Vegetables are brimming with the essential nutrients our children need to flourish into healthy, happy adults. Yet, despite this widespread understanding, the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) reports a concerning decline in the UK’s consumption.
Only 27% of adults are hitting their 5 a day target, a worrying drop from 33%. Even more alarmingly, children’s intake has plummeted from 3.2 portions to a paltry, all-time low of 2.5.
We’ve been here before
While these figures are undoubtedly disappointing, they are, sadly, far from unexpected. Following the 2008 financial crisis, the Institute for Fiscal Studies identified a notable shift in vegetable consumption, with a reduction in purchases and a regrettable substitution towards less healthy, processed alternatives.
This shift was particularly pronounced within lower-income households. More recently, The Food Foundation’s 2023 Peas Please Progress report highlighted that, in the wake of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis, the amount of vegetables bought by UK households had fallen to its lowest level in 50 years.
How do we turn this around?
Parents are the hands on the steering wheel of our food system. They control family shopping, and they are the greatest influence on their child’s food culture. While 81% of parents agree that eating vegetables is important, a staggering 41% admit they struggle.
Rather than pointing fingers, we need to acknowledge these challenges and make it significantly easier for them to raise children who genuinely enjoy fresh, healthy food.
Parents worry “Will it get eaten? Will it be time-consuming? Will it lead to a dreaded dinner-time battle? And, ultimately, will it end up in the bin?”
For those grappling with other life stresses, the sheer effort can feel overwhelming, and the fear of friction at the dinner table is pronounced. In a society currently dealing with war, political turmoil, and the relentless cost of living crisis, stress levels are already high – can you truly imagine adding to that daily worry of whether you can adequately feed your child?
In such circumstances, would you genuinely risk adding that head of broccoli? If we are to effectively support parents, we must proactively mitigate these inherent risk factors.
It doesn’t have to be this way
Veg Power’s ’Eat Them to Defeat Them’ programme is a shining example of what works. To date, 1.8 million children have taken part, from primary and special schools across the UK. The programme is designed to instil confidence in parents, leveraging their child’s enthusiasm for vegetables (which we develop in schools) and providing practical, real-world advice they can implement in small, manageable steps, avoiding both battles and waste.
This year, an impressive 82% of participating parents reported that their child ate more vegetables, with 62% also noting an increase in their own consumption. Crucially, 60% of parents who have engaged with the programme multiple times reported a long-term improvement in their child’s vegetable intake.
These children now consume an average of 3.3 portions of vegetables per day, compared with just 2.4 for non-participating children..
We know it works. Similar programmes from School Food Matters, the Soil Association, and TastEd demonstrate comparable positive impacts. The fundamental problem is that our current resources only extend to 10%-15% of children. If we could scale these initiatives to cover all children, I’m confident the NDNS data would look dramatically different – it really is that simple.
While we must undoubtedly work to reduce the obesogenic influences within our broader food system, we also have a crucial responsibility to equip our children with the knowledge and skills to navigate its challenges. This is precisely why comprehensive food education is so important.
A vital wake-up call
This latest NDNS data should serve as an urgent wake-up call. Our government is currently planning a National Food Strategy, reviewing the school curriculum, expanding access to free school meals, and grappling with the complex challenge of reversing both adult and childhood obesity – a burden that places immense strain on UK productivity and drives escalating costs in health and social care.
To truly succeed, the government must place the real, everyday challenges faced by families foremost in their thinking. They must reimagine food not as an afterthought, but as a central pillar at the very heart of our education system. The future health of our nation depends on it.
Dan Parker is chief executive of Veg Power
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