How Mac N' Cheese Is Like A Cigarette

Taxing soda and junkfood is a great way to reverse the effect on the waist line.

This article has such a harsh tone to it. And although the soup recipe sounds delicious, a) it calls for a fair amount of ingredients that folks normally don't have around, and b) not all the ingredients are healthy: soy sauce is basically liquid salt, oil is liquid fat, and brown sugar is still sucrose. The author of this article has obviously read her issues of Writer's Digest well: "Start with a provocative question or statement. That will get the reader's attention." Don't blame parents; they receive enough crap as it is these days. Instead, take a good hard look at what our food industry has become and how it is fast becoming concentrated into the hands of a few gigantic ever-growing corporations. It takes a lot of effort to fight the current food system. Parents across the world love their children as much as you love your daughter, Ms. Arnst.

Thank you for this wonderful article! As a mom of two, I try hard to feed my children healthy foods. It is shocking when I go to others' homes and see the junk they feed their kids because "they won't eat anything else". That is a sad lie. Children learn to eat the foods the family eats. If the parents are hitting the fast food several times a week and stocking the pantry with junk, then yes, the kids will eat that.

But if the parents eat a healthy diet, then so will the children because that is what is the norm for the household.

My 2 year old eats veggies and fruit, whole grain bread, lean chicken (NOT nuggets), and drinks a lot of water. Not because I force her to, but because that is what we all eat so it's perfectly normal to her. Yes we enjoy cake & ice cream on birthdays or holidays. But these are "treats" not regular food.

And yes, parents are to blame. Your children are not old enough to go to the store and buy their food & snacks. The choice of what to bring into the house is made by the parents. There are plenty of inexpensive healthy options out there, but you have to be willing to get them!

Of course we all love our children!
We need to demonstrate that by telling the food industry that they need to change their ways. They only listen one way -- through revenue and profit. Stop purchasing the unhealthy food and they will ultimately stop producing it. In the meantime, there are many healthy choices available.

Maria, I completely agree with you! My (almost) 2 year old daughter eats nearly all fruits and veggies, is perfectly happy with cottage cheese or nuts as a snack and drinks water or milk exclusively. She has never had chicken nuggets or hot dogs. When we eat out, she gets healthier food from our plates. Portions are huge at restraunts, there is no reason why kids need their own meals especially when their options are rarely healty!

I have to pipe up here and disagree COMPLETELY with Sarah's statement.

Parents are completely responsible for the food choices they make for their children. It doesn't take a big brain and it doesn't take much time to fetter out what is healthy and what is not. It isn't up to the government or the industry to make your food healthy, it's up to each individual to determine that it be so by spending your dollars thoughtfully.

Love the article, as for the soup, sounds delicious. In response to an earlier comment about "normal" people not having the ingredients around... that is what needs to change. I could go in my pantry/fridge right now and make that soup. Those are the types of ingredients I keep around.

As for liquid fat, your diet does need fat, and olive oil is a "good" fat. Eat it in excess along with anything else, of course it is bad! I use Flax Seed Oil in a lot of my cooking because it contains Omega-3's which are also lacking in American diet.

There is nothing wrong with home made Macaroni and Cheese! You people are throwing the baby out with the bathwater! There is nothing wrong with pure un-hydrogenated fat. There is nothing wrong with wheat or cheese or whole milk. Of course vegetables are wonderful too.

I agree, stop eating the industrial packaged foods, but stop acting as though food is medicine.

Macaroni and Cheese is NOTHING like cigarettes and being overweight is NOT the health risk some make it out to be. Get off your high horse and realize that articles like this contribute to the over-eating phenomena in this country by pitting "bad foods" against "good foods", creating a culture of deprivation that eventually leads to lots and lots of overeating.

Also I predict David Kessler will be stepping into his bigger suits again in about 2 years.

Read Protein Power. Read Atkins. Eat like a caveman and you'll be vibrantly healthy. Your weight is irrelevant - health is what is important. Politically correct nutritional advice is worthless - eat what your body is designed to eat, period.

I think obsessing over food in any form is unhealthy ... Let kids enjoy their mac and cheese, and give them plenty of vegetables, fruit and water, too. My understanding is that young children need fat. A friend of mine has her two-year-old on skim milk, butter-free toast and products that have aspartame in them. And she talks about the fat content of food constantly. Sometimes, food is for pleasure. Sometimes, it's fuel. And sometimes you have to eat something because it's good for you. But blanket rules over diet is partly how we got here.

