening<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Resources<\/h3>\n