March is National Nutrition Month®! This annual celebration is sponsored by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Don’t forget to thank your WIC RDN on National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist day on March 12th.

The theme for 2025 is "Food Connects Us." Here at South Dakota WIC, we are offering container gardens to help families connect through growing food! Not only do you end up with some yummy vegetables, but including your kids in the planting and growing process may increase their willingness to try these foods. It is also important for children to learn where food comes from and the effort and care that goes into the growing process. 

How to Start Your Own Container Garden

1. The first step is to choose a container. You’re likely going to start with a seed to plant, so choose a small container to start. You could even use a cleaned out yogurt container! Depending on the plant you choose, you may need to move it to a larger container as it grows.
2. Next, gather some dirt to fill your container. This is a great time to get your kids involved. What kid doesn’t love to play in the dirt!
3. Now you’ll have to decide what to plant. Here are some easy options:
   1. Herbs: basil, parsley, rosemary. Herbs can be grown all year on a sunny windowsill. They grow easily and don’t get too big. Check out these ways to save extra herbs when you can’t seem to use them all before they go bad.
   2. Lettuce and salad greens are another great place to start. You don’t even need a seed for some of these. Chop the root end off the head of your romaine lettuce and put it in a container of water until roots grow. Then move to a pot of dirt and watch it grow again! Do the same thing with the bulb of a green onion.
   3. Broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and bell peppers are also easy and quick growing. However, these would need to be moved to a larger pot as they grow. Try to save a seed from a tomato or bell pepper you’re eating and see if it will grow!
4. With your container filled with dirt, place your seed in the container and cover with a little more dirt.
5. Don’t forget to water it (keeping it slightly damp) and put it in a sunny spot to watch it grow!

Kids love to be a part of what you’re doing so don’t leave them out of the process. They will also be great taste testers! Let them try the vegetables raw and cooked with various methods so they can experience the same food in a variety of different ways. If you want more information on growing a garden outside, this is a great place to start!

Sources:

Eatright.org - Start a Container Garden 

Eatright.org - Kids in the Garden