Almost half of Britain's children refuse to eat vegetables, according to a new study of parents.
Overall, 82 per cent of the parents who took part in the study – commissioned in conjunction with Heinz's Grow Your Own campaign – claimed there are some foods that their child simply will not eat.
These include veg, salad, meat, fish and dairy, however vegetables emerged as the main cause for concern, with 46 per cent of children refusing to eat them.
Greens such as cabbage (43 per cent of children will not eat it), spinach (40 per cent) and broccoli (40 per cent) were among the main vegetables the nation’s parents struggle to feed their children.
Mushrooms (39 per cent) and beetroot (35 per cent) were also revealed as foods kids are highly likely to refuse, while 13 per cent said their child would not eat any red meat – and a further one in ten said their children will not eat an apple.
Researchers surveyed 2,000 UK parents about the eating habits of their children for the study, revealing that a staggering 75 per cent have concerns about their fussy eating habits.
A further 52 per cent claimed their child’s refusal to eat healthy foods is a major issue, and 66 per cent find trying to get their children to eat healthily a stressful experience.
Some 38 per cent even said the stress of mealtimes with their children has led to rows with their partner, while 47 percent said they avoid going to restaurants with their children because they know they won’t be able to find anything on the menu their children will eat.
Heinz undertook the poll to mark the fifth anniversary of their Grow Your Own campaign, which encourages children to learn more about where food comes from by growing their own Heinz tomatoes.
The research revealed that one of the main reasons children are picky with food is because they don’t know where it comes from, with 64 per cent of parents saying their children have never grown any kind of vegetable at home – compared to just 36 per cent who say they have.
Of the 36 per cent who said they had tried to grow their own food, 32 per cent said it made their children more willing to try new foods.
A spokesperson said: 'At Heinz, we understand that parents are increasingly conscious about what they feed their children. Our Grow Your Own campaign – now in its fifth year – is hugely popular.
'With this campaign, families across the UK can get free Heinz tomato seeds online, and then enter to win a bottle of Heinz Ketchup made from their very own tomatoes.”
The main foods British children refuse to eat are:
1. Cabbage (43.2 per cent)
2. Spinach (39.5 per cent)
3. Broccoli (39.5 per cent)
4. Mushrooms 38.9 per cent)
5. Beetroot (35.0 per cent)
6. Kale (35.0 per cent)
7. Leeks (34.0 per cent)
8. Lettuce (31.6 per cent)
9. Tomatoes (31.2 per cent)
10. Onions (30.9 per cent)
