by Troy Rogers
After returning to Beverly Hills in the revamp
of 90210, actress Jennie Garth has been keeping
busy both in film and television and at home as
a mother. Having been raised on a horse farm in
Illinois, Jennie Garth knows all too well the
importance of eating right and the impact fresh garden
vegetables have on the body. With lifestyle and
health becoming a priority with Americans after
the fast-food epidemic of the past 30 years, Jennie
Garth takes to the online garden of the web on
Tuesday, January 19 as host of Garden Party, a
new digital lifestyle series that serves to help
families incorporate vegetables into their diets.
Featured on NBC Universal's iVillage, Garden Party sees Jennie Garth meet with farmers, chefs, moms and kids to explore various avenues to make vegetables a daily staple. With a "Vegetable of the Month" focus, Garth gets down and dirty in the garden to plant and harvest veggies before visiting a kid's cooking school and trying to find fun, interactive ways for parents and children to engage in a healthy experience.
Ahead of the web premiere of Garden Party on iVillage, we hopped on the line for a garden conference call party with Jennie Garth to find out how she makes vegetables fun at home, why Garth feels it's important for kids to be food educated early, and the Jennie Garth secret to getting her kids to eat veggies.
THE DEADBOLT Why is it important for children to learn where their food comes from, or even to know how to grow their own?
JENNIE
GARTH: Well, I think it gives them a sense
of investment. You know, to teach your kids
instead of preaching to them and teach them
about why something is good for them. They have
this inherent quality to want boundaries and
want to do the right thing.
So when they know how good for them fresh vegetables from the garden are instead of packaged and processed foods, they want to take care of themselves and they want to be healthy and strong and be able to play. So this is vital information to children, to parents to teach their kids what they're eating and how it's affecting their bodies in terms of performance at school.
THE DEADBOLT And it would probably taste better if they grew it themselves.
JENNIE GARTH: I'm sure they would get a kick out of going to the garden and being able to pick something right out of the ground, wash it off, and eat it. You know, there's something so cool about that that, especially when it tastes good.
THE DEADBOLT What have you found is the easiest way to introduce vegetables into your children's diet and make it fun for them?
JENNIE GARTH: Well, the old go-to for any mom is to dip it in Hidden Valley Ranch, because that's like magic. It tastes really good and kids think they're having a treat but really they're getting their nutrients from the vegetables, and it makes it a little easier.
THE DEADBOLT So, aside from the dip, is presentation key? What if you made it into a funny face, does that work?
JENNIE
GARTH: Yeah. I mean, I did some of that
in the web-series, too, making funny faces out
of the vegetables. And letting the kids actually
participate in preparing their meals, they love
to cut and peel stuff. So if you can get your
kids up on the kitchen table helping you to
prepare the vegetables, that's always an incentive
for them.
THE DEADBOLT So it would be a good idea around Halloween to show them how to cook a pumpkin?
JENNIE GARTH: Gosh, that would be nice, yes. I don't see why not. You can use the seeds, roast the seeds, and let them do that.
