UK children confused by key food origins
Do you think that your child is knowledgeable when it comes to food? Most parents like to imagine that their children understand the basics of food, but a shocking new poll has found that one in five children believe that fish fingers are made from chicken.
In addition, nearly a third of five- to seven-year-olds thought that cheese comes from a plant, whilst one in four children aged eight to 11 thought the same thing.
Nearly a quarter of the younger children also thoughy that pasta comes from animals, while 13 per cent of the older group believed this.
These shocking facts indicate that many children know very little about what they are eating or where it came from, and the problem isn’t just limited to younger children. In fact, one out of every 10 children aged 11 to 14 thought that tomatoes grow underground, while nearly a quarter thought that they grew on bushes.
While most of this ignorance isn’t necessarily damaging, some of it could impact their health. For example, 11 per cent of the younger and older children thought that fruit pastels counted toward their five a day, which could result in them following an unhealthy and misinformed diet.
Thankfully, the polls did find some positive results. For example, 31 per cent of 11- to 14-year-olds said they did know about healthy eating and they were currently trying to follow a healthy diet.
If you’re worried about your children’s diet, the good news is that you can take control of the situation. According to Fit Web MD you can help your children develop a positive relationship with healthy food by creating an informed and supportive environment.
How To Encourage Your Children To Eat Healthy And Be Informed
Use Healthy Recipes That Appeal To Children
This will help your child to develop a positive relationship with healthy foods. If you want to find online chicken recipes, check out sites like http://food-tales.com/food-recipes/chicken/.
Talk To Them About Their Meal
Discuss where each part of the meal comes from, and use fun facts to make the subject more appealing to children.
Avoid Saying Foods Are Good Or Bad
This can make your child feel guilty for eating bad food. Instead, teach your children about having a balanced diet with the occasional treat and praise them when they do make healthy choices.