Every day we are battling many issues related to food. Sometimes it’s the soaring prices, sometimes it’s the adulteration and sometimes it’s the inadequacy of any item in the market. We all want to eat fresh and healthy foods. We struggle to find the best quality foods at most reasonable prices. The rising food inflation is burning a hole in the common man’s pocket and we are struggling to find a way out of it.
Remember when you were kid and would visit your grandparents in the vacations and they would proudly show you their kitchen garden. At that time don’t we just loved to play in it and help our grandparents to grow plants in it. Having a kitchen garden was one of the finest old traditions that is now diminishing at a very faster rate. There are many reasons for it like lack of space in the cities, lack of time and stressful lives. But having a kitchen garden and maintaining it is a boon in itself.
BENEFITS OF A KITCHEN GARDEN
- Fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables
- Children’s participation in the garden
- Less use of pesticides
- Saves money on grocery
- Physical activity
- Brings you close to nature
- Plants bring positivity in the house
There are so many advantages of having a kitchen garden but the most important question is that what are the fruits and vegetable that we must grow in our kitchen garden.
1. Broccoli
A vegetable that is high on calcium, iron and magnesium and is loaded with nutrient makes the best choice for a kitchen garden. Since it will be grown in your garden kids might eat it without hesitation. Another advantage with this vegetable is that it can be made in more than one ways. You can make soups, salads, main course and even gravy with broccoli.
2.Tomatoes
Everyone loves a juicy, red and tasty tomato. This vegetable is one the most important ingredients of a Indian kitchen as it is used in everything. In soups, salads, pulses, curries and gravies and many more. Fresh and home grown tomatoes are every gardener’s first choice.
3.Beets
Harvesting beet roots is highly recommended as they promote healthy and disease free lifestyle. When added to salads, a beetroot pleases everyone. Beetroots are high on iron, vit. C, potassium, zinc and Vit. A & B also. They make a great choice for kid’s diet.
4.Leafy Greens
Nothing like green leafy vegetables in your diet and that too fresh from your own garden. All the leafy vegetables like spinach, turnip, methi etc are good for us. Since childhood we are learning the benefits of eating green leafy vegetables as they are rich in calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamins A, B6 and C.
5.Peas
Another nutrition loaded plant that can be just plucked right from the garden and in your plate. The freshness and tenderness in the home grown peas can never be received from the store bought one.
It’s true that our lives have become tiring and stressful but we must try to find time and have a maybe roof top or balcony garden.