ABSTRACT

Parents and teachers learn the lesson that in any activity, kids will be more enthusiastic if they have participated in decisions and preparations. Spending time in the natural world gives kids a context in which to understand the food system. The outdoors is part of the answer to both where food comes from and why they should care. The benefits of getting kids outside operate on multiple levels, from individual health to environmental consciousness. A 2015 systematic review of 13 studies investigating the impact of school garden programs on health outcomes found that participation led to increased preference for vegetables. The individual, interpersonal, and social benefits of school gardens are often intertwined, supporting the view that participation in everyday activities like gardening can engage kids in broader themes such as protecting biodiversity. Involving kids in cooking can take many forms, from choosing recipes to measuring ingredients to stirring soup.