Despite dietary guidelines recommending at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, around 80% of UK children eat fewer vegetables than advised, with one-third consuming less than one portion a day.
The problem persists across age groups. According to the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey, fewer than one in ten children aged 11–18 meet the five-a-day target, highlighting consistently low fruit and vegetable consumption nationwide.
Ultra-processed foods dominate early diets
At the same time, ultra-processed foods now account for a large share of children’s daily calorie intake. Nearly half of toddlers’ calories come from these foods, rising to around 60% by the age of seven.
A major 2024 study led by UCL researchers analysing young children’s diets found that toddlers obtained 47% of their calories from ultra-processed foods at around 21 months old, increasing to 59% by age seven. These foods include flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals, sweet cereals, white bread and puddings, many of which are high in added sugar and salt.
School meals also reflect this pattern. Earlier analyses of UK school lunch data show that ultra-processed foods account for almost two-thirds of calories in typical school lunches. Packed lunches can contain even higher proportions, reinforcing limited dietary variety in everyday eating.
The rise of the ‘beige diet’
Experts warn that these trends are contributing to what is increasingly described as a beige diet, characterised by meals dominated by chips, pasta, bread and processed foods, with little exposure to colour, texture or fresh ingredients.
Although often labelled as picky eating, specialists point to sensory, cultural and environmental influences on children’s food habits, as well as the powerful role of routine and repeated exposure.
“Children’s eating habits don’t exist in isolation,” said Elizabeth Knight, head of prep school at Wycliffe College. “What we’re seeing isn’t just fussiness, it’s a response to routine, exposure, and environment. Schools are uniquely positioned to interrupt the beige cycle, not by forcing change, but by normalising variety.”
Research shows that school dining rooms can play a key role by offering consistent exposure to different foods, peer role modelling and structured routines. When children regularly see others enjoying a wider range of foods, their willingness to try new options tends to increase gradually over time.
Pressures at home and the role of schools
At home, many parents face growing pressures related to time, cost and convenience. These challenges can reinforce cycles of sameness in children’s diets, even when families want to introduce more variety.
Experts stress that meaningful change does not require confrontation at the dinner table. Instead, small and consistent shifts can help build confidence around food.
8 steps to encourage children to try new foods
Specialists recommend the following approaches:
- Focus on exposure rather than consumption: Repeatedly seeing foods on the plate without being forced to eat them helps children build comfort. Research shows it can take 10–15 exposures before a child accepts a new food.
- Avoid pressure or rewards: Forcing bites or offering dessert as a reward can increase anxiety and resistance. Calm repetition is more effective.
- Model curiosity: Children are more likely to try foods they see adults eating. Positive comments about taste, texture or colour such as this is crunchy or this smells fresh are more effective than persuasion.
- Use neutral language: Talking about colour, crunch or smell rather than healthy or good reduces emotional pressure around eating.
- Avoid labelling children as picky: Treating eating habits as fixed traits can increase avoidance. Reluctance is often a normal developmental stage shaped by routine and environment.
- Serve one familiar food alongside something new: Including a known safe food reduces stress and makes experimentation feel safer.
- Use gentle blending to build familiarity: For children who strongly resist visible fruits or vegetables, blending or combining foods in familiar formats such as mash, sauces, soups, pies or smoothies can help build tolerance over time.
- Let schools do some of the heavy lifting: Regular exposure to a wider range of foods at school can lead to increased willingness at home, even without direct encouragement.
“The aim isn’t to create adventurous eaters overnight,” Elizabeth added. “Progress often looks slow, but it’s cumulative and when children experience variety without pressure, both at home and at school, confidence builds. School meals are not just about nutrition; they’re daily opportunities to support well-being, inclusion, and food confidence.”
The findings point to a need to move away from blaming parents or children, and towards recognising school food as a powerful tool for well-being, equity and long-term public health.