Feeding time

Abstract

Children learn how to eat largely through social interactions with others. The literature on strategies used within these interactions can be traced back to the 1930s and grew rapidly from the 1980s onwards. This article begins by presenting an overview of the literature on the relationship between feeding strategies and eating behaviour in young children (age three to six years). It then examines social feeding interactions between adults and children in this age group within two natural contexts - the home and the primary school dining hall. The article concludes by reflecting on the extent to which these interactions are informed by intuition or by the evidence base.