A Garden Worth Grazing - Kids and Snacking!

As a dad of two young daughters I am well versed in the constant demand for snacks. Why is it that they’ll inhale a cheese string, a handful of bar snacks, or half a pack of custard cream but ignore the fruit bowl like it’s a pile of homework?

What surprises me further is that having rejected a supermarket apple, they will gladly sample almost anything from the garden. The  thrill of picking something themselves, the smell of crushed mint on their fingers, the burst of juice from a just-ripe berry is exciting to kids. That’s exactly what a garden can offer. Not a lecture about vitamins, but a mini adventure.

Imagine, from a child's perspective, the thrill of an edible garden!

• Picking plums warm from the sun

• Hunting for strawberries hidden in groundcover

• Lifting leaves in spring, discovering the first honeyberries

• Crushing mint to make “potions” (or tea, if you’re lucky)

Gardens make fresh food fun and that changes everything. You don’t need a field or perfect soil. You just need to change your approach to choosing plants. A well-planned edimental (edible and ornamental) is the greatest gift you can give to your children. A garden worth grazing is a garden that will be remembered forever.