Eating Vegetables First The Use Of Portion Size T 2010 The American Journal

This study examined a simple strategy to help young children eat more vegetables: serving them first and in larger portions. Researchers worked with 51 children aged 3-5 years at a daycare center over four weeks. Each week, the children were given different amounts of raw carrots (or no carrots at all) as a first course before their main lunch, which included pasta, broccoli, applesauce, and milk.

The results were encouraging for parents and caregivers looking to boost their children's vegetable intake. When researchers doubled the portion size of carrots served first, children ate 47% more carrots overall. However, there was a limit to this effect - tripling the portion size didn't lead to any additional increase in vegetable consumption. Importantly, eating more vegetables at the start of the meal didn't cause children to eat significantly more calories overall during lunch.

What makes this finding particularly valuable is its simplicity and practicality. The strategy worked regardless of the children's age within the study range or their body weight, suggesting it could be effective for most preschool-aged children. Since many American children don't meet recommended daily vegetable intake, and vegetables provide essential nutrients that support healthy metabolism and long-term disease prevention, this approach offers a concrete way for families to improve their children's nutritional foundation.

In clinical practice, this research supports counseling families on strategic meal planning - specifically recommending that vegetables be served first and in adequate portions to naturally increase consumption without requiring complicated interventions or restrictions.