Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Technologia Alimentaria

Abstract The popularity of seven groups of processed foodstuffs (soups, dinners, pulverized fruits and vegetables, desserts, dairy desserts, juices, teas) for infants and small children aged 4 months up to 3 years, available on the market and comprising a total of 154 products, was investigated in this study. A survey was carried out in the group of 100 individuals. They were mothers and fathers bringing their children to crèche as well as buying analysed products. Among 24 soups vegetable soup with rabbit meat, vegetable soup and vegetable soup with chicken turned out to be most popular, as they were bought by 26%, 25% and 24% parents, respectively. In the group of second courses the most popular included vegetable with rabbit meat (19%), vegetables with lamb and groats (17%) and lamb in vegetable stew (16%). The most popular pulverized fruits and vegetables included apple (32%), apple with blueberries (27%), carrot and apple (26%) and carrot, apple and forest berries (23%). In the group of fruit and cereal desserts mango with banana and passion fruit juice turned out to be the most popular (22%), while among dairy desserts it was vanilla dessert (23%). Out of 30 kinds of juices, parents purchased most frequently carrot and apple juice (52%) and apple juice (37%), while in the group of teas it was fennel tea as well as camomile tea and herbal tea for colds. A total of 33% and 29% parents, respectively, bought the above mentioned teas. Most respondents were of the opinion that the taste of these products was slightly inferior to those prepared at home and the price was too high, but they bought them for their convenience.