Kids like Eating Cool Vegetables with Cool Names

A recent study was presented at the School Nutrition Association's annual meeting. The study tested the response of kids to vegetables and fruits:

186 kids were given carrots to eat as part of their lunch on certain days

the same kids were given carrots named X-ray Vision Carrots on other days

The study found that kids ate twice as much carrots when it had a "Cool" name. But, what was really surprising was these kids continued to eat more carrots even on the days it was not labeled with a "cool" name.

One theory is that kids think eating a food with a fun name is more fun to eat. Don't underestimate the power of FUN- when it comes to kids.

But are we really surprised by this. Look at the high sugar and high fatty food manufacturers. They spend billions of dollars on advertising each year to promote their foods as fun, cool to the kids.

The message is clear. We have to fight FUN with FUN.  We have to make the healthy foods fun for kids.

Keeping nutrition fun can require some creativity but so worth it, because they then create an association of FUN with nutrition and that perception continues in their mind.

Teach kids nutritious foods are fun:

• nutrition games
• name the healthy foods fun names
• make healthy foods fun looking
• create fun little shopping games for buying the nutritious foods