Last Updated on Monday, 16 November 2009 16:16 Written by Casie Terry, CNE

On Saturday mornings you can usually find grocery stores packed with families venturing out to restock their cabinets with food and fixins for the busy week to come.  Most moms and dads are seeking 2 things for their little ones: easy and nutritious. But can the two coexist? 

Many food manufacturers set out to provide busy families with functional food items that claim to be packed with nutrients such as on-the-go bars, vitamin packed juice boxes, and microwavable meals that are an “excellent source” of some hard-to-get mineral. But these catchy claims are not always accurate and are often times downright misleading.

In fact, a study published in the July, 2008 issue of Obesity Reviews revealed that 89% of food products geared towards children are of poor nutritional value. After a 36-point review of foods that were clearly marketed towards children, the study found that many of the foods were high in sugar, sodium, and fat. And many of the products claimed to be of high nutritional quality.

Another bust came in May 2009 from The Children’s Food Campaign, an organization funded by the Irish Heart Foundation.  The campaign set out to disclose the misleading approaches used by many manufacturers of children’s food products. They found that fun-packs full of various food products were being distributed in schools that promoted specific brands to children.  Although they were disguised as educational tools, the food packs actually discouraged the consumption of too many vegetables and encouraged artificial food colorings- calling them “gooditives.”  Campaign coordinator, Richard Watts, said “the dodgy claims in these packs are written to be taught to children as fact in a lesson.  Parents may have no idea that this is happening. Our investigation shows that the food industry cannot be trusted to provide children with unbiased nutritional information.”

This makes grocery shopping challenging- and scary- for parents. When your little ones are begging for the cereal being promoted by their new favorite cartoon character, it’s hard to turn them down.  While it sometimes comes down to convenience, many moms and dads find themselves wondering which brands they can trust. But there are some pointers that can make grocery shopping a little less of a fright.

Top Tips When Food Shopping For Your Kids

1) Search for brands that offer “No Sugar Added”

2) Lookout for ingredients that end in ‘ose’ or ‘itol’ (high fructose corn syrup, sorbitol, etc).  It likely contains hidden unwanted sugars.

3) Steer away from anything that contains the word hydrogenated- chances are it contains trace amounts of trans fats.

4) Pay close attention to the serving size.  Often times a food manufacturer will make health claims but alter the serving sizes to uphold them.  Something that is generally consumed by one person will be listed as 2 servings. This can lead to your child consuming more sugar or sodium that he or she needs.

5) Don’t let convenience overshadow the health of your kids.  Remember that fruits are easy on-the-go foods too!  Oranges and bananas even come in a convenient travel case.  And no banana has ever come with misleading advertising.

6) Beware of foods that claim to have reduced fat, reduced sugar, or reduced sodium.  Often the manufacturer simply replaces these ingredients with artificial flavors, MSG, or increased amounts of another ingredient.  For example, most products that claim to have reduced fat offer up double the sodium to account for the loss in flavor, and vice versa.  

7) Find foods that are fortified!  Find the brands that offer fortification with calcium and Omega-3s!!  Calcium rich foods ensure that children’s bones will be strong going into adulthood and Omega 3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, are vital for proper brain development.  Many developers of children’s products are growing keen to these factoids and are fortifying their products with these key nutrients.  It’ll usually say so on the label so just be on the lookout.  

It’s a shame to think that the big company manufacturers of children’s products often aren’t on your side.  They use key words and marketing tools to affect your purchasing patterns, even if they’re not the best choices for your family.  Getting through all of the claims and misleading labels on the products geared towards your little ones may make grocery shopping a little more trying, but it’ll get easier with time.  Just examine the ingredients lists closely and remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Written by: Casie Terry, CNE

Nutrition Expert for Stop Aging Now

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