Eating fruit and vegetables at the day-care centre

Most consumers know that fruit and vegetables are healthy. However, most children and adults do not eat sufficient fruit and vegetables. It is important to teach children healthy eating habits at a young age. The day-care centre is the ideal place to encourage young children to eat fruit and vegetables. You can reach many children, the environment is focused on developmental learning, and the children are role models for each other. Children make new discoveries in a playful way, including eating fruit and vegetables.

While we increasingly learn how children can be encouraged to eat fruit and vegetables, there are still few practical methods available for educational staff at day-care centres to promote healthy food and healthy eating habits in children.

The goal

The goal of this research project is to collect and test effective and practical methods in five day-care centres in Wageningen to increase young children’s fruit and vegetable consumption. This research project is related to the PPS ‘Implementation of nutritional interventions in intramural care institutions and out-of-home settings (in Dutch).’