Young children’s mealtimes and eating practices in early childhood education and care: A scoping review of 30 years of research from 1990 to 2020

The study investigates a wide range of research on children’s eating habits in kindergarten published between January 1990 and December 2020. The aim is to provide a more complete picture of the research in the area. The research questions are: 1) Which research areas play a key role in studies on children’s eating habits in kindergarten, and what are the main trends in these areas?  2) What are the current limitations and knowledge gaps identified in the literature review and what are their consequences for kindergarten practices.

The study identified factors affecting children’s eating habits, teachers and children’s perspectives on mealtimes, and the context of mealtime practices as key areas of research into children’s food intake in kindergartens. Key trends included focus on repeated exposure to foods, modelling behaviour, teachers’ mealtime routines, rules and norms versus playfulness, as well as children’s active participation during mealtimes. The researchers found that a more in-depth analysis of actual practices and behaviour, a greater focus on the complex factors that affect food intake, and the acquisition of knowledge from different disciplines can provide a deeper understanding of food intake in kindergartens so that appropriate measures can be taken.

The study consisted of a literature review of 166 empirical articles published between January 1990 and December 2020. A review of the literature was carried out to identify key research areas on children’s food intake in kindergartens. The search was performed in databases such as Eric, PsycInfo, Scopus and Web of Science, as well as through reference lists and citations. Articles in English, Swedish and Dutch were assessed. The literature search was concluded when researchers believed that sufficiently relevant research was included, and no new relevant publications were found.

Willemsen, A., Wiggins, S., & Cromdal, J. (2023). Young children’s mealtimes and eating practices in early childhood education and care: A scoping review of 30 years of research from 1990 to 2020. Educational Research Review, 38, 100503.

Online year: 2022

Issue year: 2023

Review year: 2022