January: Fruits of the Garden
The Bible begins with abundance. God has created this earth for harmony among all living things. Imagine those first people exploring the garden and tasting all of God’s goodness! So much of the world around us is edible, and harvesting and eating from God’s abundance can be a wonderful way to experience (and ingest) God’s love.
Read It
Genesis 1:26-31
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Pray It
Creator God, you created this world with enough healthy food for all of us to have enough. Thank you for this food. Amen.
Creator God, you created this world with enough healthy food for all of us to have enough. Thank you for this food. Amen.
Make It
Read the passage.
Then, inspired by the text, go on a little foraging expedition with your child(ren). If you’re in a northern climate, your foraging may need to be contained to what God has provided in your kitchen, but if things are growing outside in your climate, you can take your foraging outside. Find some fruit, nuts, seeds, and/or vegetables. Prepare them together, say a prayer of thanks, and enjoy! Here are some ideas of ways to prepare your foraging finds:
Greens (about 6 cups)
Fruit (about 1 cup of whatever is in season, or ½ cup dried fruit)
¼ cup sunflower seeds or nuts, toasted briefly on the stove
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
Combine the salad ingredients, then dress the salad to taste.
Read the passage.
Then, inspired by the text, go on a little foraging expedition with your child(ren). If you’re in a northern climate, your foraging may need to be contained to what God has provided in your kitchen, but if things are growing outside in your climate, you can take your foraging outside. Find some fruit, nuts, seeds, and/or vegetables. Prepare them together, say a prayer of thanks, and enjoy! Here are some ideas of ways to prepare your foraging finds:
- Mix it: Toddlers love to mix. Pull out some applesauce and some spices (like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg). Let your child shake some spices into the applesauce and mix away.
- Food Art: This can especially be fun for ages 3 and up. Put out your assortment of food and give each person a plate or tray. They can arrange the food however they like to make a food mosaic. Take a picture before you eat it!
- Salad: If you have an early reader, following recipes can be fun. Here’s a recipe for a simple salad.
Greens (about 6 cups)
Fruit (about 1 cup of whatever is in season, or ½ cup dried fruit)
¼ cup sunflower seeds or nuts, toasted briefly on the stove
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp salt
Combine the salad ingredients, then dress the salad to taste.
Explore it: A Note from Tami
Giving children the opportunity to participate in food preparation is a wonderful gift! And we can start involving them when they are so young that all they can do is to simply be close by as we prepare food. I remember having a fussy baby calm down and watch me when I placed her in the infant seat where she could watch me. And the “toy” in her hand and mouth was a plastic lid.
Bit by bit they can do more. AND if we give them plenty of experiences, before long we are impressed with their skills and knowledge. Talashia has apparently given her boys those opportunities. At Christmas time her 8 year-old sat on a kitchen stool watching me put the lattice on a pie I was making. He piped up with, “Mami, you aren’t doing that right,” - and proceeded to demonstrate the correct method. I loved it!
Here is a source that provides some basic “How to …” suggestions, lists skills of different ages of young children, and reminds us of the many things young children learn through food preparation experiences.
Cooking with Young Children (University of Nevada Extension)
Giving children the opportunity to participate in food preparation is a wonderful gift! And we can start involving them when they are so young that all they can do is to simply be close by as we prepare food. I remember having a fussy baby calm down and watch me when I placed her in the infant seat where she could watch me. And the “toy” in her hand and mouth was a plastic lid.
Bit by bit they can do more. AND if we give them plenty of experiences, before long we are impressed with their skills and knowledge. Talashia has apparently given her boys those opportunities. At Christmas time her 8 year-old sat on a kitchen stool watching me put the lattice on a pie I was making. He piped up with, “Mami, you aren’t doing that right,” - and proceeded to demonstrate the correct method. I loved it!
Here is a source that provides some basic “How to …” suggestions, lists skills of different ages of young children, and reminds us of the many things young children learn through food preparation experiences.
Cooking with Young Children (University of Nevada Extension)
