Beginning today, kids will find some cool new choices on their restaurant menus — choices that will make their parents happy, too.
More than 15,000 restaurants in the U.S., representing 19 different chains, including Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Chili’s, Denny’s and IHOP, are participating in a voluntary new initiative called Kids LiveWell.
It’s being unveiled today by the National Restaurant Association and Healthy Dining.
Many meals that fit into the program will carry an icon of a red apple. They must include an entre, side dish and beverage and contain 600 calories or less, plus meet other nutritional criteria.
Kids LiveWell Nutrition Criteria for Full Kids’ Meals (entrée, side option and beverage):
•600 calories or less
•≤ 35% of calories from total fat
•≤ 10% of calories from saturated fat
•< 0.5 grams trans fat (artificial trans fat only)
•≤ 35% of calories from total sugars (added and naturally occurring)
•≤ 770 mg of sodium
•2 or more food groups (see below)
Kids LiveWell Nutrition Criteria for Side Items:
•200 calories or less
•≤ 35% of calories from total fat
•≤ 10% of calories from saturated fat
• ½ cup = 1 star (includes 100% juice)
•Vegetable: > ½ cup = 1 star
•Whole grains: contains whole grains = 1 star
•Lean protein (skinless white meat poultry, fish/seafood, beef, pork, tofu, beans, egg whites/substitute): > 2 ounces meat, 1 egg equivalent, 1 oz nuts/seeds/dry bean/peas = 1 star (lean as defined by USDA)
•Lower-fat dairy (1% or skim milk and dairy): > ½ cup = 1 star (while not considered low-fat, 2% milk is allowed if included in the meal and the meal still fits the full meal criteria)
“Kids can eat French fries, hamburgers and fried foods some of the time when they are eating out, but not all the time.” according to Anita Jones-Mueller of healthy dining
Is she kidding? US Food Safety applauds this program but this comment is ridiculous. Just tell your child they can’t have the fried food, or better still leave the kid at home.
Have you seen obnoxious kids in restaurants? They want the bad stuff and scream and cry until mom and dad give in to quiet the unruly child.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, they recommended the follow number of calories per day that you should eat:
For a person who practices 30 minutes or less of moderate physical activity, the number of calories that they should eat
Children——–2-3 years old 1000 calories
Children——–4-8 years old 1200-1400 calories
Girls————-9-13 years old 1600 calories
Boys————9-13 years old 1800 calories
Males———-51+ years old 2000 calories
For a person who practices 30 minutes to at least 60 minutes or more of moderate physical activity, the number of calories that they should eat:
Children——–2-3 years old 1000-1400 calories
Children——–4-8 years old 1400-1800 calories
Girls————-9-13 years old 1600-2200 calories
Boys————-9-13 years old 1800-2600 calories
That means that 600 calories is abut half or more of what a child needs to consume daily. This is just one meal. So if you follow this, a child may overeat and contribute to their obesity. Am I missing something?
You made no mention of price. That is a huge consideration in 2011.
Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest says offering healthier kids’ meals at restaurants is important because children are getting about a third of their calories from eating out, and eating out is a big contributor to obesity. “Kids’ meals have become synonymous with junk. They are usually a hamburger, a slice of pizza or fried t chicken tenders with a side of french fries and a soda.
“We need to get to the point that the kids’ meals are the healthiest meals, because kids are growing and developing and forming eating habits that are going to affect their health for the rest of their lives.” It will never happen in the real world.
Maybe I am being to hard on this new program. I would worry more about the cleanliness of the restaurants and the food handlers.
Posted on July 13, 2011 by foodsafeguru
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