Maybe you already have a vegetable garden and just want to confirm it’s worth your efforts; or maybe you’re considering planting one this spring and wanted to have a little bit of incentive. Either way, planting your own vegetable garden has quite a few benefits for your health— and contrary to what you might think, you don’t need acres of space to get started! Read some of our favorite reasons for growing our own veggies in our backyards.
Serious nutrients!
If you haven’t read our blog on the healthiest ways to purchase your food yet, you can do so here.If you have read it, you know that fresh foods are typically healthier than the frozen or canned varieties— but the gap is smaller when the fresh vegetables come from far and wide, travelling long distances to reach the shelves of your local supermarket. The longer the vegetables spend in limbo (that time between when they leave the dirt to when they reach your table), the less nutritious they are when you finally eat them. Cutting out the travel time means preserving as much of those nutrients as possible. Pick it, wash it, eat it. It doesn’t get healthier than that.
Backyard Therapy
You may have once (or may still) viewed gardening as a chore. Once you get out of that mindset, you may begin to truly enjoy caring for a vegetable garden— and here’s why. Gardening can be very therapeutic, especially when it comes as a break from the mundane ins and outs of life. It’s also a stress reliever. This is why there are so many people pushing for community gardens and starting their own in their backyard. Gardening provides you with fresh air, exercise (though not a replacement for your workouts), and something to do that doesn’t require scrupulous attention or electronic use. And you get the satisfaction of knowing you grew whatever ends up on your plate yourself, which is, no matter how slight, a confidence booster!
Stronger Relationships
Having strong relationships is another very important part of your health, and who better to spend time with than those you love most? Gardening with your children and spouse can help you strengthen your relationships with them and bond over an experience that doesn’t revolve around electronics. Sharing your extra crops with your friends and family will give you something to be proud of, and having gatherings featuring the food you worked so hard to grow will be a great way to spend time with your loved ones.
Throughout the course of your experience with gardening, you may discover that it becomes much more to you than just a means of acquiring food— and we hope that this is exactly what you discover! Share your experiences with us and the delicious dishes you make with your fresh food. We love hearing about what makes our clients happy!