Macaroni isn't evil. Just serve it on a small plate and let the kids decide when they're done.

Cathy Arnst here, thanks for all your comments. I'd like to respond to a couple of points raised: As Diane notes, children do need fat in their diet. Pediatric guidelines recommend that until age 4-5 about one-third of their calories should come from unsaturated fats found in olive oil, fish and other non-processed sources (not the trans and saturated fats found in most processed foods). After that the fat can taper off. Until age two they should be given whole milk, and after that switch to skim or 1% (2% is just as bad as whole, one cup contains as much fat as three strips of bacon). By the way, about 45% of children under age 5 do not get the recommended daily amount of calcium, so the more milk the better.

And Sarah, you are right, the soup recipe does contain fat, salt and sugar. But I use just one tbsp of olive oil, considered a "good" fat, I always buy low sodium soy sauce and when I made it this week I only used one tbsp of brown sugar, and the three kids I served it to still loved it. As for the ingredients, sorry but I don't think any of them are exotic, any supermarket would carry them. I find it is just as easy to stock your pantry with the ingredients for soup as with processed foods. And I do think we all love our children; that's why I wrote this post.

As for creating a "culture of deprivation," Betsy, there are absolutely NO studies showing that denying children junk food makes them crave it. Quite the opposite, giving it to them creates the cravings. Childrens' eating habits are most influenced by what their parents eat, not by what they are denied. It's up to us to model the good behavior.

If you want to know more about how to feed your child, check out this site by the American Heart Association:

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4575

Cathy Arnst again. One more thing: I looked up some recipes for homemade macaroni and cheese. The classic Fanny Farmer recipe contains 778 calories in a serving, 53% of them from fat. Martha Stewart's version, which I once made (and it is delicious), contains 765 calories per serving, 39% from fat. A slimmed down version that I found contains 471 calories, 39% from fat. Sorry folks, but there is something wrong with mac n'cheese, even the kind you make yourself.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Fannie-Farmers-Classic-Baked-Macaroni-and-Cheese-135350

http://www.recipezaar.com/Martha-Stewarts-Macaroni-and-Cheese-193931

http://www.recipezaar.com/Grandmas-Homemade-Macaroni-and-Cheese-14471

778 calories making up one meal out of 3 does not equal smoking cigarettes!

Brush up on the latest thinking about fats ala Gary Taubes and others(although he is guilty of vilifying carbs just as folks in the past have vilified fats)

And I didn't mean to suggest we should feed our kids junk food at all. In fact I said I agree with staying away from all industrial food source (especially trans fats). But it is well documented that people who diet and deny themselves normal foods (like macaroni and cheese) end up overeating and gaining weight in the long run.

I agree with your article Cathy Arnst - well said. One note on the recipe, Cathy Arnst, is that I belive you can substitute coconut milk with regular milk, which is healthier and is more readily available. I have use this substitution when I made asian stew/soup that call for coconut milk - and the result is just as delicious (can hardly tell the difference).

I totally agree with your article, thank you for sharing! My daughter is 6 and I have always tried to stick to a healthy diet...no red meat, no soda or caffeine, etc...
However about 2 years ago I moved in with my boyfriend who has 3 boys. He is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. For breakfast the kids have donuts and pop tarts. If they are given cereal it is always extremely unhealthy (cinnamon toast crunch or Lucky Charms)
I find the whole situation extremely frustrating. My daughter who once reached for carrot sticks and freshly cut fruit now throws tantrums about not getting high fatty / sugar treats.
I really want to continue to raise her on a healthy diet and rid our house of the Junk! Hopefully this article will help me to persuade my significant other! Thanks again for sharing!

It's kind of funny, but I guess the idea got put in my head. I made a Homemade Sorta-Mac-n-Cheese tonight for my girls for dinner. My version is very healthy. It's almost half whole wheat noodles; half veggies (peas & carrots). The sauce is made with chicken stock, flour to thicken and the cheese. Portion size is definitely important and fresh ingredients are essential.

By the way in 1960 (when you say folks were thinner) they would have used butter, whole milk and homemade chicken stock in your recipe. It would have been healthier and locally produced.

