Nearly half of kids say Italian staple is their favourite food – beating classics like burgers, curries and fish & chips
PIZZA is so popular among kids that nearly half have voted it their favourite.
Research of 1,000 parents of six to 16-year-olds revealed the most loved meals, with 44 per cent naming the Italian classic as their youngster’s preference.
But the number choosing burger and chips, which placed second on the list, drops significantly to 28 per cent, along with chicken nuggets (28 per cent) and then fish and chips (26 per cent).
Also in the top 20 were curry, fajita wraps, frankfurter hot dogs and cheese on toast.
It also emerged 69 per cent of parents believe their kids would happily eat the same thing on repeat if they could.
Gemma Serdet from frankfurter brand Herta, which commissioned the research and created a ‘dinner spinner’ to give parents meal suggestions, said: “There’s always going to be a dish that is a hit, and your little one will be happy to have it no matter what.
“Our research shows how many classic meals are popular among children, but it can often make it hard to mix things up.
“It can also be a challenge when you have multiple members of the family to please and you’ve got to become inventive to find something everyone enjoys.
”The study also found 78 per cent of mums and dads enjoy cooking for their offspring, even more so when they know it’s their favourite dish (41 per cent) and when it’s a quick and easy meal to make (37 per cent).
Although four in 10 find themselves frequently serving up the same dish multiple times a week.
A third of these claim it’s easier when they’re busy, and 30 per cent serve meals on repeat because it’s less wasteful as they know it will be eaten.
But 71 per cent have their child refuse a meal nearly every week, with one in 10 experiencing this on four or more occasions over that period.
As a result, 78 per cent end up cooking double dinners to appease everyone in the family, an average of three times a week.
The research, conducted via OnePoll, also found 48 per cent stress the importance of not wasting food in their home due to the cost of living.
With 21 per cent opting for cheaper ingredients to avoid feeling like money is being squandered if their child turns their nose up at a dish.
But 73 per cent find themselves battling to get their youngsters to eat up and are at loggerheads an average of five times a week.
Children's top 20 favourite meals, according to their parents:
1. Pizza (44 per cent)
2. Burger and chips (28 per cent)
3. Chicken nuggets and chips (28 per cent)
4. Fish and chips (26 per cent)
5. Spaghetti Bolognese (24 per cent)
6. Roast dinner (24 per cent)
7. Mac and cheese (19 per cent)
8. Fish fingers and chips (16 per cent)
9. Sausage and chips (15 per cent)
10. Spaghetti and meatballs (15 per cent)
11. Sausage and mashed potato (14 per cent)
12. Hot dog with a frankfurter sausage (14 per cent)
13. Curry (13 per cent)
14. Fajita wraps (13 per cent)
15. Lasagne (12 per cent)
16. Jacket potato with baked beans and cheese (10 per cent)
17. Chicken pasta bake (10 per cent)
18. Cheese on toast (10 per cent)
19. Pesto pasta (9 per cent)
20. Beef stew (8 per cent)
It also found 55 per cent would describe their child as a ‘fussy eater’, resulting in 43 per cent struggling to find snacks and meals when on the go with their child.
While 41 per cent find it difficult to get their youngsters to eat their five-a-day, and 24 per cent have trouble getting their child to consume protein rich foods.
Gemma Serdet added: “For many families, mealtimes are one of the only times when everyone comes together and shares their news from the day.
“That’s why we want to help parents find fun and simple ways to make tasty dishes that are well received by the whole family, as well as coming up with creative ways to take popular dishes and make them a little more exciting.”
