Getting kids to eat all their vegetables is a struggle as old as time itself for some parents, and while some little ones may have a natural proclivity for that leafy green stuff, for most youngsters the mere thought of nibbling on a carrot or piece of broccoli is enough to trigger one mean temper tantrum.
Despite all the bellyaching that kids are sure to give over eating vegetables, most parents understand why it’s essential that children have a few servings throughout the day. And according to a recent study published in Psychological Science, the journal of the Association for Psychological Science, it may be possible to transform children’s reactions to eating veggies after all.
Researchers at Stanford University discovered that a conceptual approach to boosting nutrition, complete with talking to kids about why it is important that they eat a variety of vegetables, may resonate with youngsters on a deeper level.
“Children have natural curiosity – they want to understand why and how things work,” said the researchers. “Of course we need to simplify materials for young children, but oversimplification robs children of the opportunity to learn and advance their thinking.”
To boost children’s veggie consumption, educational materials like nutrition books that focus on themes like digestion, the importance of diversity in food consumption and the role of nutrients for biological functions can help give kids new insight into why vegetables are so integral to daily diet.
Improving children’s health
For parents, encouraging kids to practice healthier habits can be difficult, and with everything from eating vegetables to taking medicine during cold or flu season, parents can often encounter more than a little reluctance.
When it comes to vegetables, kids may thumb their noses, but parents can overcome this with a few key tips. CNN recommends that parents consider establishing a “no thank you bite” rule, wherein children are only allowed to push a serving of veggies away if they’ve taken at least one bite from their plates.
Other suggestions include having a vegetable-themed night with children where the only dishes are comprised entirely of nutritious leafy greens and other vitamin-rich veggies. In addition, letting kids pick out veggies themselves in the supermarket can help them better appreciate which ones that they eat, and the aromas and brilliant shades of many popular vegetables can be a great way for youngsters to get animated about devouring everything on their plates.
This same logic – letting kids take the reins on what they can have – is why custom flavoring for medicine can be such an exciting option to extend to children. For liquid medicines, picking out a unique and tasty flavor can help kids get more excited about making medicine taste better for colds, the flu and other health issues that may emerge.
