Price problems: British Nutrition Foundation reveals barriers to healthy food choices

10 Jun 2024 --- Starting today, the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) begins its Healthy Eating Week initiative to boost child nutrition. In preparation for the event, the foundation commissioned a survey that found that the high price of healthy foods demotivates parents to create healthier diets for their children.

The “Veggie Victory” initiative will lead the charge, inspiring parents to serve two kinds of vegetables at dinner.

“Vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet, and it’s important that children learn to like them. But we know it can be a struggle to get children to eat vegetables. Many of us are on a tight budget, but there are cheaper options,” says Bridget Benelam, nutrition communications manager at the BNF.

“For example, a portion of carrots can be as little as 8p (US$0.1), beetroot about 10p (US$0.13) and frozen vegetables such as peas, spinach or cauliflower less than 15p (US$0.19) a portion. It’s worth giving extra vegetables a try this Healthy Eating Week to kick-start healthier habits with your children.” 

The foundation also launched a food roadmap to complement the food curriculum, guiding teachers and students on topics and practices for healthy eating and cooking.

Food discounts could turn the tide
The survey, commissioned for Healthy Eating Week and conducted by YouGov, asked 1,007 British parents of children up to 18 years to select the main factors that made it harder to feed their children a healthy diet, what would help them provide a more nutritious diet and what makes it challenging to get their children to eat vegetables.

Nearly half of the surveyed parents (45%) said the cost of healthy food compared to less healthy options made it harder. More than half (56%) said that discounts on healthier foods would help them provide a healthier diet for their children, and 41% said that healthy free school lunches would make it easier. 

When asked about the barriers to getting their children to eat vegetables, the top responses from parents were that children prefer processed foods (38%), followed by children the fact that children refuse to eat vegetables (37%). 

Victory over vegetable bias
The BNF will introduce its “Veggie Victory” reward chart this week, which parents can use with their children, along with a factsheet, recipes and ideas for getting vegetables on a budget. The foundation will provide a list of 15 vegetables that are less than 50p (US$0.64) a portion on average.

“Vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet, and it’s important that children learn to like them. But we know it can be a struggle to get children to eat vegetables. Many of us are on a tight budget, but there are cheaper options,” says Benelam.

The foundation advises that parents encourage children to try the vegetables and not become disheartened when they refuse to eat them all.

Meanwhile, the BNF joined forces with the charity Magic Breakfast to drive research in child nutrition and investigate whether breakfast clubs — providing children with a meal in a social setting before school — can improve learning outcomes and physical and mental health.

In addition, the latest vitamin D survey by the BNF shows that at least half of the British population is unaware of the UK government’s guidelines for vitamin D supplements.

By Inga de Jong