Table 4 Summary of children's statements about appropriate fruit and vegetable-eating situations and parental and child-invented healthy eating strategies
From: Cognitive development and children's perceptions of fruit and vegetables; a qualitative study
|  | 4–5 years | 7–8 years | 11–12 years |
|---|---|---|---|
Appropriate times for eating fruit | Fruit for lunch or afternoon Vegetables for dinner | Fruit in afternoon, for lunch or dinner dessert Vegetables for dinner | Fruit in afternoon, evening, lunch or when you feel like eating it Vegetables for dinner |
Appropriate occasions for eating fruit | Home School Party | Home Being with friends* Sport * | Home Being with friends* Sport * TV/computer * |
Arguments for appropriate times and occasions based on | Features of picture Own behaviour | Own behaviour Parental & school rules Busyness status Features of picture * | Own behaviour Social norm Availability Busyness status Function of fruit |
Parental healthy eating strategies | Moderation Health arguments Instrumental rewarding Taste masking | Moderation Health arguments Taste Masking | Moderation Health arguments Parental cooking effort |
Child-invented strategies to cope with vegetables | Not mentioned | Various strategies present | Various strategies present |