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Kids 'used to readily available food' believe fruit and veg originate in shops

A poll of 500 kids found one in five believe fruit and veg originate in shops, while a third dont even know how bananas are grown.

A new poll has revealed a surprising gap in what children know about where their food actually comes from. One in five youngsters aged six to 11 think fruit and vegetables originate in shops and a third have no idea how bananas are grown.

While many knew produce comes from farms, plants and trees, others thought it started life at market stalls and greengrocers. What's more, some 17% said broccoli are small trees, while 11% believed their five-a-day comes from animals.

The survey also found kids were confused about everyday staples. Some children were unaware bananas and apples grow on trees, and 30% were unaware tomatoes are harvested from plants.

[Gardener Gerald Stratford launches The Curious Kitchen at the Natural History Museum, London ]

Many children are unaware where their food originates from(Image: PinPep)

Four in 10 didnt know potatoes grow out of the ground, and 42% werent sure about carrots either. Some also didnt realise foods like cheese, sausages and eggs come from animals, yet, one in 10 six-to-eight-year-olds believe crumpets are an animal product.

However, among all those polled, many grow fruits and vegetables themselves, most commonly tomatoes (55%), potatoes (37%) and carrots (34%).

The research was commissioned by HelloFresh, which has partnered with gardener Gerald Stratford, known for growing giant veg.

Together they are launching The Curious Kitchen, an immersive family experience helping children reconnect with ingredients and dinnertime at the Natural History Museum this summer.

[Gardener Gerald Stratford launches The Curious Kitchen at the Natural History Museum, London ]

Gerald Stratford launches The Curious Kitchen at the Natural History Museum(Image: PinPep)

Mimi Morley, senior recipe developer for the meal kit delivery service said: Kids say the funniest things and this research shows that.

They have logic in their thoughts, especially that broccoli are mini trees, but there is definitely some confusion around where things come from before they reach the shops."

[Gardener Gerald Stratford launches The Curious Kitchen at the Natural History Museum, London ]

The experience will bring families together to uncover where their food really comes from(Image: PinPep)

She added: Younger generations are so used to having most things, including foods, readily available, that its easy for them to forget about the seed to plate journey before that.

Gerald seemed like the perfect partner to teach youngsters how to harvest their own fruit and veg, help them prepare ingredients and develop their knowledge around where produce comes from.

Parents were also surveyed via OnePoll, with 90% saying theyre confident they know where foods come from but 43% admit theyve struggled to answer questions from their children about certain ingredients.

Pasta (32%), broccoli (25%) and yoghurt (23%) were seen as the trickiest to explain from 'field to fork'.

[Gardener Gerald Stratford launches The Curious Kitchen at the Natural History Museum, London ]

It will help parent's who don't always have the answers(Image: PinPep)

Meanwhile, 78% of parents said the dinner table is the best place to chat about where food comes from, and 47% have home-grown fruit and veg to teach their child. A quarter said their child is more likely to eat their five-a-day if theyve grown it themselves.

Gerald said: I've spent years growing vegetables because I believe there's something magical about watching food grow. But food doesn't simply appear in shops or on our plates - every ingredient has a story behind it.

Were keen to help families explore that journey together and spark children's curiosity, inspire them to ask questions and perhaps even want to get green thumbs of their own.

TOP 15 PLACES KIDS THINK FRUIT & VEGETABLES COME FROM:

1. Farms
2. Plants
3. Trees
4. Grown in the ground
5. Fields
6. Bushes/shrubs
7. Shops
8. Markets stalls
9. Greengrocers
10. Animals
11. Factories
12. In the sea
13. In the river
14. The sky
15. In ponds

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