“Fruit is better than vegetables”: a survey on children’s food tastes between laziness and obsession with greenery

Bologna – «I’m not a big fan, maybe I’m lazy. I don’t like peeling, it weighs on me.” Or. “At school it was a form of promotion instead of snacks.” Interviewed by the Piepoli Institute in Milan, the children have clear ideas about their relationship with fruit and vegetables. They prefer fruit to vegetables, because it is more convenient to eat and because it is tastier. Vegetables fare rather poorly among the little ones (who knows why, they really don’t like the color green), while the older they grow, the more they are appreciated, even when consumed outside the home. Sensitive to the issues of obesity and climate change, almost half say they would like to learn to eat better. The national survey was presented during the conference “Fruits & vegetables: how to win over young people” which was held at the Portici Hotel.

Two thousand interviewed

Two thousand young people aged 14-26 were interviewed. Tastes, food trends of young people, consumption and orientations: everything ends up in the research conducted by Francesca Ansaldi, commissioned by Cso Italy, the fruit and vegetable service center of Ferrara which associates many Italian companies in the production and marketing of fruit and vegetables (with Aci Ortofrutta, Fruitimprese and Assomela). The picture of overall consumption in the fruit and vegetable sector, which has been experiencing a dramatic moment for years especially due to the climate, is not good. «In two years – explains Paolo Bruni of Cso – there has been a drop of 15% equal to 800 thousand tons or a mountain of product that has not been consumed».

Investments in agriculture

Data is also in line for Emilia-Romagna which is investing heavily in agriculture in light of the difficulties of recent years. «The biggest problem we have was the production losses of 80% of fruit», complains the regional councilor for Agriculture Alessio Mammi. For this reason, the next instrument to support the sector, he announces, is a 70 million euro tender. «It will help fruit producers convert land into resistant orchards with new varieties, stronger to withstand climate change but also more productive. Anti-frost systems and systems for more punctual and precise water distribution will be introduced, as well as networks to protect production”.

How to resist the changing climate

New pears and new apples, stronger and more modern kiwis, capable of withstanding the upheavals of climate change. The funds come both from resources for flooded areas and from the rural development plan and will cover up to 60% of the investments made by farmers. Returning to the survey, 42% of very young people (14-20) eat fruit regularly, almost every day, while 47% of those in the 21-26 age group consume it. They eat it because it is good, because it is good for you, “because they have family models that offer these foods”, explains Ansaldi. But they also eat it because there are coaches on the sports fields who invite them to consume it or because there are testimonials and influencers who run campaigns to promote these products. Vegetables have less appeal, dropping to 34% in the very young age group. «The first thing that emerges and on which to act – continues Bruni – is correct communication to make people understand that the consumption of fruit and vegetables produces health even though it affects overall family spending by a very modest 3.7%». For Mammi, it is communication that is needed to leverage young people: «We are faced with aware generations, who are looking for taste, who get information on the web. We see that there is a certain propensity to consume fruit and vegetables but there is a lot of work to be done especially with regards to communication strategies.”