School dinners may encourage picky teenagers to eat better, study suggests

15 May 2025, 02:19

The findings suggest picky eaters at the age of 13 were more likely than non-picky children to avoid meat, fish and fruit in their packed lunches. Picture: Alamy

By Alice Padgett

Having school dinners could encourage picky teenagers to eat better, a study suggests.

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When children who were picky eaters got to choose their own food at school at lunchtime they ate a wider variety of food compared with those who had a packed lunch, researchers found.

The findings, published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, suggest picky eaters at the age of 13 were more likely than non-picky children to avoid meat, fish and fruit in their packed lunches.

But there was little evidence of picky eaters avoiding meat, fish and fruit in school dinners.

Researchers examined data from more than 5,300 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children - also known as the "Children of the 90s" study.

The University of Bristol-led study analysed data from children when they were pre-schoolers and again at age 13 to understand how picky eating behaviour changes over time.

"Our results suggest that some picky eating behaviours persist while others may be modified in adolescents when they are away from direct familial influence, such as when eating school dinners with their peers," the study said.

It added: "It is likely that family norms have a stronger influence over packed lunch content than over school dinner choices where the child has more autonomy and may be influenced by their peers."

Dr Caroline Taylor, lead researcher and associate professor in nutrition at the University of Bristol, said: "Every child is different, and what works for some won't work for others.

"We found that school dinners could be a good option to increase variety in the diets of picky teens, but there are plenty of other things parents can do to encourage a healthy diet.

"Whether that is enjoying family meals together, modelling a balanced diet yourself, or involving them in meal preparation, it all helps.

"We know that most picky children are eating enough, but they're sometimes lacking a good balance of foods.

"It's important to encourage all children to eat enough nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables to help them grow and develop, whether that's at home or at school."