Not mac and cheese again!

It will come as a surprise to no one that kids have a big say in what their parents serve at mealtime.

In a survey by the 2000 Kitchen Report, sponsored by the National Pork Producers Council, 90 percent of families said their children's tastes influence grocery decisions.

*The report finds that kid-power comes into play:

In the store - Children always or often influence grocery-purchase decisions for: breakfast (72 percent), lunch (62 percent), snacks (75 percent), dinner (38 percent), and dessert (47 percent).

*In planning - In 11 percent of households, meal planners say they decide what to serve for dinner based primarily on children's preferences.

*In timing - Whether it's football, basketball, soccer, tennis, or debate club, in 11 percent of households, dinner hour is dictated primarily by kids' activities.

*In the kitchen - Half (52 percent) of respondents said their children sometimes or always help prepare meals.

*On the table - More than 57 percent of meal planners report having a hard time getting kids to try unfamiliar foods.

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society