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Harvesting fresh produce is an excellent opportunity to learn about the beauty of nature -and of course, about the benefits of healthy eating. From carefully picking the type of vegetable plant, such as cherry tomatoes, to watering, measuring and watching the plant’s growth, your children will learn important life skills, will feel more connected with nature, and as a result, will likely taste and enjoy more vegetables made with their own green thumbs.

In fact, according to the Children, Youth and Environments Center for Community Engagement, children who grow their own produce, whether at home or within the local community, tend to show higher levels of understanding about nutrition, earn higher scores on science achievement tests and are more likely to continue healthy eating habits throughout adulthood.

Cultivate a family-grown vegetable garden. Looking for a great way to get exercise, spend time outdoors and create a ton of family memories? A family-grown vegetable garden is an excellent solution. Gardening with your children offers countless benefits, including promoting outdoor play time (great for boosting Vitamin D levels) and fostering valuable life skills, such as teamwork and responsibility. Plus, nothing will be quite as exciting or memorable as the moment your kids crunch into their very first homegrown veggie.

Learn from the experts. Help supplement your family’s education by participating in a local community garden project or visiting a local farm or greenhouse. Community garden projects afford children the opportunity to gain age-appropriate skills, such as digging, watering, carrying, planting and harvesting -not to mention, the ability to socialize with others who share a similar interest. Even further, a trip to a local farm or greenhouse can help your children gain valuable knowledge about where their meals come from, and to respect and appreciate their natural environment.