Food for

Thought
a parent’s resource guide
 about this guide
Food for Thought: A Parent’s Resource Guide is about helping you make smart food choices for your children.
Remember, healthy kids become healthy adults!

This Resource Guide is designed to raise awareness and provide information about your food choices, par-
ticularly on how the media influences your family’s food preferences. The Resource Guide is packed full of
information and ideas to help you make healthy decisions at the grocery store, as well as at home. Look for
these useful resources throughout Food for Thought:

• Fast facts about the media and food Watch for

• Healthy and delicious recipes ideas on how
• Tips for understanding and reading food labels to become a
• Basic nutrition information and ideas for healthy eating Food Detective
• TV Food Diary when you see
• A fun nutrition activity for kids this symbol!

did
you The average

EDUCATION
know? child views about
10,000 food commer-
cials a year, just on TV!
Produced by Action for Media Children Saturday morning com- Supported by
Education (AME) spend about 6.5 mercials show a food the Steps to a
www.action4mediaeducation.org hours a day with me- commercial every HealthierUS Co-
dia (TV, Internet, radio, operative Agree-
five minutes. ment of the U.S.
magazines, books, Department of
computer games, Health and
music, etc.) Human Services.

Your feedback is very important to us. Please send us your ideas and suggestions for our next
edition of Food for Thought. Email your feedback to [email protected]

1 Designed by Vivian Hua

 o m m y
m pleeeeease !
Saying “NO” to your children when they request certain
foods can be challenging. Knowing the facts and a few
tricks ahead of time can eliminate some of the frustration.
Keep these ideas in mind!

• Avoid the center aisles of the grocery store — everything you really need is located on the
outside aisles (fruit, vegetables, dairy, etc).

• Many food companies use popular cartoon characters on the packages of junk food in order
to sell products — don’t be fooled.

• Many kids usually just want the toy that comes in the package or with the meal. Instead of
giving in, give them $1 to buy a small toy at your local store.

• Tell your child that he/she can have one product of their choice (for example, a sugared
cereal); however, it should last for a given period of time (e.g. two weeks).

• Make a shopping list with your child before you go to the store and stick to it! Have your
children help you find the items on the list.

• Give your children the job of picking out one special fruit or vegetable at the grocery store for
your family to try!

don’t forget!
During a typical trip to the grocery store, a child will make about 15 requests.
In addition, they will make about 5 requests a day at home, and 10 requests
a day while on vacation — in all, about 3,000 requests a year! 2
 media + FOOD
media food
Ads are everywhere! Advertisers use many tricks to get us to buy their
products! Knowing the tricks (and teaching them to your kids) is a great
way to be one step ahead of the advertisers and not get fooled!

DID YOU KNOW?

• Up until about age five, children have a hard time telling the difference
between fantasy and reality, which is why advertisers rely on advertising
tricks, such as cute characters, to get kids to request their products.

• About 74% of the ads during children’s programming are for foods high in sugar, fat, and salt. Only
2% of ads are for fruit and vegetables.

• Kids who watch four or more hours of TV a day are most likely to be overweight. Kids who watch
the least TV are less likely to be overweight.

Don’t eat meals Get the TV out

in front of the TV: of your child’s
especially dinner! bedroom!

KNOW THE TRICKS

Look for these tricks the next time you are watching TV!
• Bright colors
• Cute and loveable characters (including cartoons)
• Fun toys (included in product packaging)
• Lively music
• Humor
• Celebrities & beautiful people
• Slogans and health/nutrition claims

3
READING PRODUCT PACKAGING What do
Knowing the tricks advertisers use on product packaging will prepare you for how to say NO
when your children start begging for products (remember the “mommy pleeeeease” factor?).
you notice
about the front
and back of this
cereal box?
FRONT

BACK
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!
• What about this box appeals to kids? More than $33
Candy & cereal • What about this box appeals to parents? billion every
are the two most • What tricks are used on both the front and on the year is spent
requested items at back of the box? advertising
the grocery store, • What words are specifically used to make you food products
and also the two that are mostly
think this product is healthy and nutritious?
most advertised loaded with
products on TV!!
• Do you notice the pictures of fruit? What does
sugar, fat, and
this lead you to believe? salt!
• How healthy do you think this product really is?
• How can you find out?
Turn to page 9 to find out!

