Research conducted through the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University has confirmed that children need up to 8 to 12 exposures to a food before they will try it willingly.

The program was designed with feedback from nutrition and child development experts, Head Start and preschool teachers and staff. It is developmentally and age appropriate for 3 to 5 year olds.

Food Friends Peer Reviewed Publications

Young, L., Anderson, J., Beckstrom, L., Bellows, L., Johnson, S.L. (2003) Making New Foods Fun for Kids. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.;35:337-338.

Young, L., Anderson, J., Beckstrom, L., Bellows, L., Johnson, S.L. (2004) Using Social Marketing Principles to Guide the Development of a Nutrition Education Initiative for Preschool-aged Children. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 36:250-257.

Bellows, L., Cole, K., Anderson, J. (In Press) Family Fun with New Foods: A Parent Component to the Food Friends Social Marketing Campaign. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Bellows, L., Anderson, J. (In Press) Seven Simple Tips to Encourage Preschoolers to Try New Foods. Young Children.

Bellows, L., Cole, K., Anderson, J. (In Press) Assessing Characteristics, Needs, and Preferences of Secondary Audience for the Development of a Bilingual Parent Component to the Food Friends Social Marketing Campaign. Social Marketing Quarterly.

Johnson, S.L., Bellows, L., Beckstrom, L., Anderson, J. (In Press) Evaluation of a Social Marketing Campaign Targeting Preschool Children. American Journal of Health Behavior.