Planting Your Summer Garden

Dear Dr. Cory:
Our family will be planting our garden soon. What veggies should we plant to encourage our kids to eat more of them? Thanks very much!

Allyson L.
Michigan

Dear Ms. L.:
You are right on target: Children are more likely to eat what they help to grow! Considering recent research, we suggest planting veggies of many different colors. A Cornell University study found that kids prefer food plates with seven items and six colors. Interestingly, adults in the study preferred ones with three items and three colors. According to co-author Kevin Kniffin, Ph.D., children also preferred food placed at the front of a plate with figurative designs.
So when you plant your favorite veggies, include a variety of colorful peppers, tomatoes, squashes, carrots, pumpkins, cabbages, beets, and eggplants. Lettuce and greens also come in different colors. Don’t forget broccoli, cucumbers, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, and beans. Pretty soon you will be serving up a rainbow of veggies!

Strawberries Are the Perfect Spring Treat

These sweet little berries pack a lot of nutrients and only 50-55 calories per cup. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help to reduce the risk of heart disease, fight some types of cancer, and lower blood pressure. Strawberries are available year-round in stores, but they are fresh and plentiful from spring through mid-summer at farmers markets and U-pick farms. They are also fairly easy to grow, so you may want to add them to your garden!