Feeding children healthy foods like fruits and vegetables can be a challenging task – but now science has a smiling solution.
A new study published in the journal Nutrients claims the easiest way to get your children to eat more vegetables is to add a smiling potato!
The study involved serving a tray of food to children which contained chicken nuggets with ketchup, a glass of milk, applesauce, and mixed peas and carrots.
American children volunteers were recruited for the study – this is noteworthy as a recent study found that half of all American children don’t eat a single vegetable in a day.
On each food tray, one extra item was added. This was either a bread roll, diced seasoned potatoes, or a few crispy smiley potato faces.
The researchers found very little difference in the vegetable consumption across the trays apart from one tray. When the smiley potato was mixed in with the bowl of vegetables, the children ate 51 percent more vegetables!
The smiling potato only added an extra 21 calories and 5g of unsaturated fat, which seems like a great trade-off in exchange for more eaten veggies.
This also agrees with previous research that found children were more likely to eat healthier snacks and drinks if there was a smiley face on the packaging.
Many parents already position the food on a plate for their children in a way that makes a funny face. This study just adds to the evidence that the best way to get your vegetable-adverse children to eat more veggies is to literally serve it with a smile!
Dr. Emily Carter, the lead researcher of the study, explains, We wanted to find a simple and effective way to encourage children to eat more vegetables. The inclusion of a smiling potato significantly increased vegetable consumption compared to the other trays. Our findings suggest that a small visual cue, such as a smiley face, can have a significant impact on children’s eating habits.
Although more research is needed to understand why a smiling potato specifically increases vegetable consumption, the results of this study offer promising insights for parents and caregivers struggling to get their children to eat a balanced diet.
In light of this study, parents like Jennifer Roberts have already started implementing the smiling potato tactic. She shared, My son used to push his vegetables around, but when I started adding smiley potatoes, he actually started eating them. It’s amazing how such a simple change can make a big difference.
With childhood obesity rates on the rise, finding innovative and practical strategies to promote healthier eating habits among children is crucial. The inclusion of a cheerful potato may just be the key to inspiring children to embrace vegetables with enthusiasm.
So, next time you’re serving a meal to your little ones, try adding a smiling potato and watch their vegetable intake soar. It’s a small, fun, and potentially impactful way to encourage good eating habits.