4
TERRIFIC & TASTY TIPS
We know that getting kids to eat healthy can sometimes be
challenging! Use these tips for some ideas.

• Put slices of vegetables (carrots, celery, etc.) in small plastic bags. For every
day that your children eat all of the vegetables, put a sticker on the bag.

• Use the same idea above to encourage your children to drink more water.
Place stickers on their favorite water bottle.

• Make a fruit sundae bar or banana “split” with chopped fresh fruit, low-fat
yogurt, and granola.

• Add vegetables to your child’s favorite foods (e.g. add broccoli to macaroni and cheese).

• Cut sandwiches in shapes. A cookie cutter makes a healthful sandwich special.

• If you buy canned fruit, be sure to buy it unsweetened.

RECIPES
Raspberry & Blueberry Salad Shakers
Tango Smoothie
Have you ever prepared and eaten a salad out of a
Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. plastic bag? If not, here’s your chance!
Makes about two servings.
Place lettuce and other veggies of your choice (carrots,
8 oz. carton of non-fat raspberry yogurt tomatoes, onions) and a small amount of low-fat salad
1 ripe banana dressing into a zip-lock plastic bag (sandwich size or
1/2 cup orange juice bigger) and give it a few shakes. Have your kids help
1 cup fresh or frozen berries of your choice (we in the preparation and shaking! Eat salad right out of
like mixing raspberries and blueberries!) the bag.

Experiment with different berries and flavors Optional items to include: apple slices, red or green
of yogurt. Vegetarians can replace yogurt with peppers, cheese, croutons, almonds, kidney beans,
tofu. raisins, or dried cranberries
5
 TV FOOD Diary
Use the TV Food Diary to keep track of the food products advertised while you and your children watch television
together. You’ll probably notice that most of the ads during children’s programming are for products high in sugar,
fat, and salt. Use this as an opportunity to discuss with your kids the types of food products advertised, as well
as the tricks used to capture their attention. At the end of one week, add up the total number of hours of TV your
children watched. Think about ways to reduce your children’s screentime.

TV Show Start/End Time Product Advertised Media Tricks Used

Where in the grocery store are most of these products located?

6
 at ’s a
E ?
L
wh
O RI Don’t Forget:
“Not all calories are

CA
created equal!”

A calorie is the amount of energy that food provides. One of the best
ways to ensure our child’s health is to make sure that the calories he/she
consumes come from wholesome and nutritious foods!

Everything we eat contains calories — but don’t forget that not all calories are created
equal! Have you ever heard of the term “empty calories?”

The quality of food your child eats is very important! Sugary sweets such as cookies,
candy, and soda pop offer little in terms of nutrition — just plain old “empty calories.”

Notice how these two foods have the same number of calories but
are very different in terms of their nutritional value?

PACKAGE OF LICORICE 8-OUNCE LOW-FAT FRUIT YOGURT

Calories: 140 Calories: 140

Calcium: 0 Calcium: 25%
Protein: 1g
Potassium: 0
VS Protein: 8g
Potassium: 90mg
Iron: 0 Iron: 2%
Vitamin C: 0 Vitamin C: 3%

Which one do you think is the better choice?

Which one could be considered “empty calories?”

For tips on reducing calories, see

“Food Make-overs” on Page 17!
7
SIMPLE Having children engage in a few
simple lifestyle changes or fun
WAYS
TO
activities like these are an easy

INCREASE
way to burn calories without even
knowing it!

ACTIVITY • Take the stairs as often as possible.

LEVELS
• Park in spaces away from the front
entrance of grocery stores, shopping
centers, and other areas. Obviously,
this one requires your help!

• Do jumping jacks or jump rope during

commercials.

• Start dancing to your favorite tunes on

the radio or CD while at home.

• Take walks after dinner instead of

turning on the TV.

DID YOU KNOW?

If your child drinks one HEALTHFUL
20-ounce bottle of pop a HINT
day, he/she will consume Make sure that your
about 1/4 of his/her daily kids drink plenty of
calories just from soda! water!

