Many are eager to adopt healthier eating habits, but introducing new vegetables can be difficult. 72% of parents want their family to eat more vegetables but are not yet taking action. Children often refuse new foods, especially if they are bitter or have a new texture. How can veggies be introduced in a way that gains acceptance?
Our kids watch and notice how their parents respond to new foods at the table. Even your facial expression as you take a first bite yields information about whether a new item is worth trying. Parents can modify their food responses to help their children gain the confidence to try new foods.
The power of this technique was recently tested in children aged 4-6. A study compared how many times children would try raw broccoli, a food they had little experience eating. Children watched a video of adults eating broccoli, but one group watched a video with adults who had neutral responses, while another group watched adults with positive responses to eating broccoli. As you may expect, children were more willing to try raw broccoli after watching the adults who showed enjoyable facial expressions as they sampled broccoli.
The lead researcher of the study explains, “Conveying food enjoyment gives the observer information about the safety and palatability of food. Children ate more broccoli after watching adults enjoy eating it because they believed it was enjoyable to eat.”
How much did more broccoli did they eat? Children who watched adults show positive responses ate more than twice as much raw broccoli.
These findings indicate that parents can enhance veggie acceptance when they lead by example. Parents who convey their positive experiences with veggies at the table may lower their children’s resistance to trying and eating vegetables.
Our children are growing up in a media-saturated environment. When you show your children enjoyment of vegetables, you help to counter the food ads your kids see every day. Billions are spent on food ads targeting kids because it works. Brand preferences start young, so companies are eager to secure future consumers with youth-specific advertisements.
The most common types of ads are for ultra-processed foods, which includes soda and most snack foods. These products often have added sugars and are low in fiber, so they are easy to overeat. They also offer low nutritional value compared to fruits and vegetables on a calorie-for-calorie basis.
Food marketers are aware of the influence of watching someone eat with enjoyment. Many ads feature a person taking a first bite of the food or sipping their beverage, with the expression of pure joy spreading over their faces. This makes the product look more interesting, and marketers know that parent’s product selections are swayed by their children’s preferences.
The study above was limited to young children, but will this work for older children or even adults? As a tried-and-tested marketing strategy, showing enjoyment of an item is likely to work on all ages. Broccoli may be a tougher sell than junk food, but the research suggests it’s worth a try. Will you show your enjoyment to promote veggies with your family?
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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