7 Fun Recipes to Ignite Your Child’s Passion for Gardening!

Contents

1. Kale Chips 2. Zucchini Fries 3. Sweet Potato Brownies 4. Mexican Street Corn 5. Twice-Baked Potato Bites with Coconut Bacon 6. Pumpkin Butter 7. Garden Sushi Rolls Other Kid-Friendly Resources

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So many of us are finding out that gardening is a rewarding activity on many levels. It keeps us active, supplies us with nutritious food, and reduces global food miles. It helps the local ecosystem, feeds native pollinators, and provides good habitat. Plus, it’s wildly empowering to know we can still feed ourselves.

And, of course, as we learn that we can still feed ourselves, the hope is that we can encourage our children to learn to do the same. Fostering their interest in the garden is an important next step in the process. In other words, our little ones should be part of what’s happening in the veggie patch so that they can pass it on to their children and so on.

The best way to bring the garden to life for children is to show them what to do with what grows there. When the garden goes to the kitchen and out comes delicious treats, it’ll start to make perfect sense. Then, gardening becomes not just healthy but great fun. It just takes a few exciting recipes to get the ball rolling.

See also Mexican Peanut Marzipan (Vegan & Gluten-Free Recipe from One Green Planet):

1. Kale Chips

Kale is one of those dark, leafy greens that provide all sorts of important vitamins and minerals in our diet, It’s easy to grow. Even better, it likes cool weather, so it can be grown throughout most of the year, even when other stuff in the garden is producing food.

A great treat that’ll give the kids a new perspective on eating their greens is kale chips. OGP has a fantastic recipe for cheezy kale chips to introduce kale to the kids.

2. Zucchini Fries

Nothing produces in abundance quite like summer squash plants, zucchini included. In the South, mid-summer is notorious for gardeners trying to give their excess zucchini away to friends, neighbors, and anyone else who’ll take it. In that regard, it’s a great plant for kids to grow.

Zucchini is much more versatile than it is often given credit for. It’s great in zucchini bread, great in squash casserole, and at home in a pasta bowl. But, the kids are going to love baked zucchini fries.

3. Sweet Potato Brownies

Two things to know about growing sweet potatoes are that they need a long, hot growing season and that they take up a lot of room. Sweet potatoes grow in clusters underground, but they send out a wild mess of vines above the ground. They are easy to grow and so much fun to eat.

While most of us are familiar with sweet potato casserole and sweet potato fries, sweet potato skillet brownies might be something that wow a young audience.

4. Mexican Street Corn

Sweet corn is a one of the classic American crops, and while corn the commodity crop has garnered a deservedly bad reputation, some homegrown non-GMO corn remains a favorite. Summertime just doesn’t feel right without some corn on the cob.

See also Here's the rewritten text:Discover 10 deliciously vibrant vegan lunch ideas perfect for busy weekdays. Quinoa and Black Bean Salad: A fiesta in your mouth, this recipe combines cooked quinoa, black beans, diced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and a hint of cumin.Miso Soup Bowl: Warm up with a comforting bowl of miso soup filled with tofu, seaweed, scallions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve over brown rice or noodles for a satisfying meal.Roasted Veggie Wrap: Spread hummus on a whole-grain wrap, layer it with roasted veggies like eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion, then top with mixed greens and a dollop of tzatziki sauce.Pesto Pasta Salad: A classic combo gets a vegan twist! Toss cooked pasta with pesto, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, Kalamata olives, and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast.Chickpea and Avocado Salad: A creamy, crunchy salad featuring chickpeas, diced avocado, red onion, cilantro, lemon juice, and a pinch of cumin. Serve on whole-grain bread or over greens.Lentil and Spinach Curry Wrap: Fill a whole-grain wrap with a flavorful curry made from red lentils, spinach, onions, garlic, ginger, and a blend of Indian spices. Add some crunchy chopped veggies for texture.Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers: Colorful bell peppers stuffed with quinoa, black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, and chopped cilantro. Bake until tender and enjoy as a satisfying lunch.Mushroom and Spinach Risotto Bowl: A creamy, comforting bowl of mushroom and spinach risotto served over roasted vegetables and finished with a drizzle of olive oil.Vegan Quesadilla: A vegan twist on the classic quesadilla! Fill a whole-grain tortilla with sautéed veggies, black beans, guacamole, and shredded Daiya cheese. Cook until crispy and serve with salsa or sour cream.Falafel Wrap: Crunchy falafel patties wrapped in a whole-grain pita with hummus, cucumber slices, tomato, lettuce, and pickled red onion. A satisfying and filling lunch option.

But, rather than just going run-of-the-mill with that corn on the cob, it can be turned into an event by making it Mexican street corn.

5. Twice-Baked Potato Bites with Coconut Bacon

Potatoes are another easy crop to grow, and as a vegetable, they are a crowd-pleaser. Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, French fries, hashbrowns, roasted potatoes, potato salad, and on and on and on.

In other words, get a little funky with these twice-baked potato bites topped with coconut bacon to get the kids’ attention.

6. Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkins are super fun to grow because they are huge plants and put out enormous fruits to boot. It feels like a real accomplishment. Of course, many of us rarely eat pumpkins save for pumpkin pie or maybe the occasional soup.

A great way to eat more pumpkin is to whip up a batch of pumpkin butter to spread on toast and biscuits, or even to stir into oatmeal.

7. Garden Sushi Rolls

One of the best ways to get a lot of fresh, raw vegetables on the table without being too blatant about it is to have a sushi party. Rather than raw fish, these rolls are filled with fresh veggies from the garden. They are colorful, tasty, and fun to make.

Carrots, cucumbers, chard stems, green beans and bell peppers are great vegetables to use. Of course, throwing in some avocado and tofu can add a bit of protein and healthy fat to the mix.

The kids will love the challenge of rolling their own sushi, and a kit only costs a few bucks at the supermarket.

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Just like including kids in the food-growing process, including them in meal preparation will prepare them for life and create great bonding opportunities. That sounds even more amazing than these recipes!