Think your kids are fussy eaters? It may be time to test that theory. A study by food scientists at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark found some surprising results: most young people don’t consider themselves fussy eaters and say they love fish.

The researchers studied 8,900 Danish schoolchildren as part of a science festival at primary and secondary schools. It found that children and young people have a good sense of taste, and that there are bigger variations among them than most people would expect.

For instance, a marked difference was found between girls and boys, with girls generally better at recognizing tastes. Also, the ability of children to recognize specific tastes changes with age. One-third of the children preferred non-sugary soft drinks and, according to the researchers, healthy snacks could easily be developed for boys with slightly sour flavours.

When the children were asked about their likes and dislikes, 70 per cent of the pupils said they like fish and 59 per cent of both girls and boys said they don’t consider themselves fussy eaters.

While this study focused on taste, follow-up research will look at smell and appearance to provide a broader perspective on what children like to eat.

Do your kids have a sweet tooth? Are they fussy eaters?

Here are a couple of easy fish recipes to try out on them: Roast Salmon Strips with Potato Salad and Puget Sound Fish Chowder.

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