Health News
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
San Francisco has been a national leader in healthier eating for kids, starting with fast food restaurants. A new law went into effect this past week: no free toys included for meals not meeting more healthful standards for calories, fat, and sodium, and containing a serving of fruit.
While this has led to some nutritional improvements to fast food meals for kids ? including the addition of low-fat dairy products, and more fruit ? it seems that companies find it a lot easier to maintain the present kids? menus and simply charge extra for the toys, rather than comply with the new guidelines for inclusion of a free toy.The toy can be purchased for 10 cents, no matter what the quality of the meal.
For McDonald?s, a confusing (and some would say misleading) concept is presented. If you buy the toy, your 10 cents is donated to the building of a new Ronald McDonald house, so it ?counts? as a charitable contribution. Burger King hasn?t yet decided what to do with the extra funds. Yet another chain, Jack in the Box, has eliminated the toy altogether, which is a step in the right direction!
Do yourself a favor. Separate toys and food for your own children, grandchildren, or any kids you care about; you don?t combine them at home, so why do it in a restaurant? And if you want to donate to a charity, make it one of your own choosing.
- Ky., High In Childhood Obesity, Fights It With Better School Meals, Increased Activity Requirements And Maybe Help From Big Bird
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Kentucky children are some of the nation's fattest. In 2011, the last year for which data are complete, Kentucky ranked sixth in the U.S. in the percentage of obese 2-to 4-year-olds from low-income families...
- Schools And Students Are Still Getting Used To Lunches That Are Healthier But Not As Suited To Their Tastes
School lunches look and taste different than they did before new federal nutrition standards kicked in, and that has caused more food to end up in garbage cans and more students to bring a lunch from home, according to an article from the October issue...
- New Regs Could Change Way Food Industry Markets To Children
"The federal government proposed sweeping new guidelines on Thursday that could push the food industry to overhaul how it advertises cereal, soda pop, snacks, restaurant meals and other foods to children," The New York Times' William Neuman reports....
- Disney Boosts Healthy Nutrition For Kids
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom While The Disney Company has always been linked to children?s entertainment, they?re now taking a bold new step to promote children?s health. All food products advertised on their ABC-TV child-focused TV programs, radio stations,...
- Eating Out With Kids
In recognition of National Nutrition Month, I'll be sharing some healthy eating posts through the rest of this month. Let's start with a look at eating out with kids. We parents all battle the temptation of settling for an unhealthy fast food...
Health News
?Kids? Meals? and Toys
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
San Francisco has been a national leader in healthier eating for kids, starting with fast food restaurants. A new law went into effect this past week: no free toys included for meals not meeting more healthful standards for calories, fat, and sodium, and containing a serving of fruit.
While this has led to some nutritional improvements to fast food meals for kids ? including the addition of low-fat dairy products, and more fruit ? it seems that companies find it a lot easier to maintain the present kids? menus and simply charge extra for the toys, rather than comply with the new guidelines for inclusion of a free toy.The toy can be purchased for 10 cents, no matter what the quality of the meal.
For McDonald?s, a confusing (and some would say misleading) concept is presented. If you buy the toy, your 10 cents is donated to the building of a new Ronald McDonald house, so it ?counts? as a charitable contribution. Burger King hasn?t yet decided what to do with the extra funds. Yet another chain, Jack in the Box, has eliminated the toy altogether, which is a step in the right direction!
Do yourself a favor. Separate toys and food for your own children, grandchildren, or any kids you care about; you don?t combine them at home, so why do it in a restaurant? And if you want to donate to a charity, make it one of your own choosing.
- Ky., High In Childhood Obesity, Fights It With Better School Meals, Increased Activity Requirements And Maybe Help From Big Bird
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Kentucky children are some of the nation's fattest. In 2011, the last year for which data are complete, Kentucky ranked sixth in the U.S. in the percentage of obese 2-to 4-year-olds from low-income families...
- Schools And Students Are Still Getting Used To Lunches That Are Healthier But Not As Suited To Their Tastes
School lunches look and taste different than they did before new federal nutrition standards kicked in, and that has caused more food to end up in garbage cans and more students to bring a lunch from home, according to an article from the October issue...
- New Regs Could Change Way Food Industry Markets To Children
"The federal government proposed sweeping new guidelines on Thursday that could push the food industry to overhaul how it advertises cereal, soda pop, snacks, restaurant meals and other foods to children," The New York Times' William Neuman reports....
- Disney Boosts Healthy Nutrition For Kids
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom While The Disney Company has always been linked to children?s entertainment, they?re now taking a bold new step to promote children?s health. All food products advertised on their ABC-TV child-focused TV programs, radio stations,...
- Eating Out With Kids
In recognition of National Nutrition Month, I'll be sharing some healthy eating posts through the rest of this month. Let's start with a look at eating out with kids. We parents all battle the temptation of settling for an unhealthy fast food...