Kids’ day at the farm

FOOD | Julianne Glatz

I’ve always been mystified when I hear about children refusing to eat vegetables – any vegetables, not just one or two – or viewing them as inherently awful. Vegetables in their grandparents’ produce farm and our garden were an integral part of my kids’ life. They teethed on scallions, wiped tomatoes for selling and helped shell beans or prepare corn for freezing. And they participated in kitchen tasks. But kids’ vegetable avoidance is a problem for

many parents. Recent TV ads show moms desperately try to keep their kids from discovering that a brand of canned pastas have a full serving of vegetables.

Involving kids in growing, harvesting and preparing their food (other things as well as vegetables) is a wonderful way to broaden their tastes – even if it’s just planting and watering a few tomato plants or herbs, or helping make a meal. It can make for fun fam-ily interaction as well as providing kids with a sense of satisfaction and self-sufficiency.