Should Kids Learn Wild Foods?

Foraging and learning wild food and medicine does so much more than just teach a new skill. Here are the top reasons we think kids should take a walk in the woods with us!

Trying new things: So often I hear from parents “Oh my gosh, my kid has never willingly eaten a green thing before, and after your class he wants to forage for salad in the back yard [or just snack on weeds] every day!” Being empowered to find and gather your own food is a powerful way to take ownership of your nourishment and feel excited to try new things - you made/found them yourself, after all!

Nutrition: Wild foods have been shown to hold 10-100x the nutrient density of many store-bought counterparts. It makes sense - they were developed by nature for the purpose of moving nutrients through the ecosystem, rather than selected for their ability to withstand long rides in a truck, look a certain way, or grow in a pattern that is convenient for large farm equipment to harvest.

Connecting with your food system/world: Learning about where your food comes from is so important, and kids can begin thinking about their place on the planet and how to live with care for all beings, even the ones we eat!

Nature connection: Just being out in nature has huge and innumerable health benefits- but if you are reading this I probably don’t need to tell you that. For me, a lot of the well-being I get from foraging my own food and medicine is from the time spent in the woods and fields, being present and focused on the plants and fungi as I search for familiar faces I may want to bring home with me. What a wonderful practice to begin instilling from a young age!

Safety: Kids are curious! And most get pretty excited about the idea of eating things they can rustle up all by themselves. Learning the critical safety rules around foraging is the first thing we always cover, and is a great way to help kids always make safe choices when out exploring the woods, trails, playgrounds, and anywhere else they go!

Do you have a school, homeschool, afterschool or other youth program you’d like to bring foraging and nature connection to?

Want to support getting kids connected with our local abundance, but don’t have any youths to send our way? You can donate any amount to help us keep offering schooling programs at sliding scale for anyone who needs it.

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