Close Menu
    Latest Edition
    FabUK Magazine Unveils Its 27th Edition Featuring Anya Taylor Joy and Announces Major Expansion Plans
    The latest
    • BON JOVI announce second London date in 2026 due to phenomenal demand
    • Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2025
    • 5 Essential Aids for Seniors
    • LABYRINTH OPEN AIR AT TOFTE MANOR BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, AND WITH THEIR LONGEST SET TOGETHER IN 20 YEARS SASHA & JOHN DIGWEED 6 HOUR SET
    • YUNGBLUD ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL DATES AFTER UK TOUR SELLS OUT
    • Why You Should Think About Wearing a Bespoke Business Suit to Your Next Job Interview
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Fabuk MagazineFabuk Magazine
    • Fashion

      ISABEL MARANT x MARC LE BIHAN – “BE MAGNETIC” Cocktail Event in Paris

      25 October 2025

      LEM Spring/Summer 2026 – “The Blanket”

      23 October 2025

      A Dialogue Between Tradition and Imagination: emamima at Tranoï during PFW

      23 October 2025

      Hsu Yi-Shiuan’s Collection Captivates the Audience, Wins Top Honor at the 2025 Taiwan Fashion Design Award (TFDA)

      16 October 2025

      Christophe Guillarmé Paris Fashion Week Spring-Summer 2026

      15 October 2025
    • Film

      AWARD PLACEMENTS REVEALED AT 2025 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARDS

      7 October 2025

      Ferrara Film Festival Kicks Off: Co-artistic Director Claudia Conte Promises a Free and Meritocratic Festival

      22 September 2025

      A House of Dynamite Ignites the Red Carpet at Venice Film Festival

      3 September 2025

      Stars at Venice: “Father Mother Sister Brother” Red Carpet Captivates at 82nd Film Festival

      2 September 2025

      Red Carpet for The Wizard of the Kremlin at Venice International Film Festival

      1 September 2025
    • Music

      BON JOVI announce second London date in 2026 due to phenomenal demand

      31 October 2025

      LABYRINTH OPEN AIR AT TOFTE MANOR BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND, AND WITH THEIR LONGEST SET TOGETHER IN 20 YEARS SASHA & JOHN DIGWEED 6 HOUR SET

      28 October 2025

      YUNGBLUD ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL DATES AFTER UK TOUR SELLS OUT

      28 October 2025

      FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

      27 October 2025

      The Astral Bakers signing and acoustic performance at Rough Trade Records Denmark Street London for their 2nd Album Release

      21 October 2025
    • Travel

      Best Places To Visit in the UK For Luxurious Escapes

      16 October 2025

      Six Ways to See the World: Which Travel Personality Are You?

      1 October 2025

      Why Portugal is the Perfect Destination for a Summer Getaway

      19 June 2025

      Top 5 Euro Destinations You Can’t Miss in 2025

      23 May 2025

      CRETE’S ELE VILLAS CELEBRATES FIRST SUMMER SEASON WITH SPECIAL OFFER

      15 April 2025
    • Store
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
    Fabuk MagazineFabuk Magazine
    You are at:Home»Reviews»Food»More than a Million Parents Tell Food ‘Fairy Tales’ Every Mealtime to Entice their Children to Eat
    Food

    More than a Million Parents Tell Food ‘Fairy Tales’ Every Mealtime to Entice their Children to Eat

    18 December 20193 Mins Read
    WhatsApp Facebook Twitter Threads Copy Link Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Threads Copy Link Email

    MAIDENHEAD, UK, December 17, 2019 – With fussy eating common among young children and many families about to sit down to a traditional Christmas dinner with sprouts and carrots, food ‘fairy tales’ will become a regular feature at dinner tables across the nation, as parents get creative in encouraging their children to eat. According to a new survey1 from Abbott PaediaSure Shake, 8 in 10 parents (82%) with children under 10 years old tell these tales, with 1 in 8 – or 1.2 million2 – of those having to tell them at every single meal.

    Rebecca Stevenson, paediatric dietitian and UK medical director for Abbott’s nutrition business, comments: “From generation to generation, we’ve been honing our creative storytelling skills to persuade our children to eat nutritionally balanced diets to support their growth and development through their most critical ages: one to 10 years, when 70% of growth4 occurs.”

    The most popular food fairy tale half of parents (51%) tell their children today is “milk makes your bones strong”, with an impressive success rate working every time or most of the time for three-quarters of parents (75%). This is followed by “carrots help you see in the dark” and “eating your greens will help you grow big and strong”, both with a 59% success rate.

    The other top tales of today’s parents use to get creative and encourage their little ones to eat include:

    1. Fish is brain food and makes you clever
    2. Spinach makes you strong, like Popeye
    3. Bread crusts make your hair curly
    4. Cheese before bedtime gives you nightmares
    5. Eating fish makes you swim like a mermaid/swim quicker

    Parents have always looked to encourage their children to eat well to aid their growth and development in the critical childhood years. It seems those stay with us and not much has changed over the years in terms of the tales we tell. When we asked today’s parents the top three tales they were told by their own parents when they were children, they listed the following:

    1. Carrots help you see in the dark
    2. Milk makes your bones grow strong
    3. Eating your greens will help you grow big and strong

    While the classics prevail, today’s mums and dads recall some of the more weird and wonderful creative tales they were told when they were little and needed encouragement from their parents at mealtimes. These include:

    • “Sprouts are orphaned baby cabbages and will be sad and abandoned if you don’t eat them”
    • “Eating greens stops you getting spots”
    • “Carrots will turn your skin orange”

    And with good reason. Fussy eating is very common; research shows that up to 60% of children have fussy eating issues, whether refusing to eat certain foods, a lack of interest in food, eating particularly slowly or a reduced appetite altogether.

    Rebecca Stevenson adds: “For anyone experiencing tricky mealtimes with their children, Abbott has developed PaediaSure Shake.  Designed by our experts, PaediaSure Shake helps fill any nutrient gaps your child may have in their diet, helping to support their growth and development, especially during periods of change, fussy eating, illness, and even peaks of activity which put extra demands on their bodies. It can give parents peace of mind while children get on with their fun-packed, busy lives over the festive period.”

    Food ‘Fairy Tales’ PaediaSure Shake UK medical

    Related Posts

    4 Mins Read

    Mixing It Up: The Best Cocktails to Make with Additive-Free Tequila

    11 April 2024 Food
    5 Mins Read

    How to Craft a Stellar Rice Bowl

    30 October 2023 Food
    2 Mins Read

    Caorunn Gin launches “The House of Gin Genius” A one day pop-up event in Soho

    17 October 2023 Food
    6 Mins Read

    Chef Emily Roux and Lexus create a gourmet, posh packed lunch

    16 June 2023 Food
    Latest Edition
    FabUK Magazine Unveils Its 27th Edition Featuring Anya Taylor Joy and Announces Major Expansion Plans
    Food
    Mixing It Up: The Best Cocktails to Make with Additive-Free Tequila
    11 April 20244 Mins Read
    Food
    How to Craft a Stellar Rice Bowl
    30 October 20235 Mins Read
    Food
    Caorunn Gin launches “The House of Gin Genius” A one day pop-up event in Soho
    17 October 20232 Mins Read
    Food
    Chef Emily Roux and Lexus create a gourmet, posh packed lunch
    16 June 20236 Mins Read
    Fabuk Magazine
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube Pinterest
    • How to get FabUK
    © 2015 - 2025 All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.