The
Kid's Re-generation Detective! Becoming a junk food detective
means looking closely at:
the foods you already eat
the foods that get served to you (at home, school, or restaurants)
the foods you crave because they come in cool packages
the foods shown on TV and on the grocery store shelves
AND Figuring out which foods would be:
better for your body—so you have energy all day long
better for your mind—so you can outwit your friends!
Here are some ideas for you to begin investigating.
You
and your parents can control what comes into your house—whether
it’s chips and soda which do nothing for your mind and
body, or whole-wheat bread and fresh fruits, which can keep
you going in a healthy way. Here are some activities you can
do right away to detect how healthy your home food supply
is–and to improve it!
1. Analyze your pantry and your refrigerator.
On a sheet of paper, draw a line down the center and start
two columns. On the top of the lefthand column, write "Healthy
Foods." On the right side, write "Junk Food."
Look in your cabinets and write down each item that’s
in there. If you can’t figure out if it’s healthy
or junk-y, ask a parent to help you. Reading labels will be
very helpful. Use
this website for guidance—it’s called "Smart
Food, Junk Food."
When you are finished, look over your list with your parents.
Talk with them about making a shopping list that includes
less junk food and more fresh, wholesome, nutrient-rich foods.
3. Become a healthy cook. Many types
of junk foods can easily be made healthy! Armed with knowledge
about healthy ingredients, and using some healthy-food cookbooks,
you and your parents can do some easy, creative makeovers
on favorite foods. See how many foods you can add to your
"makeover" list.
Example: Instead of greasy, high-fat pizza made with white
flour, you can make your own pita pizza at home. Spread some
tomato sauce, cooked or raw veggies, and a little low-fat
cheese on top of a round whole-wheat pita bread; then heat
it in the oven (with an adult’s help). In no time you’re
eating a healthy pizza! Click
here for other "build-your-own-meal" ideas.
4. Tally up the junk food ads on TV—and figure
out how it affects you. TV has a way of making you hungry–but
it’s almost always junk food that is shown. Don’t
believe it? Try this test at home: Click
here to get a "Junk Food Ad-Buster" Sheet which
you can print out (you may need more than one!). For one week,
any time you have permission to watch TV, track the types
of food ads you see by writing down the name of each food
advertised. Note whether it is junk food or healthy food.
Think about how the ad makes you want to eat something that
may not be good for you–even if they show it being eaten
by healthy-looking kids. If you really want to investigate
food ads, answer these questions as well:
• What patterns do you see? (Does
the same commercial ever run twice during the same program?)
• Are certain types of foods advertised at certain
types of the day?
• Are you surprised at any foods that aren’t advertised?
• How do you think these ads have influenced you?
• How much does one of these foods cost? And how much
money would the company make if 1 million kids went out
and bought that food today?
Schools are not always the best places for healthy
eating. It’s especially hard to stay on track when your school
allows vending machines filled with soda and candy bars and processed
crackers, and other junk food. Some people are calling for a ban
on those machines–with good reason.
There are many things a Kid’s Regen Detective can do to investigate
and improve eating habits at school. One of the key things is to
make sure you set a good example.
1. Avoid a junk-y lunch. When morning classes are winding down
and it’s almost time for lunch, you’re probably feeling
hungry AND tired—after all, you’ve been using your brain
non-stop since breakfast. Now, use your head: With 3 more hours
to go after lunch, not to mention sports or band practice after
school, how can you best keep your energy up and your mind sharp?
You guessed it! Skip the junk food at lunch and grab the healthy
stuff.
2. What can you do if you eat the school lunches?Here
are 10 easy tips to make a lunch that will keep you going until
dinnertime.
3. Do you search and search for healthy alternatives,
but you pretty much have to take what you can get from the lunchroom?
Don’t be a victim any longer. Click below for some great suggestions
for better school food. Armed with this information, search out
your cafeteria staff and talk to them about changes in the menu.
Need extra "power" behind your requests? Get friends to
sign a petition asking to switch to some of these alternatives.
And don’t be afraid to talk directly to your principal or vice
principal. A student with initiative will always get a reaction.
Did you know that communities can choose what
types of businesses may operate there? Some towns even have zoning
laws that do not allow fast-food restaurants to build there. And
when there is a town fair, the committees in charge of food may
choose to offer only healthy foods–like fresh-squeezed orange
juice stands instead of soft drink stands, and main dishes made
with organic, farm-fresh ingredients instead of hot dogs and corndogs.
1. Observe the food offerings at community gatherings—church
suppers, fairs, hospitals. How does it rate? If you list each food
item offered, would you discover there is more junk food than healthy
food?
2. Eat out, eat smart. Eating out often means facing more junk
food than you’d like to deal with. But there are ways to get
past that problem. Example: Your friends want you to join them for
a quick bite at the local fast food place. What do you do? (a) order the extra-big size fry, greasiest sandwich, and
wash it down with a super sugary shake–after all, nothing is
good for you on the menu so it doesn’t matter, (b) order a small fry, diet soda, and hope that you can get
home soon to eat a real meal, or (c) sit home alone wishing
you had more health-conscious friends.
If you picked a, b, or c, you may not realize
that these aren’t your only options. You can also probably
find something fairly healthy on the menu if you say, "May
I see your nutritional information, please?" Most restaurants
offer at least one healthy meal. Look around for a nutrition info
poster or ask the restaurant cashier for a nutritional brochure
to read. Here
are some healthy tips for eating out.
The
Kid's Re-generation Detective! 
