HUNDREDS of British kids children have never eaten an apple or even heard of bananas.
A study of 1,000 6–11-year-olds found many youngsters have little idea about where fruit and veg comes from.
A third believe the goods simply come from the supermarket, while 11 per cent think they are made in a factory.
Other common fruits they haven’t heard of include strawberries (21 per cent) and lemons (27 per cent), while 31 per cent have never eaten an orange.
The findings come as TV judge and award-winning dancer Oti Mabuse talk to children about the health benefits of fruit and veg.
The clips showed children claiming that vitamins are only found in tablets and not in fruit and veg, and mistaking broccoli for a fruit and spinach for cabbage
The research and video were commissioned by home appliance brand Beko to highlight its Harvest Fresh Fridge cooling technology.
Oti Mabuse said: “To hear the children's thoughts on fruit and vegetables has been a great way to open the conversation with them about health, vitamins and nutrition.
“It was surprising to see what they liked and what they didn’t, who knew carrots would be so popular.”
The study also found 32 per cent of children think fruit and vegetables are sent over from other countries, with one in 10 believing that none are grown in the UK.
'SURPRISING'
When it comes to vegetables, many children haven’t heard of sweetcorn (29 per cent), cauliflower (33 per cent) and carrots (25 per cent).
And they’ve never tried broccoli (36 per cent), peas (34 per cent) and even potatoes (29 per cent).
Although six in 10 youngsters have grown or picked their own fruit and veg, a tenth are under the assumption that pineapples grow straight out of the ground, while 14 per cent think broccoli plants exist.
More than a third of those also polled admitted they have no idea which fruit and vegetables should be kept in the fridge and which are best off kept at room temperature.
And while 63 per cent of those polled via OnePoll are aware that vitamins are important for a healthy diet, one in 20 think biscuits and crisps provide the most.
Children’s favourite fruit and vegetables were found to be strawberries (52 per cent), apples (40 per cent) and carrots (40 per cent).
Vijay Bhardwaj, spokesperson for Beko UK & Ireland, said: “Fruit and vegetables are something we all know we need in life but sometimes what we’re eating isn’t providing enough nutrients and vitamins as we may think.
“It’s important to teach kids from a young age about where fruit and vegetables come from and why they are vital for our diets.
“After conducting the research, it was surprising to see that there is a lot of confusion around the nutrients they contain, how long they last and where to store them.
“We’re always looking for easy and convenient ways to help make our customers lives healthier, and we’re hoping the light technology within our HarvestFresh Fridge Freezer, which tries to mimic the 24 hour sun cycle, can help families keep their fruit and veg fresh and the vitamins preserved.”
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