Small Steps

The National Turkey Federation (NTF) and Shape Up America! recently released some interesting findings about childhood obesity. It seems that many mothers (or at least the ones surveyed by NTF) are unaware that their children fit the bill for being overweight or obese and under-active.

When asked about the biggest obstacles blocking them from serving healthier food, moms cited the picky eating syndrome, as well as the barriers of time and cost.

Being a parent in today’s on-the-go society is tough, and trying to get kids to eat healthy – while limiting their time on Facebook -- are very real challenges. Fortunately for harried moms and dads, the grocery industry is taking some notable steps to help accommodate busy lifestyles. The array of low-sodium, all-natural deli meats being rolled out is a great move. Conveniently packaged beverages with low sugar are another plus.

According to the NTF/Shape Up America! survey, almost half the moms surveyed pack their kids’ lunches. So better-for-you products like these can be a wonderful asset to parents who want to improve their kids’ diets.

The NTF and Shape Up America! are offering several online tools to help parents along the journey. In fact, one tool – the Meal Upgrade Calculator – will help moms and dads “upgrade” school lunches.

Whether or not parents will take better advantage of these tools remains to be seen. But offering healthier food options is one of the simplest, most obvious ways to help families make a healthy new start.