Most people will agree that a balanced diet includes more fruit and vegetables. The question many parents ask is, “How do I get my kids to eat a balanced diet?”
The answer is simple. Go outside to your backyard. Planting seeds with children teaches them so much about this world and naturally encourages them to eat healthy.
Part of raising healthy families and healthy kids includes re-establishing a connection to food. When children plant seeds and create a garden, food becomes something that is cherished verses packaged or wolfed down before soccer practice.
Plants for children then become their sense of pride. They become inquisitive about them. Often I will see my kids walking over to our garden to pick a spinach leaf or pluck some peppermint to chew on while they are playing in the backyard.
Many people ask what are the best plants for children or seeds for kids so here are a few suggestions.
Carrots- Kids think it is so fun to pull up the root. It’s is like a big guessing game to them as they do not know what it looks like until they pull the carrot out. There are sure to be squeals when they see it for the first time.
Peppermint-Get this herb started and it will grow each year without hardly any attention. It will spread like wildfire so be careful where you plant it! You can keep it contained in a pot if you wish.
Spinach – Spinach is lovely because it is one of the first things to sprout in the spring and it is full of nutrients. (In the picture above you can see where one of my boys literally took a bite out of the spinach leaf!)
Pumpkin-What could be more fun than planting something that you can carve in the fall?
By planting seeds with children they also learn how to care for something other than themselves. They begin to understand balance and how everything is connected. For example, if they forget to water the plant can die. If they water too much the plant can drown.
Begin creating connections to your food by planting seeds with your kids and they will happily eat their veggies and have a well balanced meal. Don’t worry about what to plant, any seeds you plant with your kids in the garden will be fun so go ahead and get your hands dirty!
Happy Planting!
~Summer Joy
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