Strollerderby : feeding kids

Colicchio Says Kids Need Real Food

Amy Kuras — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:31:00 GMT

If you’re contending with a picky eater, this should make you feel better – even Tom Colicchio, he of Craft restaurants, multiple culinary plaudits and most importantly to most of us, the head judge on Top Chef, struggles with getting his son to eat well.

This entry from the NYT’s Well blog last week was ahead of a panel on helping kids eat more healthfully featuring Colicchio, South Beach Diet founder Arthur Agatson, Jessica Seinfeld, and Brian Wansik, the Cornell University professor who has done a bunch of fascinating research on what makes us overeat.

I really, really liked what Colicchio has to say on the subject. His take is pretty much that real food, wholesome, well-prepared food, is better for you than low-fat, low-carb crap. I’m in weight loss mode right now so I am looking for ways to boost the fiber and lower the fat of what we’re already eating, but I think the key is to make real, soul-satisfying food that’s made of things that come from nature versus microwaving some low-fat Frankenfood.

My favorite quote is this: “If food is well sourced and well prepared, I don’t think the word healthy needs to be brought into it. It’s healthy because it’s wholesome. That’s what we should focus on. You can buy a box of low-fat macaroni and cheese made with powdered nonsense. I’m not worried if I’m using four different cheeses and it’s high in fat. It’s real food.”

AMEN. That’s almost enough to make me forgive you for not booting Stefan instead of Jeff last week, Colicchio.

They Say: Cooking at Home Makes You Fat

They Say: Margarine Makes You Stupid

Amy Kuras — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:06:00 GMT

Want to make your child stupider? Feed them margarine. If you’re looking to boost their intellect, though, feed them fish once a week and bread and cereal gains four times a day.

See? I KNEW carbs were our friends!

That’s the upshot of a major New Zealand study that looked at children’s IQ levels, diets and family situations.

It found margarine is strongly correlated with lower IQ scores, which is not so great for lower income kids because margarine is cheaper than butter. Fish and grains were linked with higher IQ scores.

Interestingly, another thing that shows a link with high IQ was alcohol use during pregnancy. The study found that mothers who drank moderate amounts of alcohol while pregnant had children with much higher IQs, than those who did not.

That’s at odds with an earlier New Zealand study that found negative effects at very low levels of alcohol consumption. It showed mothers who had one drink a week could change their child's behavior, and one drink a day could damage the child's cognitive skills.

As someone who had the occasional glass of wine during pregnancy, I like the first finding better.

The study covers 600 New Zealand children of European descent and has been doing so since their mother’s pregnancies with them.

Like any other “magical food” study, take this with a huge grain of salt (heh) – after all, finding out fish and grains are good is hardly news. How many of us were exhorted by our moms to eat fish with the words “It’s brain food!”

New Food Pyramid Promises to Help Picky Eaters

JeanneSager — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:32:00 GMT

Is there anything your kid won't turn his nose up at? Help is on the way - via the federal government.

The new version of the USDA food pyramid breaks down the old one size fits all triangle, with a Website directed toward parents of the two-to-five set. MyPyramid for Preschoolers is being touted as the answer to all their nutrition needs.

The site launched this fall, with a customizable plan section that allows parents to input their child's age, gender, and amount of physical activity. When I tried inputting my daughter, however, I got a message saying the server was unavailable. So I can't say what comes next.

The site does, however, calm the nerves of parents of those picky eaters with reminders that kids who are growing normally are probably just fine (nice to hear something positive from the government), and tips on how to get them to eat something different - without hiding the food. We're talking ideas like give them new foods at the beginning of a meal, when they're so hungry they'll eat anything.

A lot of it is common sense, but for parents who have spent as much time as me worrying about their own weight vs. health issues, it's nice to have a little extra help. And it's nice to have something that we can relate to our pint-sized kids without having to account for their much-smaller sizes.

Image: MyPyramid.gov

A Girl's Take: Announce Your New Edition With Panties

They Say: Prenatal Folic Acid Not So Good After All

They Say: Fat-Eating Pregos Make for Fat-Loving Kids

Hey Obama, Give This Kid an Interview!

