I understand that the world does not go around unless products and goods are being manufactured and sold… however, I often question whether it should be at the expense of the health and wellness of a generation of children and their families.  While the government, lobbyists and food producers of the US battle to determine what is best for all… I sit across the kitchen table from real-life families who are struggling to understand why it is so hard to select nutritious foods off of the grocery store shelves!  Now, in an ideal world (a world most of us DO NOT live in) it would be simple… we could simply avoid purchasing any foods that come in a box, package or container.  We could instead have a backyard garden, shop at local farmer’s markets to buy raw ingredients and make all consumable products from scratch – so we know exactly what is going into our food.  Again, I reiterate – I work with “real-life” families who have busy schedules to navigate, limited financial resources, and a wide range of personal food preferences to work around.  Cooking from scratch is not always an option for most of the hectic families that I work with on a daily basis!  So how do I guide families through the packaged food jungle?  There are several key steps:

1) Prioritize – It is often overwhelming for families to take all factors into consideration at once. I encourage families to break down the processed food world into smaller pieces.  For example, a family may decide to take a week to track sugar consumption and become aware of all of the hidden sources.  Alternatively, a family could make it a goal to purchase only packaged foods with five or less ingredients…ingredients that are known and identifiable.  Perhaps the family’s weak spot is in the  area of caloric beverages like juice drinks, sport waters, and flavored coffee beverages – this may be a good place to start!

2) Learn the Label – Although it is still a very flawed tool, the food label can provide us with some valuable information.  Go to http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm to learn more about the important aspects of the label.  Another up-and-coming resource can be found at www.nuval.com.  NuVal, developed by Dr. David Katz, is a food scoring system that may be coming to a grocery store near you in the future.

3) Involve the entire family – The dialogue in the grocery store could go something like this… “OK kids, there are over 100 cereals on this isle – let’s see if we can find one with more than 3 grams of fiber, less than 12 grams of sugar, and no artificial colors per serving… ready – set – go!”

4) Teach awareness – Let your children know that there’s a reason why their “favorite food” comes out of a brightly colored package and is promoted by a fun cartoon character, a spin-off TV show and an exciting game-oriented website! Help your children look beyond the gimmick to the true value of a food.

5) Take a deep breath and release the guilt – It is not uncommon for me to see tears of frustration and guilt coming out of a mother’s eyes when she is faced with the reality that the health of her children has been adversely affected by the food choices that the family has been making.  This is a normal part of change – grieving for the mistakes made in the past and doing the hard work of turning in a new direction.  I urge families to take time to mentally and emotionally “wrap their head around” the WHY of making nutrition and activity changes in their lives and then envision the resulting improvement in health and vitality for life.  Take a break – even if it is a few minutes per day to visualize the outcome and breathe deep – knowing that change takes time and focus!

Let us know how an IMAGEplus+ Dietitian-Coach can help your family today!