Many parents struggle to get their kids to eat fruits and vegetables. They have to look for creative ways to include these healthy foods in their kids’ diet, such as by ‘branding’ them with cute stickers, letting them help prepare meals, and coming up with yummy recipes.
According to a new study, however, one effective way to get kids to eat more fruits and veggies is to see Mom and Dad eat a lot of those foods themselves. Sounds simple, right?
Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland asked the parents of 114 kindergarten-aged children to answer a survey about their kids’ consumption of vegetables, fruits, and berries, as well as their family’s home food environment. Raw and cooked vegetables and fruit and berries were analyzed separately, says a press release from the university.
The study found that the example of a mother is associated with a child’s consumption of raw and cooked vegetables and fruits and berries, while the example of a father is associated with the consumption of cooked vegetables.
“This shows that teaching children to eat their greens is not something mothers should be doing alone,” said Kaisa Kähkönen, a researcher and nutritionist from the University of Finland who served as lead author of the study. “A positive example set by both parents is important, as is their encouragement of the child.”
Moreover, the researchers found that dinner is the most important meal of the day when it comes to teaching kids to eat vegetables because dinners are opportunities to serve veggies in different forms, whether it’s the main course, a side dish, or a salad.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWMeanwhile, evening snacks are the most important meal when teaching kids to eat fruit.
We’ve certainly heard about how vital the parents’ influence is when teaching kids to eat healthily. Previous studies have found that this influence starts as early as the child’s first years of life, a previous SmartParenting.com.ph article reports. In another article, moms recommended that parents let their kids see them eat their veggies instead of arguing with or forcing them to do so.
These findings remind us of what we already know: Parents are the most significant role models for their kids. If you want to show your child the importance of eating healthy, make sure veggies are a constant part of your meals. After all, actions speak louder than words, right?
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