The document discusses a study on children's perceptions of school gardening and its impact on willingness to try fruits and vegetables (FV). Key findings include: 1) Children enjoyed gardening for its educational, physical, and social benefits and took pride in the produce they grew; 2) Gardening increased willingness to try FV through involvement in the growing process and sensory exposure; and 3) While nutrition knowledge was good, preferences seemed more influenced by factors like taste, peers, and personal involvement than knowledge. The study concluded that school gardening can successfully promote FV consumption among children.

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Globally and nationally, children’s fruit and vegetable (FV)
consumption falls below recommended levels 1. The UK
government recommends consumption of at least five portions of
FV per day2 , however children’s FV intake averages just two
portions 3, falling after the age of seven when children are no
longer eligible for the free School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme 4.
Therefore interventions to increase FV consumption are
widespread, including those based in schools as children spend a
large proportion of their waking hours and consume at least 20%
of their daily food intake at school 5. School gardening has been an
area of research interest in recent years as a means to promote FV
consumption through several factors, with additional educational
benefits (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Mechanisms by which school gardening may improve FV
consumption
Quantitative and mixed-methods studies of school gardening
interventions in America and Australia have shown encouraging
results such as increased intake (+1.4 portions ±0.8, p 0.01)11,
increased FV preferences, nutrition knowledge and willingness to
try FV 12,13. An RCT in Southern England showed an increase in FV
consumption (+ 1 portion CI:95%, p 0.05) in schools that
implemented gardening to a high level compared to a less
intensive intervention5. Although there was little measured
change in nutrition knowledge, the authors recommended further
research into the efficacy of school gardening interventions 5,7.
However there is little qualitative research exploring children’s
views on gardening, and search yielded no research in the North
West of England.
Therefore the objectives of this study were:
• To explore and gain an understanding of primary school
children’s perceptions of school gardening.
• To explore the children’s willingness to try FV grown in school
gardening club.
• An initial understanding of the children’s nutrition knowledge
was sought.
Image shows some of food grown by primary school children in
gardening club
INTRODUCTION
School A, in the Borough of Sefton, NW England was approached
to participate in the study. Methodology, ethical considerations
and activities summarised in Table 1.
METHODS RESULTS CONCLUSIONS and RECOMMENDATIONS
• The results concurred with previous research, suggesting that
school gardening classes may be a useful tool to aid in
improving children’s willingness to try FV through active
participation and involvement in growing.
• This qualitative study has added the children’s perspective to
the role that pride and ownership in the produce may play in
increasing willingness to try FV grown in school gardening.
• Nutrition knowledge bore little relation to the children’s FV
likes and dislikes. This indicates that FV preference relates to
other factors referred to such as peer influence, individual
taste preference and ownership.
• Several children tried FV they would not eat at home, and
expressed interest in gardening and cooking with the produce
at home.
• The children enjoyed the educational, physical activity and
team working aspects of gardening. They very much
appreciated the freshness and immediacy of harvesting and
eating FV they had helped to grow.
Recommendations:
Given that this project appeared to improve children's willingness
to try FV it is recommended:
• Wherever viable, schools should include gardening in the
curriculum, and the physical activity and educational aspects of
gardening should be promoted in order to engage children and
parents.
• Parental involvement should be encouraged to reinforce the
participatory and educational benefits by gardening at home if
possible. If not viable, parents should get children involved in
shopping, cooking and food preparation to support children’s
interest in, and exposure to FV and healthy nutrition.
Image of school garden showing poly-tunnel for indoor planting
and growing, and outdoor beds.
REFERENCES
1. Christian, MS., Evans, CEL. et al. (2012) BMC Public Health, 12. 2. Department of Health (2005) The
Stationery Office. 3. Weichselbaum.E and Buttriss, J.L. (2014) Nutr Bull, 39 (1), pp. 9-73. 4. Upton, P.
and Taylor, C. (2012) J Hum Nutr Diet. 25 pp. 557–562. 5. Christian, M.S., Evans, C.et al. (2014) Int J
Behav Nutr Phys Act, 11(1), pp. 99. 6. Langaletto, GA., Gupta, A. (2012) Hortechnology. 22 (4) pp:430-
445. 7. Hutchinson, J., Christian, M.S. et al. (2015) Appetite, 91, pp. 405-414. 8. Davis, J.N, Martinez, LC.
et al. (2016) J Nutr Educ Behav. 48 (1). 9. Berezowitz, CK. et al. (2015). 10. Royal Horticultural Society
(2010). 11. McAleese, JD. and Rankin, LL. (2007). 107 pp. 662-665. 12. Heim, S. et al. (2009) J Am Diet
Assoc. 109 pp.1220-1226. 13. Gibbs, L., Staiger, PK. et al. (2013) J Nutr Educ Behav. 45 (2) pp. 137-146.
