Everyone knows Popeye, the loveable sailorman who stands up for the little guy, can fight to the finish because he always eats his spinach, but were you aware the 81-year-old animated leaf lover can get your kids to eat their veggies as well? A study published in the journal of Nutrition & Dietetics would make Olive Oyl proud.

Researchers at Mahidol University in Bangkok found that a combination of Popeye cartoons, tasting parties and junior cooking classes increased the vegetable intake of twenty-six kindergartners over an eight week period.

"We got the children planting vegetable seeds, taking part in fruit and vegetable tasting parties, cooking vegetable soup, and watching Popeye cartoons," said lead researcher Professor Chutima Sirikulchayanonta. "We also sent letters to parents with tips on encouraging their kids to eat fruit and vegetables, and teachers sat with children at lunch to role model healthy eating.”

In fact, the children, all aged 4-to-5-years-old, doubled their intake of vegetables over the research period. Parents also noticed their children talked more about veggies and seemingly took great pride in eating the healthy fare.

Considering that childhood obesity has more than tripled in the U.S. over the past thirty-years, maybe cooking classes with Popeye isn’t such a bad idea.


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