Help For Picky Eaters May Be As Close As Your Pantry

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Moms and dads, listen up: if your kids are "veggie-averse" and you're tired of throwing untouched food away, the solution may be in your pantry…or Cantry^®. A trio of recent studies targeting moms and children found that canned foods play an important role in helping parents get fruits and vegetables on the table – and into their kids' bellies. And as February is National Canned Food Month, it is the perfect time for families to remember the role of canned foods in helping make healthy, homemade meals a reality, more often.

Each of the three areas of research found significant benefits canned fruits and vegetables deliver to finicky kids and the moms who struggle to keep their family's diets balanced:

1. The first arm of research, a survey of moms with kids ages two to 12, found that nearly two-thirds (62 percent) rated their children as picky eaters, and nearly the same number (57 percent) admit their kids are likely not eating enough fruits and vegetables.¹ These results are in line with the latest dietary intake data, which reports that six in 10 children do not eat enough fruit and nine out of 10 children aren't getting enough vegetables – and intake drops as children get older.²
2. In the second study, moms who were supplied with a variety of canned foods and recipes reported that their children's' daily intake of both fruit and vegetables increased by about half. Most importantly, only 17 percent of the moms still found it difficult to get their children to eat vegetables, compared to 67 percent prior to the study.³
3. The third piece of research was a canned food taste test (124 children ages six to 12 years old). While the children enjoyed all six of the canned foods tested, the canned fruits in particular (pineapple, mandarin oranges and peaches), as well as canned corn among the vegetables, were the most well-liked.⁴

"What some call picky eating is really food neophobia – fear of trying new things," said Rebecca Scritchfield, a Washington, D.C.-area registered dietitian and mom of two young children. "A raw carrot is perceived as a completely different food than a cooked carrot. The key is to keep trying, and not to forget about different versions of the same foods. Kids may enjoy the texture and taste of a canned vegetable or fruit as much as or more than other forms."

These studies were commissioned by the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) and its Cans Get You Cooking^® campaign. Also in February and running through the end of April, Food Network and Cooking Channel will feature Cans Get You Cooking-integrated broadcast and digital content, featuring Cooking Channel star and cookbook author Kelsey Nixon, including a Cantry Cook-Off consumer recipe contest.

"Like home canning, the canning process seals in food's nutrition, freshness and flavor," said Sherrie Rosenblatt, CMI's vice president, marketing and communications. "And a well-stocked pantry – or Cantry – and a little inspiration are all you need to create easy homemade meals you can feel good about serving to your family."

Tips and ideas for incorporating canned foods into home-cooked meals are at http://bit.ly/1Cenu71. To learn more about Cans Get You Cooking, visit CansGetYouCooking.com or follow the program on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or YouTube. Retailers and canned food brands can learn more about participating in Cans Get You Cooking at Partners.CanCentral.com. The Cans Get You Cooking program is funded by CMI members, Silgan Containers, Crown Holdings, Inc. and Ball Corporation.

About Can Manufacturers Institute
CMI is the national trade association of the metal can manufacturing industry and its suppliers in the United States. The can industry accounts for the annual domestic production of approximately 124 billion food, beverage and other metal cans; which employs more than 28,000 people with plants in 33 states, Puerto Rico and American Samoa; and generates about $17.8 billion in direct economic activity. Our members are committed to providing safe, nutritious and refreshing canned food and beverages to consumers.

About Silgan Containers 
Silgan Containers is a subsidiary of Silgan Holdings and the largest manufacturer of metal food containers in North America. Silgan's partnership approach, supported by quality, service, technology, low-cost producer position, strategically located geographic locations and extensive consumer research, is the cornerstone of its strong customer relationships. Silgan Containers manufactures and sells steel and aluminum containers and ends that are used primarily by processors and packagers for food products, such as soup, vegetables, fruit, meat, tomato based products, coffee, seafood, adult nutritional drinks, pet food and other miscellaneous food products. For more information, visit www.silgancontainers.com.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.
Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

About Ball Corporation 
Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit www.ball.com.

References:

1. The Role of Canned Produce in Increasing Children and Families' Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables – Mom's "Fruit and Vegetable Challenges" Survey, Can Manufacturers Institute, December 2014.
2. NHANES 2003-2010: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/fruit-vegetables/.
3. The Role of Canned Produce in Increasing Children and Families' Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables – In-Home Pressure Test, Can Manufacturers Institute, December 2014.
4. The Role of Canned Produce in Increasing Children and Families' Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables – Canned Fruit and Vegetable Children's Sensory Test, Can Manufacturers Institute, December 2014.

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SOURCE Can Manufacturers Institute

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