Shaped fresh veg launched to help children get five a day

They have long been a classic staple of nutritionally-lacking “kid food” – frozen potatoes which looked like smiley faces or shaped tinned spaghetti which were served up to every 1980s child at the dinner table on a regular basis.

But now, a range of healthy foods shaped to appeal to children and encourage them to eat more vegetables such as butternut squash and sweet potato have been launched by a major supermarket.

Traditionally used for products like tinned alphabet spaghetti and frozen potato dishes, the new selection is the first time that this approach has been used for fresh produce such as vegetables.

Smiley sweet potato faces and chunks of butternut squash shaped like stars are among the new selection of foods produced by Tesco which aim to “make mealtimes more engaging and fun” and encourage youngsters to eat their five-a-day.

Tesco vegetable buyer Elizabeth Hall said: “We want to give parents a helping hand with encouraging their kids to eat more vegetables.

“We’ve taken away a lot of the hassle out of preparing vegetables like butternut squash, which might deter busy cooks at home, whilst also making them more appealing for children.

“We hope by adding a touch of novelty, we can make vegetables the deliciously nutritious and fun part of every meal.”

She added: “Butternut squash stars are a brilliant way to excite kids with great tasting, high-quality vegetables that also helps producers who are able to sell even more of their crop.”

Ali Capper, chairman of the Nfu’shorticultureboard,said: “We have long been calling on food manufacturers to create fun-shaped fruit and veg for children in smaller-sized portions, which we believe could have a role in helping reverse the current obesity crisis.”

Dr Carrie Ruxton, a dietician based in St Andrews who specialises in children’s nutrition, said that children should be encouraged to try new vegetables from an early age.

She said: “It definitely helps them to try new things and I always welcome any new initiatives to help children eat more veg. However, my worry is that it is more expensive and it might make parents think that if they can’t afford products like this, there is no point in trying to get their children to eat vegetables.”

Dr Ruxton pointed to studies which have found that introducing vegetables as soon as a baby begins weaning at around six months is the best way to develop a taste for vegetables.