Mystery Meat, canned green beans, and blonde brownies won’t cut it anymore. As fall approaches, it appears today’s children – and their parents – have high standards when it comes to school lunches. A new survey conducted by Talker Research proved as much.
Talker surveyed 2,000 parents and found they prioritize nutrients (54%) and taste (45%) more than cost (33%) when shopping for their kids’ school lunch items.
When it comes to the preferences of children aged 5-17 years, the survey indicated they want quick foods (50%) and fresh foods (38%). Conversely, kids’ least favorite foods were snap peas (40%), green beans (36%), and tuna salad (36%).
“It can be challenging to get your kids to eat what’s in their lunchbox, especially whole foods,” Dr. Martin Ruebelt, chief scientific officer at NatureSweet, told Talker. “With this study, we wanted to shine a light on how parents go the extra mile to give their kids healthy, nutritious foods, and the ways they get creative to keep their kids well-fed.”
When thinking ahead to the 2024-25 school year, the majority of parents (60%) surveyed said they would feel guilty when feeding their children unhealthy foods for lunch. One-fifth of respondents said they’re simply too busy to provide their kids healthy lunch items.
The situation has nearly one-third (30%) of parents “stressed.”
Other eye-opening findings from the Talker survey included:
- 31% of parents said they buy snacks with fun packaging to excite their child
- Parents estimated that 21% of kids’ lunches come home uneaten
- One-third of parents eat their kids’ lunchbox rejects for dinner
- 41% of parents admitted to throwing lunchbox leftovers away
There’s been a noticeable evolution of school lunches over the years. According to the survey, nearly one-fifth of parents (17%) said their child’s lunch is much more “gourmet” than they had as a kid. Additionally, 43% of respondents feel today’s school lunches are healthier than theirs ever were.
“Significant strides have been made in improving the quality of school lunches over the years,” Andrew Stratton, GM of Sodexo at Springfield (Mass.) Public Schools, told The Food Institute. “An example of this is Home Grown Springfield, a partnership between Sodexo and Springfield Public Schools. HGS is one of the few programs in the country dedicated to preparing fresh, from-scratch meals, replacing less nutritious, processed options.”
Many parents told Talker they’re working to educate their kids about wellness by actively teaching them about healthy foods and diet (42%), or modeling healthy eating (34%).
“Incorporating whole foods and produce into your family’s diet and busy lifestyles isn’t as time-consuming as it once was,” said Dr. Ruebelt.
“There are so many grab-and-go, healthy snacking options on the market that incorporate whole foods such as produce that are delicious, convenient and, more importantly, kid approved.”
The Food Institute Podcast
In this episode of The Food Institute Podcast, IFDA President and CEO Mark S. Allen discussed the pressing challenges and innovative solutions in the foodservice distribution industry. Allen delved into topics such as labor shortages, transportation issues, technology advancements, and the importance of industry events like IFDA’s Solutions Conference.
