“I don’t like it.” “It looks yucky.” “I don’t want that … I want mac and cheeeeese!” If those types of statements sound familiar, you just may be the parent of a picky eater.
Enter the Food Explorer Club App!
The newly launched Food Explorer Club App is designed to help parents persuade even the pickiest of pint-sized diners to try new foods.
With the app, game-loving kids can earn badges and points each time they taste something new. First, you set up a distinctive profile for each of your children. Then, decide on appropriate awards that you know will motivate them: perhaps a trip to the park, dessert, or a special seat at the table.
Assign each badge a number of points you want your child to earn. Kids can earn badges for trying certain foods (such as the banana badge), for taking their vitamins, and for cleaning their plates.
As your kids try more foods and earn more points, they can even get bonus badges and limited-edition badges. You can even customize the app for children with dietary restrictions.
Who’s Behind This Ingenious Invention?
A couple from Birmingham who are parents to two picky eaters! Kassady Gibson, co-creator of the app, said the
project was sparked by a desire to prompt their girls to try foods beyond their favorites: pizza and chicken fingers.
The Gibsons tested the app with around 100 Birmingham families during the summer of 2019. The response from the testers was quite positive, with many people describing how it inspired their kids to try new foods.
After the successful test, the app became available in the Apple App Store and Google Play in October 2019. It currently has over 2,500 downloads, and around 600 badges are awarded each day.
“We believe the app has the potential to help shift the way children are eating by using their natural competitive spirit and their love for technology and gaming,” Gibson said in a recent press release. “By encouraging kids to eat healthy foods, we can help break the cycle of obesity in children and adults.”
For more information on the Food Explorer Club App, visit www.foodexplorerclub.com.
