Our kids may be having too many snacks and they are not the healthy kind.  This new study just released by University of Carolina, may be fuel for the big debate “should we tax sugary drinks and junk food”.

A recent study shows the following concerning trends:

• kids are moving towards three snack a day
• more than 27% of their daily calories are coming from snacks
• salty snacks and candy have the largest increase
• desserts and sweetened beverages are still the main
• Children increased their caloric intake by 113 calories per day from 1977 to 2006

This is a great time to talk to kids about healthy snacks during National Nutrition Month!  They are probably talking about it at school.  There are some ways to control snacking habits and more importantly, help kids learn to choose healthier snacks.  Here is some tips to help you teach your children when to snack and what to snack on.  Once kids are teenagers and more independent, it gets very difficult (some parents may just say “impossible”) to control their habits.  So it is best to start when they are young.  And remember, you do have control over the snacks in your home.

Read Healthy Snacks for the Kids (this article talks about summer time but the tips are still very applicable to helping kids choose healthy snacks.

American Dietetic Association gives us 25 Healthy Snack Ideas

Help kids change their habits with our cute kid-friendly “Healthy Snacks” agreement

Then make and fun and track their snack habits with this kid-friendly “Healthy Snacks” tracking sheet

Kids Coloring Page – Chef Solus Healthy Snacks

A new study released by Yale shows that marketers are using characters, athletes and toys/games to entice children to purchase their food products.

Here is what the study found:

• Foods that were not very healthy or had a lower nutritional value had more kids’ marketing on their packaging
• 71% of packaging involved licensed characters, with 57% of those aimed at  children younger than 12 years of age
• other kinds of promotions, such as athletes, sporting events, toys and games, increased from 5% of the total in 2006 to 53% in 2008

Are we surprised by this?  We know and marketers know that kids are attracted to visual cues that are fun and colorful.  Using characters and games appeals to kids.  We were kids once, we know this!

This is why we have to fight FUN with FUN!  Nutrition games and characters that represent nutrition is one way to engage children and keep their attention so they enjoy learning.  We don’t mind doing things that are fun and kids are the same.

Join us in spreading the word to other parents and schools that nutrition is fun.  Let’s work together to introduce kids to characters that promote healthy eating and help put more FUN into nutrition.

Free Resources:

Chef Solus and the Explorers Nutrition Stories

Fun Nutrition- Kids’ Food Pyramid Games

I just read an article that talked about the misleading claims on food packaging.  This was a hot topic at the Childhood Obesity Conference last June because marketers are finding ways to make their brand sound really healthy! When in fact, their claims are misleading.  How is the average consumer to know?

According to this article, here are the six meaningless claims found on Food packaging to watch out for:

• Lightly sweetened:  This may be found on cereal packages.  It sounds like there is very little sugar, right?  What does that really mean?  There is no regulation on what can be termed “less sugar”, compared to what?  When shopping for a cereal for your child, look for cereals that have the five-five rule.  Five grams or less of sugar and Five grams or more of fiber in a serving.  Now this may be harder to find, but at least you have a guide.
• A good source of fiber: But are these foods providing fiber that naturally comes from whole grains, legumes, vegetables or fruit?  Some food manufacturers are adding what is called “isolated fibers” which have not been shown to have the same health benefits.
• Strengthens your immune system:  Read carefully.  Immune systems need a variety and balance of vitamins and minerals that work together to build a good immune system.  This comes from natural fruits and vegetables and a balanced diet from foods from all five food groups.
• Made with real fruit: What you want to look for is 100% real fruit juice.  And even then, fruit juice has a lot of sugar, so children should be limited to one 6oz glass of 100% juice per day.
• Made with whole grains:  Again, you want 100% whole grains.   Otherwise, it may have some whole grains but it can also have lots of refined or processed grains.  Check the label.  It should be the first item in the ingredients list.
• All natural: All I can advise is to read the label.  It could be full of high fructose corn syrup.  We know what real “natural” foods are.  They usually don’t come in a package.

