Bounty

Youngsters who are fussy eaters at home are trying out a variety of foods at school, according to new research.

The School Food Trust said its survey found four-fifths of parents have noticed their children eat foods for school dinner they have not tried at home.

Of more than 1,000 parents polled, more than half said their children had asked for a dish they had sampled at school to be cooked at home.

Trust chairman Rob Rees stated: "Every parent knows it's a nightmare watching their child push food around the plate. School meals can be a great way to help parents encourage their children to try new foods and to increase the variety of foods in their diet."

Carrots, sweetcorn and peas remain the favourite vegetables among schoolchildren, while the least popular are aubergines, chickpeas and spinach, the poll found.

The latest survey follows a Mumsnet study last year which suggested that parents were opting for packed lunches worried that their children were too fussy to eat school meals.

Copyright Press Association 2010