Jamie Oliver has blamed parents for their children’s poor eating habits.
The celebrity chef is disgusted a new study, conducted by The Huffington Post UK’s Thriving Families initiative, has found 32 per cent of parents don’t have time to cook their kids healthy hearty meals.
He said: "The results are really interesting, but also slightly worrying; they mean that we still have a very long way to go when it comes to inspiring parents to cook better meals for their kids."
However, the 41-year-old culinary legend – who got junk food banned from school vending machines – is even more appalled by the fact that 79 per cent of parents dish up grub that has come from a packet.
He explained: "More concerning still, is the statistic suggesting that only 21 per cent of parents are cooking from scratch every day, which means that the majority of kids are still eating processed food.
"When you read figures like this, it’s hardly a surprise to learn that around one in five children is overweight or obese before they even start primary school. I believe it’s a parent or guardian’s duty to help teach their kids about food."
Jamie – who has children Poppy, 14, Daisy, 13, Petal, seven, Buddy, five, and another on the way with his wife Jules – is now on a mission to use his new scheme Thriving Families to provide support to time-poor parents.
Poorna Bell, Executive Editor and Global Lifestyle Head of The Huffington Post UK said: "Every parent is trying to do the best for their family, and sometimes finding the time to cook as well as the million other things on the to-do list can be a challenge.
"But teaching kids how to cook and be interested in food helps them to make better choices when they get older, and it’s a brilliant way of integrating healthy eating into the family kitchen.
"At The Huffington Post UK, we believe in a What’s Working philosophy. This is why we’re delighted to launch our Thriving Families initiative with Jamie Oliver today. We believe all families should feel empowered and inspired to cook healthily."
Jamie Oliver blames parents for obese kids
