by Ron Pelger
"Eat your spinach!" "Finish your broccoli!" "Have some salad!" "Snack on some
grapes!" "Drink your fruit juice!" "Go outside and get some fresh air!"
I don't know about anybody else, but those were words I often heard during my
early childhood days. They came from my mother, and she said them with quite an
authoritative voice. But she was really just trying to teach me to eat properly
and exercise.
We always ate at home and never went out to any restaurants, especially for
fast food. Being Italian, my mother cooked day in and day out. One thing is for
sure: we ate good, wholesome meals, including a salad and fruit. Every meal was
well balanced and full of nutrition.
Her other strict rule was to spend time outside the house being active in
order to get rigorous exercise. She set limits on watching television and
prohibited sitting around the house snacking and doing nothing. Being outside
with the other kids was always fun and adventurous. We used to climb trees, jump
fences, play baseball, race our bikes, run through the fields and get our heart
rates pumping. None of us were ever overweight.
After spending two or three hours a day - and all day on weekends - outside,
I can remember going home and eating a bunch of fruit. It was great snacking on
peaches, nectarines, bananas and grapes. My mother always had a big bowl of
fruit on the table. Unlike candy or cookies, she would never put a limit on the
amount of fruit I could eat.
What about the kids today? How do they stay occupied? What are they eating?
Sad to say, many kids are following in their parent's footsteps. They are
spending an increasing amount of time in front of a TV or sitting at a computer
eating high-calorie snacks. This habit has totally eliminated any type of
physical activity, and the kids have begun to gain weight. Overweight kids grow
up to become overweight adults.
Industry to the rescue
Over the years, Americans have become
very concerned about children smoking, taking drugs and drinking alcohol.
However, it seems that obesity is not on most parents' priority list today.
Did you know that the average person eats the equivalent of a whole stick of
butter a day? Adults and children are planting the seeds for high blood
pressure, heart disease and diabetes by stuffing themselves with fatty junk
foods and snacks. This lifestyle has become totally out of control.
The produce industry has been trying to come to the rescue by educating
consumers about the many health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Teaching kids
the proper nutritional eating habits while they're young will get them off to a
good start.
The Produce for Better Health Foundation, headed by Elizabeth Pivonka, has
made an outstanding effort in promoting the 5 A Day concept throughout the
country. Produce industry companies such as Dole, Del Monte and Mann Packing Co.
have included educational material for kids on their web sites to help guide
them in the right direction.
Another company that has been making some real strides to
educate children and adults to eat fruits and vegetables is Nutrition &
Kids.
"Nutrition & Kids is a company educating kids and
families everywhere to make wiser food choices," said Kim Gerbrosky of Newport
Beach, CA, founder and developer of the program. "We utilize our 3-D animated
CD-ROM game with colorful characters to make learning fun. You can download a
sample of the game and read all about our supporters by visiting our web site,
www.nutritionandkids.net/1043 ."
He continued, "We are trying to reach everyone from the
government leaders, who are trying to pass legislation to educate our kids about
the need for fresh whole foods in their diets, down to those who are responsible
for the food that goes into their mouths. That might be a parent, grandparent,
caregiver, school or the kids themselves. We emphasize healthy eating, which
consists of lots of fruits and vegetables everyday."
Modern supermarkets are loaded with produce items grown in all parts of the
world. The produce department offers the perfect prescription for a healthy
body. Fruits and vegetables act as the vitamin pills prescribed by Mother
Nature.
Hold on a second! The supermarket also acts as a battleground for healthy vs.
unhealthy consumers. Shoppers purchase salad items rich in nutritional vitamins
and minerals from the produce department. Then they offset it with greasy potato
chips and high-calorie pizza from the grocery aisles. The battle goes back and
forth with no end in sight. I call this hypocritical shopping.
So who wins the battle: healthy or unhealthy foods? Anyone can eat a
nutritious, fresh-mixed salad, claim to have had their 5 A Day, then hours later
sit in front of the television loading up on cookies and ice cream. What was the
benefit?
There are many organizations in the produce industry that are working hard to
get the message out to consumers to eat more fruits and vegetables for health
reasons. However, the fast-food restaurants, junk food and snack companies seem
to be doing a better job of enticing them into their corners. If we're going to
win the fight, parents need to get more good old-fashioned eating and exercise
habits instilled in their children.
(Ron Pelger is the owner of RONPROCON, a consulting firm for the produce
industry. He can be reached by phone at 775/853-7056, by e-mail at
ron@ronprocon.com, or check his web site at ronprocon.com.)
