Parents Learn to Help Children “Explore” New Foods

Situation:
Parents are constantly perplexed about how to get children to eat vegetables and how to introduce other new foods. A common concern of parents is that their child is a picky eater who eats a limited variety of foods.

Response:
The ISU Nutrition and Health Specialist teamed with the Page County Extension Growing Strong Families program and two child care centers to offer a program on helping children explore new foods. Tips were given on introducing foods using questions that involved the children’s five senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing). Participants were also given the opportunity to ask other questions they had about their child’s nutrition.

Impact:
Thirty-three parents attended the two sites for dinner and the program. Many questions were asked about feeding children and many of the parents paused as they left the program to say thank-you for the information.

A mailed evaluation survey brought 6 responses, all which indicated they had introduced new foods to their children since the program and they had used questions related to their child’s 5 senses. Four parents thought it had definitely increased their child’s acceptance of the new food and 2 thought it maybe had. One parent responded that they are with Head Start and will be using the ideas in the classroom beginning in September.

Contact:
Patricia Anderson
Iowa State University Extension, W. Pottawattamie County
ISD-Careers Bldg.
3501 Harry Langdon Blvd.
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Phone 712-366-7070; Fax: 712-366-7024
Email pander@iastate.edu