According to a survey conducted by nutrition campaigners, half of the restaurants assessed were found to serve desserts that exceed a child’s daily sugar allowance.
A recent survey revealed that some of the UK’s most popular restaurant chains are not meeting the expectations of parents when it comes to serving children’s meals. The Soil Association sent undercover parents to evaluate the food quality and nutritional value offered by 20 high street food chains. The findings showed that many restaurants are serving ultra-processed menus, misleading parents about the food they are serving.
The survey highlighted that kids’ meals are often not freshly prepared on-site using fresh ingredients. For instance, restaurants like Bella Italia, Prezzo, and TGI Fridays were found to use pre-made pasta sauces that were simply reheated.
Based on feedback from the secret diners, the charity ranked these popular chains based on health, sustainability, and dining experience. Wahaca emerged as the top performer, offering kids’ meals with two portions of vegetables and a variety of protein options.
While JD Wetherspoon, Harvester, Nando’s, and Frankie & Benny’s made it to the top five of the restaurant league table, concerns were raised about the high sugar content in some desserts and the use of pre-made ingredients in certain dishes.
Franco Manca ranked at the bottom of the list, with KFC and Pizza Hut avoiding the last position. The survey noted that most meals at Franco Manca were unbalanced, and the kids’ menu lacked variety.
Healthy Meals
Becca Watts, a secret diner and mother from Stevenage, expressed her desire for more fresh and healthy options on children’s menus when dining out with her son. She emphasized the importance of knowing the ingredients in her son’s food and raised concerns about the prevalence of ultra-processed foods in children’s diets.
Oona Buttafoco, a senior policy officer at the Soil Association, highlighted the need for restaurants to offer freshly prepared, responsibly sourced, and healthy food options for families. She emphasized that parents deserve better when it comes to dining out with their children.
The survey also found that price was not a barrier to providing better children’s menus, with restaurants like Wahaca and JD Wetherspoon offering affordable and healthier options prepared from fresh ingredients on-site.
Seven out of 20 chains surveyed failed to include vegetables with every child’s meal as a standard offering, with most fruits and vegetables sourced from abroad.
Sugar Intake
Alarmingly, half of the surveyed restaurants were found to serve desserts that exceed a child’s daily sugar allowance. Pizza Hut, in particular, offered dessert options high in sugar and calories, such as chocolate brownies with 43 grams of sugar, nearly double the recommended daily allowance for young children.
According to campaigners at Action on Sugar, sugary foods are pervasive in children’s diets and readily available in various settings, including schools.
Recent government initiatives aimed at tackling excessive sugar consumption include plans to increase the soft drinks levy and review sugar thresholds for certain beverages. However, more guidance is needed to address the issue of ultra-processed foods in children’s menus.
The Soil Association has partnered with several restaurant chains to audit their ingredients and assess the prevalence of ultra-processed foods. Wahaca, JD Wetherspoon, Zizzi, Carluccio’s, Toby Carvery, Harvester, and Leon have committed to this initiative.
For further comments, The Epoch Times reached out to Franco Manca.
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