Ultra-processed and ‘beige’ foods now make up two-thirds of calories in UK school lunches, experts have warned.
Despite dietary guidelines, around 80% of UK children eat less than the recommended number of vegetables, with one-third consuming less than one portion a day.
At the same time, nearly half of toddlers’ daily calories now come from ultra-processed foods, rising to around 60% by age seven, with these products accounting for almost two-thirds of calories in typical UK school lunches.
Dietitians warn this pattern is contributing to what is increasingly referred to as a “beige diet”, meals dominated by chips, pasta, bread, and processed foods, with minimal exposure to colour, texture, or fresh ingredients.
While often labelled as picky eating, specialists are drawing attention to the sensory, cultural, and environmental factors shaping children’s food habits, and the powerful influence of routine and exposure.
“Children’s eating habits don’t exist in isolation,” said Elizabeth Knight, Head of Prep School at Wycliffe College.
“What we’re seeing isn’t just fussiness, it’s a response to routine, exposure, and environment. Schools are uniquely positioned to interrupt the beige cycle, not by forcing change, but by normalising variety.”
School dining rooms offer consistent exposure to different foods, peer role modelling, and structured routines that remove pressure and negotiation. Research shows that when children regularly see others enjoying a wider range of foods, their own willingness to try increases gradually over time.
At home, however, many parents face increasing pressures around time, cost, and convenience, often reinforcing cycles of sameness, even when families want to introduce more variety.
8 Steps to encourage children to try new foods
Experts emphasise that change doesn’t require battles at the dinner table. Instead, small, consistent shifts can make a meaningful difference:
- Focus on exposure, not consumption
Repeatedly seeing foods on the plate, without being forced to eat them, helps children build comfort over time. Research shows it can take 10-15 exposures before a child accepts a new food. - Avoid pressure or rewards
Forcing bites or offering dessert as a reward can increase anxiety and resistance. Calm repetition is more effective. - Model curiosity yourself
Children are more likely to try foods they see adults eating. Talking positively about taste, texture, or colour. For example: “this is crunchy” or “this smells fresh”, is more effective than persuasion or rewards. - Use neutral language
Talking about colour, crunch, or smell, rather than “healthy” or “good”, helps reduce emotional weight around eating. - Avoid labelling children as ‘picky’
Framing eating habits as fixed traits can increase concerns and avoidance. Experts recommend treating reluctance as a normal developmental stage influenced by routine and environment. - Serve one familiar food alongside something new
Offering one known “safe” food with new options reduces stress and makes experimentation feel safer. - Use gentle blending to build familiarity
For children who strongly resist visible fruits or vegetables, parents can introduce variety by blending or combining foods in familiar formats such as adding vegetables to mash, sauces, soups, pies, or smoothies. This helps build familiarity with flavours and nutrients while confidence and tolerance develop. - Let schools do some of the heavy lifting
When children encounter a wider range of foods regularly at school, parents may notice changes in willingness at home over time, even without direct encouragement.
“The aim isn’t to create adventurous eaters overnight,” added Elizabeth.
“Progress often looks slow, but it’s cumulative and when children experience variety without pressure, both at home and at school, confidence builds.
“School meals are not just about nutrition; they’re daily opportunities to support wellbeing, inclusion, and food confidence.”
The findings point to a need to move away from blaming parents or children, and towards recognising school food as a powerful tool for wellbeing, equity, and long-term public health.
