Let's cultivate Our Garden! Food and Education Rich in Fruits and Vegetables

Children’s nutrition is at the heart of many concerns, in particular due to the worrying rise in obesity among young people and emerging consumption patterns. 

A survey* conducted by Harris Interactive for the French government in March 2024 reveals that almost one in five young people (or 20%) cannot tell the difference between a zucchini and a cucumber, sometimes even confusing it with an eggplant (in 2% of cases). This study highlights a lack of knowledge about staple foods. In addition, a large proportion of youth eat fast meals and processed foods frequently, raising concerns about the impact on their long-term health.

Mens sana in corpore sano**! A healthy body in a healthy mind! In addition to its nutritional value and its impact on growth and physical health, it is now known that diet affects psychosocial and emotional development. A healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables is therefore essential for the child’s future, both physically, psychologically, and emotionally.

It is recommended to introduce fruits and vegetables quickly into the baby’s diet. Only one fruit or vegetable at a time for him to discover the flavors. This is called the diversification pathway. 

Food diversification in children is a critical step in their development, marking the transition from breastfeeding or formula to a solid diet. This phase, which usually begins around 4 months of age, allows the child to explore a variety of flavors and nutrients essential to their growth and development. 

VEGGY TOYS are involved in this experimentation of tastes, colors, and textures.

At MYUM, we value the importance of food diversification from an early age. Our VEGGY TOYS, crochet toys depicting fruits and vegetables, are in perfect harmony with this approach. By stimulating children's imagination and familiarizing them with a wide variety of foods from the cradle, VEGGY TOYS help create positive links with food and encourage a balanced diet in the long term.

To accompany this process, we offer a variety of toys in the shape of fruits and vegetables that are very diversified. Among them: The rattles stimulate the baby’s senses while making him discover vegetables from turnip to fennel, peas, not to mention leek; and fruits with cherries, banana… Music boxes in the shape of apple, pear, lemon, strawberry ... The doudou with the famous radish and the delicious carrot.

Let's cultivate our garden, Voltaire said! MYUM has understood the lesson and is making it a mission! Educating young people about the benefits of a fruit and vegetable diet is essential to avoid the risks associated with a processed diet. These foods, often high in fat, sugar, and additives, can contribute to health problems such as obesity and diabetes. Cooking yourself, with a focus on fresh produce, is an economical and healthy solution to circumvent this trend.

To learn more about food education and promoting healthy eating among young people, visit the resources provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), a key player in raising awareness of these issues. Let us not wait for food-related problems to become even more serious. Let's take action now to offer young people a healthier and more balanced future with MYUM and VEGGY TOYS!