90% Of Kids Love 'Interesting Food'

Our kids are craving ‘interesting’ food and shunning more the ‘basic’, staple foods of childhoods in the past.

According to the Daily Mail, new research by Asda, has found that a high percentage of children regularly consume and prefer dishes such as quinoa, gazpacho, polenta, sushi and chilli.

Asda spokesperson commented:

“We’ve seen adult taste buds become more adventurous over the years and our world food aisles and new innovation have expanded in response.” the spokesperson said, “With parents pushing the boundaries, it was only a matter of time before children caught on too.”

“Options such as olives and wasabi peas for snacking, and sushi as a lunch option, not only introduce children to world foods but are extremely healthy.”

Driven by parents who want to educate young taste buds and increase food choices, the research has found that 90 per cent of young children were found to enjoy chilli con carne and snack on wasabi peas as their palates evolve.

Results also showed that, 73 per cent of kids under the age of ten are regularly fed ‘worldly and adventurous fare’, however only eight per cent of kids can correctly pronounce the name of what they’re eating.

The study also showed that overall meals where families have a conventional sit down meal with meat and two veg are in decline. Time and money pressures have families looking to find unique, convenient and affordable foods for their kids that have high health benefits.

Eighty eight percent of parents told researchers they actively prepare food that pushes the boundaries and encourage youngsters to eat adventurously.

What do your kids like to eat? Leave us a comment and let us know!

19 Comments

- - mom101628 said
  - 04 Jul 2017
    10:20 pm
My kids eat everything they can lay their hands on – love seeing them eat salad. In fact most vegies they prefer to eat raw rather than cooked, so why not? All the nutrients are still in it and none has been tipped down the sink.

- - Naomi said
  - 23 Feb 2016
    8:52 pm
My 1 year old loved olives and lemon juice, we thought he’d hate them. He wasn’t such a fan of the seaweed in sushi but I’m sure he’s taste will change eventually

- - aprilb1 said
  - 30 Dec 2015
    2:00 pm
I’m still fairly basic with my cooking and what i give the kids

- - Mummytoabeautifulprincess said
  - 30 Dec 2015
    12:07 pm
We try to try different things but tight budget means we’re sticking more to what we know our daughter likes to reduce wastage. She will eat just about anything frozen. Not interesting but definitely a little bit strange at times! haha

- - mom74640 said
  - 30 Dec 2015
    9:55 am
Lke hz

- - rachelvk said
  - 30 Dec 2015
    8:41 am
We try and include all sorts of things on our menu and I know that at child care they have a very varied and interesting selection.

- - mom93821 said
  - 30 Dec 2015
    6:54 am
We are pretty adventurous and try a variety of foods and even have special international food nights.

- - mum4107 said
  - 30 Dec 2015
    5:21 am
My daughter doesn’t like beans. But if you pick them fresh from our little veggie garden she will munch on them happily
- mom93821 replied
  
  31 Dec 2015 , 7:14 am
  Beans taste so good straight from the garden.
- - mum888 said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    9:58 pm
I find even the slightest change in the basics can make meals seem different. Eg alternate rice , pasta , potatoes , noodles etc dishes to make it simpler to make and looks as if you have different varieties every night Fried rice vs boiled rice , mash vs roast potatoes etc.

- - mom90758 said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    9:29 pm
My daughter is now 13 and she loves quinoa! When she was young a lot of people were amazed at her food choices. She was always going for olives!!! 🙂

- - curlytops said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    7:57 pm
My kids like most foods as we have always eaten different varieties.

- - Nas01 said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    7:27 pm
My kids love sushi, and are happy to try new things but my daughter and middle son hate veggies.my oldest loves everything.

- - mom165081 said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    12:53 pm
Easy access to these flavours and ingredients is probably part of the reason for this. Imagine trying to even the ingredients for such dishes in Australia 30 plus years ago!
- mom94125 replied
  
  29 Dec 2015 , 6:34 pm
  possibly very correct! people are demanding these types of products as well.
  
  Oh also, when did olives became a fancy thing? kind of a staple around here lol.
- - Kasey said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    12:33 pm
My youngest is very adventureous with foods and will try anything, however my eldest two always go my the looks of food. We encourage them to try, but I’ve found since they are getting older their taste buds are changing so my eldest is more keen to try then my middle one.

- - BellaB said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    12:12 pm
My kids aren’t very adventurous, but I’m persisting and they’re getting better.

- - mom74640 said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    11:10 am
Lke it

- - taynik46 said
  - 29 Dec 2015
    10:05 am
hmm interesting article, I have two girls who are both very fussy eaters – maybe I need to make their food more interesting for them to eat? or maybe they could just eat what they are given like we were made to as kids!