Make sure your children eat a

nutritious breakfast daily. For
ideas, see page 15.
8
 understanding food labels
SERVING SIZE
Tells you what the serving size is for one person,
usually how much you should eat at one time.

SERVINGS PER CONTAINER

Tells you how many servings are contained
in the package. If the package contains two
servings, you will have to double everything if
you eat the whole package.

CALORIES
Refers to how many calories are provided in one
serving (See page 7 for what a calorie is!).

Don’t be fooled! Advertisers like to make Just because this “Swirled Berries” box
you think that the product is healthy — be says “1/3 less sugar” does not mean
9 sure to read those food labels to find out! the product is automatically healthy!
 CALORIES FROM FAT
Refers to how many of the calories are from words to
fat (keep this number low!).
watch
out for:
Food manufacturers often
disguise the “true nature”
of their ingredients by using
unfamiliar words. As Food
% DAILY VALUES (DV) Detectives, we can learn the
A high DV means a food contains a truth behind the words!
lot of that nutrient. A low DV means
that the product contains only a
small amount of that nutrient.
WATCH OUT FOR THESE

Remember: Artificial (e.g. artificial flavoring)

In terms of the Hydrogenated (see pg. 12)
% DV,
5% is low
and
OTHER NAMES FOR SUGAR
20% is high
(Often ending in “ose”)

Cane Juice
Dextrose
Fructose
CHECK IT OUT! Glucose
The 2nd, 4th, and 5th High fructose
most important ingre- Honey
dients in the cereal are Lactose
sugars! Maltodextrin
Maltose
Molasses
Sucrose
Syrups (e.g. corn syrup)
Where’s the fruit? Notice how the front of the box has pictures of fruit
and the name of the cereal is “Swirled Berries?” Look at the ingredients
on the food label — do you see any fruit listed? Nope! Not a one!w 10
 Just like our cars needs fuel to run, our bodies also need fuel. However, the type of food (fuel) we put into
our bodies can make a big difference.

What’s a Carbohydrate?
A carbohydrate (or carbs, as they are commonly known) is our body’s main source of fuel. There are two main types
of carbohydrates — complex and simple. “What’s the difference?”

SIMPLE Carbohydrates
This type of carbohydrate can also be referred to as “simple sugars” because
the fuel is in the form of sugar. Foods in this category include honey, jams/jellies,
table sugar, cookies, syrup, candies, soft drinks, and also fruits, & fruit juices.

Although fruit and fruit juices are considered “simple carbs,” these foods provide
other important nutrients like fiber! Buy juices that are 100% fruit juice!

The calories contained in most simple carbohydrates offer little nutrition — they go
straight to the blood; that’s where we get the term, “sugar rush.”

COMPLEX Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are the main fuel our bodies need.
They come from plants, and include grains, vegetables, and
beans.

Unlike simple carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates provide

much more nutrition. The sugar is created during digestion,
so it is released into the body at a slower rate.

11
What’s Fat?
We know the term and know that we should limit it (at least the bad kind), but
what exactly is fat and what’s the difference between the four types of fats
— monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and transfat?

the GOOD... the unsaturated

MONOUNSATURATED FAT
These are the good guys! They include foods such as olive, peanut, sesame
and canola oils, and avocados. They are heart-healthy and may help lower
cholesterol.

POLYUNSATURATED FAT
These are the most important for maintaining a healthy body. Polyunsaturated
fats include corn, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, and soybean oils, and fish
oil. They have also been shown to help reduce the risk of heart disease.

the BAD...

SATURATED FAT
These are considered the “bad” fats because they can raise
cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease. Saturated fats
are found in meats, poultry, dairy products, such as whole milk
and cheese, as well as in some vegetable oils, such as palm
kernel oils (found in cookies, cakes, crackers, and other baked
products).

the very BAD...

TRANS-FATTY ACIDS (TRANSFAT)

This type of fat is the worst! Transfat is created when unsaturated
fats undergo a manufacturing process called hydrogenation
— when a liquid or semi-soft fat is transformed into a more solid
state. They are dangerous because they act like saturated fats
in the body and raise cholesterol. 12
 RECIPES
When kids help you cook and
prepare meals, they will learn to
appreciate healthy foods!

