Do kids really hate vegetables? That's what most people think, but it is not necessarily true. Sure, kids like treats and sugary foods, but doesn't everyone? The secret to getting kids to eat their veggies is: start early! That is exactly what one preschool program for low-income kids is doing, and it's working!
The secret to kids and veggies
Not only are vegetables good for children, but they are also inexpensive. The trick is to get them to like veggies in their early years so they will continue to eat vegetables throughout their life. Four Head Start centers in Portland, Oregon, started a program called the Harvest for Health Kids program. The Head Start Program is a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides early childhood programs for low-income children in the areas of education, health, nutrition, and parenting.
Harvest for Health Kids Program
The Harvest for Health Kids program included 226 Head Start 5-year-olds who were not only given various vegetables to try, but also education information on the vegetables they were eating, such as how the vegetables look, feel and smell. Getting the children more involved in vegetables resulted in a big increase in the number of children willing to try vegetables, and even agreeing to keep eating them.
Different groups of children showed preferences for different vegetables, but they were all willing to try. The pilot program was successful in getting more low-income preschoolers to eat their veggies!
Read more at www.businessinsider.com/r-pilot-program-helps-low-income-preschoolers-learn-to-like-veggies-2015-9
