Children Eat More When They Prepare it Themselves

The National Library of Medicine published a study that demonstrated children eat more when they prepare their own food. And isn’t it easier for a kid to sprinkle than to spread?

This study presents 5- to 7-year-old children with a food preparation task in a laboratory setting and assesses their intake and evaluation of twofoods: One food that children prepared themselves and another food that someone else prepared using the same ingredients and mirroring the amounts of those ingredients that children included. Participants were offered both foods simultaneously and could choose for themselves how much of each food they wanted to eat. Children prepared and ate either salads or desserts.

The study results suggest that children eat more of the salad or dessert they prepared themselves, compared to a highly similar food that someone else made.

Although it is proven that kids eat more when they prepare their own meal, it is still necessary to have an adult with them to help adjust portions to be appropriate. Kids should learn about healthy portions and healthy ingredients while making their food with an adult.