Picky eating has long been common amongst children, however studies are showing that this could be changing. With trends around the world shifting, it appears that there are a range of factors causing kids to become more adventurous with their eating choices.
What have the studies shown?
Research carried out by Hilton showed that over 53% of parents consider their children far more adventurous with food than they were at the same age. Around a quarter of parents would label their children as adventurous eaters (kids who eat pretty much anything that’s put in front of them) and over two thirds would say that their children are brave when it comes it trying foods.
This suggests that eating habits among younger children have improved over time, and that most children are actually willing to try new foods on a more regular basis. Chartwells have also stated that spices are more popular among children now, including things such as cinnamon, turmeric and chili peppers.
What are the main causes shown for this development?
Interestingly, the research showed that the largest reason parents found for their children being more adventurous with food these days is due to travel. With the regularity and ease of travel, children are experiencing more foreign foods than ever before, which is broadening their palates and opening them up to new flavours that they might not have tried had they been at home.
63% of all parents asked said that their children try something new each holiday and over half of them suggested that their kids would never have dared to try it back at home!
What does this mean?
More adventurous eating habits within children bring a huge range of benefits to everyone – parents, schools, and the kids themselves of course. Perhaps the most important benefit is health. Thanks to consuming a wider range of foods, adventurous eaters often have a healthy relationship with their diet and consume a more balanced one than those who restrict what they eat. A healthy diet amongst children has been shown to improve academic performance, and vastly reduce the likelihood of certain illnesses in future.
Parents and schools don’t miss out on the benefits either though, as more adventurous children means easier meal planning and less difficulty at meal times. Kids actually enjoy eating, rather than seeing it as a chore, so again, they tend to develop a healthier diet. And, for the parents, there’s less complaining and fuss at dinner time – that’s certainly a win!
Three Rotating Menus, Planned For You
At Hobbs, we’ve created the perfect school menu system, giving your school and students exactly what they need. With a huge range of options and dish flexibility, we ensure that students’ needs are covered, and your school’s meal stress is eliminated.
Our Triple Menu System
Our triple menu system was created to provide the perfect balance between a menu that offers lots of variety and nutrition, with a menu that isn’t too overwhelming and doesn’t require complex preparation or equipment. What does this mean for schools?
Firstly, it allows all students to eat a meal that they enjoy and that gives them all of the nutrients they need to grow and be successful in their academic journeys. By providing enough flexibility and variation, students will never get bored of the food that we serve, helping them to enjoy meals and healthy eating!
It also means that schools will not have to worry about the food that they serve, or how and when they serve it. By creating a range of dishes that we know work well in the school environment, everyone can be sure that each mealtime will be smooth and successful.
Planned For You
Creating a balanced meal plan is hard for anyone, let alone schools who have to cater to a range of age groups, diets and mealtimes. That’s why we worked hard to create our three-week rotating menu, filled with a range of options for all, and completely planned for you.
Your school won’t have to stress over their meal offerings, and they won’t have to invest time and money into creating and testing a schedule that works. Here at Hobbs, we’ve done it for you!
What Sets Our Menu Apart?
Whilst there are many school meal providers, our unique system ensures the best possible solution for students of any age. We utilise a specialised software program that allows us to guarantee all nutritional needs are met within every meal, every day.
Our cooks will also regularly test ‘specials’ on the menu to establish whether a new meal might be more popular, and can then tailor each menu to the individual school. This provides a truly unique school meal solution to each and every school so that students are able to eat what they really enjoy.