Also on Babble:

Bad Parent: Weight Watcher

WTFof the Day: Baby Food Tasting Bar

Amy Kuras — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:06:00 GMT

Are rich parents thoroughly insane?

That’s the only remotely possible explanation for this: there is now, in Newport Beach. Cailifornia, a “tasting bar and lounge” exclusively for babies. Pomme Bebe sells baby food at its bebe bar and bebe lounge – which allow their drooly customers to try all the store’s offerings.

But this isn’t just any baby food, the kind that people who push – gasp – Graco strollers or whose children wear – quelle horreur –clothes from Target might buy, poor dears. No, “Working under the close supervision of Executive Chef Laurent Brazier, our team of chefs peels, steams, and purées by hand every single nutritiously wholesome, organic baby and toddler meal.”

Seriously, a team of chefs. To do what even I, an incompetent baby-food-maker at best, can do in three minutes with some produce and a $2 potato masher. And how bad does one have to have fucked up one's culinary career to end up as executive chef for a line of overpriced, upscale baby food?

A four-ounce container starts at $3.75, aka six times what the jar of Gerber applesauce I fed my son for lunch cost. Ingredients: apples, filtered water. Ingredients for Pomme Bebe's: apples, filtered water.

Look, I am as much a lover of quality food as the next reasonably sane person and understand wanting your kid to have a discerning palate. But for God’s sake then do the food mill thing – it will likely cost a lot less than $3.75 per serving and you get the satisfaction of knowing you cooked for your little one (or shared your meal from your favorite restaurant, as the case may be).

Perhaps I am just cranky because I wake up every morning to more news that the auto industry, which affects just about every job in my state, is about to implode, but this really ties into two stupid shallow yuppie trends I hate – ridiculous foodieism and baby-as-status-symbol. It’s bad enough to be a douche who would spend $3.75 on chef-prepared baby food, but leave your kids out of it.

Mill This Over: Babies Can Eat What You Eat

Amy Kuras — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:02:00 GMT

We’re right in the baby food stage again, and while my daughter enthusiastically ate whatever we spooned into her cute little mouth, my son is a little more picky, even doing the “clamp the lips shut and go un-unhhh” thing.

He’s really all about the big people food. He’ll reject his gooey little pureed meals and then practically knock the fork right out of my hand in an interception attempt if I am eating something that seems to appeal to him. Since he’s only seven months and just had his first two teeth break through just this week, though, I am not ready to give him even very mushy teensy morsels of grownup food no matter how much he might want it. “Get some teeth, then we’ll talk,” I tell him as I fend off his advances on my dinner with one hand and balance him on my lap with the other.

In today’s New York Times, father Keith Dixon talks about how he and his wife got around the baby food issue and raised a pretty adventurous eater in the process – a food mill. They’d simply grind up whatever they happened to be eating and served it to their daughter. Now while some of this just comes across as bragging – cannelli beans with garlic confit? Really? – it’s a great idea.

Of course, if you have worries about food allergies this might not be the wisest course. After a few minor allergic reactions with my daughter, I have been overly cautious about her food, even waiting to give her peanuts until she was well older than three. My son benefits both from showing no signs of sensitivities yet and from being the second child, so his worrywart of a mother has learned to chill as much as I ever will.

It’s long been known that limiting babies to a bland diet is not necessary, but it’s such an ingrained part of my learning about baby care it’s going to take me some time to get over. Still, sending the collard greens cooked with onions and garlic we had last night through the Cusinart might be fun for both of us.

One of Those Food Questions I've Always Wondered About

Adrienne Martini — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:00:00 GMT

Pop Quiz:

You're making lunch for the kids and the cheese you pull out of the fridge looks a little green and fuzzy. Should you --

A) Fling it out the porch door while screaming, "Bad Cheese! Bad Cheese!"

B) Cut off the moldy bits and carry on.

C) Eat the cheese with the moldy bits because moldy cheese is a delicacy.

