How often have your kids turned their noses up to new foods-especially when they hear “Vegetable?” One of the major benefits of having children grow food: when they grow it they tend to try it. AND they usually like what they eat!
We did a straw poll in each class over the past several weeks as we harvested the first “crop” of pea shoots that were planted a few weeks ago. About 90% of the students said they would have skipped the shoots at the school salad bar pre-taste test. When asked if they’d choose these new greens after tasting their harvest, about 80% said they would definitely eat the pea shoots.
That’s a pretty impressive transformation. Pea shoots are packed with nutrition. If you are a “foodie” and want to learn exactly how pea shoots qualify as a “super food” visit: http://www.peashoots.com/peashoots-nutrition.htm for all details of nutritional content of this amazingly simple food to grow.
Here’s the low down on harvesting pea shoots:
Equipment:
- Scissors
- Salad Spinner (or colander)
- Bowl or basket to hold
Directions:
- Wait until the shoots grow to be 6-12 inches long
- Gently grab a bunch in your hand and clip just above the soil
- Rinse the shoot with Spinner or colander
- Place in a serving bowl or basket
- Pass out and enjoy!
Benefits:
- Measuring daily to determine the right time to harvest is a math activity
- Cutting the greens is a good bilateral/fine motor task
- Pea shoots have an unusual texture-eating them is a tactile experience
- Nutrition!
This post reflects the partnership and creative collaboration between The Motor Story and Sustainable CAPE.