3 ways the Food Industry Appeals to Kids (and Parents)
The food industry, specifically those in the processed food industry, has long put their target on our little ones in a variety of ways. We have all heard about cereal boxes and their mascot characters that appeal to our kids. I mean let’s be honest, they appealed to me when I was a kid.
It’s our job as parents to teach our kids, hey those fun characters are fun, and we can love them, but what is inside the packaging is what counts. “It’s what’s on the inside”.
Here are some other ways that the food industry has put a bullseye on our littles…
Processed foods are loaded with added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and flavor enhancers to make our kids want to come back for more. These ingredients not only are telling their brains to prefer sweet foods, they are telling our bodies to react positively to them ONLY. This obviously can lead to many health issues in children and even into their adulthood.
There is no such thing as a free lunch, except when they are giving out free samples of food that your kids shouldn’t be snacking on. Have you ever opened a box, possibly from Zulily or other similar stores and found a free sample of a granola bar, or gummy candy - I mean “snacks” your kids “should try”. Don’t take the bait. Throw that free sample out - it’s not worth it - it’s no different then handing your kiddo a candy bar in the middle of the day. Next time they are at the store - the goal of the processed snack company is for your child to remind you of how much they loved that snack… don’t give in.
Have you gone into target and found kids “healthy” chocolate brownie bar of sorts on the corner shelf stacked high to the sky. Boom - cart. We have news for you - you are the target. The manufacturers pay for those spots, they bank on moms being too tired to walk down the aisle to shop anything else. We have news for them… your kids are worth it… walk down the aisles and get the food your kids need to stay fueled. And in our case - it’s ONLY the few ingredients you want to add to your Yummi Kidz shake - and reminder - you don’t need any ingredients to get the dense vitamins your kids need!
