In May 2018 researchers from the UK published the results of their study to assess whether picture books on a specific food increased a toddler’s liking and consumption of that food. Parents of 127 toddlers (aged 21-24 months) identified one fruit and one vegetable they wanted their child to eat. The families were assigned to one of three groups, with two groups looking at picture books every day for a 2-week period and the third group not looking at the books. Parents in all three groups then offered their toddler the fruit and vegetable, and rated the toddler’s liking and consumption of the food immediately following taste-exposure and again three months later. The results revealed that the toddlers who looked at picture books on the target fruit and vegetable had an increased liking of that food immediately following taste exposure and three months later, and also had an increased consumption of that food three months later. Looking at picture books on vegetables was also associated with smaller increases in neophobia (a fear of new things or experiences) and food fussiness.
Owen LH et al. Peas, please! Food familiarization through picture books helps parents introduce vegetables into preschoolers’ diets. Appetite. 2018 May 26;128:32-43