Spanish Oddities
Spanish schoolkids say no to spinach and tomatoes
By m.p.
Jan 10, 2008 - 5:44 PM

Perhaps not the most surprising of facts to have come out of a new study drawn up by the Mediterranean Diet Foundation is that just under a third of 8-11 year olds in Spanish schools have never tried spinach, a total of 32%. But what is rather unexpected, is that almost a quarter of them – 23% - have never eaten a tomato. And 15% have not even tried an orange.

The survey questioned 25,000 pupils across the country who have attended the basic cookery classes which the Foundation has been running in schools. The aim is to teach them about the Mediterranean diet and show them, for example, how to make a salad, so the children will hopefully learn to accept a more varied diet. The Foundation’s director, Joan Castells, told El País that 60% of the parents at the schools concerned have admitted that they don’t feed their children as they should.
He also said school meals, while balanced nutritionally, could be more varied. ‘It’s easier to give the children a banana to eat, than having to peel an orange,’ he said.

The Foundation believes cookery classes should become a regular part of the syllabus in Spanish schools.