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Purpose: School-based interventions may increase children's preferences for vegetables and fruit (V&F). This Canadian study measured changes in Indigenous First Nations schoolchildren's V&F knowledge, preferences, and home consumption following the implementation of a gardening and V&F snack program., Methods: At baseline, 7 months, and 18 months, children in grades 1-6 (i) listed at least 5 V&F they knew, (ii) tasted and indicated their preferences towards 9 vegetables and 8 fruit using a 6-point Likert scale, and (iii) indicated their home consumption of 17 V&F., Results: At all 3 time points, 56.8% (n = 66/116) of children provided data. Children listed a greater number of V&F at 18 months (4.9 ± 0.1) than at baseline (4.5 ± 1.0) or 7 months (4.7 ± .07) (F(1.6,105.6) = 6.225, P < 0.05). Vegetable preferences became more positive between baseline (37.9 ± 9.3) and 7 months (39.9 ± 9.2), but returned to baseline levels at 18 months (37.3 ± 8.7) (F(1.6,105.8) = 4.581, P < 0.05). Fruit preferences at 18 months (42.7 ± 3.0) were greater than at baseline (41.1 ± 4.3) and at 7 months (41.9 ± 5.1) (F(1.7,113.3) = 3.409, P < 0.05). No change in V&F consumption occurred at home., Conclusions: Despite improvements in V&F knowledge and preferences, home consumption of V&F did not occur. Complementing school-based programs with home-based components may be needed to influence V&F intake of children.

Objective: The researchers evaluated the impact of a 7-month gardening and 4-month vegetable and fruit snack program on Aboriginal First Nations children's home consumption and preferences toward vegetables and fruit., Methods: The intervention was based on the Social Cognitive Theory. Children in grades 1-6 planted and tended classroom container gardens and prepared and ate what grew. At baseline and 7 months later, children tasted and rated 17 vegetables and fruit using a Likert scale and indicated whether they ate each food at home., Results: Data were collected from 76 of 116 children (65.5%). Preference scores for vegetables, fruit, and vegetables and fruit combined increased over the 7 months (P < .017). Self-reported home consumption did not change., Conclusions and Implications: School interventions have the potential to increase children's preferences for vegetables and fruit. Family participation is likely required, along with increased community availability of produce, to promote home consumption., (Copyright © 2015 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)