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 roast hot dogs and marshmallows after we finished gardening duties in their country “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 how proud I was to have kid-sized gloves and a kid-sized shovel, and how excited I was to see the leaves peeking out from the dirt.
As an adult, I worked with my children and their friends in community gardens, teaching them 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.
One year, legumes were growing almost everywhere except where we wanted them.
Children learn a lot from gardening experiences. Not only will you get some much-needed exercise, you’ll also learn about caring for plants, working with others, and exploring 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 nearly half of toddlers and preschoolers don’t eat at least one serving of vegetables each day, and one-third don’t eat fruit daily.
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.
Provided by / NDSU Extension Service
North Dakota allows you to grow a variety of vegetables and fruits, from beets to zucchini. Spring is the time to start planting leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce. In fact, in a year he can grow two or three “harvests” of leafy vegetables.
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 can, dry, freeze, ferment, and pickle food. To learn more about gardening, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/fieldtofork to view eight years of recorded webinars on a variety of gardening and food preservation topics.
Most people naturally like sweet foods such as fruits, but vegetables can taste somewhat bitter to children. Experiment with 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.
If you have a multifunction cooker, you can pressure cook many foods 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.
- 36 baby carrots
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 1-2 teaspoons dried dill)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut baby carrots diagonally. Sauté carrots in oil. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss again. Using a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, transfer carrots in a single layer. Roast in oven for 1 hour or until browned, stirring occasionally. Once roasted, toss carrots with dill.
Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains 90 calories, 7 grams (g) fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram protein, and 3 grams fiber. Sodium content varies depending on added salt.