D) Sigh loudly and muse about how these things never happened to June Cleaver.

E) Feed it to the dog. After all, a critter who licks his own behind won't notice a little moldy cheese.

For the answer, click over to C. Claiborne Ray's column in the New York Times.

Image credit: KungFuCowgirl's Moldy Cheese Monster

Kid's Cereal Bad, Adults' Cereal Good

Amy Kuras — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:16:00 GMT

Breakfast for many of us families is a bowl of cereal (often gulped down standing up before running off to work or school). Sometimes, it's even dinner on the craziest days. It's convenient, quick and generally pretty nutritious.
But if you're letting your kids pick the cereal, you may be serving them a less healthy meal than you'd hope.
An analysis in the Journal of The American Dietetic Association found that two-thirds of cereals marketed to children – which meant they had a licensed character or an activity directed towards kids on the box – didn’t meet national standards for sugar content and other aspects.
They also make misleading health claims, like "made with whole grain" or "low in sugar" when in fact they can be just as high in calories or low in fiber as cereals without the health claims.
The ADA suggests instant oatmeal as an alternative – my kid loves the stuff, and the unflavored kinds aren’t sugar laden and good with a topping of fruit. My mother-in-law's trick is to top a healthy cereal with a sweeter kind. And a dietician even suggested serving cereal as dessert, so it's clearly delineated that sugary items like that are treats instead of healthy meals.
The good news is, adult cereals are pretty much OK from a nutritional standpoint, and few cereals, even the super sugary ones, are fairly low in calories even if those calories are empty. So if your kid will eat your bran flakes, let them – they are just as easy and better for you.

OpEd: Veganism is Bad for Babies

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Tue, 22 May 2007 19:02:00 GMT

Author Nina Planck, a self-proclaimed reformed vegan, wrote an OpEd piece in yesterday's New York Times declaring that a vegan way of eating is "irresponsible" for devloping babies, infants, and growing toddlers.

By now we've all read the story of the vegan couple who was recently tried and convicted of starving their six-week-old baby to death by feeding it nothing but soy milk and apple juice. This is the third or fourth time a "calamity" like this has happened in as many years. In my mind, these tragedies have less to do with veganism and more to do with the parents being stupid, selfish, a-holes.

Says Planck:

I was once a vegan. But well before I became pregnant, I concluded that a vegan pregnancy was irresponsible. You cannot create and nourish a robust baby merely on foods from plants. Indigenous cuisines offer clues about what humans, naturally omnivorous, need to survive, reproduce and grow: traditional vegetarian diets, as in India, invariably include dairy and eggs for complete protein, essential fats and vitamins. There are no vegan societies for a simple reason: a vegan diet is not adequate in the long run.

And for those that argue that vegans can breastfeed their children (although do vegans consider breastmilk an animal product?) Planck responds, "Studies show that vegan breast milk lacks enough docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, the omega-3 fat found in fatty fish. It is difficult to overstate the importance of DHA, vital as it is for eye and brain development."

Though not a medical professional, she makes a strong case that babies need a range of nutrients to develop properly. And I'm sure many medical professionals would agree with her. Seasoned vegans will probably poke holes in her arguments and chime in with all kinds of reasons why a vegan diet for babies is perfectly fine, but I wouldn't be willing to risk it.

Families Drive Top 10 Food Trends of 2007

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Tue, 22 May 2007 16:02:00 GMT

The very fake-sounding Institute of Food Technologies has just released its list of Top 10 Food Trends of 2007. Busy families seem to have played a large role in influencing the top trends.

The number one trend of 2007 is dining at home. Thanks in large part to Rachael Ray and her unstoppable culinary juggernaut, I'm sure, 75% of people polled eat dinner at home at least five nights a week. Why? Because she and her team of Food Network celebrity chefs finally taught the whole country how to cook. *eye-roll*

Convenience products (#3) make dining at home easier, especially for busy families. Products like pre-packaged salads, pre-cut veggies and fruits, and tuna pouches make quick work of preparing meals.

