The Private Sector

Study of Cooking Habits among Primary School Pupils for the Arla Foundation

Uncover how Danish children and young people cook, eat, and engage with food today.

Background

Since 2020, the Arla Foundation has conducted the study Children, Young People and Food with the aim of documenting the development of children’s eating habits and food-related skills. The surveys have shed light on children and young people’s food knowledge and competencies.
In December 2024 and January 2025, Silverlining Research carried out a new round of data collection for the Arla Foundation, focusing on young people’s cooking habits. As part of this work, Silverlining Research supported the Foundation in conducting a large-scale questionnaire survey, mapping the current cooking skills and eating habits of 1,275 children and young people. A report based on the findings will be published in May 2025.

Method

Based on the Arla Foundation’s existing questionnaire framework, Silverlining Research developed a quantitative survey. The questionnaire explored children’s involvement in cooking at home, their eating habits and meal patterns, the social aspects of cooking, and their curiosity about food. The survey collected responses from school pupils aged 10 to 15 from across the country. In addition, Silverlining Research conducted four expert interviews focusing on children’s eating habits and providing further insight into the survey findings.

Results

The study aimed to provide an up-to-date picture of Danish school pupils’ eating habits and skills in 2025, while also enabling a comparison of the development of children and young people’s cooking habits over time.