Looking for a simple, creative way to start talking about Rosh HaShana with your kids? Let me offer you one of our new favorite traditions: The Great Apple Taste-Off.
The idea came from my son, who—while we were standing in the produce aisle—asked me how many different types of apples there are. I confidently said, “Oh, probably like… 20?” Red, green, maybe one of those fancy pink ones. I was feeling pretty good about my apple knowledge.
Turns out I was only off by about 7,480 varieties. Give or take.
But out of that humbling moment came a pretty delightful afternoon activity: a full-blown apple tasting event. We picked out 8 or 9 apple varieties (some we’d never even heard of), sliced them up, arranged them on a big platter, and set up scorecards for the kids. Each child picked their top 3 apples, ranked them with gold, silver, and bronze. There was a whole lot of crunchy chewing, intense deliberation, and more than one “Wait, can I try that one again?”
We even had some friendly debate over what makes a perfect Rosh HaShana apple. Is it the crunch? The sweetness? The color? Everyone had opinions—and I loved every minute of it.
The best part? The winning apples earn a spot at our Rosh HaShana table. It gives the kids a real sense of ownership over the holiday meal—and somehow those apples taste even sweeter when they know they helped choose them.
Want to try it at home? It’s easy and fun and doesn’t require much more than a trip to the grocery store and a few willing taste-testers.
Here’s what you need:
A mix of apple varieties (try to grab some beyond the basics—think Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Envy, Ambrosia… you get the idea)
A cutting board and knife
Small plates or napkins for tasting
A simple scorecard for each participant (or just a piece of paper with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place)
Optional: blue ribbons, little “winner” tags, or even a trophy for the top apple
This little tradition has turned into one of my favorite ways to ease into the holiday season. It gets the kids thinking about Rosh HaShana in a joyful, hands-on way. It sparks conversation about what we’re celebrating, why apples and honey matter, and how we can bring sweetness into the new year—not just on our plates, but into our days.
And hey, if nothing else, it’s a great excuse to eat more apples.