A Survey to Determine the Acceptability of an Interactive Recipe Tool to Increase Children’s Exposure and Acceptance to Healthy Foods

Abstract

Utilize this interactive recipe tool at home, in order to increase their children’s acceptance to healthy foods. A lack of variety in a child's diet is associated with obesity, malnutrition, and health complications. Preparing meals with children as young as two years old has been shown to promote healthy food choices. “Cooking with kids” is an interactive home recipe intervention aimed to increase children’s exposure and acceptance to healthy foods. The aim of this study was to determine the acceptability of an interactive recipe intervention designed to increase children’s exposure and willingness to try healthy foods at school. Parents (n=7) were recruited to participate in short electronic survey pertaining to meal preparation habits in the home. All respondents were 29-43 years of age with children enrolled in Greater Boston Area charter and private K-8 schools. No participant reported regularly preparing meals with their children, with 43% of participants reporting that their children struggle to eat fruits and vegetables. All participants reported that they would prepare meals with their children if they were given access to an interactive recipe tool by their child’s school. These findings confirm that parents of K-8 Greater Boston Area charter and private schools are interested in an interactive recipe tool at home, in order to increase their children’s acceptance to healthy foods.