By: Emily Shwake

Does your niece or nephew refuse to eat anything but chicken fingers? You might be worrying about their health. Dr. Claire Farrow, of the Aston Research Centre for Child Health, performed a study that demonstrates that using the “Three Rs” dramatically increases the amount of a vegetable a child will eat and increase their enjoyment of the food.

1. Repetition: Multiple studies have demonstrated that presenting a food that your niece or nephew dislikes at least five to ten times significantly increases their liking or acceptance of that food. This might be helpful because of “learned safety,” or discovering that eating a food won’t hurt their stomachs and instead has positive consequences.

2. Role-modelling: Watching you or their parent eat a novel healthy food can also help increase their consumption or acceptance of a food.

3. Rewards: Kids love receiving treats for doing something right, and a similar strategy can work to encourage them to eat healthy foods. Providing a non-food, tangible reward (such as a sticker or a small toy) after they eat a previously refused food will teach them increased enjoyment of the food and they will associate eating that food with praise.

While the biggest battle goes on at home, you can help out when spending time with your nieces and nephews and using the Three R’s as well.

Photo: zurijeta
Published: August 4, 2015