Food – one of our most basic human needs – is vital for healthy bodies and minds. But what messages about food are our kids absorbing? The media, fast-food culture, and school meals that promote fats, sugars, salt, and additives, help set the stage for diet-related diseases. Health and nutrition experts agree that young people are not eating enough plant-based foods. Our response? Get 'em growing! There's something about planting, nurturing, and harvesting peas, radishes, and other garden trophies. It makes fruits and vegetables seem, well, worth eating. What's more, several research studies point to the value of school gardens for increasing students' nutrition knowledge and preferences for fruit and vegetable snacks.

School gardens can also inspire students to try creative classroom cuisine; experience foods and growing techniques from other cultures, past and present; or uncover the life stories of particular garden crops. Consider how a nutrition theme could also push students to think beyond their own food choices and work toward improving nutrition and stemming hunger in their own communities. We hope you find inspiration and tips in the following classroom stories, articles, and Web sites.