Woo-whoo! A new study says that BSing my kid and telling him to eat his dinner so he can be like Superman isn’t entirely crap. Go me! I’ve been doing this for three years. New York Daily News reports that a team of US researchers has found that equating healthy eating habits with superheroes like Spider-Man and Batman could be an effective tool in getting kids to eat their veggies.
You know how some people tell their kids food is sprinkled with love? My mom does this with JD. She says her chicken cutlet breadcrumbs are filled with love. JD buys it, but he doesn’t entirely LOVE the concept. Me? I tell JD to eat his broccoli and steak so he can be strong like Spider-Man and have energy to climb the jungle gym at the park. In the morning when he’s giving me a hard time with his berry smiley face waffle, I remind him Batman eats one every morning and that he needs the food to fully prevail at camp for the day. It works. I feel like a genius, and according to researchers at Cornell University, I am, I am. More after the jump.
The strategy they propose in the study is black and white. When you present your kiddo with food choices that invoke the names of superhero role models, they eat to be strong like them. Popeye’s muscles came from all that green yummy spinach he ate, right? Absolutely.
Next time you sit your kid at the table, tell them whatever on their plate is what Captain America, Batman, Superman and Spider-Man eat to maintain their powers and strength. Normally I eyeball studies and roll my eyes, but this one is true, guys. Mom tested and kid-approved in my house. Sometimes I say, “Your veggies are sprinkled with superhero powers.” JD gobbles them up and strikes a superhero pose. Shazam!!
What do you think of this study?
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