Eating locally (#7), which seems counter-intuitive to the #3 trend, is becoming trendy as the Slow Food movement gains popularity and people start watching their "food miles." My family is trying to eat and shop locally so our food doesn't have to travel as far to get to our table. Thankfully, we live in Northern California.

Kids' health needs and the growing problem of childhood obesity (#5) are also on the list. Parents are seeking out and preparing more healthful snacks. Speaking of snacks, snacks and mini-meals (#10) are also trendy so, um, yeah. Good luck with that childhood obesity, parents!

Click here to view the entire list, and see if you and your family are slaves to the latest food trends.

C Is For Organic-Spelt Cookies, It's Good Enough For Me

Melissa Summers — Mon, 14 May 2007 15:04:00 GMT

I'm a pretty basic cook but I've been increasingly interested in incorporating whole grains into my kids diets because they're more filling and also because the kids, they eat a lot of carbs. They're carboholics even. The easiest place to add whole grains are in the places where resistance is at it's least. It's hard for a kid to resist a cookie, even if it's got spelt flour in it. They don't have to know.

Little Foodies is a food blog to help you feed "the toddling masses...." I adore food blogs directed toward families, so this is especially appealing to me. Foodiemama shares her delicious recipe for Date and Pecan Sugar Cookies.

These are Picky Pants Summers Family Approved. I didn't mention the spelt and I didn't use all organic ingredients because I love pesticides! Love them! The kids ate them up and so did my husband (and he's turned his nose up at Carob Brownies in the past). It was like they didn't even miss the white flour and partially hydrogenated oils!

Four Culinary Moms Share Tips on Feeding Families

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Fri, 11 May 2007 21:06:00 GMT

"Mom, what's for dinner?" Hate that question? Then you'll want to read this, because just in time for Mother's Day, four culinary professionals (who also happen to be mothers) share their tips and tricks for feeding their families.

Cooking delicious and nutritious meals for my family is a passion of mine, so I devoured this article when I saw it in the paper this week.

Speaking with writer Tara Duggan, San Francisco area mother Joohee Muromcew, mom to four kids and cookbook author, says dinnertime is all about feeding kids before they become "puddles of neediness, melting all around my feet." Sound familiar? She cooks with her kids as much as possible, and thinks they eat better when they are involved in the process.

Single mom Sara Deseran tells Duggan that her family eats "lots of 'hybrid' meals: a combination of purchased rotisserie chicken and home-cooked vegetables, for example." Hybrid meals are popular in my house as well. I might buy a rotisserie chicken and serve that alongside rice and sauteed green beans, or I'll use it to make the main dish (like enchiladas or Chinese chicken salad) quicker. And let's not forget the convenience of bagged salads and steam-in-bag veggies.

Melissa Swanson started her own fresh baby food company after the birth of her son, waits tables, and is married to a chef. Her tip: cook on the weekends and make enough for the week, shop farmer's markets, and don't forget that the simplest ingredients—sweet potatoes, avocados, or beans—can make a satisfying meal.

Chef Maria Helm Sinsky avoids processed foods and focuses on seasonal ingredients. She's also not afraid to have her kids try, try again when it comes to eating new things. "It's more about perseverance and patience," she says.

Be sure to check out the rest of the article for wonderful recipes from all the mom-chefs.

[Photo credit: Craig Lee/San Francisco Chronicle]

Peeps-Shaped Meatloaf? (Maybe Next Year)

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:33:00 GMT

Too late for the Passover-Easter season is this crazy idea for a Peeps-shaped meatloaf.

I've never actually eaten a Peep; they just look way too artificial, plus I'm not a candy-lover. My sister bought my kids some Peeps this year (Thanks a lot, Auntie Jill), and even they wouldn't eat them. That's a bad sign considering my kids will eat anything if the #1 ingredient is sugar, #2 is something I can't pronounce, and #3 is food coloring.

I'm going to have to file away this Peep idea for next year, however, since it kinda looks like Miffy, I suppose I (or you) could make it anytime.

