Anak memulai preferensi makanannya saat memasuki usia sekolah. Untuk dapat memberikan informasi mengenai makanan sehat kepada anak, diperlukan pengetahuan mengenai sejauh mana pemahaman anak mengenai makanan. Penelitian ini akan melihat gambaran konsep makanan pada anak usia prasekolah usia 4-6 tahun yang dilihat berdasarkan na ve theory. Peneliti melakukan adaptasi terhadap penelitian Slaughter dan Ting 2010 dengan melakukan pilot study berupa focus group discussion untuk mengembangkan panduan wawancara agar sesuai dengan kondisi di Indonesia. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsep makanan anak usia prasekolah berada dalam kategori biological associationism, psychological, vitalistic,dan mechanical. Selain itu dalam penelitian ini ditemukan kategori baru yaitu magical thinking. Pembentukan konsep makanan anak dipengaruhi oleh berbagai faktor yaitu informasi dari orang tua, sekolah, teman, tayangan yang ditonton serta pengalaman anak dengan makanan itu sendiri.

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Children started to learn about their food preferances in preschool age, In order to give children information about healthy foods, it required a knowledge on childrens understanding about food. This study aimed to find a description about concept of food in preschool age 4 6 years old that analized by na ve theory. The researchers made an adaptation from of Slaughter and Ting 2010, by doing a pilot study in a form of focus group discussion to develop interview guides to adjust the condition of Indonesian preschool children.

The result showed that Indonesian preschool children are reasoning in biological associationism, psychological, vitalistic, and mechanical to explain about foods. Moreover, this research found new categorization in food concept that is magical thinking. In forming concept about food, preschool are influenced by various factors, including information from parents, school, friends, or medias also children's experience with food itself.