Nearly one in five children in Worcester (17 per cent) refuse to eat their dinnertime greens due to a dislike of the vegetables they are served at school. This is much higher than kids in London and Wales where the figure is just seven per cent.

The results from a survey by the makers of Dairylea Dunk Pots, reveal that there is a clear leader in the least liked veg category in Worcester with a quarter of parents (24 per cent) citing celery as the hardest vegetable to get children to eat.

LEAGUE TABLE OF LEAST FAVOURITE VEG IN WORCESTER

1. Celery
2. Red / Green / Yellow Peppers
3. Tomatoes
4. Broccoli
5. Mange Tout

And it seems that the more traditional ways of encouraging children to eat their five a day are becoming less popular. Whereas nearly three quarters (69 per cent) of parents in Worcester were told to stay at the table until they had finished their greens as a child, just a fifth (21 per cent) practice the same technique on their own family now. Despite this drastically reduced figure, it’s still one of the highest in the country making parents in Worcester the second strictest in the country behind mums and dads in the North East of England where one in three adopt the same technique. The most lenient parents can be found in Scotland (8 per cent).

Other findings include:

Nearly half of parents in Worcester (47 per cent) have enticed their children to eat a vegetable by claiming that it has a superpower.

Meanwhile, a further one in five (18 per cent) of parents in Worcester have given popular vegetables a new, far fetched name with the most popular pseudonyms including mini footballs (sprouts), sunshine drops (sweet corn), Moonsquirters (tomatoes) and clouds (mashed potatoes).

Parents are also allowing children to choose what vegetables they want and how to eat them. Nearly three quarters (73 per cent) encourage kids to add their own ‘spin’ by adding a sauce, or dunking them in a child-friendly dip such as soft cheese.

With over two thirds (64 per cent) of children in Worcester turning up their noses at vegetables because of their taste, texture or smell, its no wonder that parents are turning to such measures.

Parenting coach, Judy Reith comments:

“A child’s dislike of vegetables is often emotional not rational, so the more creative or enthusiastic parents can be with the food on the plate the more responsive the child. Encourage your kids to dunk vegetables in other foods, like humus or cream cheese as it’s a lovely interactive way to make meal times more fun.”

Dr Rana Conway, independent nutritionist, adds: “It is good to see parents turning away from the ‘stay until you clear your plate’ tactic, as this is never going to make kids love vegetables.”

She continues: “We know most kids don’t get their five-a-day, but the best way to get them eating more vegetables is to have family meals. You can also get them involved in growing vegetables, choosing them in the shops, or planning a meal and helping to cook.”

DO YOU KNOW WHAT A MOONSQUIRTER IS?

No. Well how about Sunshine Drops, Light Sabres or Fairy Houses?

They certainly don’t sound as magical when you call them by their real names – sweetcorn, parsnips and mushrooms, but these are the lengths that parents in Worcester are going to in a bid to get their children eating veg.

Re-branding Vegetables to make them sound fun for their children:

Here are ten examples

Broccoli – Miniature trees
Mashed Potatoes – Clouds
Mushrooms – Fairy Houses
Sweet corn – Sunshine Drops
Tomatoes – Moonsquirters
Brussel Sprouts – Mini Footballs
Cauliflower – Little White Trees
Peas – Footballs for Lego people
Carrots – Witches Noses
Parsnip Sticks – Light Sabres

HOW CAN YOU ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO EAT VEG?

Here are some Hints & Tips by Judy Reith, Parenting Coach

Mealtimes - Golden moments

Finding the time, energy and imagination to encourage your kids to make healthy food choices can seem like a big task at times for today’s parents. But with a little effort and creativity it can be done. The main thing is not to give up, don’t give in.

Have meals around the table as often as you can as a family, even if it’s just a snack or a drink. It’s a time to talk about what’s new in your child’s world, be heard, eat good food together and altogether create memories with those you love most. You’ll probably be surprised at how your snacks and meals become healthier if you eat together.

But it doesn’t just have to be around dinner time – enjoying a healthy snack with your child, even if just for 10 minutes, means you can get some one-on-one time with them just to chat. Remember, it shouldn’t be a time for lectures and arguments, and try and make sure you all eat the same thing. You are a family not a café!

Offering a variety of veg to younger children can mean they are much more likely to accept different foods later on in life. So from the start, be as creative as you can be in what you offer your kids. Think about creative fun names for everyday vegetables see below for some examples. It might take several attempts to get children used to new tastes, but giving up is not the answer. Small amounts served in different ways can help, and a smile from you will go a long way, too.

Food Fun

With older kids it’s still important to make food fun and get them involved, especially when it comes to eating vegetables. Encourage them to wash, chop and serve, especially colourful vegetables and introduce a sauce or a dip to make it more interesting. Try Dairylea Dunk Pots made with milk and cheese and contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

For the younger children it’s easy to make traffic lights out of peppers, train tracks out of cucumbers and sun rays out of carrot sticks – let their imagination run riot, and don’t worry about being too perfect!

The Treat Factor

Treats are great, but limit them so they will always be a treat! Dinner in front of the TV can be fun, but not every night. Messy snacking can be fun but not every day! Many parenting experts say we should never use food as a way to get our kids to love us. They love you anyway. Show your love with hugs and kisses or just time, not a box of doughnuts.

The makers of Dairylea have launched new Dairylea Dunk Pots as a great way for parents to encourage children to increase their vegetable intake.

Made with cheese and milk, with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives added, Dairylea Dunk Pots are priced at £1.35 RRP(4x31.5g) and available nationwide in major supermarkets.