Family Gardening and Cooking
More and more, people are suffering from a lack of nature and family time. Summer is the perfect time to encourage the whole family to reconnect with nature and healthy living by gardening and cooking together.
In this article, you'll find out how to enjoy gardening and cooking with your family this summer.
The benefits of family gardening
Summer is the perfect time for family gardening and cooking.
As the elements of nature metamorphose under the curious gaze of children, they develop a special bond with the outside world. As the garden and vegetable patch transform before their very eyes, it's the perfect time to graft nature's lessons to their inquisitive nature.
Gardening has many health benefits. Working the land and growing one's own food leads to reduced stress and a better relationship with food, as described by this article. For children, gardening offers a golden opportunity to bond with nature and food. It also brings them closer to their families. Indeed, gardening fosters collective well-being and a sense of belonging among members of the same group. 1
What's more, family gardening enables children to develop :
- A sense of responsibility - by caring for plants ;
- Self-esteem - by seeing the garden grow thanks to their efforts;
- A sense of cooperation - working as a team towards a common goal;
- A love of nature - seeing natural phenomena unfold before their eyes;
- Scientific knowledge - seeing plants go through their growth cycle;
- Recognition - by realizing the work involved in producing food. 2
When children are involved in caring for the vegetable garden, they are far more likely to eat the food grown, because of the creative process that engages them.
What if we don't have a vegetable garden?
If you don't have a vegetable garden, a little basic knowledge is all you need to introduce your children to gardening and/or local edible foods. You may be surprised to learn that your flower beds are home to many perfectly edible plants.
Many varieties of hostas, perennials with foliage in different shades of green, are edible and delicious. Among nearby perennials, daisy and daylily flowers are edible and succulent in both bud and full-bloom stages. In your annuals, carnation, pansy, nasturtium, marigold, geranium and begonia petals are not only safe to eat, but delicious too. By adding a few flower petals to a meal, dishes take on a proud new look that leaves no one indifferent, especially children, who enjoy savoring the beautifully decorated food.
To encourage children to develop a close relationship with the earth and edible foods from the garden, it is also encouraged to :
- Visit local vegetable farms;
- Visit the farmers' market and encourage children to choose seasonal produce from the stalls;
- U-pick seasonal fruits and vegetables, with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries and fall squash being the main picks;
- Learn about wild edible and/or medicinal plants in the area, including clover, wild dill, wild chamomile, vinegar, plantain, nettle, dandelion, goldenrod, lamb's-quarters, mullein and wild parsley;
- Take part in a workshop to identify and gather wild mushrooms (mycology).
Cook with your family once you've finished picking.
Cooking seasonal foods (fruits, vegetables, foliage, roots, flowers and mushrooms) helps teach children healthy lifestyle habits.
Although cooking as a family can be slightly more time-consuming and messy, the learning children get out of it is significant. This well-invested time allows them to :
- Pass on practical life skills essential to adult life;
- Develop good communication within the family;
- Take into account everyone's tastes in food, in a respectful and open manner;
- Promote cooperation and teamwork;
- Spend quality time with family;
- Encourage children to try new foods;
- Engage all the senses in the culinary experience;
- Discuss food choices and raise children's awareness of family values;
- Be creative and imaginative;
- Have fun and make the process enjoyable.
This summer, take the time to garden, explore and cook with your family.
It's not too late to get involved in family gardening. Herbs and greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, chard) can be sown now for a fall harvest.
Have fun with your family!
About the author
Naturopaths of La Boite à Grains
Team of licensed and certified naturopaths (ND) in Gatineau, Outaouais.
Original article written by Véronique Cousineau, Naturopath
Sources
1 : Gigliotti and Jarrott, 2005, Gonzalez et al., 2010, van den Berg et al., 2010, Wakefield et al., 2007, Wichrowski et al., 2005, Wood et al., 2016)
2 : Better Health Channel & Horticultural Therapy Association Vic. Gardening with children. 1999/2019 State of Victoria