What hacks are there to get kids to eat more vegetables, and will it save time in the kitchen?
Scientists now say there is a proven method for getting children to devour their vegetables
EXPERTS have revealed an easy way to get kids to eat vegetables without a fuss.
Making sure children get their five-a-day can prove a battle for many mums and dads – but scientists now say there is a proven method for getting them to devour their veg.
What was the study?
Findings from showed that getting kids to eat their veg couldn’t be simpler and that it all comes down to the way they're served.
Researchers at Deakin University's Centre for Advanced Sensory Science tested their theory on a group of 72 kids of primary school age.
Each child was given a 500g box of peeled carrots on one day, and the same amount of diced carrots on the next.
The kids were then given 10 minutes to eat as much of the carrots as they liked.
What was the result?
It turned out that the carrots served whole, rather than diced, were more popular amongst the kids – who chose to eat the whole vegetable for longer.
Dr Gie Liem, a senior lecturer from Deakin University, said: “On average this meant they ate about eight to 10 per cent more of the whole vegetable, by weight, than when given diced carrots to try.
“This is easier for parents too, as they can just put a whole carrot in the child's lunchbox.”
The findings back up previous research that suggests the more people have on their plates, the more they want to eat.
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Dr Liem added: “Potentially these results can be explained by unit-bias, in which a given unit creates a consumption norm, which tells consumers how much they should eat.
“In this case, children consumed one whole carrot (one unit) when presented with whole carrots, suggesting that once children started eating a whole carrot they were likely to finish it.”
And, the simple trick can also be used to stop kids from eating too much junk food too.
Dr Liem added: “For example cutting up a block of chocolate in smaller pieces reduces chocolate consumption.”
Will it save time?
For parents trying to get their kids to eat more veg, this information can be a lifesaver.
They can save time by adding carrots into lunboxes and at mealtime whole, saving time peeling and chopping them.
But it can also apply to different fruits and vegetables too, such as cucumbers and bananas.