Vegetables Can Boost Enjoyment of Meals

ITHACA, N.Y.Veggie haters listen up. Did you know vegetables can make you look like a hero and a better cook? According to a new study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, smart preparation and presentation of a vegetable entrée not only enhances enjoyment of a meal, but also boosts a diners perception of the person who prepared it.

Researchers at Cornell University explored the impact that adding a vegetable to the plate has on perceptions of both the meal and the person who prepared it. With the majority of vegetable consumption in the American diet taking place at dinner time but only 23% of those meals being served with a vegetable, the study explored what added psychological motivation to include vegetables in meals might exist.

The study consisted of two phases. Twenty-two laddering interviews were conducted, followed by a national survey of 500 American mothers with two or more children under age 18. The survey asked participants to evaluate meals served either with or without vegetables, as well as a cook who did or did not include a vegetable with a dinner time meal. Participants also were asked to choose from a list of 12 attributes, such as selfish" or loving", to describe the meal preparer. No respondent saw both versions of the meal or meal preparer. The survey also asked questions regarding childrens favorite vegetable.

Participants rating meals that included a vegetable gave significantly higher ratings to dishes such as chicken, steak and pasta on a variety of dimensions including tasty" and loving". Results showed that meals were favored when a vegetable was included, such as steak versus steak with broccoli (score of 7.00 as opposed to 8.08), but also received better descriptions such as loving" for the same meal (7.00 vs. 7.92). They also chose much more positive descriptors for the meal preparer that served a vegetable, including much more frequent selection of thoughtful", attentive" and capable" accompanied by a decrease in the selections of neglectful", selfish" and boring. Overall, vegetables made the meal" not only in terms of enhancing expectations of the main dish but in terms of creating a better perception of the cook as well.

The researchers also uncovered a number of interesting insights concerning childrens favorite vegetables. Most participants easily recalled their childrens favorite vegetable, with over a dozen different vegetables receiving multiple mentions. Vegetable preference also changed with age; broccoli was the overall favorite for older children, while carrots and corn topping the list for the younger kids.