ALMOST EIGHT IN TEN BRITISH CHILDREN REFUSE TO EAT SALAD AND VEGGIES, WITH MANY HAVING NEVER TRIED SUPER FOODS SUCH AS CAVOLO NERO, BEETROOT OR FENNEL
Researchers from HelloFresh polled British parents with kids still living at home and revealed 78 percent of parents say their child is a fussy eater, who refuses to eat certain foods.
And the survey revealed a host of super foods modern kids have NEVER even tried, with cavolo nero (65 percent) mushrooms (57 percent), aubergine (55 percent) and figs (51 percent) coming high in the list.
Despite experts recommending a diet rich in colourful, unprocessed foods such as fruits and veggies, 41 percent of children have never tried asparagus, which is packed with vitamins and folic acid.
And 37 percent have never eaten beetroot, known for being a great source of folate and potassium, and important for healthy growth and development.
Yet, as many as 40 percent of parents claim they are worried about their child’s diet, with 23 percent saying healthy foods are too expensive, and 24 percent saying their kids don’t like the taste of vegetables.
Three in ten (30 percent) said they have no idea how to use certain veggies in a recipe, while more than one in ten (14 percent) said their children would hate the texture of certain healthy foods.
As a result, the average family cooks with the same 10-15 ingredients every week, despite experts advocating a varied diet, which is not only good for the gut, but also help with growth.
Overall, a staggering 44 percent of parents said their children refuse to eat certain things, while almost one in ten (9 percent) struggle themselves to understand what a nutritional meal for a child should look like.
In fact as many as 18 percent said family meal times make them feel overwhelmed and stressed, while 16 percent said thinking about what to cook for dinner made them feel exhausted.
More than one in 20 (8 percent) said they feel guilty for not feeding their children a healthier dinner, while 55 percent say they would like it to be more enjoyable.
Other challenges include getting children to eat without a screen (32 percent) and ensuring them to sit at the table for the duration of the meal (25 percent), according to the parents surveyed.
The survey also revealed some of the classic white lies parents still tell their kids in a desperate bid to encourage them to eat with carrots helping you see in the dark (45 percent) and apple a day keeping their doctor away (36 percent) and spinach giving you muscles.
A quarter (24 percent) have told their children that broccoli are tiny trees, while 14 percent said if they don’t eat your peas they will be sad.
Nutritionist Rob Hobson, author of best-selling book ‘Unprocess Your Life’, has worked with HelloFresh to help families embrace more adventure at dinnertime. The 60 Foods to try before you turn 10 challenge, illustrated by Bobbie Rae, gives families a range of natural (and often ignored) foods they can work together to tick off.
Rob Hobson said: “Getting kids to try new foods isn’t always easy but turning it into a fun challenge is a brilliant way to get them involved. It makes food discovery exciting and gives kids a real sense of achievement when they try something new. It’s scientifically proven that encouraging variety early on helps set us up for a more balanced diet and a love for varied, good food in the future. Plus, it’s a great way to bring families together at mealtimes, which we know is never easy!”
Mimi Morley, Senior Recipe Development Manager at HelloFresh adds: “We understand that getting dinner on the table can sometimes be a challenge for parents and we’re here to try and help take a small bit of pressure off. Small amounts of variety each week can make a big difference in the long term and gamifying healthy eating encourages exploration, which can make food more exciting.
TOP TEN SUPER FOODS BRITISH KIDS & TEENS HAVE NEVER TRIED
- Cavolo Nero – 65 percent
- Pak Choi – 60 percent
- Fennel – 60 percent
- Mushrooms – 57 Percent
- Tofu – 56 percent
- Aubergine – 55 percent
- Figs – 51 percent
- Asparagus – 41 percent
- Pomegranate – 38 percent
- Beetroot – 37 percent