Start an Edible School Garden Today

Edible school gardens have been gaining momentum ever since Alice Waters and the Chez Panisse Foundation established the Edible Schoolyard in 1995. The abandoned lot soon grew into a vibrant garden home to seasonal vegetables, herbs, vines, berries, flowers, and fruit trees. Ever since then, school food gardens have been popping up across the nation. And with good reason, according to the Refresh Everything Blog, the number of overweight or obese school children has nearly doubled in the last decade. Kids who are obese by the age of 12 are 85 percent more likely to remain obese as adults. Kids who are obese in their early teens are twice as likely to die by the age of 50. How scary is that?

It's critical that kids become aware that they can eat their way to better health. Food isn't the enemy unless you choose processed junk. It all comes back to knowing where your food comes from so that you can make responsible choices. Edible school gardens are the easiest way to get kids started early on the road to good health. Does your child's school have an edible garden? If not, why not consider starting one yourself?

You can learn how by reading up on a recent GOOD post on the Refresh Everything Blog and find tips including assembling a garden team, planning ahead, and finding financial support.

[i]This post originally appeared on www.refresheverything.com, as part of GOOD's collaboration with the Pepsi Refresh Project, a catalyst for world-changing ideas. Find out more about the Refresh campaign, or submit your own idea today.