- 1/3 haven’t heard of sweetcorn, cauliflower OR carrots
- One in 20 think biscuits and crisps provide the most vitamins over fruit and veg
- Over 30% have never tried broccoli, peas or even potatoes
Despite having an average of four pieces of fruit and veg a day, a quarter of children have never eaten an apple and more than a fifth haven’t even heard of bananas.
Beko’s new study found that many youngsters have little idea about where fruit and veg comes from. In fact, a third of 1,000 6–11-year-olds polled believe the produce simply comes from the supermarket and 11 per cent think they are made in a factory.
Other common fruits they haven’t heard of include strawberries (21 per cent) and lemons (27 per cent) and 31 per cent have never eaten an orange. The findings come as an amusing video Beko commissioned saw award-winning dancer and TV judge, Oti Mabuse talk to children about the health benefits of fruit and veg. From believing vitamins are ONLY found in tablets and not in fruit and veg, to mistaking broccoli for a fruit and spinach for cabbage.
Oti Mabuse, said:
“To hear the children's thoughts on fruit and vegetables has been a great way to open the conversation with them about health, vitamins and nutrition. ”
“We packed Beko’s HarvestFresh™ fridge freezer full of produce and it was surprising to see what they liked and what they didn’t, who knew carrots would be so popular!.”
The research also found a third (32 per cent) of children think fruit and vegetables are sent over from other countries, with one in 10 believing that none are grown in the UK. When quizzed about knowing their vegetables, many children hadn’t heard of sweetcorn (29 per cent), cauliflower (33 per cent) and even carrots (25 per cent).
Although six in 10 youngsters have grown or picked their own fruit and veg, a tenth is under the assumption that pineapples grow straight out of the ground, while only 14 per cent are aware that broccoli plants exist.
More than a third of those also polled admitted they have no idea which fruit and vegetables should be kept in the fridge, and which are best off kept at room temperature.
While 63 per cent are aware that vitamins are important for a healthy diet, one in 20 of those polled via OnePoll think biscuits and crisps provide the most. Children’s favourite fruit and vegetables were found to be strawberries (52 per cent), apples (40 per cent) and carrots (40 per cent).
Vijay Bhardwaj, Marketing Director for Beko UK & Ireland, said:
“Fruit and vegetables are something we all know we need in life but sometimes what we’re eating isn’t providing enough nutrients and vitamins as we may think. ”
“It’s important to teach kids from a young age about where fruit and vegetables come from and why they are vital for our diets. After conducting the research, it was surprising to see that there is a lot of confusion around the nutrients they contain, how long they last and where to store them. ”
“We’re always looking for easy and convenient ways to help make our customers lives healthier so with our latest Beko HarvestFreshTM Fridge Freezer, families can stock their fridges full of fruit and vegetables that will not only stay fresher but will also preserve the vitamins in the produce for longer with our unique light technology that mimics the 24-hour sun cycle. ”
