One in ten South East families dine together only once or twice per month

Two-thirds of parents in the South-East admit their family could be eating better with 39 per cent acknowledging it is a daily struggle to get their families eating healthy and nutritious meals.
Latest figures on family mealsLatest figures on family meals
Latest figures on family meals

According to new research, collated and analysed by Wren Kitchens, here are the Top 3 culprits prohibiting a healthier family lifestyle in the South-East of the UK:

1) 32 per cent say that their family/children are reluctant to eat healthy foods

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2) 27 per cent of parents state they simply don’t have time to cook healthy, nutritious meals every day

3) 25 per cent of parents think it is just easier to make unhealthy meals

Surprisingly a quarter (26 per cent) of parents in the South-East say that they feel ashamed that their children don’t eat as well as they could/should, however 44 per cent of them said that they have tried everything they can think of to encourage healthy eating.

However, a massive 38 per cent of parents have revealed that they cook separate meals for themselves and their children. Over a fifth of parents in the South-East spend more than they can afford when they go food shopping (21 per cent).

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The research, which forms part of Wren Kitchens’ Little Kitchen campaign, explores family involvement and activities within the kitchen, and whether this can support and encourage a healthier, happier family lifestyle.

Linda Barker, Creative Director of Wren Kitchens, commented: “The study offers a real insight into busy modern families and the struggles we encounter in a bid to get our families to eat as well as we can.

“The data indicates some key influencers within these struggles, and our Little Kitchen campaign aims to explore ways of tackling and assisting with these – with advice and insight from real parents.”

The study also discovers that in the South-East of England, the youngest child is the most likely to demonstrate difficult eating habits (34 per cent), with parents believing this is mainly down to too much choice (26 per cent) and plain stubbornness (26 per cent).

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Interestingly, 81 per cent of parents in the South-East admit that as a child, they were instructed to eat what they were given to eat, but shockingly, not even half (44 per cent) instil this in their own children and only 22 per cent of parents ensure all items on their child’s plate are eaten before leaving the dinner table.

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