Do Tomatoes Grow Underground? – Children’s Misconceptions about the Origins of Food

Today is the beginning of the British Nutrition Foundations (BNF) week-long, nationwide campaign for healthy eating in schools and nurseries. This comes after shocking statistics were published by the BNF about children’s understanding about the origins of vegetables and other food stuffs. Below are some of the results from the BNF poll (BBC, 2013).

–    Almost a third of UK primary pupils think cheese is made from plants

–    A quarter think fish fingers come from chicken or pigs

–    The survey also revealed confusion about the source of staples such as pasta and bread among younger pupils, with about a third of five-to-eight-year-olds believing that they are made from meat.

–    Some 19% of this age group did not realise that potatoes grew underground, with 10% thinking they grew on bushes or trees.

–    Nearly one in 10 secondary pupils believe that tomatoes grow under ground

With these startling statistics in mind, campaigns like the BNF’s Healthy Eating Week are vital for encouraging children to learn more about the origins of their food. The poll also revealed that while 75% of primary school aged children understood the importance of eating their five a day, less than 40% of them actually ate this many fruit and vegetables (BBC, 2013). This is why the organisation also aims to help improve the diets of children by encouraging them to cook healthier meals at home.

Healthy Eating Week is running from the 3^rd to 7^th of June, so there’s still time to get your school or nursery involved. Go to the British Nutrition Foundations website for more details about the campaign and for lots of lesson ideas and activities to try in your classroom.

We are also expanding our healthy eating section here at ELHQ, below are a few resources that are connected to this topic and that you might find useful. Let us know if you think of any more.

–    Food Group Posters: This resource consists of 5 illustrated posters offering information about the different food groups.

–    The Eat Well Food Plate: This poster demonstrates how you can achieve a balanced and healthy diet by eating a selection of foods from each food group.

–    Photo Packs: We also have a selection of photo packs on the site that look at the different food groups: fatty foods, starchy foods, foods containing protein and fruit and vegetables. We also hope to add and a milk and dairy photo pack shortly.