Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Our Garden in Kentucky

On the topic of getting our kids to eat- One of the things I always wanted to do, but didn't have time as a working mom, was to grow a vegetable garden. This year we did it!

We have the good fortune to have grandparents with a lot of land down in Kentucky. Once or twice a week over the summer, we drove down to the farm to tend to our plants. (It was also a great way for my kids to see more of their great grandparents.) My oldest daughter helped plant the seeds and then had the pleasure of picking the ripe fruits of our labors. One would think this would be a perfect example for getting your kids to eat the vegetables, but no such luck. From seed, to fruit, to the table, there was still zero appeal for the fussy 3 year old palate. A friend of mine, and a fellow reader suggested that getting kids involved in the cooking process really helps- for example she makes pumpkin muffins with her son, so now he eats the healthy muffins. I imagine it's too late since the harvest to remind her that "this is the winter squash we planted this summer", but it's something to think about for next summer. And maybe by the age of four, she will have outgrown the fussiness. Who knows.