Parents are confused when it comes to their kids' five-a-day - but did you know Spaghetti Hoops DO count?

Research by children's fruit snack company Fruit Bowl, found that 90 per cent of children under the age of 10 in the UK aren't getting their five-a-day and it appears confusion as to what does and doesn't count is only adding to the problem.

A third of mums and dads believe a fruit yogurt counts, and one in five think a strawberry milkshake is on the list, according to the research.

Fewer than half know that foods such as tinned veg, frozen fruit, sweet potatoes and turnips count, and almost all were fooled by things such as spaghetti hoops, guacamole and chickpeas, which are ALL actually part of your five-a-day.

The majority (86%) of parents agree that it is important their child’s snacks are one of their five-a-day but it seems four in 10 parents think their child gets only two to three portions on any given day.

With children consuming up to 15 snacks each week, parents estimate that only around half of these are healthy snacks, such as fruit based and raw veg, while the rest are sweets, crisps and chocolate.

The top excuses for children not eating their fruit and veg include not liking the taste (54%), the texture (25%) or the smell (21%).

Nutritional Therapist, Filomena Komodromou said: "Fruit and vegetables contain a variety of key nutrients vital for the growth and development of children.

"For example, Vitamin C, found in strawberries, broccoli, peppers and kiwis, boost our immune system. They also contain fibre which is important for improving gut health.”

In a bid to get fruit and veg into their children’s diet, almost a quarter of parents say they hide them in other dishes, such as putting finely-chopped carrots in spaghetti bolognese.

And 15 per cent tell their kids that eating five-a-day will give them superpowers like Superman.

FIVE unexpected foods that DO count towards our five-a-day:

Baked Beans

Guacamole

Onions

Hummus

Spaghetti Hoops

FIVE foods that DON’T count towards our five-a-day:

Onion rings

Ketchup

Potatoes

Vegetable Crisps

Pickled Gherkins

Susanne Fraser, Marketing Manager of Fruit Bowl,said: “Here at Fruit Bowl we are a team of parents and know firsthand how difficult it can be to make sure our children get their five-a-day, every day, and we know it’s a struggle that lots of other parents have.

"By conducting this survey, we aim to highlight this and also show busy parents that there are easy solutions, tips and tricks they can use to give their children five-a-day.”