In today's story, we talked about naming our feelings and how that helps build emotional resilience. We read a really fun book called How Are You Peeling? Foods with Moods, by Saxton Freyman and Joost Elffers, and it was all about talking about feelings...but with vegetables.

You can talk about your feelings using vegetables, too!

And if you'd like to experience this hilarious book for yourself, you can buy it right here:

https://bookshop.org/books/how-are-you-peeling-food-with-moods/9780439598415

Supplies

-assorted vegetables and/or fruits (I used bell peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, and carrots, but you can use whatever is in your kitchen)

-toothpicks

-eyes (I used cloves and peppercorns, but black-eyed peas, lentils, or other beans are good choices, too!)

-a sharp knife

Step 1: Examine Your Vegetables.

Take a good look at them from all sides. Can you find something that looks a bit like a face already? What mood does that face remind you of?

This carrot, for instance, looked like it was dancing to me. This potato has a mark on it that looks like a very grumpy, angry eye. And this pepper looks like it's biting its lip.

Use your imagination!

Step 2: An Energetic Carrot!

I used my sharp knife to make some eye cavities on the carrot. This is a good way to make a place to put eyes on your vegetables, but be careful! Get a grown up or older sibling to help if you need to.

I put peppercorns in the cavities for eyes, and then I added toothpick arms and mushroom hands.

Now the carrot is Energetic Carrot!

Step 3: An Anxious Pepper.

I decided that these mushrooms would make great big, wide eyes for this pepper. So I used a toothpick to make two holes for eyes, and slotted the mushroom stems into the holes.

Then, I used the same toothpick to make indentations in the tops of the mushrooms so I could stick in peppercorns to be pupils.

Finally, I added cloves for teeth. Now I have an Extremely Anxious Pepper.

Step 4: A Grumpy Potato.

I didn't even need to add eyes to this potato. This one eye was so grumpy that I decided one eye was enough.

I used a toothpick to make a grumpy mouth and added a clove for a nose. Then, I broke a few toothpicks in half to add hair.

Now I have a Grumpy Potato.

These are only ideas! Your Feelings Vegetables will look very different, because your feelings and your vegetables will be different.

Step 5: Cook Your Vegetables!

After your vegetables have helped express your feelings, you can cook something with them! Soup is a good choice for all kinds of vegetables, but I decided to make a pot pie. What will you make?

(You could also freeze the vegetables for later.)