Presenting author: Natalie Masis

Co-authors: Jennifer McCaffrey, Susan L. Johnson, and Karen Chapman-Novakofski,

Division of Nutritional Sciences

Objective: To evaluate fruit and vegetable preferences over time, with repeated experience, as part of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). Study Design, Setting and Participants, and Intervention: Fruits (F=28) and vegetables (V=29) were distributed twice a week, over 35 weeks, at a participating FFVP-school (n= 236 students, 12 teachers, K-2nd grade). A 3-point Likert emoticon scale was used to evaluate student FV preferences. Outcome Measures and Analysis: Preference ratings were analyzed, over 35 weeks, by descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rho correlations, Mann-Whitney U, and linear regression with predictor variables including grade level, fruit or vegetable served, and time (week). Results: For the 57 different FV rated for preference, ratings (n=10,335, F= 5,121; V=5,214) revealed that F had higher frequency of children choosing “I like it” than for V (78% F; 38.2% V). Preferences for F were higher ranked than for V (P<0.01) and liking distribution (liked, okay, didn’t like) was different between F and V (P<.001). Significant relations were found between liking and: 1) grade (r=-0.02, P=0.02), and 2) time (r=-0.09, P<0.001). Models indicated that V served (compared to fruits; β=-.40), time point (β= -.07), and grade level (β=-.02) accounted for significant variance for preference ratings (R2=0.17, P<.001), indicating that preference ratings went down over time. When modeled independently, this remained true for V (R2=0.007, P<0.001), but only time remained significant in the F preference model (R2=0.008, P<0.001). Conclusions and Implications: Fruits were preferred over vegetables. Overall preference ratings were negatively impacted by time, grade level, and vegetables served. Being exposed to a variety of FV, generally, did not improve ratings for vegetables.