[photo credit: Brian Schilling]

Peanut Butter and Babies Equals Crazy Delicious

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 12:02:00 GMT

When I was a kid, I couldn't help feeding my dog, Bo, peanut butter. I'd spend hours laughing as the poor thing licked the roof of his mouth, desperately trying to delouse himself.

"We have got to try that with Emme," I told my wife. "Can you just imagine?"

"Sounds good to me," she said.

At the time, our daughter was little more than a month old. She could barely chew on her bottle, but boy, she sure loved peanut butter! It was great fun watching as she licked the roof of her mouth, swatting at her face with her pudgy little hands. She'd smile and coo and drool slobbery gobs of peanut butter onto her pajamas, spitting it out as fast as we could put it in.

"I seriously think I can do this for hours," I remember saying, chuckling at our little game.

Our doctor said it was wrong for some reason, I can't remember why exactly -- something about the lack of teeth maybe. But we quickly learned that not only was it great fun to watch, but it was also good for her. She gained weight like crazy -- swelling up like a prized pig!

It soon got us thinking about other things we're not "supposed" to feed our children, and before long our daughter was sucking down thick slices of hot dog, pieces of Hubba Bubba and, on rare occasions, a can or two of Hamms. (Talk about sleeping through the night!)

"Doctors," I told my wife. "They think they know everything."

Any other "banned" foods that are actually good for young babies?

Study: Canned, Fresh, Frozen Veggies All Good

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:46:00 GMT

A new study funded by the Canned Food Alliance (big shocker) reviewed recent published research on the nutritional comparisons of canned, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and determined that canned veg and fruit isn't as unhealthy as people think.

The study published today in the online version of the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture confirms that canned, fresh, and frozen fruits and vegetables provide nutrients needed for a healthy diet, and exclusively consuming fresh fruits and vegetables ignores the nutritional benefits provided by canned products. Researchers suggest that "eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in all forms are important to a healthy diet."

Research shows that canned, fresh, and frozen fruits and vegetables can all lose nutrients during processing and storage, as a result of exposure to heat and air. In some cases, there appears to be a higher nutrient content in canned foods—such as increased carotenoids in canned vegetables—due to the heat in the canning process.

Okay. I admit I have a sick fascination with canned peas, but I'll stick with fresh and frozen for my family.

British Mom Allowed To Retain Custody of Obese Son - With Conditions

Alisyn — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 01:15:00 GMT

Nicola McKeown, mother to 8-year-old, 200 pound Connor McCreaddie, has been allowed to retain custody of her son after striking a deal Tuesday, with social workers who suggested her son would live a healthier life elsewhere.

North Tyneside officials from the Local Safeguarding Children Board organized a hearing under the Children Act, to determine if Connor is "suffering,, or is likely to suffer, significant harm." The Board confirmed that they have made a formal agreement with Nicola and Connor to "safeguard and promote" Connor's welfare, but the details of the agreement are being kept private.

Young Connor is four times the weight of a healthy child his age. Of his appetite, his mother said "He was born hungry. He has always been hungry." Officials did not comment on whether they though Connor's obesity was genetic, medical, or if diet and lifestyle were the only contributing factors.

UK Mom May Lose Custody of 200 Pound Son, Age 8

Alisyn — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:21:00 GMT

British Social Services authorities are considering removing 8-year-old Connor McCreaddie from his home in Wallsend, North Tyneside, England, if his single mother does not improve his health and diet in the near future. Connor currently weighs over 200 pounds.

The local health agencies organizing the upcoming hearing that may lead to Connor being taken into protective custody, say they've been working with Connor's family "over a prolonged period of time," but that the family has repeatedly missed appointments with nutritionists and nurses. A spokeswoman for health officials in Wallsend, North Tyneside said "Child abuse is not just about hitting your children or sexually abusing them, it is also about neglect."

Connor's obesity attracted attracted national attention after his mother, Nicola McKeown, allowed a TV news crew to film his day-to-day life for one month. She has said that her son hides food in his bedroom, and eats "double or triple what a normal 7-year-old would... If I didn't give him enough at teatime, he would just go one at us all night for snacks." Connor also has trouble washing and dressing himself, misses school often due to "poor health," and is picked on by bullies.

