How to Get Kids to Eat Veggies: Study Offers New Solution

By Joanna Hlavacek
Published on July 17, 2013
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Photo by Fotolia/Monkey Business
New research suggests preschoolers develop healthier eating habits if they understand how certain foods help their bodies function.

For many parents, figuring out how to get kids to eat vegetables can become a truly daunting task. A recent study from Stanford University offers a new solution to moms and dads struggling with picky eaters: try teaching kids about nutrition first.

The research, published last month in Psychological Science, found kids eat vegetables when they know how a healthy, varied diet positively impacts their bodies. 

Despite their young age, preschoolers are capable of comprehending a conceptual approach to nutrition, said Sarah Gripshover and Ellen Markman, the Stanford psychologists behind the study. 

“Children have natural curiosity— they want to understand why and how things work,” they explain. “Of course we need to simplify materials for young children, but oversimplification robs children of the opportunity to learn and advance their thinking.”

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