Research reveals how to get kids to eat more vegetables

August 2024 · 3 minute read

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A new study claims to not only get your kids to eat more vegetables but do it with a smile — quite literally.

A team of researchers from Brigham Young University in Utah found that the power of the potato can be leveraged to encourage school-age children to reach the recommended intake of 1.5 to 3.5 cups of vegetables per day.

The study — which was published in the journal Nutrients and funded by the Alliance for Potato Research and Education (APRE) — was undertaken with the idea that combining veggies with “a generally liked food” such as potatoes might influence “overall vegetable consumption among children aged 7-13 years.”

A control meal on cafeteria trays included chicken nuggets, 1% milk, unsweetened applesauce, ketchup and mixed peas and carrots.

This was alternately served with whole wheat bread rolls, seasoned diced potatoes, and McCain’s crispy potato smiley faces. Researchers also tested whether vegetable intake increased on average when the potatoes were served mixed in with the veggies or kept separately on the tray.

After running the test with 65 participants, McCain’s smiley starch won the day.

In a study by researchers from Brigham Young University, schoolchildren ages 7-13 were given different meal combinations to determine whether potatoes were associated with higher vegetable intake. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Participants who were served the potato smiley faces mixed in with peas and carrots exhibited a measurable increase in vegetable consumption.

“The results highlight the positive impact of combining potatoes with vegetables in school lunches,” the study concluded, “particularly when using [McCain’s potato smiley faces].”

Of course, these findings come with certain drawbacks for some proponents of healthy eating.

While the CDC recommends a vegetable intake of 1.5-3.5 cups per day for children aged 9 to 13, few participants achieve this goal on a regular basis. Getty Images/iStockphoto

For example, the study notes that potatoes can often be deemed unhealthy due to preparation through deep-frying or “excessive amounts of butter and cheese.”

While researchers feel that “alternative methods of preparation” can address these concerns, it is certainly worth noting that smiley potatoes contain significantly more fat per serving (8 g) than diced potatoes or whole wheat rolls (both 1.5 g).

Furthermore, the increase in veggie consumption between serving diced potatoes separately from peas and carrots versus serving smiley potatoes mixed in with veggies may not be significant in the grand scheme of things.

The difference is only an increase of about 9 grams of vegetables, which is not even close to the CDC’s recommended daily vegetable intake of at least 1.5 cups, which was met by only 10% of US adults in a 2019 survey.

The study’s results suggested that the presence of smiley-shaped potato bites mixed in with peas and carrots was associated with the highest average vegetable intake, among 5 variants of a base meal. Getty Images

The study concludes that, while further research is necessary, “even small steps toward improving vegetable consumption are significant for enhancing nutrition intake.”

It just goes to show that service with a smile always pays off.

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