Many Australian children can’t boil an egg, don’t know fruit grows on trees, survey finds

MANY Aussie children don’t know fruit grows on trees, where butter comes from, and can’t even boil an egg, a survey has revealed.

MANY Aussie children don’t know fruit grows on trees, where butter comes from, and can’t even boil an egg, a survey has revealed.

Nearly half of Australian parents don’t think their children know enough about healthy food, and two-thirds say their kids prefer processed food, the survey of more than 1000 children has found.

The research, conducted by Medibank and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, showed one in five primary school children couldn’t say where fresh food came from and a quarter didn’t eat family dinners regularly, while two-thirds of parents said their children couldn’t bake a potato, and less could boil an egg.

“With one in four Australian children obese or overweight, it’s vital we teach our children to eat well and be active,” Medibank chief medi­cal officer Dr Linda Swan said.

Aiden learning where his food comes from at Collingwood Children’s Farm. Picture: Alex Coppel

“This survey shows we still have a long way to go to support our children to make healthy food choices for their future”.

The survey revealed children who are involved in helping grow fruit and vegetables and help with grocery shopping and cooking know more about where food comes from and how it is grown.

However, only 50 per cent of children grow fruit and vegetables at home.

“By experiencing the joy of digging in the garden, picking fresh vegies, smelling and tasting the food they prepare, children can learn not just about how important fresh food is for their overall health and wellbeing, but also that it’s fun and delicious,” Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation CEO Ange Barry said.

The Stephanie Alexander program is delivered in more than 800 primary schools, reaching more than 100,000 students across Australia.

It is run at Collingwood College in inner Melbourne, which was the first site for the program in 2001.

Principal Sam Luck said the program had enhanced students’ food knowledge and skills.

“Our students love learning about where real food comes from — from apples to carrots and tomatoes — as well as learning how to sustainably grow and cook ­delicious food,” he said.

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