Offering Kids Flavored Dips Increases Veggie Consumption

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.Offering children flavored dips with their veggies may help increase vegetable consumption and acceptance among kids, according to a new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Researchers studied preschool children ages 3 to 5 years by first assessing their familiarity and liking of six raw vegetables and five different dips (reduced-fat plain, herb, garlic, pizza and ranch). The children tasted one vegetable they liked, one they disliked and one they refused, along with a reduced-fat plain dip and a reduced-fat herb-flavored dip.

The children rated their liking of celery and yellow squash with and without the herb dip, and researchers measured their intake of the vegetables. Kids preferred the herb-flavored dip over the plain dip, and findings indicate children were three times more likely to reject the vegetable when served by itself rather than with an herb dip, suggesting that offering vegetables with a flavored dip can promote liking and consumption of some veggies among children.

The kids' food and beverage market in the United States represents over $10 billion worth of opportunity. But, whether it's designing a healthier beverage, choosing the right color or flavor, or pleasing picky kids and pickier parents, designing products for the younger set is not exactly child's play. Check out the free Kids' Food and Beverages Digital Issue on Food Product Design to learn more about formulating foods and beverages for children and teens.