Quiz: One in seven children think fruit and veg originate in supermarket
Up to 29% of children are not eating enough fruit and veg every day, according to Grow it Yourself founder Michael Kelly who has launched an initiative aimed at getting primary school pupils to grow their own food. He has called on the Government to put food on the curriculum.
The GIY-commissioned survey carried out by Behaviour and Attitudes found that half of families said they had grown some of their own food at home in the last year.
However, about one in eight children told researchers they do not eat any fruit and veg daily, a finding more prevalent among those over the age of nine.
“About one in seven children suggest that vegetables come from the supermarket,” says the survey.
“[This is] most common between the ages of five and six, but rises again over the age of 11 too.”
Mr Kelly said while he is “thrilled” with a finding that 99% of those surveyed — both parents and children — believe it is valuable for young people to learn how to grow their food, it is “worrying” to see that 29% of children are not eating enough fruit and vegetables daily and that 14% “don’t understand where their food comes from”.
“One of the most important steps our Government could take to get children healthy is to put food on the curriculum — this research shows that parents want this to happen and understand how beneficial it would be.”
This year’s Sow and Grow campaign will enable 45,000 primary school children across the country to learn how to grow their own food.
Primary schools can apply for a free Sow and Grow pack to be delivered via innocentsowandgrow.com.
Do you know where these fruit and vegetables come from?
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