Children eating less fruit as cost-of-living crisis bites

Among the poorest fifth of the population, households with children would have to spend 70% of their disposable income to afford the government’s Eatwell Guide

A third of parents say their children are eating less fruit than they were last year. The findings, from a YouGov poll for the food-waste charity, FareShare suggest that the cost-of-living crisis is continuing to put pressure on household finances.

The survey also found that a quarter of parents said their children would eat less fresh fruit during the summer holidays – with poorer families unable to afford the type of meals that their children would usually get in school. 

Despite the results, almost all respondents (89%) recognised the positive impact of a diet rich in fresh fruit on the health and wellbeing of their children.

George Wright, CEO, FareShare said, “It is really worrying that so many children are struggling to access fresh fruit and, therefore, maintain healthy diets.

“A huge amount of fresh produce, both fruit and vegetables, is wasted on farms every year in the UK when it’s still perfectly good to eat. We need the new government to partner with the redistribution sector to deliver more food to people in need.

“We need their support to help get more nutritious food to children and help give them the best possible start in life.” 

FareShare works with the food industry, including retailers, wholesalers and producers, to redistribute surplus food to more than 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK. 

A spokesperson for the British Nutrition Foundation said: “We know that for many people in the UK, healthy diets are beyond their budget, and fruit can be an expensive part of people’s food shop. So, it’s disappointing but not surprising to hear parents say their children are eating less fruit, especially over the summer holidays when budgets can be particularly tight.

“Children from families on lower incomes are disproportionately affected by diet-related ill health and it’s vital that families get more support to help give all children the start they deserve.” 

“[Often the poorest households] are forced to cut back on fruit and vegetables as more healthy foods are over twice as expensive per calorie as less healthy foods.”

Shona Goudie, Policy and Advocacy Manager at The Food Foundation, described the results as “concerning”. She said: “We know from our own research that it is often the poorest households that are forced to cut back on fruit and vegetables as more healthy foods are over twice as expensive per calorie as less healthy foods.

“We have also recently published research that shows that among the poorest fifth of the population, households with children would have to spend 70% of their disposable income on food to afford the Eatwell Guide (the government recommended healthy diet). This is clearly not realistic.” 

Goudie added, “Everyone should have access to and be able to afford a healthy diet that will enable them to thrive. We hope the Government will make reducing children's food insecurity a key part of its new Child Poverty Taskforce.”