Using positive social influences to increase children’s vegetable intake

Despite the established health benefits of vegetables, most children do not consume enough to meet dietary recommendations. Early childhood is a critical period for shaping lifelong eating habits, and social eating experiences play an important role in this learning. This review synthesises evidence on how positive social influences support children's vegetable intake. Findings across shared eating occasions, positive eating atmosphere, modelling, and social facilitation, demonstrate that social experiences shape healthy dietary behaviour, including vegetable intake. The review also highlights the importance of individual differences, including children's eating behaviours and household characteristics such as socioeconomic status, food insecurity, and household chaos, which may influence both the feasibility and effectiveness of creating positive social eating environments. In addition, the review identifies key opportunities for intervention and emphasises the need for more longitudinal research to understand how social eating processes evolve across development. Together, the evidence underscores the potential of positive social influences to enhance children's vegetable consumption and supports the development of tailored, socially grounded nutrition interventions.