VEGETABLES have been portrayed in mainstream media as an ick among the youth. Children have become picky eaters, poking at the green peas and brushing away the broccoli on their plates.

Alarmingly, one out of four people born in the years 1997-2012 do not eat fruit and vegetables, or only ever do so rarely, as per Fresh Point Magazine. And just like in the TV shows or movies, Generation Z sees veggies as a thumbs-down because of their taste.

As we mark the 50th National Nutrition Month, we ask: are Filipinos Gen Zs filling up their plates with 50% of veggies?

Gen Z meals

Fried hotdog, tocino, or bacon with rice — that’s the typical meal for 25-year-old Paula Trinidad of Meycauayan, Bulacan. Trinidad has a strong dislike of vegetables so she often cooks processed and frozen foods when her parents cook a viand with greens.

While Trinidad is aware of the health benefits of vegetables, she still prefers her favorite food: spaghetti cookies, and cream ice cream.

In contrast, college student Jaimie Custodio is accustomed to meals with veggies.

“Usually any variation ng ginisang gulay at home, or traditional ulam like kare-kare or sinigang with a variety of vegetables na sahog,” she said.

Growing up in a household serving balanced meals, she became mindful of consuming meat and oily foods. The 20-year-old also knows the advantages of eating greens as it was taught at home and school.

Food and family

Just like character and life values, food habits and choices stem from family influence.

“Feel ko if hindi mahilig sa vegetables yung parents nila [children], sila mismo hindi rin, kasi parang kulang sa foundation from childhood.”

A child usually follows what their parents would do. However, parents have the responsibility to teach their children the importance of incorporating vegetables into their daily diet.

For Custodio, it’s not just her immediate family but also her health-conscious Ilocano relatives who influenced her nutritious eating habits.

Food trends

No doubt, social media is an influencing powerhouse that dictates trends or even food that is bussin’.

However, according to Food & Beverage Insider, Gen Zs lead food trends, with 55% of them using social media to discover new foods. This is news that seems to positively impact the youth’s food choices, according to Custodio.

“Pero ang maganda sa youth today kasi, once they see the benefits of something online, isinasabuhay nila, so as long as ma-convince sila to eat vegetables, I think it’s never too late naman.”

Healthy food options like kangkong chips, cauliflower rice, and mushroom chicharon are some that trended online. Not only are they tasty snacks, but they’re also nutritious alternatives to conventional oily and fatty foods.

Just this year, a chocolate craze took the Gen Z-dominant TikTok by storm, noting that there’s an equal potential for international food trends on the web.

Making veggies lit

Compared to other generations, Gen Zs are the most adventurous in food choices.

As for Custodio’s favorite food, it boils down to variety.

“Marami [akong favorite food]. Pero yung food na pwede ko kainin many times without guilt siguro is vegetable okoy and bibimbap among others, kasi may thrill yung mixture ng flavors and textures.”

With innovation, any vegetable-dense dish can turn into a fun and delicious treat for the taste buds.

However, for this generation, traditional food wins over their preferences. It’s a no-brainer as to why pizza is their favorite.

Apart from getting the usual, vegetables can also be good grub. Whether it’s a TikTok food trend, a home-cooked dish, a weight loss meal plan, or a daily habit, veggies have the potential to be a hit among Gen Zs traditionally and innovatively.

With reports from Regine Dayao