Soup's on gardeners! Did you know that cooking with your kids is one of our favorite ways to boost their social and emotional learning (SEL) development? Today we are sharing a family friendly and FUN alphabet, vegetable soup recipe. This hands-on, early literacy activity is a great SEL learning tool with the added benefit of being delicious! Making a recipe like our Gardener Vocab Soup can help build kids self-confidence and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits. Plus, a fun way way to introduce vegetables to young gardeners is to start with vegetable soups.
Making Our Gardener Vocab Soup Has SEL Roots In:
🌸 Hands On Way to Practice Some Basic Math Concepts
🌸 Helps to Develop a Child's Planning and Time Management Skills
🌸 Requires Listening & Attention To Detail
🌸 Builds Self-Confidence
🌸 Fun Early Literacy Activity
Scroll down for step-by- step instructions and scroll all the way down to earn your gardening tool badge for this activity!
Gardener Vocab Soup
3-4 oz of alphabet pasta
4 stalks of celery, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
½ an onion, chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 TBSP butter (half a stick)
2 bouillon cubes
3-4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup of water
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1.5 tsp Sage
4-5 sprigs of Thyme, minced
2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Dice your onion, carrots, celery & garlic. Set aside.
Put your pot on the stove & set to medium/low heat.
Add your butter. Once melted, add your onions.
Let the onions cook down for about 5 minutes. When visibly softened, add carrots & celery.
Cook down the carrots & celery for another 5-7 minutes. Then add your garlic.
Add your salt, pepper, sage & crushed red pepper. Let everything simmer.
Boil water in a separate pot. When ready add your alphabet pasta & boil for 9-12 minutes - follow the directions on your bag/box of pasta.
When ready, add the pasta and your minced thyme to the soup. Stir and let simmer for 2-3 more minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste, add a little extra thyme on top if desired. Serve and enjoy!
(Recipe makes 5-6 servings, adjust for your family!)
-We recommend turning this recipe into an opportunity to refresh your child’s gardening vocabulary. Have them spell out words like “weeds” and “flowers” with the pasta letters.
-We also recommend that an adult is present and/or cooks this recipe as it involves boiling water and knife skills.
-Adjust this recipe as you see fit for your family! Add shredded chicken, extra veggies from your fridge, use more/less broth!
Hey gardeners here are some more fun facts about soup:
They're healthy.
Most ingredients are inexpensive and easy to prepare.
Soups freeze very well.
They can keep your body nourished and hydrated.
They can give your immune system a boost.
Hey gardeners...did you make our Gardner Vocab Soup? If so, congratulations, you just earned the Gardener Vocab Soup Gardening Tool Badge!
--> Click the badge to download a pdf sticker for your Gardening Tool Badge Collector Sheet!