For more help, here is a fun way to learn how to read food labels

Free printable “health food claims”  guidelines

Food Claims article

Quick Food Label printable – take the grocery store for quick reference

Healthy shopping list

Other blogs on food labels:

Food labeling systems

Smart Choices food labeling system

The Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Act of 2009 was introduced to Capitol Hill on December 16th.  This bill essentially would require all elementary schools to offer a salad bar as part of their lunch program.

Research has shown that having a variety of fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria significantly increases the amount of fruits and vegetables kids eat.

We also have learned that kids will be more apt to try new items when a variety of fruits and vegetables are offered.

This makes sense.  Kids, just like us, need variety and have personal likes and dislikes.  A salad bar would give them a nice array of choices to meet most kids preferences.  Getting kids to eat more fruits and vegetables is so important for a balanced and healthy diet.  Unfortunately, most kids don’t get the required amount of these foods which means their body is not getting the nutrition it needs to be healthy, fight diseases and build a strong immune system.

We know that schools across America are trying to find ways to offer better, healthier foods but are strapped by their current budget.  We need to step up and support them.  Kids are the future of our country.

The Child Reauthorization is happening in early 2010 and important decisions about funding, food quality and requirements will be decided.  You can make a difference by contacting your local congressperson.

Tell congress you want healthy school lunches for kids

More resources and information about this campaign.

Other resources for creating a healthy lunch for your child

Get the kids involved in easy and fun “back to school healthy lunch food” ideas

Put a smile on your child’s face at lunchtime with fun printable healthy lunch cards

Tips on handling the picky eater’s school lunch- healthy school lunch foods for kids

Simple solution to get kids eating their school lunch.

Back to school – help kids make healthy food choices in the school cafeteria

Are we surprised by the latest report indicating that the food and beverage industry has failed to live up their commitment to change their marketing practices to children? I have to say, I am not.

The US Council of Better Business Bureaus initiated a voluntary, self regulatory program three years ago. The goal of the initiative was to really improve the nutrition of foods and drinks that were advertised to children. This was initiated after numerous studies showed how much money and how many marketing ads were being shown to young children that promoted unhealthy, high sugar and/or high fat foods. Combine that heavy messaging with the time kids spent on TV and it’s no wonder that kids know popular fast foods and junk foods before they can even talk!

The initiative called “Better-for-You” was implemented to try to fight childhood obesity. We know that childhood obesity will not be solved by one initiative but changing the junk food and fast food marketing tactics to kids is certainly one important step. Kids are influenced by their clever marketing and they put a lot of money behind it to make it fun and engaging to children!

The fact that the participation was voluntary and they were agreeing to “watch” themselves says a lot about how strongly we were willing to take a stand against unhealthy food advertisements to kids. This may surprise you, but many other countries already have strict regulations in place that ban unhealthy food advertising to kids – it’s the law!

Here is what the report found:

• nearly three out of four (72.5%) of the foods advertised on television to children are for products in the poorest nutritional category
• Commercials for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables accounted for only 1% of all food advertising to children
• Nearly half of all food ads that used popular children’s characters (49%) promoted foods of the poorest nutritional quality

The honor system doesn’t seem to work well for corporations when it conflicts with their pocketbook. We have to really question the viability of this current initiative and if self regulation is really the answer to addressing this part of the problem.

One thing we can do at home is make nutrition and healthy foods fun. Let kids learn about nutrition in a way that is engaging and meaningful to them. We have to fight the junk food FUN with our NUTRITION FUN! We can’t wait for congress to pass a law, our kids are growing now and learning their eating habits and food associations now.

We, here at Nourish Interactive, will continue to find new creative ways to help you bring nutrition into your home in a fun way. We have games, colorful nutrition tools and free print material that are all designed to help parents and teachers make nutrition fun. We have to be our own marketing campaign “Eating healthy is fun.”

Resources for teaching kids about healthy nutrition from our website:

Fun nutrition story page – nutrition stories for kids

Kids’ healthy nutrition games – fun educational games teaching kids about healthy habits and the food pyramid

Fun nutrition tools – interactive learning tools for children

Parents nutrition tools and tips – healthy tips calendar, meal planners, bmi calculator, recipes and more!

