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| School meals 'help fussy children try new foods' | School meals 'help fussy children try new foods' |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| School lunches can tempt fussy eaters to try new foods, a survey for the School Food Trust has suggested. | School lunches can tempt fussy eaters to try new foods, a survey for the School Food Trust has suggested. |
| Researchers found that four out of five children in England who ate school lunches had tried food at school that they had not tried at home. | Researchers found that four out of five children in England who ate school lunches had tried food at school that they had not tried at home. |
| Half of parents questioned said their children had asked for foods they had eaten at school to be cooked at home. | Half of parents questioned said their children had asked for foods they had eaten at school to be cooked at home. |
| The survey, of about 1,000 parents, found the most popular vegetables were carrots, sweetcorn and peas. | The survey, of about 1,000 parents, found the most popular vegetables were carrots, sweetcorn and peas. |
| Aubergine, chickpeas and spinach were among the least popular. | Aubergine, chickpeas and spinach were among the least popular. |
| Of the parents questioned, 628 had children who ate school lunches. | Of the parents questioned, 628 had children who ate school lunches. |
| England's School Food Trust commissioned the research after a survey by the Mumsnet website suggested some parents gave their children packed lunches because they thought they were too fussy to eat anything else. | England's School Food Trust commissioned the research after a survey by the Mumsnet website suggested some parents gave their children packed lunches because they thought they were too fussy to eat anything else. |
| Trust chairman, Rob Rees, said: "Every parent knows it's a nightmare watching their child push food around the plate. | Trust chairman, Rob Rees, said: "Every parent knows it's a nightmare watching their child push food around the plate. |
| "School meals can be a great way to help parents encourage their children to try new foods and to increase the variety of foods in their diet." | "School meals can be a great way to help parents encourage their children to try new foods and to increase the variety of foods in their diet." |
| Peer pressure | Peer pressure |
| Mumsnet co-founder, Carrie Longton, said: "Getting children to eat healthily is every parent's dream, but meal times at home can often be a battle ground and emotionally charged. | Mumsnet co-founder, Carrie Longton, said: "Getting children to eat healthily is every parent's dream, but meal times at home can often be a battle ground and emotionally charged. |
| "From Mumsnetters' experience it seems that once at school there's a desire to fit in with everyone else and even some positive peer pressure to boast about the variety of what foods you can eat. | "From Mumsnetters' experience it seems that once at school there's a desire to fit in with everyone else and even some positive peer pressure to boast about the variety of what foods you can eat. |
| "School meals have also moved on quite a bit from when Mumsnetters were at school, with healthier options and more variety." | "School meals have also moved on quite a bit from when Mumsnetters were at school, with healthier options and more variety." |
| School meals in England now have to comply with strict nutritional guidelines. | School meals in England now have to comply with strict nutritional guidelines. |
| About four in 10 primary school children in England now eat school lunches, slightly more than in secondary schools. | About four in 10 primary school children in England now eat school lunches, slightly more than in secondary schools. |
| More children in Scotland eat school lunches - about 46%. | More children in Scotland eat school lunches - about 46%. |
| The survey was conducted online between 26 February and 5th March among a panel of parents who had at least one child in school aged 4-17 years old. | The survey was conducted online between 26 February and 5th March among a panel of parents who had at least one child in school aged 4-17 years old. |
| Is your child a fussy eater? Have school meals helped? Send us your comments using the form below. |