Sustainable practices are a popular topic to teach to your kids nowadays. In order to prepare the next generation and ensure that they learn from our mistakes, we have to teach them how to take care of the earth and it all starts with the little changes we can make to our lives, such as teaching your kids about sustainable food practices.
However, simply giving them some local produce and explaining where it comes from isn’t enough. Your kids need to see the logic and benefits behind sustainable food, so in this post, we’re going to talk about how you can teach your kids about sustainable practices.
1. It’s about more than just vegetables
Many people assume that sustainable living is all about growing vegetables and reducing carbon emissions to be more green. However, sustainable food sources aren’t just about growing crops–it can also be about fishing or how we produce meat products. This is stuff that can even enlighten you and give you a new perspective on where your food comes from. You could consider learning about salmon farming with your children by browsing websites, watching documentaries together or even going out to visit locations where the food is farmed so that your children are informed.
2. Cook meals together with your kids
Many kids will chew through meals without really thinking about where the food comes from. The earlier you teach your kids about cooking and how their favorite meals are made, the earlier they’ll learn to appreciate cooking and how raw ingredients can turn into delicious food. You can organize a cooking class at home, such as every fortnight, or even consider going to a cooking class together with your kids. This will help them appreciate where their meals come from and also learn more about the ingredients that go into their food. Cooking together with your children can also be a fantastic bonding experience if you do it on a regular basis and get the whole family involved.
3. Start a garden at home
Gardening is one of the simplest ways to teach kids where their food comes from. You can introduce gardening to your kids so that they have a better understanding of how crops are grown, how ingredients start their life and also the amount of work it takes to grow even a single vegetable. Even if you don’t have much space, you can equip yourself with home planters that will allow you to grow things like herbs in your home. Vertical planters are also an excellent way to grow vegetables if you don’t have too much space to plant in your garden. While it might take a long time to see any results, it will help your kids understand just how long it takes for food to grow and why they should be more concerned about sustainable food practices.
Teaching your kids about sustainable food can be easy, but it does take a little bit of effort on your part. You can’t just rely on schools to provide all the knowledge!