Nutrition tools for teachers – free nutrition games for classrooms, food pyramid printables, worksheets, and nutrition lesson plans.

It is surprising to read that 24.4% of children ages 2 – 5 years old are either overweight or obese.  That means that 1 out of every 4 preschooler is overweight/obese.   I know that I am always talking about the family setting and what can be done to help kids be more active and eat healthier.  But when I read that near.y 74% of children 3-6 are in some form of childcare setting away from home, that got me thinking.

These childcare settings also have a great influence on the eating and activity habits of these children.  Just think how many children are eating one or two of their main meals away from home.  I found that each state has regulations that help child care facilities and preschools promote kids’ health and prevent childhood obesity.

The Robert Woods Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating childhood obesity, has just released a report about how well each these child care facilities are doing at meeting these regulations.  Read the whole report:  Preventing Obesity In The Child Care Setting, Evaluating State Regulations.

According the report, here are the grades that each state received based on how well they met state regulations on healthy eating and physical activity.

Read the report about your particular state.

Alex Jamieson was the nutritional consultant on the movie Super Size Me. She will be participating in a free webinar today! I am very excited to hear her talk about the book she wrote, The Great American Detox Diet: Feel Better, Look Better, and Lose Weight. Learn how to detox your body of excess fats and artificial, low quality junk foods and about her career as a nutritional consultant.

How often do you have the convenience of participating in a seminar, ask questions and get tips right from a convenient place?

And it is free.

If you haven’t signed up, there is still time. The seminar does not start until 3pm, today. Check out this interactive webinar from 3:00 to 3:30! November 18, 2009.

Click here to log in and sign up.

For more information, go to Integrative Nutrition School.

It’s food safety month. With all the holiday food preparations for large groups it is easy to forget some good food safety habits. We are defrosting foods, preparing some foods early, other foods are sitting out for periods of time. To help you keep your foods germ free, here is a list of some key reminders:

• Take the time during meal prep to wash your hands and wrists with soap and water for 20 seconds. This is a good practice for your kids during meal prep.
• In the refrigerator, store turkey and other raw foods that will be cooked on the bottom shelves and ready-to-eat foods on the top shelves.
• Put turkey or roasts in a rimmed pan to catch any leaking juices.
• Designate separate cutting boards for raw meats or clean and sanitize cutting boards between uses for different foods.
• Clean and sanitize knives between uses on different foods and place only sanitized knives back in their racks.
• Sanitize any utensil, equipment or food contact surface after it has been in contact with raw foods, especially meat or eggs.
• Never move boxes or containers that may have been stored on the floor onto countertops.
• Purchase your perishable foods no more than 5 days before your holiday feast.
• Place leftover foods in air-tight containers in the fridge within 2 hours after removing from the stove or oven (bacteria start to multiply rapidly after 2 hours).
• Similarly, heat up leftovers to their proper temperature.
• Eat leftovers within 3-4 days.
• Freeze or throw away any leftovers that are still in your fridge after 4 days.

More Food Safety Resources Available on our Nutrition Education Website:

Printable Tip Sheet – Preventing food poisoning on Thanksgiving

Preparing your turkey safely – Guidelines for buying, storing, and thawing your turkey for the holidays

Food safety during holiday season

Family holiday safety tips for a happy, healthy ans safe holiday

Other Helpful Holiday Safety Tips:

http://holidayfoodsafety.org/

It is the kick off to holiday season and you are probably beginning to think about the turkey.

Turkey is a very good source of protein, selenium, niacin, vitamin B6 and the amino acid tryptophan. It’s a good source of zinc and vitamin B12. The skinless white meat is an excellent high-protein, low-fat food.

Here are some helpful tips on buying and thawing your holiday turkey.

Is your fridge ready? Turkeys are big! Before buying your turkey, check out the fridge and make sure you have room for it.

