Kids Snacking Habits

Research reveals that parents tell ‘little white lies’ to trick kids into eating healthily

Kids love snacking and getting playful with food as research reveals that almost three quarters of parents encourage their children to have fun with food in order to get them to eat.  New research findings by Cheestrings Scoffies, Ireland’s latest snack for kids, shows that 53% of parents tell ‘little white lies’ to encourage their little ones to eat healthily – citing reasons such as eating your food will make you grow tall.  On the back of this, it’s no surprise that 52% of kids associate certain foods with cartoon characters like Popeye, who grows muscles after eating spinach. 

After school snacks prove to be the most challenging for parents trying to get the balance right with ravenous youngsters.  40.8% of parents admit that cheese and crackers is the ultimate favourite snack for children, with 75% saying that taste is the most important factor when it comes to choosing snacks that their kids will enjoy.  And it seems like taste is king for Mums & Dads too, with 68% of parents confessing to secretly munching on their kids snacks when on the go!

Compromise seems to be the key when choosing nibbles for kids, as 72% of parents reveal that when doing the supermarket shop with a little helper in tow, they often agree to one treat from the sweet treats aisle in return for something healthy chosen by Mum or Dad.  59% of parents admit that the types of snack they choose depends on the time of day and the activities planned, with over one quarter saying that weekend treats are still a regular at home. 

Organised playdates can be a fun way to get the kids to spend time together and nearly 40% of parents admit that when hosting a playdate, they let the children and their friends do whatever activity they prefer.  All the playing and running around can work up an appetite and selecting snacks for playdates can be challenging, with research findings showing that 53% of Mums try and compromise with little ones by offering a mix of savoury and sweet snacks to feed them and their visiting guests.  Nutritional value (35%), shareable snacks (20.6%) and convenience (17.5%) are the top three things that parents tend to look for when choosing snacks for playdates. 

Mums will be delighted to know that the new range of Cheestrings Scoffies features real cheese chunks, crunchy crackers or pretzels and a tasty fruity mix, something to satisfy every taste bud.  There are three different ‘mixable’ varieties, offering little ones the chance to ‘swap them’, ‘switch them’ and ‘save them’ as each pack has a convenient re-sealable tab, meaning they can even save some for later, that’s if there’s anything left!