Healthy Eating Means More Meat
18/05/05

FRESH red meats are among the fastest growing foods in popularity as parents and schools get the healthy eating message.

Figures produced for the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) and British Pig Executive (BPEX) show a jump in the amount of fresh red meat eaten on “child only” occasions at home with pork up 102 per cent, lamb and mutton up 101.1 per cent and beef up 69.7 per cent in the same period.

And in schools bacon sandwiches (up 129.7 per cent), beef sausages (up 67 per cent) and spaghetti Bolognese (up 35.2 per cent) were all in the top five fastest growing foods between 2003 and 2004.

Attitudes of women in households with children showed an increase from 51.2 per cent to 58 per cent in those saying they look out for healthy meals and a drop from 51.3 per cent to 44 per cent in the numbers saying they buy what their children want.

Marketing Director Richard Lowe, said: “It is very encouraging to see that the healthy eating message is getting through and that message includes red meat as part of a balanced diet.”

* Figures compiled by TNS from Family Food Panel statistics.