A study revealed how children like to be served food, according to their age and gender.

Many parents face the challenge of getting their children to eat every day without complaining, but some fail, and mealtimes turn out to be a difficult time. They can’t even get you to taste the food. There are those who choose to serve the meal in the form of a cat, a clown, draw happy faces everywhere and disguise the products as best they can, to try to provide the nutrients their children need on a daily basis. If this is your case and you find it difficult to get your child to eat a variety of dishes, know that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

O awesome.club likes to find different ways to help parents in the task of making their children eat better, and therefore wants to share the results of a research in this regard with you.

In different tutorials, we see millions of ideas on how to serve food to children, and many parents do their best to imitate them and get their little ones to eat vegetables. But do such presentations lead them to eat better? A study of Future Consumer Lab, from the Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen, analyzed the preferences of 100 children aged 7 and 8 and 12 to 14 years old to see whether they liked being served all their food at once, separately or mixed. The results obtained are very interesting.

Generally, parents serve food in small portions, as they believe that the little ones can freely take each piece and eat it. However, the researchers did different presentations to see which was the most effective: with the foods presented separately without touching, a mixture of separate products and all the foods mixed together.

The researchers found the following:

Girls between the ages of 7 and 8 prefer foods like rice and chicken served separately but on the same plate. The boys aged between 12 and 14 chose to mix everything on their plate or mix just a few things, like sauce and rice, or chicken and vegetables.

Annemarie Olsen, leader of the research, said that a possible explanation for this behavior is that the girls believe that one ingredient can “contaminate” another, perhaps in its flavor or texture. In addition, she indicated that they may prefer to eat different foods in a certain order, which is why, based on this study, she recommended that parents prepare a separate meal on plates, at least to align with the preferences of the youngest.

In addition to the presentation of food, another concern of parents was how to assemble their children’s starters, side dishes and main courses to make them more attractive. A survey analyzed the preferences of 80 types of food among 1,818 children in third grades through high school in Ohio, and the results were divided according to the grade level they were in:

Early childhood education: preferred fruits and carbohydrates such as chips as a side dish rather than vegetables. Elementary education: students tended to choose less and less fast foodas nuggets, hot dogs or hamburgers, and, on the contrary, preferred foods like cheese, cauliflower, kale and spinach. High School: At this stage, they were much more open to eating different types of food, such as ethnic foods, including fajitas, quesadillas, tacos, and burritos; vegetarian food; and fish, red meat and pork. In addition, they opted for vegetables as a side dish.

The survey also produced a list of foods preferred by children at all school levels:

Fries in the shape of a ball. Cheese, especially in slices. Fruits like strawberries and grapes, which are everyone’s favorite, and melons. Baked potatoes. Milk with and without chocolate. Mashed potatoes. Sandwiches. Yogurt. Chips.

But what about portions? A survey conducted by Infant & Toddler Forum among 1,000 families in England revealed that 79% of parents provide their children with larger-than-recommended portions of food, drink and treats. On the other hand, 57% are likely to give their children more than they need when serving pasta bolognese and 36% offer large amounts of nuggets and fries. However, despite these numbers, 37% are concerned that their children are not eating enough.

To guide parents, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published a good food guide that indicates which nutrients the children’s dish should include and in what proportions:

Half of the plate should consist of vegetables and fruits, and it is recommended to choose both options as snacks. The more vegetables, the better. Of course, French fries don’t count as a vegetable. The other half should be filled with healthy proteins like beans, peas, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs, chicken, whole grains, whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa and foods made with them like whole grain pasta. It is best to limit red meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb, and avoid processed meats, such as sausages or bacon. The fruits must be of all colors and it is recommended that they be consumed whole or chopped, instead of fruit juices, whose recommended consumption is one glass a day. Fats are also necessary in the daily diet. Therefore, the use of plant oils such as extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil is recommended in salads and vegetables. It is best to limit the use of butter. When it comes to dairy products, the ideal is to choose unflavored milk, plain yogurt and small amounts of cheese. Finally, it is suggested to opt for water as the best option to quench thirst.

Parents and guardians should be encouraged to provide young children with healthy food. Experts say it’s very important to start with these recommendations from an early age to encourage habit creation. And indeed, they recommend that all foods be cut down to make it easier for children to consume them.

How do your children prefer food? Mixed or separate? Tell us in the comments