Best Black Bean & Veggie Burrito

Layer all the ingredients on the tortilla, starting with the beans. Put in the microwave for about 1
minute to melt the cheese. *
Black beans are an
excellent source of fiber,
Package of whole wheat flour tortillas
iron, and protein, and
16 oz can of black beans have less than 1 gram of
Lettuce, shredded fat per serving!
Tomatoes, chopped
Onions, chopped * For variety, add chicken
Low-fat cheese, shredded (a small handful per serving)
Salsa
Non-fat plain yogurt (great substitute for sour cream!)

Boppin’ Basil Dip Pairing vegetables with a healthy

dip is a great way to get kids to
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise eat more veggies!
2 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (1 tsp. dried basil)
1 teaspoon onion powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for
about one hour. Serve with veggies. Suggestions: broccoli, cauliflower, red or green peppers,
celery, tomatoes, carrots
13
 think about the clues
Many packages contain phrases or words that can
be misleading, making us think we are purchasing
a healthy product. As Food Detectives, knowing
what these terms really mean can reduce the
likelihood of being fooled!

FIBER SUGAR CALORIE FAT

Added Fiber Sugar-Free Reduced Calories Reduced Fat
Contains at least 2.5 Contains less than Has at least 25% At least 25% less fat
grams of fiber per 0.5 grams of sugar fewer calories than per serving than the
serving. per serving. the regular version original version of a
of that food item. food product.
Good Source of Reduced Sugar
Fiber At least 25% less Low Calorie Fat Free
Contains 2.5 to 4.9 sugar than the 40 or less calories Less than 0.5 grams
grams of fiber per original version of for most food items; of fat per serving.
serving. the product. 120 or less for main
dish products. Low Fat
High-Fiber No Sugar Added 3 grams of fat (or
Contains 5 grams of No sugar added Calorie Free less) per serving.
fiber per serving. during the Less than 5 calories
processing or per serving. Light or Lite
packaging, including Contains one-third
ingredients that Light or Lite fewer calories or
contain sugar, such Contains one-third 50% less fat than
as juice or dried fewer calories or the original product.
fruit. 50% less fat than
the original.

Did You Know?

Sometimes frozen fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than fresh ones! The longer that fruits or
vegetables sit around waiting to be sold or eaten, the more nutrients they lose. But fruits and vegetables
grown for freezing are usually frozen right after they’re picked. Therefore, they have less time to lose their
nutrients. 14
 kid activity grocery bag
creation fun!
This activity is Here’s a great way to get your kids thinking about fruits
a great way to and vegetables while encouraging their creativity.
reduce, recycle,
and reuse your Before you head to the grocery store, have your
grocery bags! kids create pictures of the fruits or vegetables that
they want to eat. Be sure that they draw or glue their
pictures right on the grocery bag!

Take the bag with you to the grocery store. Have your
kids match the fruit or veggies they created with the
ones at the store and place them into their special
shopping bag!
Supplies Needed:
• Brown paper grocery bag
• Markers
• Crayons
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors
recipe ideas
Try these quick and nutritious ideas for breakfast.

• Peanut Butter Surprise: Toast a whole-grain frozen waffle and top with peanut butter, bananas,
and cinnamon.
• Cantaloupe Bowl: Cut cantaloupe in half, remove seeds, fill the hole with yogurt and top with
raisins and nuts.
• The Standard (with a Twist): Dry cereal of your choice (chose one low in sugar)—dress it up with
dried fruit or fresh berries (use low-fat milk).
• Cloud Crunch: Mix together low-fat cottage cheese, fresh fruit, and granola.
• Breakfast Scramble: Whisk together milk and eggs. Mix in green peppers, tomatoes, and black
beans. Scramble until cooked. Top with salsa and low-fat cheese.

15
 healthy snacks
Eating healthy can have long-term benefits for your children! Use the list below
for healthy and delicious snack ideas. Have fun and be creative with your food
choices. Get your kids involved in the preparation!

