I was a reluctant gardener when I was a kid. He had two large gardens and many flower beds.
My parents encouraged us to help out by roasting hot dogs and marshmallows after we finished gardening in our rural “edible” garden.
I didn’t really like weeding, but I did like planting plants. I planted green beans, pumpkins, corn, and pumpkin seeds along with onion sets and seed potatoes. I’m not sure if I’ve graduated to planting small carrot seeds.
I remember being so proud to have child-sized gloves and a child-sized shovel. I was looking forward to seeing the leaves peeking out from the soil.
As an adult, I worked with my children and their friends in a community garden to teach them some of the basic skills.
It quickly became clear that not all children had ever held a seed in their hands and planted it. In fact, it turns out that no matter what size seed you give your kids, they’re likely to toss it into the dirt like Johnny Appleseed.
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One year, legumes were growing almost everywhere except where we wanted them.
Children learn a lot from gardening experiences. Not only do they get the necessary physical activity, they also learn to care for plants, work with people, and explore natural science.
As an added benefit, researchers found that children who helped with gardening liked to eat the food. Most children, like most adults, do not eat the recommended amount of vegetables and fruits.
In fact, a 2021 study showed that about half of toddlers and preschoolers don’t eat at least one vegetable every day, and one-third don’t eat any fruit every day.
When you “count” as eating fruits and vegetables, those foods can be canned, frozen, or fresh. In other words, you can shop around the grocery store to meet your daily nutritional needs and budget constraints.
North Dakota allows you to grow many vegetables and fruits, from beets to zucchini. Spring is here and it’s time to start planting leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce. In fact, you can grow several leafy vegetable “crops” per year.
If you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or neighbor children, teaching them how to plant and care for plants can give them a lifelong advantage. This is true even if your “garden” is a large pot on your deck.
Once you have a successful garden, you have many options for preserving your abundant vegetables and fruits.
Visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/food to view NDSU Extension resources to help you dry, freeze, ferment, and pickle your food. To learn more about gardening, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/fieldtofork to learn from eight years of recorded webinars on numerous gardening and food preservation topics.
Most people naturally like sweet foods such as fruits, but vegetables can taste somewhat bitter to children. Try different cooking methods and ask your “picky eater” to help with the preparation.
I think the steamer bag for frozen vegetables that can be used in the microwave was a great invention. However, you can easily steam fresh vegetables in hot water using a steamer.
With a multifunction cooker, you can pressure cook items that take longer to cook due to their texture, such as beets, carrots, and potatoes.
Other cooking methods include sauteing, air-frying, roasting, boiling, grilling, and baking vegetables. Add fresh or dried herbs to enhance flavor.
Here are some kid-friendly recipes that are ready in the oven in just a few minutes. Ask someone who doesn’t eat many vegetables to help you.
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 1-2 teaspoons dried dill)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the baby carrots diagonally. Fry the carrots in oil. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Throw it again. Using a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, transfer the carrots in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 1 hour or until brown, stirring occasionally. Toss the roasted carrots with dill.
Makes enough for 4 people. One serving contains 90 calories, 7 grams (g) of fat, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein, and 3 grams of fiber. Sodium content varies depending on the amount of salt added.
Julie Garden-Robinson is a food and nutrition specialist and professor at NDSU Extension.
