Uninspired by a Repetitive Family Menu?
September 4, 2015
September 4, 2015
Maybe a bunch of purple carrots, an orange beetroot or a striped eggplant or yellow zucchini caught your eye? I am thinking about an item that was probably not on your shopping list. Something that you purchased based on it’s look, feel or smell?
This type of shopping inspires me to create. It makes me want to make something worthy of the ingredient that managed to capture my attention. Has this ever happened to you? Has it resulted in ideas whirling around your head. Have you been excited about how to use it, combine it with other ingredients, or have you imagined how you might serve it?
Collecting fresh produce grown in your own vegetable garden is an even more powerful way to invoke this appeal. No more meal time monotony. It is not a possibility when you have the option to collect fresh ingredients as they are ready. Variety and seasonality will direct your menu choices rather than a rotating shopping list of the same items every week
If you have not felt or experienced the scenario I described above, I encourage you to. The fresh vegetables that you harvest from your own garden (or container garden) are exciting! It is very exciting because they represent the work and pride that your children have placed, their attention, effort and care that has been provided to the plant.
This excitement, celebration and enjoyment of the vegetable or herb that you have grown together can be used to create momentum. Momentum to grow fresh food and momentum to incorporate it into your family meals.
Plant more if there is still time for it to grow in the season, or make a note to plant it again next year when the season comes around. Start a conversation about what you may try to grow next and add to the dinner table.
If your child is not overly enthusiastic about their first taste of the new vegetable don’t be discouraged, try using it another way – try it raw, grate it, steam it, mash it, pair it with something else that they love. Add it to the family meal in a way that you know they will enjoy. Let the kids identify it on the plate as theirs and if time permits get them to help with the meal preparation.