New children's food craze: veg riddle

A national project will start in schools across Britain this autumn after successful trials in that most difficult piece of childhood diplomacy: how to persuade youngsters to choose fruit and vegetables instead of chocolate and chips.

A national project will start in schools across Britain this autumn after successful trials in that most difficult piece of childhood diplomacy: how to persuade youngsters to choose fruit and vegetables instead of chocolate and chips.

Experiments conducted by psychologists at the University of Wales have produced up to a five-fold increase in the amount of fruit and vegetables eaten by primary-age school children. Their secret: a catchy promotional video and a dose of good old-fashioned bribery.

Academics have turned hundreds of children into healthy eaters with their cartoon "food dudes", superheroes with a penchant for greens who battle the evil General Junk.

Children are encouraged to taste fruit and vegetables at "snacktime" before their morning break. Every time a child tastes something new they get a small prize such as a pencil, sticker or badge.

Pilot studies in three schools last year produced huge increases in vegetable and fruit consumption, with children still eating their greens six months after the study ended.

Professor Fergus Lowe, of the University of Wales, Bangor, said: "The problem with kids is there are so many foods they will not try. This encourages them to try things."