Before I get started on my rant, I want to mention that I live in a glass house sometimes when it comes to making healthy choices. Thanks to the influence of the Healthy Goddess and because I really want to make more healthy choices, I am always on a journey to better and healthier eating. It is a process and one that we have to work hard to achieve. You don’t wake up overnight and say “Forget the Brownies! Give me those brussel sprouts!” but one day you just might!
My rant has less to do with MY choices than with the choices that are being given as viable options to our families and children. We all watched with jaws dropped as Pizza was declared a vegetable and Jamie Oliver was almost run out of America on a rail by certain school districts because he wanted healthier options – See Jamie Oliver Food Revolution.
This morning as I was sipping coffee and mindlessly flipping through the new grocery ads, a page in one of the ads really struck me …
The headline at the top jumped off the page – “BONUS!!! (Red and including fuel perks) – Back to school treats for them – Bonus fuel perks for you!”
Here are the back to school treats:
- fresh baked bread (not a whole grain or gluten-free option in site)
- 6 count brownies
- 12 count of glazed donuts
- 20 count cookies
- crisped rice treats
- mini dessert cakes
- fried chicken
- deli meats
- Hormel snack trays
- Flowers (weird but true)
Not a vegetable or fruit on the page. AND as a bonus, if Mom and Dad come home with all the fat and sugar and fried foods, they save on gas! Really? REALLY??
I am not naming this store simply because it is not singular in the way it is pimping the Back to School treats – in fact, it probably is right in there with most of the other grocery stores.
I am talking about this because I want to know when the big chains are going to wake up. When will they have a HEALTHY START to Back to School? When do the food options for our children really become healthy? The answer – when we, as consumers, begin demanding it.
Healthy eating and healthy eating habits begin at home and by educating ourselves. Stay on the journey and bring the kiddos with you … we will all be the better for it in the end and one day, REAL healthy choices will be reflected in that grocery store ad:
- Whole grain/multigrain bread
- Eggs
- Quinoa
- Fresh vegetables
- Fresh fruit
- Wild Alaskan Salmon (my son can house a can of this & it is way better than tuna!)
- Greek yogurt
- Chicken and fruit salad
- Homemade pita chips and homemade hummus
- Granola
How are you handling healthy eating for the kids as you head back to school?
Share your links in the comments below & let’s get a Back to School Good Eating Option List together!
OK…I’m back after reading about pizza being declared a vegetable (seriously, what the hell?!)
Now as you know, I don’t have kids but i’m totally on board with what you’re saying here. People that talk about kids being addicted to junk food and saying that they’ll naturally choose that obviously haven’t ever given kids the benefit of being able to like, you know, healthy food. I grew up in a house of snacks at times, but I loved it when summer rolled around and I was able to try grapes and nectarines – and yoghurt was the first thing I’d pick up in the weekly supermarket trips. Cucumber and carrots dipped in hummus was another favourite.
Healthy food choices start at home and parents shouldn’t be worried about introducing their kids to healthier options – nor should they choose convenience over nutritional value.
TOM! LOL – is that the craziest that you have ever heard??? I was so frustrated after seeing this but it does start at home. My son cannot eat anything that I do not buy so I need to be responsible too but this was just so flagrant!! How is back to school there???
And when are you doing a guest post??