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Table 1 Categories used to code children's open-ended responses about kids' meals coming with fruits or vegetables instead of French fries

From: Healthier side dishes at restaurants: an analysis of children’s perspectives, menu content, and energy impacts

Categories

Sample responses

For children who would be happy about the substitution:

 1. Liking/taste. Included the following:

 

  I like the taste of fruits and vegetables

“Fruits or vegetables taste just as good sometimes better”

  I like the taste of fruits

“I like fruit in a meal for dessert after. Fruit tastes great.”

  I like the taste of vegetables

“I love veggies and I also love love love salads of all kinds.”

  I don’t like/don’t prefer French fries

“Because i really don't care for french fries too much anymore”

 2. Health: Fruits and vegetables are healthy

“Because this is better for you”

 3. Choice: I want choices/variety

“I like to eat all kinds of things. I can always get French Fries.”

 4. Treat: Fruits and vegetables are a treat

“Because I rarely ever get fruits and vegetables and I love them.”

 5. Other

“I am allergic to msg alots of fries have msg on them.”

 6. Don’t know

“I don’t know,” “Because”

For children who would be unhappy about the substitution:

 1. Liking/taste. Included the following:

 

  I like the taste of French fries

“I like french fries more than any other side dish.”

  I don’t like/don’t prefer fruit and don’t like/don’t prefer vegetables

“I don't like vegetables and fruit as much as fries”

  I don’t like/don’t prefer fruit

“I do not eat a lot of fruit”

  I don’t like/don’t prefer vegetables

“Vegetables don't taste good. I only like certain fruits.”

 2. Habit: French fries are what I’m used to

“I always get french fries and im not used to have fruit with fast food”

 3. Choice: I want to have a choice

“Well I guess it depends on what I'm eating because french fires taste better with certain dishes.”

 4. Treat: French fries are a treat

“Because i like to eat fries when i go out i eat enough vegetiables and fruit at home”

 5. Other

“I like to eat meet”

 6. Don’t know

“Don’t know,” “Because”

  1. Note: Spelling and grammar errors were retained to capture the children's voices accurately. Also note that coders selected all categories that applied to a given response.