"U.S. children are not consuming enough vegetables resulting in an inadequate intake of key nutrients including potassium and dietary fiber which are important for growth development and overall health. Research published January  in a special supplement of the peerreviewed journal Advances in Nutrition demonstrated that children ages  years of age consumed just  percent of the dietary reference intakes DRI for potassium and  percent of the DRI for fiber.  An overarching conclusion from the various papers included in the supplement Science and Policy Adopting a Fruitful Vegetable Encounter for Our Children is that potatoes are a vegetable that tend to be wellliked by young children and are a good source of potassium and provide  percent of the recommended daily value of fiber. In fact a study of elementary school students demonstrated that students are not consuming the majority of vegetables offered to them in school lunches. However plate waste for white potatoes was the lowest among any type of vegetables thus including potatoes in school meals is one important way to help ensure children receive those key nutrients of concern.  Its important that consumption of all vegetables particularly those that are good sources of potassium and dietary fiber be encouraged in children says Theresa A. Nicklas DrPH USDAARS Childrens Nutrition Research Center Department of Pediatrics Baylor College of Medicine and one of the supplements authors. Dietary habits established during childhood often transition to adulthood so it is hugely important to encourage children to enjoy vegetables as part of the diet in order to reap the nutrition and health benefits provided by vegetables into adulthood. The journal supplement features seven papers authored by leading nutrition scientists that explore the state of the science pertaining to vegetable consumption in children. The supplement is the outcome of a November  USDAARS Childrens Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine roundtable on vegetable consumption in children. The forum was supported by the Alliance for Potato Research and Education a notforprofit organization dedicated to expanding and translating scientific research into evidencebased policy and education initiatives that recognize the role of all forms of the potatoa nutritious vegetablein promoting health for all age groups. The executive summary Science and Policy Adopting a Fruitful Vegetable Encounter for Our Children is available online at httpadvances.nutrition.orgcontentcurrent. For more nutrition information and to access a vast collection of healthy potato recipes please visit http  About the United States Potato Board  The United States Potato Board USPB is the nations potato marketing and research organization. Based in Denver Colorado the USPB represents more than  potato growers and handlers across the country. The USPB was established in  by a group of potato growers to promote the benefits of eating potatoes. Today as the largest vegetable commodity board the USPB is proud to be recognized as an innovator in the produce industry and dedicated to positioning potatoes as a nutrition powerhousetruly goodness unearthed. . Storey ML Anderson PA. Nutrient Intake and Vegetable and White Potato Consumption by Children  to  Years. Advances in Nutrition SS .  . Ishdori A Capps O Murano PS. Nutrient Density and the Cost of Vegetables from Elementary School Lunches. Advances in Nutrition SS."