New research reveals many Australian children don’t know where fruit and vegetables come from

YOU know bananas grow on trees, right? And you could spot a mango in the fruit bowl? It turns out not everyone is aware of some pretty basic facts.

YOUR children might love their na-nas, but do they actually know where bananas come from?

A new study of over 1,600 Aussie kids aged between six and 17 years revealed that a staggering 92 per cent didn’t know bananas grew on plants.

Research also found that six in 10 children were unaware that herbs such as mint grew in the ground, and 70 per cent didn’t know where sugar came from.

More than 50 per cent didn’t know that beetroots were grown in the ground, 75 per cent couldn’t identify a leek or radish, and 58 per cent struggled to name a nectarine.

Gardening with children is an important way to teach them about where our food comes from.

The research was commissioned by Woolworths, which has entered into a partnership with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to bring his highly successful UK campaign to Australia. Jamie’s campaign aims to educate kids on the benefits of fresh, healthy food.

The percentage of Aussie kids who don’t know how the following foods grow (or what they’re made of)

70 per cent of children don’t know where sugar comes from. (Data courtesy of Woolworths research.)

The top 10 ranked fruits and vegetables that Aussie kids cannot correctly identify

Almost half of the children couldn’t identify a mango. (Data courtesy of Woolworths research.)

As a pioneer of healthy eating around the world, Jamie Oliver feels strongly about this issue.

“It’s a shame that so many Aussie kids seem to be unaware of where fresh fruit and veg comes from, especially in a country that is home to such beautiful and delicious produce,” he said.

In a bid to educate children about fresh produce, Woolworths and Jamie Oliver have created Jamie’s Garden Collectibles stickers to be stuck in a scrapbook album.

Jamie Oliver champions children to cook and eat healthier food. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images) (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images)

Do your kids know where bananas come from? Comment below or join the conversation on Twitter @newscomauHQ | @gracekoelma

More information on Jamie’s scrapbook and stickers here.

Jamie Olivers scrapbook is $5 in Woolworths stores. Customers receive four stickers for every $20 spent.

Originally published as New research reveals many Australian children don’t know where fruit and vegetables come from