Innovative methods in nutritional interventions through sensory-based workshops with preschool children

COURA, Camila Pinheiro; MONTEIRO, Luana Silva; DE CNOP, Mara Lima; MINUZZO, Daniela Alves; PEREIRA, Rosangela Alves

doi:10.1590/1678-9865202235e210227

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Sumário

ORIGINAL • Rev Nutr 35 • 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-9865202235e210227 copy

Innovative methods in nutritional interventions through sensory-based workshops with preschool children

Métodos inovadores em intervenções nutricionais com pré-escolares por meio de oficinas sensoriais

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to describe the sensory workshops carried out as part of an intervention study developed in 2018 (Brazil), designed to promote the consumption of vegetables, legumes, and fruits among preschool children aged 4 to 6 years old (n=179).

Methods

The study comprised three stages: (a) raising awareness among the school staff and parents; (b) collecting data on children’s food consumption; and (c) conducting sensory-based workshops. Through experimentation, children were encouraged to explore the senses of smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch to learn about foods. Five workshops were held weekly each one corresponding to one of the senses. Participatory and interactive dynamics as well as playful techniques were adopted to stimulate children’s interaction with foods and verbal expression about the experiences.

Results

Through experimentation, the senses of smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch were explored, enabling children to learn about food and preparations.

Conclusion

The low-cost sensory method proved easy to apply and its replication in the school environment to promote healthy eating in preschoolers should be encouraged. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials, under the register number RBR-5b6zrg.

Keywords
Food and nutrition education; Infant food; Preschoolers

Workshop/Sense	Objectives	Foods	Material	Procedures
Touch	To encourage children to feel foods by touching To encourage children to realize differences in the shape, texture, and size of foods	Two varieties of tomato and two varieties of pear	Styrofoam, cardboard, or shoe boxes adorned with adhesive tape	With closed eyes (or blindfolded), children were asked to place the hands inside the box and hold the foods. Then, children were encouraged to verbally express how they perceive the texture, shape, and size of the food. May use phrases such as: “How is it to touch this food?”; “How big is this food?”; “What is the food shaped like?”; “Is it soft or hard?”
Smell	To stimulate children’s sense of smell To promote the association of odors with foods among children To stimulate affective memories while smelling the foods To demonstrate that the sense of smell also serves to indicate whether the food is unfit for consumption (burnt, spoiled, etc.)	Papaya and bananas	Cups with small holes in the lids, adorned with adhesive tape in order to avoid food inside to be seen	The cut foods (in order to give off more odor) were placed in the cups and children were asked to smell by the hole in the lid. Then, as a group, they were allowed to see and smell the foods again. Children were encouraged to express what the odor remind them or what they felt as smelling the food
Hearing	To stimulate the sense of hearing in children To encourage children to associate sounds with foods and movements To ask children to guess information from the sounds	Black-eyed peas, white beans, rice. Other seeds or grains can be used	Colored plastic bottles with lids. Transparent containers.	The grains were placed separately in the bottles to make rattles and in the containers. Children were asked to shake the rattles, listen to the sounds, and to relate the sounds to the foods in the containers. Children were stimulated to observe the sounds with probe questions as “What is the loudest sound?”; “How different are the noises?”
Sight	To arouse interest and perception about differences in the food shapes, colors, and sizes	Collard greens, cauliflower, and broccoli	Paper and colored crayons	Children were organized into groups up to six students. Paper and crayons were distributed to the groups. Children were asked to draw pictures of the exposed foods. It is recommended to present similar foods, for example, from the same botanical group, but in different colors such as broccoli and cauliflower
Taste	To stimulate children’s sense of taste To identify the basic tastes of the foods To encourage children to associate flavors and foods	Carrot rolls with white beans with beets pâtè sandwich	Disposable gloves, alcohol gel and napkins	After tasting the sandwiches, the children were encouraged to describe how they appreciated the preparation. Children were asked which foods the taste of the sandwich reminded. The ingredients were revealed.

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[1] Correspondence to: CP COURA. E-mail: camila.coura.gastronomia@nutricao.ufrj.br.