McDonald’s Advertising on Children’s Report Cards

December 11, 2007 at 10:35 pm (Family, Parenting)
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Free Happy Meal For Good Grades?

McReportCardMcDonald’s Ad on Children’s Report Card envelope

McDonald’s has now hit a new low in their practices of marketing to children. As if it weren’t enough that fast food restaurants spend $3 Billion dollars a year on advertising directed at children, they now adorn report card envelopes in Seminole County, Florida with the message “Reward Yourself With A Happy Meal From McDonalds.”  So what happened to McDonald’s pledge to reduce its advertising to children under 12 by January 2008?   Yet the coupons were for children from kindergarten through fifth grade.  This slick advertising campaign is scheduled to run through the end of the 2007/2008 school year.   So what do the parents think?  In a press release from the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, one parent states “My daughter worked so hard to get good grades this term and now she believes she is entitled to a prize from McDonald’s.  And now I’m the bad guy because I had to explain that our family does not eat at fast-food chains.”  The school district sold out children and parents for the mere $1,600 cost of printing the report cards.  For the bargain rate of less than 6 cents per family per year, McDonald’s is able to send their advertising to all 27,000 elementary school kids in Seminole County at least three times.  Doesn’t print advertising usually cost more than this?

This promotion really begs the question, is it appropriate to reward good grades with junk-food?  Is this what we want our children to reward their own achievements with when they grow up?  What kind of reward would send a better message? What about something that involves a parent spending time with the child?  It doesn’t necessarily have to cost money.  For a younger child, a trip to a favorite playground could be a good motivator.  Or going hiking together.  In warmer climates or in warm weather a trip to the beach could be a good incentive.  In the winter, maybe a drive to a location that has a good sledding hill.  For a small amount of money, the child can be rewarded with a trip to a children’s museum on a Saturday or to see a movie during the inexpensive afternoon matinee.  Parent and child can choose an project from a craft store to make together.   Take a trip to the bookstore and pick out a new book together.   Wouldn’t a reward that stimulates the mind and provides a bonding experience send a better message?

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Recent Study, Obese Toddlers Lack Proper Iron Levels

September 6, 2007 at 10:33 pm (children's health, Family, Parenting)
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Data collected in the NHANES study from 1999 to 2002 found that 20 percent of obese toddlers have iron deficiency, compared to 7 percent of normal-weight toddlers.  This actually makes a lot of sense. When the body is not receiving proper nutrition it responds by signaling the need for more food. Obese children are most likely lacking a  great deal more than just iron. In my opinion, processed food and its additives are largely to blame for the current obesity epidemic. Not only are mass produced foods nutrient poor, they often contain harmful substances. In one of Mercola’s recent newsletters he cited a recent study which found that foods containing artificial sweeteners may increase the occurrence of obesity in children. These diet foods may prevent children from developing the ability of the body to use taste to regulate caloric intake.

MSG, a cheap flavor enhancing ingredient, is added to many foods, often in hidden forms like hydrolyzed vegetable protein and autolyzed yeast extract. See the following sources for a list of ingredients that contain MSG: Hidden Names for MSG or Hidden Sources of MSG in Food .  MSG, a neurotoxin, is also implicated in the obesity epidemic. MSG has been shown to cause animals to overeat to the point of obesity. This effect has been well documented since the 1960’s.  

If your child’s diet has been less than ideal, make changes gently. Start by replacing one unhealthy food wth one that is healthy. Find a good quality childs multivitamin that is complete and balanced, including all 8 vitamins of the b complex and iron in plant form such as ferrous fumarate. Inorganic iron, such as ferrous sulfate, is difficult for the body to utilize and may cause constipation. A child’s multivitamin should contain no sugar, artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors. See this link for my favorite choices of children’s vitamins .   Some suggestions for the first dietary changes include the following:

Iron deficiency in toddlers can occur when they are weaned from the breast or iron fortified formula to regular milk. If the milk displaces iron rich foods, anemia will follow. Juice can also displace healthy foods from the diet. Limit the milk and juice, start offering more water, and be sure to offer iron rich foods each day. Remember that vitamin C increases the absorption of iron, so save the orange juice to be served in small quantitiy with the iron rich foods. If toddlers have a poor appetite at meals, it may be helpful to limit milk intake to 24 ounces per day, and to avoid offering milk before or during the meal. Some authorities say that 16 ounces of milk is enough for a toddler. Remember that cheese and yogurt can replace some of the milk. It is important to make sure that a child’s protein intake is not coming solely from milk and milk products, which tend to be low in iron. Eggs, fish, meat, and green leafy vegetables are all good sources of iron.

Processed foods use cheap ingredients to enhance flavor, such as the artificial sweeteners and MSG described above. Parents can protect their children’s health by reading labels carefully when they do choose foods that do come in bags, boxes, etc. However, children need as much fresh, natural foods as possible. Buy organic local food, if you can. Fresh food and organic foods are more rich in the nutrients your children need. If you can find a local source of grass fed beef, do. Look for a local chapter of the Weston A. Price foundation here to help you find local foods. Split up a side of beef with a group of families to save money. Did you know that grass fed beef is as rich in Omega 3’s as is wild salmon? Food as nature intended always offers more nutrition. It is shocking what mass production of foods is depriving us and our children of.

In our household we make our own waffles, muffins, chicken nuggets, and other child favorites to help avoid using processed foods. I batch and freeze so that we have healthy foods available to prepare quickly. For me, having a quick and nutritious breakfast ready to go is important. I’m not much of a morning person. We avoid fast food, which is commonly flavored with MSG and other additives. We use whole grain sprouted bread and certified raw milk. Empty calories such as cookies/candy, cold cereals, chips, etc are either not in the home, or offered on a limited basis. (Like at Grandma’s house.) And remember kids may need to try a new food 10 times before they will accept it. Every house has a picky eater, even ours. Be patient but persistent with your picky eaters, and they eventually will expand their horizons. 

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