Kids Choose Adult Foods Over Kid-Friendly Options, Most American Parents Say

Kids prefer adults foods over child-friendly ones children chooses grown-up foods Survey on American Parents Parents express what their children love to eat top 3 vegetable favorites top 3 fruits favorites factors why children chooses certain foods correlation of food preference and academic achievement Veggies Made Great home cooked meals over lunch served at school cafeteria

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Apr 15, 12:17 pm

Seventy-eight percent of parents claim that their kids opt to eat "adult" foods as compared to foods that are kid-friendly, a recent survey says.

Participated by 2,000 American parents with school-age children from ages five to 17, a survey done by One Poll for Veggies Made Great discovered that most of the kids surprisingly enjoy "grown-up" favorites.

The top three vegetables for these kids are carrots (45%), cucumbers (43%), and potatoes (44%), while 45 percent prefer apples, 44 percent prefer bananas, and 41 percent prefer oranges as their fruit choices.

In terms of protein, 55 percent of the parents stated that their kids would rather have chicken for lunch rather than ham, which has the least popularity at 39 percent.

Parents Find It Hard To Prepare Healthy Meals Daily

Further, the survey revealed that 75 percent of kids, compared to 10 percent, prefer their lunches home-cooked by their parents instead of those served in school cafeterias.

However, parents are being weighed down by the fact that they struggle with time in preparing healthy meals for their children daily, NBC Right Now reported.

"Nearly eight in 10 (77%) parents polled wish their child ate healthier, but it can be challenging to find time to prepare three healthy meals each day - especially with multiple kids," according to the CEO of Veggies Made Great Elliot Huss.

Thus, Veggies Made Great suggests that parents combine veggies with kid-friendly flavors, like chocolate, for example, so that they will not only have "quick and convenient options" but also have the certainty that their children are receiving their daily vegetable servings with less hassle.

Correlation Between Academic Achievements and Food Preferences

According to the Talker, the poll also confirmed an existing connection between a child's academic performance and their preference for food.

Ninety-eight percent of parents with children who are at the top of their classes declared that their young ones love to eat potatoes during lunchtime, while 97 percent prefer carrots.

Sixty percent of parents with kids who do less in school enjoy potatoes, while only 53 percent prefer carrots.

"Multiple studies over the years have shown that eating balanced meals throughout the day affects children's behavior and academic potential. Things we don't always link to nutrition, such as the ability to focus and think clearly, are impacted by what kids eat and how often," emphasized Carolyn O'Neil, a spokesperson for Veggies Made Great and a registered dietitian nutritionist.

When parents were asked what factors can lead to kids liking certain foods, 53 percent pointed out the good taste, while 46 percent stated the good smell of the food. Forty-five percent expressed that their kids consider whether the food can be shared with their friends or not, 41 and 40 percent said peer and influencer or celebrity influence, respectively. Forty percent stated that their kids love bite-sized foods.

However, as these kids get older, their palates change, 56 percent of parents expressed, with influencers or celebrities (34%) playing the biggest impact on the changes.