Backyard playdates have taken a new turn this summer. At at least three recently, it’s turned into a gardening and snacking session for the kids.
At Emily’s house, the kids asked if they could pick some yellow beans. Before the moms knew it, they put them in bags and announced they were opening a market, tasting the products along the way. Then at Suzanne’s, the kids plucked plump sugar snap peas off the huge vines and eagerly gobbled them up. The scene in our backyard vegetable garden this week was hilarious, with kids popping tomatoes in their mouths, looking surprised at the taste of fennel, comparing basil and sage leaves and having who has the longest green bean contests.
Like many families, we’re having our share of yummy summer ice cream and popsicle treats. But the backyard vegetable snacking is something amazing–the kids see where food comes from, they pick it themselves, and then, they realize it’s truly good food.