MATTER is always looking for new and exciting ways to engage kids with the power of healthy eating. This week, we were lucky enough to visit Meadowbrook Collaborative and see what the kids that attend their summer program think of potential additions to our MATTERbox!
Armed with Wheat Thins as well as various types of tuna, applesauce, and nut butters, the MATTER team set up a Chopped-style taste test to understand what energetic kids want and need to fuel their bodies for a healthy and exciting summer. The guidelines were simple; each of the ten participants was given a score sheet where they would rate each food 1-5, with 1 being “Bad” and 5 being “Excellent.”
One by one, the kids were served different types of tuna– Traditional, Jalapeño, Lemon Pepper, and Thai Chili– and ranked them individually and as a whole, with Jalapeño coming out on top!
Comparing apples to apples (or applesauce to applesauce), the surveys revealed that the kids preferred unsweetened over strawberry applesauce.
In between bites, we received valuable feedback from these 5-to-10-year-olds.
“I liked the Thai Chili tuna because it had that sweet flavor,” shared one of the master taste-testers.
“This really is WOW!” grinned another after he had tried the peanut butter substitute WOWbutter for the first time.
Many of the kids also experienced their first taste of a range of Justin’s Nut Butters. After sampling almond butter, maple almond butter, and hazelnut chocolate almond butter, it was clear that, much like many of us at MATTER, the kids were big fans of chocolate. We were excited to see that healthier versions of sweet treats were so popular!
Even the pickiest eater of the bunch, the self-proclaimed Gordon Ramsay of the group, gave us valuable insights as to what works and what needs improvement. The first change will be finding a replacement for hummus, which was not a fan favorite.
We are very excited to revamp our MATTERbox and cater it to the real needs and tastes of kids!
