Kids go ga-ga over grapes

by Jacki Donaldson (Subscribe to Jacki Donaldson's posts)
Oct 18th 2007 8:00AM

Categories: Healthy Kids, Nutrition & Supplements

My sister visited her daughter's preschool class just recently for her little one's third birthday celebration. It's customary at this school for parents to bring in a birthday snack for classmates to share. My sister was all too happy to participate in this ritual, and she went armed with her camera, a bunch of Halloween-inspired sugar cookies, and a healthy helping of grapes.

You'd think the kids would gobble up those cookies, right? That's what I thought. Until my sister told me they scarfed down the grapes instead. They couldn't get enough of them, in fact, and some children passed on the sugary treat altogether. How great is that?

Sometimes, I don't think we give kids enough credit. We label them picky eaters and believe they'll only consume dry cheerios, goldfish crackers, and other packaged snacks. But when it comes down to it, I suspect kids might choose what's good for them if given a chance. So why not give them the chance? Go ahead. Try. Call it an experiment. Place some fruit or crunchy veggies in front of your kiddos at snack time and see what they do. Make it exciting and smear some peanut butter on an apple -- tastes a bit like a caramel apple -- or spread some low-fat cottage cheese on a cucumber slice. You might be surprised at what passes as a legitimate snack in your household. And if you work in a preschool, I urge you to introduce whole foods into your program. Ditch the Oreo cookies, the Skittles you use to reward your students, the loaded-with-sugar fruit juice. It's simple really. Healthy stuff is better. Even three-year-olds know it.

For an extra kick in the right direction, pop in here at Meals Matter for some smart snacking tips.

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Comments (11)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Crabby McSlacker 10-20-2007 @ 2:59PM

It's cool when kids actually prefer the healthy stuff. I remember liking fruit a lot as a kid--but never as much as cookies. The whole "kids will choose what's good for them" idea might work for some, but if my parents hadn't had some limits around what was acceptable for snacks, I would have gorged on cookies and cupcakes and candybars all day.

Come to think of it, if I didn't put limits on myself as an adult... I'd do the same thing even now. I make myself eat grapes instead, but they ain't cookies.

(Crabby hosts her own odd little health blog, for anyone who's bored. Crazy question of the week: would you send your daughter to Pole Dancing Class? Some parents are doing just that: http://crankyfitness.blogspot.com/2007/10/pole-dancing-for-girls-wtf.html)

Haddy 10-20-2007 @ 3:52PM

One reason children love grapes is because many conscientious parents recognize that whole grapes are a choking hazard for young children. Consequently many children have never tasted them.

Pediatricians recommend that parents not give grapes to small children, or at least cut them into small pieces so they don't block an airway. I think it would be wise to make this known.

Of course the children in this article were third-graders, but it's likely that many had never tasted grapes, or knew they were "forbidden fruit," which always tastes sweeter!

Jane 10-20-2007 @ 3:51PM

Just because young children like grapes doesn't mean this will apply to other fruits and vegetables. Kids like grapes because they are very sweet and refreshing to eat. However, when it comes to things like peas, kids might not be so quick to choose them over cookies. In that case, they need to try them several times to acquire a taste.

Linda G. 10-20-2007 @ 6:28PM

I would make my kids "Surprise Plates"
Instead of asking my kids what they wanted for a snack,I would put small amounts of different foods on a plate,grapes,string cheese,cut up apples,raisins,bananas etc. they loved having little dipping dishes with peanut butter or yogurt.
Make it healthy and fun and you will be surprised how healthy they will eat.

Tobyn 10-20-2007 @ 6:28PM

Kudos to the poster who mentioned that grapes should be cut into small pieces before given to young children! That is completely true. At our preschool, we cut them into quarters.

Jeanne 10-20-2007 @ 6:28PM

Your kids will aquire tastes for healthy foods if that's what you feed them from the start. If you see fat kids, take a look at their parents...it's not rocket science....

Annie 10-20-2007 @ 8:33PM

Note to Haddy: These kids weren't third graders, they were 3 year olds in a preschool class. Pay attention!!
As for your 'forbidden fruit because they'll choke on them" idea....are parents today too lazy to cut up grapes for their kids so they just don't buy them to avoid the work. Incredible. I cut them up for my kids when they were little.

steph 10-20-2007 @ 8:40PM

Dry Cheerios?! Blech. Didn't even like 'em that much with milk. Too bland. In any case, sure there are genetic potentials that guide people in what they can enjoy, but generally those for sugars and other addictive substances are not 100%. Environment can enable most to develop balanced palettes and metabolisms.

Zzythyr 10-20-2007 @ 8:33PM

I USED to like grapes up until I was 9 years old. An elderly man with a nasty disposition lived 2 doors down from us. He had a fence at the back of his yard with a lot of grapes growing there. My friend and I snuck over there and laid under the fence and ate grapes till they came out of our ears (so to speak). I got so sick from eating all those grapes, that I wouldn't eat them or anything grape tasting till I was 40.

Scott 10-20-2007 @ 8:32PM

I think its awesome that these kids chose the grapes over the cookies. It should be noted that we(humans) are creatures of habit so if you want your kid to eat healthy, feed them healthy food, don't force it, and they will develop a healthy eating attitude that will stay with them the rest of thier lives. Perhaps the parents of the children in this classroom have parents that instil in them healthy eating habit, and they chose the grapes because thats what they are used to eating. But then again who doesn't like grapes?

Barb 11-25-2007 @ 7:48PM

My grandson loves frozen blueberries,what he calls sour leaves (baby spinach w/red rob roy red wine vinegar dressing), plain chick peas,and plain red kidney beans. When we go out to a museum or park, I bring these items. Also pierogies that I wrap in tin foil. He's 7.