Most people need to try a particular food about 5-10 times

before acquiring a taste for it. Don’t give up!

- Veggie juice (e.g. V8) (low sodium option

available!)
- Whole wheat fig bars
- Fresh fruit dressed with condiments (e.g.
peanut butter, yogurt, cottage cheese)
- Cucumbers with lime juice, light salt, or chili
- Applesauce powder
- Plain popcorn - Nuts (almonds are great)
- Graham crackers - Dried fruit
- Frozen yogurt bars - Fresh fruit
- Celery and peanut butter - Yogurt-covered pretzels or raisins
- Fruit smoothie (see recipe, page 5) - Low-fat string cheese
- Veggies and low fat dip (see recipe, pg. 13) - Rice cakes
- Whole wheat toast or crackers with peanut - Salads (see recipe, page 5)
butter
- Yogurt and granola BE CREATIVE AND MAKE
- Pita bread with hummus UP YOUR OWN IDEAS!

healthful To encourage healthy food eating, give your children a choice

between two different “healthy foods.” This can help prevent
hints arguments about junk food versus healthy food.

Show your kids how much you enjoy eating healthy food!

Some foods might not be appropriate for kids under 3 — check with your doctor! 16
 food “make-overs”
instead of... try
Whole milk 1% or skim milk (for kids 2 years and older)

Cookies Whole wheat Newton Bars

Chips Home-popped popcorn or low-sodium pretzels

White bread Whole wheat bread

Ice cream Frozen yogurt or yogurt with fresh fruit

Pop Water with lime or lemon

Cheese Low-fat or mozzarella cheese

Juice Diluted juice (1/2 water and 1/2 juice)

White rice Brown rice (or other options, such as couscous)

Be sure to look for the words whole

healthful wheat on the packages and food
labels; select foods with a good
hint amount of fiber and low levels of
sugar and sodium.
17
Use these resources to further help guide
you in becoming Food Detectives. resources
local
Action for Media Education (AME) (www.action4mediaeducation.org): Learn how you can get involved in media literacy
education from this Seattle-based non-profit organization.

Community Resources Online Database (www2.ci.seattle.wa.us/crisisclinic/): Search by topic or organization to find

information about health issues important to you.

Healthy Choices for Kids (http://www.healthychoices.org/): Developed by the Growers of Washington State Apples; this
website is jam-packed with nutrition information and kid-friendly activities.

Public Health Seattle & King County (http://www.metrokc.gov/health/portal/nutrition.htm): Here is your local connection to
nutrition information in Seattle and the greater Seattle area.

national
5-A-Day (http://www.5aday.com): User-friendly website for both parents and kids. Get ideas for how to include “colors” in
your daily diet.

American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org): Learn more about diabetes, as well as get connected to local
resources.

Kids Health (http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy): Nutrition information and ideas for keeping kids healthy. Includes kid-
friendly recipes. This website is also available in Spanish.

Media Awareness Network (http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/): Learn more about how advertisers use tricks to
reach kids. This website includes a section on advertising and food.

Nutrition Facts & Calorie Counter (http://www.nutritiondata.com): Provides nutrition information for many foods, including
fast foods.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—We Can! Program (http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/

obesity/wecan/): The We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) website is loaded with nutrition information
and ideas for making fitness fun.

A very special thanks to all of our parent educators from ESD 121 who helped in the preparation of the
Food for Thought project. We couldn’t have done it without you!

The following resources were used in the preparation of this guide: The Harvard Medical School Guide
to Healthy Eating for Kids: Eat, Play and Be Healthy (W. Allan Walker, MD); Don’t Eat this Book: Fast
Food and the Supersizing of America (Morgan Spurlock); Food Fight: The Inside Story of the Food
Industry, America’s Obesity Crisis, & What We Can Do About It (Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D.); The Kids
Market: Myths and Realities (James U. McNeal, Ph.D.); The United States Department of Agriculture. 18
 EDUCATION
Supported by the Steps to a
HealthierUS Cooperative Agree- Produced by Action for Media
ment of the U.S. Department of Education (AME)
Health and Human Services. www.action4mediaeducation.org