Thanks for the recipe Amanda, I'm going to try it this weekend. Hopefully it will keep me from making the Martha Stewart version, which for some reason I have developed an overwhelming craving for!

I believe the notation needed to be read in this article is the Mac & Cheese out of a box is what is detrimental to our health - as well as our kids. The chemical compounds put into shelf-stable foods such as Mac & Cheese, create chemical compositions that put the body in states to retain fat, rather than work it off. Natural foods, making homemade Mac & Cheese using low-fat cheese (such as 1% and 2% Milk cheeses) and fats (such as Smart Balance butters) offer a good taste, but at lesser risk of internalizing chemical compounds that offer negative results. Getting back to eating what is intended for our bodies, not what the food industry states is just "okay" to consume, is where the missing part of the equation is at; on top of proper portion sizes (not what our society has become accustomed to) and balancing it all with other food groups (fruits/veggies, dairy, etc). And having an indulgent moment, having a scoop of ice cream or a handful of potato chips is not going to destroy everything - but everything must be done in moderation.

I commend the author of this article, and I firmly back what the intent of this article was written for and about. But it goes far beyond just this step alone - there are a few more entailed on the road to health, and it takes discipline and responsibility on the parents part - period. For what the parent buys, the kids will eat. What the parent(s) eat, the kids will duplicate as well. Set a good example in your own lives, and watch how our kids lives transform into better and healthier ones. :)

This was a great post Cathy. I have a one year old daughter and my husband and I have made a conscious effort to introduce only healthy foods, as we have both struggled with addictions to fast food, soda etc... But the thing we're struggling with now is the grandparents/other family. They seem to want to feed our daughter the mac and cheese, ice cream, etc... and have almost taken a defensive attitude with us because we are trying to make healthy choices for her. One parent went so far as to snarkily ask "are you going to let her have cake at her first birthday party?" We're a bit at a loss at why there's not support, and why everyone thinks it's "fun" to feed our baby crappy food? Maybe they feel like we were raised on it so by us turning away from that we're dogging their parenting? Not sure if we're alone on this, but it's really something my husband and I are finding to be a big issue.

Again, great post. I think we as parents all need to take a firmer stand and stop this cycle of unhealthy attitudes toward food.

Brenda, I'm at a loss as well. I get the same kinds of comments from some of my friends, who seem to think I am depriving my daughter because I don't routinely give her soda and candy. What's up with that? Our job as parents would be a lot easier if we all supported each other in making healthy choices. If any one has any thoughts on how to deal with the people around us who keep shoving junk food at our children, and dismiss our objections, please share.

"If you love your kids, make them soup" - Cannot remember if I heard that in France or Italy but it makes a load of sense. Soup is often the way to get kids to eat veggies. All great food cultures eat a lot of soup. The UK anad US do NOT have good food cultures apart from a few weirdo's that like to know what they are eating. It's changing slowly, thankfully.

Anything home made and not processed is better - better to look at, better tasting and better smelling. And you can regulate the salt, fat and sugar input. That's not just for kids.

Finally a great simple soup recipe - using ingredients anyone will have - from the great but divisive Gordon Ramsay.

Ingredients: Brocolli, Salt, Water, serves 2-4

1. Cut the (2) broccoli heads small and put into about half pint of lightly salted water.
2. Boil with lid on for 10 mins, until a knife easily goes in, like butter.
3. Whizz in a processor until creamy.
4. Add more water if you like it thinner or boil down if you want it thicker.
5. Add salt to taste (if you need more).

I have also had this with a bit of goats cheese or olive oil but I prefer it unadulterated.

Best bit? It's bright green and for my son anyway nothing, nothing is cooler than that.

the food companies are awful, but their job is to make money. and i'm sure most parents truly love their children ... but they are so busy with work and providing a good life that they don't have the "time" to cook good food. it's about priorities. hey, cook good food and tell your kids that these are the only menu options they have, no hot dogs, not chips. if you think your kids will "hate" you, then deal with it. at least you'll make sure that they are healthy. COOK. i know a lot of parents who eat the same junk their kids eat, so learn how to cook or don't complain about America's so called obesity problem.

Hi, I'm a 19 year old college student, and I must say I have always been disgusted with what other people feed their children.

