Drawing vegetables to your children can be a real fight for parents. However, a recent study revealed an surprisingly effective solution: to transform each meal into a real adventure. We tell you more.
To convince a child to swap his favorite cookie against a crunchy carrot or a broccoli: mission impossible? Not quite. Researchers in behavioral psychology have discovered a technique that could well revolutionize the eating habits of the youngest. And the good news is that this tip requires no blackmail or long table negotiations.
The study, carried out jointly by the Humboldt University in Berlin and the University of Nairobi, was carried out on 80 children aged 4 to 6 years. The objective? Test the impact of a narrative approach on the consumption of vegetables. The children were divided into two distinct groups, each exposed to a particular type of history. In the first group, the small participants listened to a captivating tale where vegetables with magical powers saved a character from a critical situation. Meanwhile, the children of the second group heard stories unrelated to food. During the two weeks following, all the children had access to various snacks: fruits, vegetables, cookies and cakes. The researchers then observed their food choices by measuring the impact of the accounts heard.
The results were published in the scientific journal Appetite and have Showed that within the group exposed to magic vegetable stories, 80% of children have increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables. This change was maintained up to three weeks after the intervention. On the other hand, in the control group, the children continued to favor sweet or processed snacks, without significant modification of their preferences. According to Werner Sommer, German psychologist and study director, “These results show that a simple 20 -minute story can produce a significant change in children’s eating behaviors, promoting healthier choices.”
The researchers advance several explanations for this phenomenon. First, children easily identify with the characters of the stories. They perceive vegetables as courageous and full of resources, which changes their perception of these foods. Then the tales stimulate the imagination, transforming the meal moment into a game or an adventure. This allows us to get around the usual blockages, often linked to past negative experiences or to preconceived ideas on vegetables. Finally, this approach strengthens the child’s autonomy. By making the vegetables attractive, children choose them spontaneously, without constraint. To try!
