Stephanie here…

This week, news revealed that “Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday became the first major media company to ban ads for junk food on its television channels, radio stations and websites, hoping to stop kids from eating badly by taking the temptation away.” Apparently, it’s thought that if television commercials hawk Disney’s Apple Slices instead of HoHos and DingDongs, then children will be healthier. The first lady is excited about it. Other companies have plans to stop targeting ads to kids. So, this will solve our problem as a nation of kids eating unhealthy food. Hmmm.

IS THAT SO?

What do you think?

Here are some tips that I’ve used to keep our people healthier:

• Shop the outsides of the grocery aisles. This is where the REAL food is located.
• Join a CSA. You’ll have so many veggies that your kids will think veggies are the food of choice. Hee hee.
• OR, be like Angie and grow a garden!
• Don’t shop WITH your kids whenever possible… at least not until their little minds are properly equipped to deal with the onslaught of the grocery temptations. Mine now realize why the foods are placed in tempting places. PBS Kids has a fun approach to teaching this.
• To help with the last one, shop online for groceries. In many places this is now an option! I find that I buy less junk that way because I have my list and search based on that, instead of gawking at the eye-popping displays.
• Train kids to read labels and educate THEM on healthy choices.
• Set the example that you want your kids to follow.
• Limit screen time. If ads really do harm our kids food choice abilities, then perhaps the screen time should be curtailed.
• Take matters into your own hands. Don’t wait for Disney to tell your kids what to eat.

Sorry, couldn’t resist that last one. I’m sure there are others and that this isn’t news to most of us. These sorts of “news items” just make me think that “huh, maybe people don’t know this stuff?” How do you keep your cavekids out of the reach of media ad influence?