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A range of flavoured vegetables has been produced by a food retailer with a view to helping children increase their vegetable consumption. The flavouring ingredients used in these vegetable products (chocolate flavoured carrots, cheese and onion flavoured cauliflower, baked bean flavoured peas and pizza flavoured sweetcorn) inherently alter the overall nutrient profile. Products contain considerably more non‐milk extrinsic sugars and salt than their plain counterparts as well as added flavours and artificial sweetener. The flavoured vegetables and their plain counterparts were scored for appearance, flavour, texture, and odour by 33 pupils aged 12‐13 years. Chocolate flavoured carrots, baked bean flavoured peas and pizza flavoured sweetcorn scored significantly lower on appearance (and flavour for pizza flavoured sweetcorn) than their plain counterparts. A preference for the odour of the cheese and onion flavoured cauliflower compared to the plain cauliflower was seen but there were no significant differences in any other attribute. Thus for this age group we may conclude that this range of flavoured vegetables is unlikely to be any more acceptable than plain boiled vegetables.

One of the many barriers to a healthier diet in low‐income communities is a presumed lack of practical food skills. This article reports findings from exploratory qualitative research conducted with potential participants in a cooking skills intervention, in low income communities in Scotland. The research found widely varying levels of skill and confidence regarding cooking, supported the need for a community‐based intervention approach, and demonstrated the importance of consumer research to inform the content of interventions. Challenges the view that low income communities lack skills, suggesting that food skills should be defined more broadly than “cooking from scratch”. Other barriers to healthy eating, such as poverty, food access and taste preferences, remain important.