I can not say that I have personal experience with obesity, or even know anyone who does, but as a parent, my heart breaks for poor Connor. An 8-year-old child having to endure health and hygiene issues of this magnitude is just astounding. I hate to say it, but perhaps a few months in hospital, with constant supervision, health and nutrition classes, and psychological counseling, could be really helpful to young Connor. Some court-mandated health education and counseling for his mother couldn't hurt, either. It's sad to think of a child forcibly removed from his home... but clearly, drastic measures are needed to save Connor's life.

Do you think Connor should be allowed to stay with his mother? Or would in-patient care be the best option for him at this point?

[Photo via the Associated Press]

Baby Goes "Ga Ga" Over Mom's "Gourmet" Endeavors

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:02:00 GMT

Stephanie I. Cohen, a writer for the Christian Science Monitor whose culinary adventures never strayed far from pasta ("Drain. Add sauce."), was inspired to become "gourmet" by her 9-month-old daughter's hearty appreciation of her cooking.

Cohen was never moved to make her own babyfood when jarred purees were readily available, but barraged by media reports that cooking healthy, organic, tasty foods for children helps to "unfurl their taste buds" she took butternut squash to pan and made a "gor-may" puree with cinnamon and applesauce. And her baby gobbled it up.

As a parent I can say that nothing inspires my cooking more than having my kids exclaim, "Mamma, you're the bestest cook in the whole world!" and the same goes for Cohen. Gourmet means "a person who appreciates fine food," and at a robust 24 pounds, Cohen's babe "fits the definition." Says the newly culinary mama:

The results so far have been satisfying: my daughter jamming a heaping spoon into her mouth, followed by fingers that do a little clean-up work around her mouth, and a first-rate smile that says "thumbs up" better than any restaurant critic. Next up: spinach corn casserole.

And that's what it's all about, innit?

Kid Food Hacks: Top-Your-Own Pizza

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:04:00 GMT

With places like high-end supermarkets and Trader Joes's selling ready-to-bake bags of pizza dough, it's pretty easy to make fairly healthful pizzas custom-tailored to your kids' personal tastes. And you don't want to do that you can grab a Boboli, slap on some sauce or olive oil and go that route. But what if you are really short on time (or just plain don't feel like cooking)? How can you bake a pizza that will satisfy a family's diverse tastes?

The idea came to me this weekend as I was shopping for "date-night dinner" (the dinner my kids eat when we go out). I was looking at take-and-bake pizzas at the grocery store and trying to decide which one to get. My preschooler likes salami on her pizza (as opposed to pepperoni) while my garbage-disposal of a toddler will pretty much eat everything. It occurred to me that if I just got a cheese pizza, we could top it with whatever we wished. So a pie, a package of salami, and a few assorted veggies later, we had our custom-made pizza. Now mom and dad can have their linguisa-jalapeño-anchovy special, while the kids eat plain cheese or JUST pepperoni.

Such a simple idea, I don't know why it didn't occur to me sooner.

Surprise, Surprise: Trix Not Good for Kids

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 23:50:00 GMT

Some wingnut non-profit in California is up in arms because food companies display fruit on their packages but don't actually include fruit in the product. Granted, that sounds bad. It would seem obvious that a box with a giant apple or cherry or strawberry on its cover would also include said fruit -- despite the fact the box also features a cartoon rabbit or a peg-legged pirate. But whatever.

"Parents are rushing through grocery stores with their kids, and a lot of them are relying on what they see on the front of the package. Most are too harried to read the fine print," said one of the non-profit people, who must believe Count Chocula earned his nutrition degree from somewhere.

I feel for these parents, I do. They want their kids to eat well, so instead of buying, say, fruit, they buy the box with the biggest picture of fruit on it. And it turns out there's no fruit inside at all. Oh the shame! So just which products are part of this deception? Which products are fooling parents? Which products are worthy of a four-month study?

