With the focus in our society shifting to eating well and staying fit, more food products for kids feature blurbs like “more calcium” and “made with whole grains.” These words can be deceiving to parents who are pressed for time and look at the information on the front of the box to decide whether or not the product is suitable for their children.

The key is to look at the actual ingredient list on the box of the package, can, or bag. The important information is almost always in the fine print. When you visit a typical grocery store, the majority of foods and beverages designed for kids are chockful of unhealthy ingredients. Sure, natural and organic snacks are showing up on the shelves, but the majority of food products geared towards children still contain transfats, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial dyes and flavors. Many of these items, especially breakfast and snack foods, masquerade as healthy choices, fooling parents who don’t take the time to read the most important part of the package--the ingredient list.

Let’s take a minute to look at what’s in some food products designed for children (all leading brands):

Strawberry Toaster Pastries

Strawberry Cereal Bar

Chewy Fruit Snacks

Marshmallow/Oats Breakfast Cereal

Fruit Punch

Cheesy Pizza Lunch Kit

Mini Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

This is just a small sampling to demonstrate how foods found in the supermarket that are geared to kids are rarely actually good for them. Too many parents glance at the front of the box instead of taking the time to read the ingredient list.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when buying food and beverages your children:

  1. Avoid transfats such as “partially hydrogenated soybean oil” which are found in many children’s foods. Keep in mind that good fats (nut butter, avocados, etc) should absolutely not be avoided and are necessary for brain development, even in older children and teens.

  2. Stay away from products with high fructose corn syrup, a highly processed sweetener that’s been used since the 1970’s in soft drinks and other products. It has been linked to health problems and some children react behaviorally after ingesting it. This one is particularly hard to avoid, so buying organic snacks and breakfast foods at the health food store or in the organic section is the best way to go.

  3. Avoid artificial dyes, flavors, and sweeteners. Artificial dyes are usually derived from petroleum and cause behavioral reactions in many kids. Even if they don’t cause behavioral reactions, they’re simply not good for your children and may even be linked to neurological problems. Remember that your goal is to provide natural foods for your children that will give them the nutrients they need during these important years of growth and development. Also beware of items that say “low sugar” or “no sugar added” because these often have artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame.

It's never too late!

Remember that it’s never too late to start reading labels. It may take you a little longer to shop at first, but you’ll get to the point where you know which products to avoid without spending an hour at the store. It might be best to go without the children if you’re eliminating some of their favorite products. Alternatives can be found for almost all of these foods and beverages, either at your local health food store or in the organic section of your favorite supermarket. What you can’t find, you can make yourself! Homemade cookies are nutritionally superior to store-bought cookies, and baking together is a great way to spend time with your children. Remember to avoid foods that are processed as much as possible. More processed foods contain more additives. Fresher is always better when shopping for your family. Aren’t your little ones worth it?

Recommended Reading:

Brain Foods for Kids

Twelve Tips for Choosing Breakfast Cereals

Ingredient lists found on Walgreens.com, Kraftfoods.com, and Hawaiianpunch.com

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