Fish fingers are made of chicken, and 6 other hilarious misconceptions UK kids officially have about food

pulse

June 12, 2017 11:54 AM

Fruit pastels also count as your five-a-day, apparently.

A survey conducted by the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) has revealed some hilarious misconceptions kids have about food.

Over 5,000 children aged five toacross the UK participated in the survey between April 24 and May 12, one of the largest of its kind conducted as part of the BNF’s annual Healthy Eating Week.

Here are seven of the most hilarious misconceptions kids have about food, according to the study:

1. Fish fingers are made of chicken, according to nearly one fifth (18%) of five to seven year olds.

2. Fruit pastels count as your five-a-day, according to some 11% of both the younger age group and older pupils surveyed.

4. Pasta comes from an animal, according more than one in ten (13%) of eight to 11 year olds.

5. A quarter of primary school children say that cheese comes from plants.

6. One in ten 14 to 16 year olds in the UK say that tomatoes grow under the ground, and the same number did not know that carrots and potatoes grow underground.

7. Some 6% of 14 to 16 year olds say that dairy cows produce eggs, and one sixth (14%) of five to seven year olds say that bacon is the produce of cows, sheep, or chickens.

While the results may be amusing, they're also a bit concerning.

Over half of primary school children reported eating four or less portions of fruit and vegetables the day before, while 67% of secondary school children reported the same; more than one in ten (12%) of 14 to 16 year old answered that they had none.

Roy Ballam, education programme manager at the British Nutrition Foundation, said: "Schools and families can and should successfully work together to, in turn, educate children and then motivate them in their endeavours to make healthier choices."

"Furthermore, the links between physical activity, health and diet should be frequently highlighted by the government’s programmes."

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