The Top 10 fibs Scottish parents tell their children about food

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The age-old struggle to get kids to eat more healthily means that half of parents across Scotland are fibbing to their children on a daily basis.

New research has revealed that not only are fibs the fastest way to clear a plate, but that it’s Scotland’s mums (56%) who are most likely to bend the truth when it comes to mealtime.

Half of mums and dads surveyed have revealed that they’re mostly likely to resort to misleading their little ones to stop them being fussy over certain foods (59%), with 35 per cent saying it’s to avoid having a meal time row.

Top of the list of foods that kids in Scotland try to avoid are Brussel sprouts (39 per cent), followed by olives (37 per cent) and completing the list are spinach (34 per cent) and mushrooms (29 per cent).

The survey of 2,000 parents by Pesto pioneers Sacla’ revealed that more than one third of Scotland’s children (41 per cent) are considered fussy eaters.

More than half (57 per cent) regularly say eating certain foods will make their child ‘big and strong’, while 34 per cent have said that eating crusts makes hair curly, and 17 per cent claim that eating green beans will make you taller.

Inventive and alternative names for some of these daily staples include ‘baby tree’ for broccoli, ‘orange chips’ instead of carrots and salad being described as ‘dinosaur leaves’.

More than one in three parents admits to making up these new names in a desperate bid to get their children eating better.

The classic tactic of hiding vegetables by blending them in a sauce is also a favourite for fussy eaters, with one in four parents admitting to doing this.

However, the research also revealed that one in five modern families teach children that ‘the ice cream van plays music when it’s run out of ice cream’.

Despite parents’ porky-pies being widespread, it’s a short window of a child’s life where these fibs work - with savvy kids being able to see through such tall tales by the time they are just seven years old.

The Top 10 fibs parents tell about food:

1. Carrots help you see in the dark (63 per cent)

2. This will make you big and strong (57 per cent)

3. Eating crusts will make your hair curly (34 per cent)

4. Blending veg into a sauce and calling it tomato (24 per cent)

5. If you don’t clean your ears, potatoes will grow in them (22 per cent)

6. Ice cream vans only play music when they have run out of ice creams (20 per cent)

7. Drinking milk will turn you into a superhero (17 per cent)

8. If you swallow an apple pip, an apple tree will grow in your tummy (16 per cent)

9. Eating green beans will make you taller (16 per cent)

10. All meat is chicken (10 per cent)