Healthy Foods: Not Kidding Around

It looks like the official push for healthier kids’ foods in our nation’s schools is poised to take off this year. While, understandably, many children, as well as manufacturers and sellers of cookies, candy, chips, soda pop and other assorted goodies, won’t be pleased, I’m in favor of the move for two reasons: personal (help in the perpetual parental struggle to get my children—and myself—to eat properly), as well as professional (increased opportunity for new product development to address the need for healthier foods with kid appeal).

In February, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had a prepared speech for the National Press Club (postponed because of Washington’s “snowpocalypse”) that said, in part: “We need to better align our meals with the Dietary Guidelines, leading to increased consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low fat and fat-free dairy products. USDA is working as aggressively as possible to implement the Institute of Medicine recommendations, but we also know that the improved foods will increase costs for local schools.”

Congress is set to reauthorize the school lunch program and school nutrition guidelines. Vilsack listed eight elements the Obama White House wants to put into place, including making improved access to the school nutrition programs and increased participation in School Breakfasts a priority, as well as the emphasis on following the Dietary Guidelines. Among his comments: “Foods served in vending machines and the a la carte line shouldn't undermine our efforts to enhance the health of the school environment. We must have the capacity to set standards for all the foods served and sold in schools. It doesn't mean the end of vending machines in schools—but instead ensuring that they are filled with nutritious offerings to make the healthy choice the easy choice for our nation's children.”

Snowshoes weren’t required for the trek to the Oval Office, so First Lady Michelle Obama launched the Obama administration’s national anti-childhood-obesity program in early February as scheduled, emphasizing more exercise, more nutritious foods food labeling and better food labeling. In an interview, the First Lady admitted to loving burgers and fries and ice cream and cake, but cautioned we need to “balance that out” so people are not “facing life-threatening illness.”

GMA president and CEO Pamela G. Bailey replied to the initiative, calling it “a critical step forward in addressing one of the nation’s most pressing health challenges,” and stating that “our companies stand ready to work with you to address this health crisis.”

Bailey noted that, in recent years, the food industry has “changed the way we develop and market more than 10,000 products, reducing fat, trans fat, saturated fat, sugar, salt and calories without sacrificing the convenience and taste consumers demand.”

So, while the sales of those tempting, sugary, fatty nutrition-challenged foods may dip, there’s ample opportunity to fill the void with products that won’t take a toll on the bottom line—or our children’s health.

   -Lynn A. Kuntz