Making fruit easier to eat could encourage students to eat it

Previous studies indicated that kids love to eat fruit in ready-to-eat bite-sized pieces. Most people believe that children avoid fruit because of the taste and allure of alternative packaged snacks. However, new study veil the secret why children were avoiding their fruit.

To address this question, researchers conducted a pilot study in eight elementary schools within the same district. Each school was given a commercial fruit slicer and instructed to use it when students requested apples. The fruit slicer cut the fruit into six pieces and the process took three to four seconds. Results from interviews conducted with students during this pilot indicated they dislike eating fruit for two main reasons: for younger students, who might have braces or missing teeth, a large fruit is too inconvenient to eat; for older girls, it is unattractive-looking to eat such a fruit in front of others.

Consecutive study was added. Three of the six middle schools in the same district were given fruit slicers, while the other three continued normal cafeteria operations to act as a control.

Results shows apple sales in schools with fruit slicers increased by 71% compared to control schools.This study shows that making fruit easy to eat encourage students to select it and eat more of it .