Kids at the Beach (photo by korycheer, courtesy of morguefile.com)

Only 18% of America's children are eating three or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, according to a study commissioned by Produce for Kids® (PFK), an organization that promotes the benefits of healthy eating. Much of the food they are eating is heavily processed, full of empty calories, and promoted with ubiquitous ad campaigns aimed at children.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that approximately 25 million children, or one-in-three kids, are overweight or are at risk of becoming overweight. John Shuman, president of Produce for Kids, noted: "This survey highlights the extent of the challenge facing the produce and retail industries, but also offers hope: we can make healthy foods attractive to kids if we market them creatively."

The study revealed that the most-purchased fruits -- and the most popular with kids -- are those that easily lend themselves to snacking. Bananas, purchased by 85% of households, rank number one, followed by apples (84%), grapes (75%), strawberries/berries (48%) and citrus fruits (34%).

Potatoes are the top-ranked vegetable, purchased by 86% of households, followed by baby carrots (60%), tomatoes (54%), lettuce/salad (53%) and corn (44%).

Reason for Optimism

Parents may be missing an opportunity to add more greenery to their kids' meals. Children voted broccoli among their top three favorite vegetables, yet parents did not rank it in their top five most-purchased items.

Yet while the survey demonstrates that kids are not eating a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, there is reason for optimism: 49% of parents said that their children eat salad on a regular basis. Moreover, kids want their fresh fruits: 70% of respondents who purchase fruit do so because their kids ask for it.

The addition of dips and dressings may increase the appeal of fresh produce to kids: two-thirds of respondents said their children eat fresh fruits and vegetables with dips. Ranch dressing was cited as the favorite accompaniment for vegetables, while caramel dip, peanut butter and cream cheese were most popular with fruits.

If you’d like to read the press release on which this item was based as it was posted on Yahoo! go to: Study: Only 18 Percent of Kids Are Eating Three Servings of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables