Learning to eat sensory foods encourages children to eat vegetables, berries and fruits Date: 30 May 2018 Source: University of Eastern Finland Summary: According to a new study, learning to eat sensory foods in kindergarten improves the readiness of children aged 3-5 to choose vegetables, berries and fruits. According to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland, teaching children aged 3-5 years about sensory nutrition in kindergarten improves their readiness to choose vegetables, berries and fruits. The results show that studying sensory nutrition in kindergarten increases children’s willingness to choose vegetables, berries, and fruits, especially for children whose mothers are less educated. “Sensory nutrition education encourages children to eat vegetables, berries, and fruits. The Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition at the University of East Finland is studying how child nutrition education can help promote healthy eating habits in children. Common sense education encourages children to eat vegetables, berries and fruits. Children were offered a buffet with a selection of different vegetables, berries, and fruits, and researchers photographed dishes to analyze their readiness to choose and eat these products. Nutrition education based on feelings in pre-school education and child care, the willingness to choose and eat fruits and vegetables, and the moderate role of maternal education and food nephobia. The researchers used Sapere’s sensory nutrition education method, which uses the natural way children use their five senses to learn new things: look, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Sensory Nutrition Education is well adapted to everyday life in kindergartens, where children eat multiple meals and participate in pedagogically oriented group activities. This has encouraged children who, according to their parents, eat demanding meals to choose a more diverse range of vegetables, berries and fruits from their meals,” says Kyakhkönen. 20, 2020 The positive example of mother and father encourages consumption of fruits, vegetables and berries among children aged 3 to 5 years, according to a new study. Significant nutrition education provides new tools to promote healthy eating habits in early childhood care and education. For example, at practical classes they can introduce children to various vegetables, berries, and fruits, involve children in the kitchen and oven, and give children the opportunity to grow their own vegetables in kindergarten.