What We Can Learn From a 1930s Study
As a daycare centre chef and nutritionist, I often hear, “My child won’t eat vegetables” or “Should I make them finish their plate?”
Interestingly, one of the most insightful answers comes from a study done almost 100 years ago.
In the 1930s, Dr. Clara Davis conducted an experiment where she allowed young children - many from orphanages - to choose freely from 34 whole, nourishing foods. Options included meats, vegetables, grains and dairy. The children were never coaxed or restricted - they simply chose what and how much to eat at each meal.
The result? Each child developed a unique eating pattern, yet all grew well and stayed healthy. Their bodies intuitively balanced what they needed, simply by being offered a variety of wholesome foods and the freedom to choose.
How This Applies Today
This study still shapes how we approach mealtimes in our daycare. Here’s how you can use it at home:
- Offer variety without pressure: Put a few small portions of different foods on the plate. Let them explore and choose.
- Reintroduce “rejected” foods: It can take 10 or more exposures for a child to accept a new flavour. Try again another day - no fuss.
- Trust their instincts: Kids are intuitive eaters. They eat when they’re hungry and stop when they’ve had enough. Respecting that helps build lifelong healthy habits.
Family Grazing Platter Idea
One way to put this into practice is with a family-style grazing platter for dinner. It’s a relaxed, pressure-free way to offer variety and get everyone nibbling:
Family Grazing Platter (if foods are safe and age appropriate)
- Protein: boiled eggs, cold meat slices, meatballs, liver pate, sardines, hummus, nuts or nut butters, cheese
- Fresh: carrot sticks, cabbage chunks, cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, capsicum Berries, apple slices, kiwi
- Extras: olives, seed crackers, avocado, pickles
Place everything on a big board or tray in the middle of the table. Let everyone help themselves. It can be a light dinner for the kids, a starter for parents and is definitely a lovely way to connect before the evening routine.
Final Thought
Children are more capable than we think when it comes to eating. When we step back, offer variety, and trust them to choose, we’re supporting their natural ability to eat well - for life.
Reference
Davis CM. Results of the self-selection of diets by young children. Can Med Assoc J 1939;41:257-61. www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=537465&blobtype=pdf.
