Children more daring diners than parents
Are you stuck in a rut when it comes to injecting a bit of adventure into mealtimes? We’ve long been known as a nation who loves British favourites, from beans on toast to fish fingers, but new research by Walt Disney World Resort in Florida shows that two thirds of UK kids crave more adventurous food and expect a bit more magic during their mealtimes.
The research was commissioned by Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, which has hundreds of restaurants serving cuisine from around the world, to reveal family eating habits, and to try and encourage parents to bring a bit more adventure and magic to their mealtimes. The study uncovered that three quarters of parents agree that family mealtimes provide a better opportunity to catch up and reconnect than special occasions such as Easter or Christmas, with a huge 90% of parents agreeing that regular catch ups with the family over a meal are their favourite time in the day. Surely these mealtimes are the perfect opportunities to sample new cuisines and put some family fun into food?
The kids of 2013 have more adventurous palates than ever before, asking for more variety and international cuisines to be served at the dinner table. Parents may be underestimating the sophistication of their little ones’ palates, as more than half of parents picked good old-fashioned British fare as their child’s favourite type of cuisine, yet only 37% of the kids themselves said this was the case, with almost 30% saying they prefer Italian and 12% Asian cuisine.
78% of parents said their children are very or slightly adventurous when it comes to trying different foods with the majority of youngsters nowadays having sampled Italian, American, Asian, French and Mexican cuisine; whereas 30% of parents said that they had rarely tried new types of food when they were children themselves, with 10% having shunned new foods entirely when they were younger. This disparity may be the reason that only 14% of kids surveyed by Walt Disney World Resort in Florida say they eat a wide variety of foods at home, with almost three quarters saying they often eat the same types of meals – showing that parents are staying safe rather than being more adventurous with their ingredients.
Author and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida food expert Pam Brandon comments: “Magical adventure is Walt Disney World Resort’s speciality so perhaps it’s time to book a holiday where everyone’s tastes can be catered for? Chefs at Disney Parks have re-imagined many kids’ menu items to make existing, delicious meals more nutritious. This year, we’re offering UK families free dining at over one hundred restaurants across the parks and hotels at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida – families who book holidays before 5th November 2013 will be offered a free dining package across Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, where we can provide inspiration and excitement during family mealtimes!”
While parents may be less likely to be more add variety during mealtimes at home, on holiday it’s a different story. More than two thirds of parents surveyed say that as a family, they are more adventurous at mealtimes when on holiday, compared with when they are at home, while two thirds say when on holiday their kids always like to try and test new foods. Meanwhile almost 30% say holidays always inspire them to eat together more as a family, making meal times more of a special family occasion than just an excuse to wolf down their food before heading to the couch to watch TV.