Comiditas at the Portobello West

My good friend Marcela de la Peña is a Vancouver-based, Mexican-born entrepreneur who is the creator of Comiditas (literally, little lunches or small food). When I first learned about Comiditas my mind was transported to my childhood. Young kids would play “comiditas” (meaning they would play as though they are little cooks). I find the whole idea of plush toy food quite endearing.

I asked Marcela to explain what Comiditas is:

Comiditas are hand-made felt toys – fruits and veggies as bright as a Sunday market, and multi-ingredient kits that kids can assemble into their own version of a dish. For example children can enjoy making their own pancake, pizza or salad, choosing from various toppings and ingredients. Colourful, durable, washable and adorable, they are perfect for individual and group play, and a wonderful way to help youngsters develop an adventurous attitude and a love for fresh, healthy food. Comiditas are ‘food’ kids love to play with.

A little more information about Comiditas from their About Us page:

We are a small business who seek to create meaningful toys to play with and learn from.

We support toys that are simple but not dull. Toys made from fabric tend to be simple, as they don’t need batteries, make noise, or have lights. And without these distractions, they offer an open door to a world of creativity and learning.

With this educational approach, we support our values and we can pass them on to the children.

An example of this is that our toys are made for both boys and girls. While playing with food has traditionally been a girl’s game, we have found that it is also interesting and engaging for boys. Experimenting with the texture and colours of the food through play is a wonderful learning experience for boys and girls alike.

Playing with your food is an invitation to learn about different fruits, vegetables, and food combinations. Comiditas encourages curiosity about food, and we can take advantage of that curiosity to promote good nutrition.

Comiditas will be one of the booths at our local Portobello West this weekend March 26th and 27th and I have a discount code exclusive for readers of Hummingbird604.com (code: HMB604). On top of that, the first 2 readers who use the discount code will receive a free Comiditas-branded apron (value $16 on Comiditas’ online marketplace).

What: Comiditas at Portobello West Season Opener
When: March 26th and 27th, 11am to 5pm
Where: Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver
How much: $2 admission

I hope you have an opportunity to check out Comiditas, as it’s a beautiful idea.