New product aimed at encouraging 'greens' consumption Millions of parents face a daily battle with their children to get them to ‘eat their greens’. Encouragement, bribery and threats turn many mealtimes into a warzone. However, Marks & Spencer is to offer a new variety of the vegetable super-food that could find youngsters are happy to ‘eat their whites’.
The new broccoli is milder tasting, with hints of sweetness, and could well encourage youngsters to try a food that has not first been covered in batter and deep fried.
The White Gold Sprouting Broccoli is a long-standing heritage variety, however it has not previously been available on the high street.
M&S said: ‘It is sweeter and more succulent than the more common green or purple versions. The creamy white spears have a mild flavour that will even encourage children who don’t like their ‘greens’ to eat vegetables.
‘Despite not having such a strong colour, it is just as packed with vitamin C as its green and purple counterparts and is a good source of caretenoids, iron, folic acid, calcium, fibre and vitamin A.
The chain’s produce experts, Simon Coupe, said: ‘We’re always working with our suppliers to find new fruit and vegetables and bring back forgotten old favourites.
‘Even kids who don’t like to ‘eat their greens’ will love it.’
The variety is produced in Boston, Lincolnshire by specialist sprouting broccoli grower Richard Pettitt of Franklyn’s Farm, where the soil is high in nutrients. The family has been growing vegetables there for four generations.
The word broccoli comes from the Italian word brocco meaning branch or arm.
Sprouting broccoli is the original form of broccoli and was first cultivated by the Romans; however, it has only been widely grown in the UK for the last 30 years.
White Gold Sprouting Broccoli is available from M&S stores nationwide from next week priced at £1.99 for 200g.