14. Harris, J.E. et al. (2009) J Am Diet Assoc, 109(1), pp. 80-90. 15. Bryman (2008) Oxford University
Press. 16. Gibson, JE. (2012) J Fam Theory Rev.4 (2) pp. 148-159. 17. Lambert, V. et al. (2013) J Res Nurs.
17(7), pp. 601-616. 18. Braun and Clarke (2006) Qual Res Psychol. 3 pp. 77-101.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and CONTACT
Many thanks to School A teachers and parents for allowing this research to take place, and the pupils
and gardening club staff for their invaluable input.
Many thanks to the following Edge Hill University staff: Hazel Flight and Dr. Kathleen Mooney who
supervised the research process and writing up, and Dr. Peter Leadbetter for overseeing the ethics
application. CONTACT: SueCrompton@evo-fit.com and Flighth@edgehill.ac.uk
Edge Hill University
Sue Crompton
Happy Gardening: a qualitative study of children’s perceptions of school gardening in relation to
willingness to try fruit and vegetables
FOOD/ NUTRITION
GARDENING/TASTING
Nutrition
knowledge
Preferences
Sensory: taste,
smell, visual
Pride/
ownership
Fun/
activity/social
Environ-
mental
aware
Education:
asking/
learning
Asking
behaviour/
influences
Asking behaviour and influences: children keen to try ripe
produce: “ooh, can I have one ?!”
“peas, peas, I want peas !”, “can I try one ?”
Peer presence influenced willingness to try: “if ** has one, I’ll try
one”.
“I’m gonna ask mum for mange tout and baby corn in stir-fry”
“I want a vegetable patch at home so we can grow it and cook it”
Pride and ownership:
“you can feel proud when you look at a plant you helped grow”,
“I’ll try them peas ‘cos I planted him (pea plant)”
“I like eating your own stuff that you’ve watched growing and you
know where it’s come from”.
Children took responsibility for the garden and produce,
undertaking tasks unprompted, overseeing younger gardeners
too: “be careful, you’re going to destroy the roots”.
Education and learning: children keen to share what they already
knew: discussions were lively and well-informed, indicating
application of knowledge from curriculum material.
“tomatoes and peppers are really fruit ‘cos the seeds are on the
inside”, and keen to learn:
“can we eat the skins ?, what are those ones you can eat the skin
?”.
Learning was identified as enjoyable aspect of gardening, one
participant had started a garden at home with mum, applying
skills learned in club. Children were excited to learn that School A
will be receiving 100 seeds from the International Space Station,
and plan to carry out growth comparison experiments.
Environmental awareness:
“you know what’s gone in, no additives or preservatives”
“it’s come straight from the ground to your mouth, no travel”.
The eco-system was also considered, for example putting worms
in the compost to help breaking down.
Fun and enjoyment: ‘fun’ was mentioned regularly in relation to
participating in activities and getting mucky. Children enjoyed
physical and team work aspects:
“in the garden you’re outdoor and exercising, not stuck in the
classroom”
“we like working together”.
There was excitement at harvesting: “this is amazing !”, and
evidence of experimentation, for example growing strawberries
with edible glitter.
RESULTS
The main themes emerging were food/ nutrition and gardening/
tasting, with several sub-themes which were clearly inter-related,
as illustrated in figure 2. These sub-themes were explored
individually:
FV preferences were mixed: younger children favoured fruit, older
children mentioned favourite vegetables. Sensory factors (taste,
texture) were used to justify likes and dislikes: “crunchy”, “bitter”,
“sweet” and “squidgy”, but two children disliked FV.
Nutrition knowledge generally good: all children mentioned ‘5 a
day’ when asked what eating healthily means, and that a good diet
gives you energy and prevents illness. Moreover, there was
understanding of the idea of balance and portion size.
Sensory factors related to tasting and handling the produce, with
comparisons made to shop bought FV.
For example strawberries were “much redder”, “juicy, same as me
and mum grow”, although some found them “too sweet”.
Children tried and enjoyed peas, mange tout and other vegetables
including the non-vegetable eaters, and appreciated the freshness
and crunchy texture.
Visual and olfactory cues: pink broad beans indicated poison,
mould or decaying flesh indicated over-ripeness. Children correctly
identified green and ripe tomatoes by smell alone.
Table 1: Summary of methods.
Figure 2: Themes