Cap'N Crunch with Crunchberries, Airheads (taffy), Bubble Tape (gum), Fruity Cheerios, wild cherry Lifesavers, Fruity Pebbles, Ring Pops (suckers), Tang, Trix, Starburst, Kool-Aid Jammers. These are the supposed products that tout fruit but don't actually include it, according to the study. Huh?

Some moron spent four months on a study to tell me that Fruity Pebbles and Lifesavers aren't a reasonable substitute for real fruit? What sort of crackhead nutjob of a parent do you have to be to not realize that? I'm all for Cap'N Crunch, but I'm not going to replace apples with it, and I don't know any reasonable parents who would. Give me a break.

Junk Food Ads Contribute to Childhood Obesity. In Other News, Pope is Catholic.

JasonAvant — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 19:00:00 GMT

The third California Childhood Obesity Conference kicked off on Tuesday, the 23rd, and experts agree that marketing plays a big (and insidious) role in shaping kids' dietary habits. I was going to hold off on writing about this particular article until after the PR guys from McDonald's, Kellogg's, et al. put out statements questioning the validity of statements made by those speakers while defending their products ("But we also sell yogurt!"). There's just something exhilarating about people who are so nefariously intent on denying reality; putting a delusionary spin on matters of life and death is so vile and sad you just have to laugh.

And yes, childhood obesity is a matter of life and death. The study highlighted in the O.C. Register article indicates that 1 in 4 Orange County children are overweight; we all know that young children who are obese have a much higher chance of developing serious and potentially life-shortening health problems.

What's worth repeating is that like Joe Camel before him, Ronald McDonald wants your kids to become addicts; put on the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, or any Saturday morning cartoon show and you'll be inundated with fast food and sugar-laden cereal ads. None of which talk about the downside of eating that shit (Mayor McGreasetrap or Tony the Triple-bypass Tiger, anyone?).

Look, I enjoy the occasional big-ass bowl of Cap'n Crunch as much as the next guy. But I'm a grownup. The article raises an excellent point - young children can't differentiate between the program and the commercial. One expert recommends sitting down with your kids and talking about the differences between the two (good luck with that if your kid likes to watch old Transformers cartoons). In my house, we've devised another solution. The DVR. We don't let the kid watch "live" TV; we record the shows, then when he watches them, we fast forward through the commercials (bonus: we get to control what shows he watches, and how long he gets to spend watching them. Plus with the DVR, I can now record 24 while watching Heroes. Thus my life is fulfilled.) Our cable company charges an additional $10 a month; chump change compared to what we'd end up spending on insulin.

The Sadistic Parent: Forcing Your Kids To Eat What You Hate

Stefania Pomponi Butler (CityMama) — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:02:00 GMT

Admit it. You tell your kids it's "not a dessert night," then eat a pint of Chunky Monkey after they go to bed. You steal their Halloween candy. You sneak vegetables into everything they eat. You force them to drink water even though you guzzle down a six pack of Diet Coke every day.

You're a mean, hypocritical parent. Pull up a chair!

God, I hate fruit. Nary shall an apple pass my lips unless it's slathered with blue cheese, but I buy them by the ton because it's the snack my kids love best. Every time they say, "Can I have an apple?" I gush, "Why yes! What a healthy snack choice!" As a result they love fruit and I try not to gag as they happily chomp their bananas, pears or (shudder) plums.

Let's talk about water. I think I may be part camel because I don't drink more than a glass or two a day. I don't like it. I'd rather drink nothing. And yet, I force my kids to drink it as their main beverage of choice. Yes, they can have a glass of soymilk or a glass of juice, but the rest of the time it's water, water, (blerf) water.

Yogurt. I'd like to pummel the person that decided tangy, sour, thick milk was a good idea. Let's leave it there.

Milk. I'm sorry but I'm not drinking any liquid that's been extracted from a cow's tits. Actually, with milk I let my kids have a pass.

I'm bracing for the day when the older kid finally wises up and says, "Wait a minute, why do I have to eat a broiled grapefruit for a snack? You never eat it."

Please tell me I'm not alone. What foods do you pretend to like so your kids will eat it?