Should you buy fresh or frozen turkeys? There is really no difference. Some may say that a fresh turkey tastes better. You also have the convenience of not having to defrost it. Buying frozen turkeys allow you to buy early and take advantage of sales.

What size turkey do I need to buy? Purchase at least one pound of uncooked turkey per person. You’ll have enough for the feast and for leftovers too.

When should you defrost your turkey? A whole turkey takes about 24 hours per four to five pounds to thaw in the refrigerator. (For example: A 15-pound frozen bird will take 3 to 4 full days to thaw in the refrigerator.) Ideally, purchase your frozen turkey as far in advance as necessary to safely thaw it in the refrigerator. If buying a fresh turkey, purchase it only 1 to 2 days before the meal and keep it refrigerated.
Food Safety Guidelines:

• Always wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before and after handling the turkey.

• I know my mom would argue with me, but you should never defrost turkey on the counter!

Turkey can be thawed in the refrigerator or in cold water. The refrigerator method is the safest and will result in the best finished product. Leave the bird in the original packaging and place in a shallow pan and allow refrigerator thawing time at a rate of 4 to 5 pounds per 24 hours. To thaw in cold water, keep turkey in the original packaging, place in a clean and sanitized sink or pan and submerge in cold water. Change the cold water every 30 minutes. The turkey will take about 30 minutes per pound to thaw. Cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed. Do not refreeze.

Once thawed, remove neck and giblets from the body cavities and keep bird and parts (if using) refrigerated at 40 °F or below until it is ready to be cooked.

New healthy Thanksgiving resources and printable tip sheets from our family nutrition website:

Cook your Thanksgiving Turkey germ-free!
Healthy Holiday Food Substitution Guide
Healthy Thanksgiving Themed Place Cards

Sad to say that the obesity conference reported last week that young kids are being aggressively marketed to by the highest sugar cereals. The study was done by the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

Here are some of the reports highlights:

• The average preschool child sees 642 cereal ads per year on television, and almost all of these are for cereals with the worst nutrition rankings.

• On the Internet, cereal companies make heavy use of marketing by sponsoring cereal websites and “advergames”.

• For example, millsberry.com, the website sponsored by General Mills, averages over three quarters of a million unique young visitors a month, who on average stay on the site for 24 minutes per visit.

• The most frequent in-store advertiser was Kellogg, averaging 33.3 promotions per store and 9.5 special displays of its child and family brands over the 4-week period covered by the study.

• General Mills markets to children more than any other cereal company and makes 6 of the 10 least healthy cereals advertised to children, including Reese’s Puffs, which is 41 per cent sugar and attracted the worst nutrition score.

• Cereals marketed directly to children have 85 per cent more sugar, 65 per cent less fiber, and 60 per cent more sodium than cereals marketed to adults for adult consumption.

• 42 per cent of cereals targeted at children contain artificial food dyes compared with 26 per cent of family cereals and 5 per cent of adult cereals.

• Only 8 per cent of the cereals targeted directly to children are inside the sugar limits that would allow them to qualify for inclusion in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

• Not one of the cereals targeted directly to children in the US meets the nutrition standard required to advertise to children in the United Kingdom.

• All cereals marketed directly to children meet the industry’s own nutrition standard for “better-for-you” foods. These include: Cocoa Puffs (44 per cent sugar), Cap’n Crunch (44 per cent sugar), Froot Loops (41 per cent sugar), Lucky Charms (41 per cent sugar) and Cinnamon Toast Crunch (32 per cent sugar).

I know as a parent, cereal is the easy and quick way to get kids to eat breakfast. And yes, breakfast is so important. But there are healthier cereals out there, but will your child eat it?

According to this study, YES. “Research shows that children will eat the healthier cereals.”

So how do you find them? Yes, you may have guessed, read the labels and compare. It is a balance between taste and nutrition.

Here are some key things to look at when trying to find a healthy cereal for your child.

• Look for cereals that are lower in sugar. (8 or less grams of sugar)
• Look for cereals that say “no artificial dyes or artificial sugar”
• Look for cereals that have more fiber, 4 gms or more per serving
• Look for cereals that are lower in sodium