Kids’ Diet: Repeatedly Offering A Variety Of Vegetables Can Make Children Eat More

Kids are fussy eaters. Ask any parent and they'll agree how difficult it is to get children eat all kinds of foods. They'll eat only what their taste buds like but getting them to eat foods that are nutritious but might not taste as good, is a hard task. It takes a lot of persistence and effort to build a child's food preference. Therefore, most of the parents stop offering foods, like vegetables, to their kids to avoid rejection. Now, all those parents facing their kids' stubbornness can heave a sigh of relief. If a new study is to be believed, offering not one but a variety of vegetables on a regular basis can get children to accept those vegetables and probably start liking them.

The study shared by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, suggests that repeatedly offering a variety of vegetables increased acceptance and consumption by children.

Lead author Astrid A.M. Poelman, PhD, CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Sensory, Flavour and Consumer Science, North Ryde, Australia, said, "In Australia, dietary guidelines for vegetable consumption by young children have increased although actual consumption is low. This study introduces an effective strategy for parents wanting to address this deficiency."

(Also Read: 10 Vegetables Kids Should Eat - But Probably Don't)

^{Offer your kids multiple vegetables in one meal}

The team of researchers studied 32 families with children between the ages of four and six who consumed vegetables in small quantities. They were asked to take an online survey and attend an information meeting before the start of the experiment.

For the research, three groups were created. In the first group, children were served a single vegetable; in the second group children were offered multiple vegetables; and lastly in the third group, no change in eating habits was introduced. The research was conducted for five weeks with a three-month follow up program.

(Also Read: Talking About Good Food Habits Makes Kids Healthier: Study)

It was observed that the group that consumed multiple vegetables showed a better response with an increase in consumption from .6 to 1.2 servings.  No change in consumption was observed in participants who were offered a single vegetable or whose eating habits were not changed.

Dr. Poelman added, "While the amount of vegetables eaten increased during the study, the amount did not meet dietary guidelines. Nonetheless, the study showed the strategy of offering a variety of vegetables was more successful in increasing consumption than offering a single vegetable."

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