One in five children mistakenly believe fruits and vegetables originate in shops, according to a new poll of 500 children aged six to 11.
The survey, commissioned by HelloFresh, found that a third of youngsters have no idea how bananas are grown, while 17% think broccoli are small trees and 11% believe their five-a-day comes from animals.
Confusion over common foods
Many children are aware that fruit and vegetables come from farms, plants and trees, but others think they originate from market stalls and greengrocers. Four in ten did not know potatoes grow out of the ground, and 42% had the same uncertainty around carrots. Additionally, 30% were unaware that tomatoes are harvested from plants.
Some children were also confused about animal products: one in ten six-to-eight-year-olds think crumpets are an animal product, and others did not know cheese, sausages and eggs come from animals.
Growing interest at home
Despite the confusion, 68% of children aged six to eight did not know kiwis grow on plants, instead believing they grow from the ground, in water or appear in shops. However, among all those polled, many grow fruit and vegetables themselves, most commonly tomatoes (55%), potatoes (37%) and carrots (34%).
The research also surveyed parents. While 90% are confident knowing where foods come from, 43% have struggled to answer their children's questions about food origins. Pasta (32%), broccoli (25%) and yoghurt (23%) were seen as the hardest to explain.
'The Curious Kitchen' launch
HelloFresh has partnered with gardener Gerald Stratford, known for growing giant vegetables, to launch 'The Curious Kitchen', an immersive family experience at the Natural History Museum this summer. The event aims to help children reconnect with ingredients and dinnertime.
Mimi Morley, senior recipe developer at HelloFresh, said: “Kids say the funniest things and this research shows that. There is definitely some confusion around where things come from before they reach the shops. Younger generations are so used to having most things readily available, that it’s easy for them to forget about the seed to plate journey.”
Gerald Stratford added: “I've spent years growing vegetables because I believe there's something magical about watching food grow. But food doesn't simply appear in shops or on our plates - every ingredient has a story behind it. We’re keen to help families explore that journey together and spark children's curiosity.”
The poll also found that 78% of parents think the dinner table is the best place to discuss food origins, and 47% have home-grown fruit and veg to teach their child. A quarter believe their child is more likely to eat their five-a-day if they have grown it themselves.
