Only 18 percent of U.S. children are eating three or more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, according to a study commissioned by Produce for Kids (PFK), an organization that promotes the benefits of healthy eating.

The study indicates that 38% of parents say their children eat two servings of fresh fruit and vegetables per day, while 43% state that their children have one or less daily serving.

The most-purchased fruits—and the most popular with kids—are those that lend themselves to easy snacking. Bananas, purchased by 85% of households, rank number one, followed by apples (84%), grapes (75%), strawberries/berries (48%) and citrus fruits (34%).

Potatoes are the top-ranked vegetable, purchased by 86% of households, followed by baby carrots (60%), tomatoes (54%), lettuce/salad (53%) and corn (44%).

The study also revealed that parents may be missing an opportunity to add more greenery to their kids’ meals, as children voted broccoli among their top three favorite vegetables, yet parents did not rank it in their top five most-purchased items.

Consumers make, on average, 27 shopping trips per year to buy fruit, spending $103 per year—or just $2 per week, according to the study. They also make an average of 29 trips per year to purchase vegetables, spending $114.62.

While the survey demonstrates that kids are not eating many fresh fruits and vegetables, there is reason for optimism, as 49% of parents said that their children eat salad on a regular basis. Moreover, kids want their fresh fruits; 70% of respondents who purchase fruit do so because their kids ask for it.

The addition of dips and dressings may increase the appeal of fresh produce to kids. Two-thirds of respondents said their children eat fresh fruits and vegetables with dips, with ranch dressing cited as the favorite accompaniment for vegetables, while caramel dip, peanut butter and cream cheese were most popular with fruits. Underscoring the potential of complementary products, expenditure on dips increased 5.1% year-on-year between 2006 and 2007.

Eighty-five percent of respondents suggested that kids would respond to an interactive in-store game that educates their children about the benefits of a healthy diet, with a coloring or activity book the most popular suggestion (34%), followed by an online game with popular cartoon characters (26%).

Parents also said that in-store demos featuring healthy, kid-friendly recipes, health-oriented kids’ clubs, and sweepstakes drawings would most influence them to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, 55% percent said that they would welcome information in the produce department about fun, kid-friendly recipes that families could make together, while 46% said that they would appreciate tips on how to encourage picky eaters to eat more vegetables.

Half of parents said that cartoon characters on packaging would not affect their purchase decision, and 27% said that they “probably” or “definitely” would not buy produce featuring them. However, the targeted and responsible use of cartoon characters can play a positive role in the promotion of fruits and vegetables. The proportion of parents who said they would buy produce items with cartoon characters on the packaging rose from 21% to 28% if those characters were promoting healthy eating. Of parents with children aged 9 and younger, 30% said that they would buy products featuring characters on the packaging.

The Perishables Group, an independent consulting firm specializing in the fresh food business, conducted the study on behalf of four sponsors: Dole, National Mango Board, Paramount Citrus and T. Marzetti. This comprehensive study combined multiple research tools including Nielsen point-of-sale scan data; Spectra consumer lifestyle analysis; an online survey of 1000 parents, primarily moms and 500 shopper intercepts of mothers and children.