Many parents will know all too well the struggle with encouraging children to eat more vegetables. However, researchers at Loughborough University have outlined novel ways to ensure that youngsters get their five a day.
A new research project led by Dr Chris McLeod, Professor Emma Haycraft and Professor Amanda Daley is exploring the various ways that vegetables can be included at the breakfast table.
“Vegetables can be incorporated into a child’s breakfast in many ways depending on their age,” explained Dr McLeod.
“They can either be included within foods such as in an omelette with mushrooms and peppers, in a smoothie by adding spinach, or in porridge by adding grated carrot.
“They could also be added as an accompaniment to a main breakfast meal, for example some cucumber sticks, mushrooms or sugar snap peas alongside their regular food. Ultimately, any food can be consumed at any time of day – it’s just our learned social norms that lead us to believe that particular foods are “breakfast foods” and others are not.”
He added: “Vegetables tend to be vitamin and mineral-rich foods with low calorie content, meaning that in terms of health and weight maintenance they give children bang for their buck.”
Initial findings from the first study looking at whether vegetables can be offered to children at breakfast in a nursery/kindergarten setting are expected in early 2023. A commentary on the subject can be viewed here.