UK: Tesco reinvents the pea to make it easier to eat

In an innovative bid to prevent the waste of millions of leftover peas and encourage children to eat more greens, supermarket giant Tesco has commissioned its food scientists to develop a firmer, rounder and altogether larger variety of the perennial dinner plate staple. The petit pois is, apparently, too difficult to eat and today's children, whose culinary training often amounts only to the eating of convenience finger food, cannot be bothered to chase the elusive peas around the plate. A recent survey claimed to reveal that one fifth of all kids refused to eat any greens at all.

November 21, 2000

The petit pois is, apparently, too difficult to eat and today’s children, whose culinary training often amounts only to the eating of convenience finger food, cannot be bothered to chase the elusive peas around the plate. A recent survey claimed to reveal that one fifth of all kids refused to eat any greens at all.

Richard Stride, frozen pea manager at Tesco, revealed that peas are now eaten almost exclusively by adults and he commented, “fast food culture doesn’t help because it encourages youngsters to eat using only their hands. Children now want burgers, chips and pizza, or food they can eat using just a fork.”