More than half (54%) of children in Scotland aged 5-15 say they are served more than two different dinner options every night, according to new research.

Carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Scotch Lamb PGI, the results revealed that some households are serving up to four different meals at dinnertime to cater to different tastes.

While some children prefer to stick with foods they know and like such as pizza, macaroni, spaghetti and chicken nuggets, almost three quarters of children aged 5-15 surveyed (74%) are open to trying new foods, which could come as welcome news to time-stretched parents.

Currently, over 1 in 5 (22%) children surveyed (5-15 year olds) are trying new foods more than once a week, but it’s hoped the new research will encourage families to include new, nutrient-dense foods in meals that will have a positive impact on a child’s wellbeing.

The call is being supported by leading children’s cookery author and food expert Annabel Karmel, who has spoken of the importance of packing-in key nutrients such as iron into family mealtimes.

She said: “Cooking one meal can be hard enough when you are juggling work, household chores and after-school activities, but up to four different meals a day is guaranteed to take its toll on even the most resilient of parents.

“But children are more adventurous than we often give them credit for, so there’s a real opportunity to cut down on the cooking and enjoy tasty nutrition-packed meals that the whole family can enjoy – and that also means less clearing up!

“One of the critical nutrients I consider to be the most important from the very start of a baby’s food journey is iron which is most easily absorbed from red meat. And as a general guide, babies and children can eat lean red meat and other protein-rich foods such as chicken and fish at least three times a week.”

Lesley Cameron, director of marketing and communications from Quality Meat Scotland, added: “The results are incredibly positive and show that children have a hunger to try new foods. Often, the barrier can be just not knowing what to cook, however meats such as Scotch Lamb are extremely versatile and can be added to many of the nation’s favourite dishes.

“If everyone in the house is eating the same meal, it’ll save time, money and reduce food waste. However, we do appreciate that this is sometimes easier said than done so substituting items into dishes that are already popular with the family can be an easy way of adding more variety into diets.

“The research showed 60% of young people would like to try lamb, which is great news for mealtimes as it contains a range of essential nutrients that benefit a child’s health and wellbeing.”

More information is available at www.scotchkitchen.co.uk or Scotch Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Specially Selected Pork serves up second knockout campaign

The return of Quality Meat Scotland’s ‘Go Places with Pork’ campaign has boosted the results of its initial debut, continuing to raise awareness of the Specially Selected Pork brand.

Aiming to shake up midweek meals by adding Specially Selected Pork to the menu, the campaign ran for four weeks from August 19, across a combination of TV, print, outdoor and digital advertising, PR activity, social media and influencer engagement.

Following the success of the brand’s first ever TV advert in January, the two lovable grandparents were welcomed back to our screens to share the worldwide adventures they’d enjoyed from the comfort of their own home thanks to an array of Specially Selected Pork dishes.

Results from IGD tracking show that 66% of Scottish adults saw the TV advert at least once, with 46% seeing it at least three times. The advert’s stars made a lasting impression on those who viewed the advert with 46% saying they recalled seeing it.

Out-of-home and digital advertising supported the TV advert, with press partnerships set up in the Daily Record, Sunday Post, Metro Scotland and Daily Mail. This was incorporated with influencer marketing and PR activity, which shared shocking results on Scotland’s takeaway spending habits in a bid to promote ‘fakeaway’ recipes from the campaign.

A sampling campaign was delivered in partnership with Lidl, where customers enjoyed samples of Specially Selected Pork at three stores across Scotland. This, coupled with the broad promotional mix, saw 37% of shoppers who recalled seeing the campaign go on to cook a Specially Selected Pork recipe at home.

For more information on Specially Selected Pork, Scotch Lamb and Scotch Beef brands including recipes, videos and tips, visit www.scotchkitchen.com or follow Scotch Kitchen on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.