dirt: more nutritious than most children’s cereals

Scientists today confirmed what most moms know already. Dirt is packed with more nutrients per ounce than your average children’s breakfast cereal. And it contains no additives, preservatives or artificial food colorants.

Dirt contains many important minerals including iron, manganese, copper, zinc, potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous. These are equally essential for human nutrition as well as that of livestock. Plants typcially obtain minerals directly from soil. Sodium is found in almost all plants but isn’t necessary for plant growth except where potassium is lacking. Cobalt, iodine, fluorine and vanadium are also in the soil, but aren’t critical to plants – they are critical to animals though.

It took a little persuading, but my kids now prefer plain dirt for breakfast. I started with about 10% dirt in their morning cereal then gradually increased the amount until I could omit the cereal and milk altogether. At first, Dane and Tate didn’t believe they could live on dirt but I reminded them to look on page 2 in my book. In nice brown lettering, it states “Dirt, water, and sunshine, that’s all they need… just like plants.” If my preschool directors kids were raised that way, it’s good enough for mine.

So don’t dissuade your toddler when he picks up a handful of dirt. Better that than Lucky Charms or Fruit Loops!