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Parent review: Will A New Meal Tray Really Get Kids To Eat Their Greens?

By on October 24, 2015

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Getting kids to eat their greens is a constant battle at meal time.

Back in the 60s, parents looked to Popeye’s power-boosting can of spinach to convince their children to eat vegetables. Rodrigo Gorosterrazu says, “Talking about Popeye and the benefits of spinach, or about eating carrots to improve your vision, no longer convinces this generation.”

The Argentinian parent attributes the problem to the lack of motivation. So he came up with Yumit as solution. Yumit is an interactive meal tray that lights up as the child picks up food from the plate. Each gram of food eaten is converted into virtual energy through a device tracker. The tracker sends data to an app that kids can use to unlock fun games. The more they eat, the more motivated the kids become. You get the idea.

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Call it the modern-day bribe if you wish but as a parent of  the present digital generation, I personally think the device could work for some children but not for everybody.  Besides, bribing for good behavior fails to teach other long-lasting values like responsibility and health education.

Let’s not forget that meal time is a traditional social setting for families. It’s an important time to get together, communicate and bond. A digital device replacing an important parent-child exchange could possibly lead to temper tantrums and other behavioral issues.

About Julie Wilson