As the weather turns (marginally) warmer, my mind drifts to the garden and seed catalogs that come happily pouring into my mailbox! My three girls are all adventurous eaters but my son struggles with trying new foods. One way I have gotten him more enthusiastic about new foods is having him help me in the garden. Not only does he see firsthand how food is grown, he takes pride in helping me tend to the plants and harvest the bounty!
Here are five plants to include in any garden with kids:
Carrots
Carrots from the garden are 100% better than any you will find at the store! While store-bought carrots have often been picked so long ago they have lost all their flavor, carrots picked fresh from the garden are sweet and delicious. We like to plant the Dragon variety. Not only is the name awesome – I mean, who doesn’t want to eat a Dragon carrot!?! – they are purple on the outside and yellow-orange on the interior.
Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is such a fun plant! The globes are pale green outside and when peeled, the inside tastes like a very mild turnip. My kids inhale them raw with a little salt or dipped in ranch dressing.
Raspberries
Are you new to gardening? I have great news for you! Raspberries are really easy to grow and produce delicious, healthy fruit. They require little maintenance, although depending on your space you will want to prune the bushes so they don’t take over your space.
Snap Peas
One of my fondest childhood memories is sitting on the porch with my grandma shelling peas. That being said, the snap varieties can be eaten pod and all and make for a fun snack straight off the vine.
Nasturtiums
Your kids will love these edible flowers! Similar in flavor to watercress they are delicious in a fresh garden salad and my kids never cease to giggle at devouring flowers.
Not ready to tackle gardening yet? Head to the Rochester Farmers Market to find all of these and much more!
