EVERYTHING
FOR YOUR FAMILY
KID
QUIPS
During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE
Health: In Shape
|
||||
|
Convenient, nutritious options abound There is a tremendous focus today on the dangers of childhood obesity and rightfully so – the health ramifications that befall these children and their futures can be extremely serious. However, today’s children also have advantages past generations did not: access to information and options for balanced nutrition that can help ingrain healthy habits for life. This is important as children head back to school this month and daily life loses its slower-paced summer sheen. What to do? Fast-food restaurants are expanding their menus in order to provide lighter, more nutritious options. And school districts have teams of nutritionists to structure and implement their meal programs, which involve adhering to strict government regulations while generating enough profit to survive. Also, parents have multiple ways to prepare, pack and preserve meals for better-tasting, less monotonous sack lunches. Most fast-food chains provide nutrition information on their websites and offer alternatives to soda and French fries in their kids’ meals. McDonald’s and Wendy’s, in particular, are taking this a step further by broadening their combination options, labeling individual packages and providing a variety of healthy options for children and adults. For example, McDonald’s recently launched a global campaign to list all nutrition information on their packaging. Each item will have an easy-to-read color-coded chart depicting fat, calorie, carbohydrate and sodium content at a glance. Other quick-service chains, such as Subway, already have a full menu of built-in nutritious, low-calorie main meals, which takes the guesswork out of what to order. Paying attention By the end of 2006, McDonald’s plans to have its nutrition information on food packages in more than 20,000 restaurants globally. “We are putting the information literally in the customers’ hands,” said Jim Skinner, chief executive officer for McDonald’s. “We’re very confident that the more information people have, the more they will like what they see.” McDonald’s decision to expand its healthful options provides a boon to supporting industries as well. According to their Global Fact Sheet, “McDonald’s U.S. is expected to serve 55 million pounds of apples each year, making it the leading purchaser of apples in the food service industry.” However, are people buying them? McDonalds.com contends that they are. “Since the introduction of premium salads, the McDonald’s U.S. has served more than 300 million salads, providing more than 600 million servings of vegetables.” Wendy’s website is geared to provide information on all nutrition issues, including twin “Make Smart Choices” and “Eating Better Together” campaigns. Also provided are diabetic exchange and allergen information for every menu item. In addition, five meal suggestions have 510 calories/10 grams of fat or less. “Our new ‘Build a Meal’ component gives the customer a choice of seven different sides with any combination,” says Bob Burtini, spokesman for Wendy’s. “These include options such as a baked potato, cup of chili, green salad, yogurt with granola, a bag of baked Lays potato chips or fries. Kids’ meals have a choice of three different sides, including yogurt and mandarin orange slices.” Wendy’s has taken a proactive approach to eliminating dangerous trans-fats in their fried items. “By August ’06, Wendy’s will switch to a non-hydrogenated cooking oil, which will result in a 95% reduction in trans-fats in fries and the breaded chicken items, said Burtini. This voluntary step, unprecedented in the fast-food industry, has been in development for more than two years. While at school When eating at school, children are the active decision-makers. District nutritionists strive to provide a variety of menu items, but it is ultimately up to the student to make proper choices. Judy Pollock, nutrition services director for Orange Unified School District (OUSD), said, “We work to offer more fruits and vegetables and healthier breakfast items, while we phase out sodas and other foods that don’t meet fat and sugar compliance requirements.” A common misconception with school nutrition programs is that they are a delicate balance of availability and funding. “Few people realize that school meals have to sustain themselves financially. Ultimately, they are funded by what sells; it’s a business,” said Pollock. “That being said, we do everything in our power to offer nutritious, complete meals that students will eat.” OUSD passed a USDA-mandated “Wellness Policy for Student Achievement,” which incorporates a district guideline for exercise and nutrition. A cross-section of Child Nutrition Advisory Committee members, parents, students and staff contributed to and ratified the policy May 4. All districts in the country were required to pass a similar directive by July 1. Rodney Taylor, nutrition manager for Riverside Unified School District, has taken a revolutionary step by bringing a “Salad Bar Option” to elementary schools similar to one he developed in Santa Monica. “The salad bar concept is a three-fold rationale,” said Taylor. “First, we offer access to fresh fruits and vegetables to instill habits from a very young age. Second, we help support local farmers who provide the majority of the product, and third, children learn about the dynamics of farming by actually visiting the fields or gardens and learning how the food is grown.” This program is paid in part by a grant with Occidental College and is experiencing tremendous success. Though currently launched in three elementary schools, they will expand by eight each year. “The first year, 32% who ate school lunches ate salad bar,” said Taylor. “Overall, we’ve increased by 44 meals a day compared to last year. When we are funded by how much we sell, that is significant. We will virtually offset the losses experienced when ‘ala carte’ items, such as soda, large chips and French fries, are eliminated this year.” The salad bar concept offers two key components kids respond to: the opportunity to choose and convenience. Convenience can be a deal breaker with kids. “If you give a first-grader an unpeeled orange in their lunch, I can almost guarantee it will end up in the trash,” said Taylor. “Our fruits and veggies are exceedingly fresh, clean, cut and peeled when necessary and we will offer a variety of options children might not be exposed to otherwise. Many factions are working together to bring about a greater variety of well balanced, moderately sized, fresher dining choices for us and our children. It is still up to the individual to fight past the lingering aromas of French fries and charbroiled burgers and opt for a fruit and walnut salad, but at least now we have options. Compromise is another worthy habit to instill. Susan Belknapp of Riverside is a freelance writer. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
Digg This ArticleSEARCH THE SITE
