The use of picture books to increase toddlers’ willingness to consume unfamiliar food.

About the Project

Evidence demonstrates that repeated exposure is effective in increasing children's liking and consumption of target foods, however parents can find it a challenging strategy to implemement, not least because of the resource it requires. Research has found that using picture books positively influences toddlers willingness to taste unfamiliar foods, but findings are limited to vegetables. Legumes (e.g. chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans) are a healthy source of esential micronutrients and a sustainable subsitute for meat, but they are unfamiliar to the majority of toddlers. This PhD will focus on replicating and extending this research using with legumes and seeds as the target food and settings beyond the home (e.g. nurseries). Please contact Kate Harvey (k.n.harvey@reading.ac.uk) for infomal enquiries.

References

Masento, N. A., Dulay, K. M., Roberts, A. P., Harvey, K., Messer, D., & Houston-Price, C. (2023). See and Eat! The impact of repeated exposure to vegetable ebooks on young children's vegetable acceptance. Appetite, 106447, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2022.106447
https://www.reading.ac.uk/pcls/staff/kate-harvey