Welcome to the Climate Kitchen newsletter, a new content universe for climate-curious parents.

Curated by Sonalie Figueiras

Every month, we share 3 things we love as parents/caregivers raising little humans. It can be something we’ve just discovered, something we use all the time and want to share, or something recommended to us. It can be food-related, but it doesn’t have to be. Whatever it is, it should add to/simplify/enhance your life.

1. Eco Birdie: When my son was two, I discovered this Antwerp-based furniture company that makes super cute, ergonomically-designed tables and chairs for toddlers out of recycled plastic toys. They are a bit pricey, and it was Covid at the time, so there was no way for me to get it to Hong Kong, even if I had decided to bite the price bullet. My son has now aged out of them, but I have a one-year-old daughter who is ready for table time. By chance, a mum in one of my baby WhatsApp groups was letting go of her almost brand-new set for a steal. I could not be more thrilled to support this planet-conscious brand and to have been able to find a preloved version. The chairs are SO comfortable for adults, too, so now the whole fam can join her and make sweet memories. Note: normally, I try to avoid plastic as much as I can, especially for my kids. However, most kids’ furniture is 1) made from cheap reconstituted wood, which is not good for the planet, and 2) easily damaged and therefore short-lived, so I’m ok with supporting recycled plastic options like this. It's lightweight, easy to clean, and sturdy, increasing the likelihood that I can pass it on when we are done with it. Also, it's not something my kids are wearing (like PET clothing) or eating with, so the microplastic leakage risk is diminished.

2. Where Do Hot Dogs Come From? If food tech is your jam, I highly recommend this engaging book about cellular agriculture. Written by industry insider Alex Shirazi, it's a fun and inspiring STEM-filled journey about where our food comes from today and where it might come from in the future. Great gift option for any kid you know that's into food and science.

3. FreshCut Paper Flowers Bouquet: So this was a gift from Sophie (she sweetly sent me a Climate Kitchen themed care package from Boulder, CO all the way to Hong Kong! I know! She is the best :)), including a Peony Paradise paper bouquet from this company and I'm crushing hard on them. They look so beautiful, were really fun to make, and offer a wonderful alternative to fresh flowers (which I also love, but often have a major climate cost!).

Grow Something. Anything!

By Sophie Egan

Spring has finally sprung in Boulder, which means oscillating between summer-like 80-degree days and trees blossoming like fireworks, and…30-40-degree stints of rain, hail, and snow that break your heart for previously perky tulips. If you have a garden of your own, this pendulum swing keeps you on your toes to figure out the right way to care for your plants, from watching the water evaporate instantly from their parched beds to scrambling for the frost cover and praying they’ll live through the night. 

I often ask myself: Why do I go to the trouble? It’s a lot of work. It’s messy. It’s yet another item on my mental load. I’m quite terrible at gardening—seriously, just ask my husband—plus I travel a lot for work so sometimes I frankly forget about my plants. Yet year after year, I grow a little veggie garden with my sons. Here’s why I’m hooked, and why I’d encourage any parent to find a way for your child to grow something at some point in their early years.

The WHY

1. The research is stunningly clear: Kids who experience gardening tend to be more willing to try different fruits and vegetables, have more positive attitudes about them, and even eat more of them.

2. Planting a seed, watering it, worrying about the weather, etc. helps a child understand both the magic and the hard work of growing food. This can cultivate an appreciation for the hands that feed us—farmers, farmworkers, and all the people who make it possible for food to fill our grocery baskets.

3. Much like spending time in nature, working with seeds helps kids see the extraordinary gifts and wisdom of nature. Eventually when they’re older, this can translate to appreciation for big global challenges like food security and protecting biodiversity. (In the meantime, your kids will think you’re a magician for turning tiny, seemingly insignificant specks into a colorful haul of beets, peas, and carrots.)

4. Gardening is fun! Potatoes, in particular, are my favorite thing to grow with kids because when the day comes to harvest, it’s a completely thrilling treasure hunt. 

5. The satisfaction. For both my kids and me, there is tremendous pride that comes from putting food on the table that you grew yourself. 

The HOW

1. Embrace whatever space you have. I’m lucky to have a backyard, but the way it was designed by our previous owners, there’s no place for an edible garden, so we had to use something that would fit on our deck. I went with a simple raised bed. Just one box, 23 x 49 inches. That’s it. Maybe you live in an apartment building in the city. No problem, balcony pots work great. Or maybe you have no outdoor space at all. No problem, windowsills work great, too. 

2. Whether you have space, time, and interest to do this at home or not, consider a community garden. There are camps (even one-day versions) where you can send your kids. For example, my boys love the camps at Tilth Alliance in Seattle and Growing Gardens in Boulder. Or you can go big and get a plot for your family in your nearest community garden. One of the benefits is learning from the rest of the gardeners tending their plots alongside you. Super helpful for tackling a pest issue or getting inspiration for what to grow. 

3. Check if your school has a garden, or nudge them to consider one. It’s remarkable how many do, but even the ones that don’t often bring in groups to do classroom demos, have seed-related science projects, or set up cool indoor aeroponic towers like Green Bronx Machine. 

4. Make it easy—Example #1: Kits! I love the self-contained, one-stop-shop nature of kids grow kits. I’ve had fun with the mushroom kit from Back to the Roots, and I’ve read good things about this one from National Geographic, just as two examples. 

5. Make it easy—Example #2: Starters! Starter plants are huge wins in my book. (You buy a little baby plant from the store and just plop it into your own soil.) You get most of the benefits with a fraction of the time and effort. They definitely cost more than seeds, but not more than buying the equivalent produce at the store, so the math still works out in your favor. (Case in point: Trader Joe’s basil plant.)

Your Questions — Answered!

As part of the feedback we received since our launch, we got many questions from readers about climate-smart diets, so we created this monthly reader question section. Send us all your questions here.

“Dear Climate Kitchen, What’s going on with food allergies, and what do I need to know to help keep kids safe?”

It’s not just your imagination; food allergies in children have risen significantly in recent decades, and it’s a major public health issue. Theories for this increase include the “hygiene hypothesis,” which suggests that overly sterile environments may confuse the immune system, as well as factors like antibiotic use, genetics, diet, and even how babies are born and fed. About 8% of children now have at least one food allergy. Realize that means about two kids per classroom. Early exposure to diverse foods, being outdoors, and breastfeeding may help lower allergy risk, but there’s still a lot scientists don’t fully understand. As a parent, what is understood and that you should know above all is that food allergies pose a serious risk to those who have them, so it’s critically important to create safe spaces for kids. According to a top allergy clinic at Stanford, “Nearly 40% of food-allergic children have experienced a severe food-induced reaction.” They estimate that food allergies are responsible for 90,000 emergency room visits each year in the U.S. The tiniest exposure to something like peanuts can cause life-threatening reactions, so avoiding cross-contamination at school, restaurants, and social events is key. That means checking with other parents before planning snacks, offering safe treats at parties, and always asking a child or their parents before sharing foods. 

In the U.S., the top 9 most common food allergies in kids are: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. In children, the most common are: peanuts, milk, shellfish, and tree nuts. Some children outgrow allergies — usually those to milk, eggs, and wheat — but many retain them through adulthood. And don’t forget that adults can develop allergies, too. (See this NYT story I wrote a few years back for more info.)

If your child has a food allergy, that’s a much bigger topic for you and your pediatrician to discuss, but I’ll just say that my most trusted introductory resources can be found on the FARE website.

-Sophie Egan