Kids can learn from growing their own

Teaching kids how to grow food in a garden, greenhouse or allotment can help introduce them to healthy eating in a fun and cost-effective manner, it has been claimed.

Commenting on recent research showing there are currently 83,000 people on waiting lists for community plots, Soil Association spokesperson Clio Turton explained helping children cultivate fruit and vegetables can help them lead a good life.

"If kids are growing their own, they are more likely to try vegetables and fruits and be excited by it rather than seeing eating greens as a chore," she asserted. "Its a real educational thing."

Ms Turton added homeowners with gardens tend to be able to fetch more for their property when it comes to selling, while claiming children could benefit from the social aspect of horticulture.

Over six million people in the UK are interested in harvesting their own food, with some allotments reporting waiting lists of up to 40 years, according to research from insurance firm LV=.