My dad was the main controlling force in the food I was given as a child. For breakfast I always was given a non-sugary cereal like Raisin Bran with 1% or 2% milk, whole-wheat toast with promise spread or similar (never butter or margarine) and orange juice. Lunch was something like maybe PB&J on whole-wheat bread (my dad always refused to use white bread). Dinner was usually a healthy meat (like fish, lean chicken, etc... occasionally hamburgers made with ground round, never chuck or regular... and he always grilled or baked, never fried).. a vegetable such as peas, corn or green beans... or maybe a baked potato, but only with promise spread, no sour cream, no cheese. To drink was usually Juicy Juice (100% juice no added sugar), 1 or 2% milk or water... if we got soda it was super special... but always caffeine-free. If we wanted a snack after school or something it was usually fruit, apples especially... or maybe yogurt or the light butter kind of popcorn (which is usually close to being fat free).

My dad actually made baked macaroni sometimes... it was really good. Not sure how he did it. Also if we had pizza it was homemade... like completely homemade.

And guess what? I now at 19 reject white bread, hate butter, eat fruit as a snack frequently, love yogurt, despise sugary cereals [lucky charms SUCK], gag at the idea of nasty movie popcorn, and find things like ho-hos etc just too rich... pretty much anything with massive sugar makes me heave, not even kidding.

Back then I think I remember wondering why we didn't get what other kids got,... but I specifically remember asking for carrots or an apple for a snack when my dad said I could have one. And my parents stuck to it and now that I am older and more mature I actually understand it and after growing up with the healthy foods I just like them better... I'm used to them. Something super sugary/greasy/salty/etc just doesn't appeal to me, it just sounds nasty.

SO... Just don't listen to the other parents. Obesity is WAY. More dangerous than people think it is. Do not underestimate the dangers... it is a massive shortening of life expectancy. It is hugely taxing on your heart and joints. Your heart - typically the foods that made you obese are saturated with fat and cholesterol, and that is a major risk factor for stroke or heart attack. It also means your body must carry more weight and pump blood harder, making your heart stressed constantly... a double whammy for blood pressure, only worsened by the salt consumed in such a poor diet. The extra weight is very very taxing on your joints, leading to early arthritis and back pain, and let's not forget that 90% of diabetes is related to obesity. Obesity has overtaken smoking as the #1 cause of premature death. Stop denying it because you're not willing to DO SOMETHING about it! It is a PREPOSTEROUS argument that feeding your kids trash will not adversely affect them. It is terrible for them at that age and also leads to horrible habits later, because if you were brought up on sugary, empty-calorie white bread, you're not going to switch to wheat... probably won't even think about it.

If you're not willing to change your diet or the diet of your children, well that's fine, cooter, but don't be surprised when your children are fatasses getting high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, which will only continue to compound and compound as they age because once you develop bad eating habits in a child, it is EXTREMELY hard to break them.

Childhood is an absolutely CRITICAL time. Nothing is as strong as the habits and associations developed during childhood. If you deny that feeding your kids junk will lead them to eat junk their whole lives, and probably develop problems like heart disease brought on by obesity and cholesterol, then you are essentially arguing that the world is flat. If what you are arguing is true, then why are childhood obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes rocketing off the charts?

It isn't something you can argue about, it is a FACT.

-M.D.
A 5'8", 135lb, college student majoring in chemistry with a resting pulse of 55bpm and 105/70 blood pressure.

In addition, if it was someone I wasn't around often, my parents would allow it as a special treat but then they would perhaps skip a treat they would have given later.

With relatives, etc, my dad (as he later told me), after the first time it happened just politely explained they he didn't allow me to eat foods like that. If they said anything else about it, he just replied that, regardless, he would appreciate them respecting his parental decisions for his children. He never said anything about the unhealthiness or argued about the effects or habits, just said he didn't allow us to eat that kind of food and to please respect his parenting... no reasons necessary. He thought that that was what normally led to stupid arguments.

The goal of this article is good, but it is very accusatory and just overlooks so many aspects of American culture.

First the accusatory part. "Adults too easily assume that kids won’t eat anything else" (in reference to hot dogs, pizza, ice cream, etc). How about the fact that many working parents don't have time to come home from their 8-6, after commute, jobs and cook meals? How about that those who make 40-60k a year combined income don't have the money and time to spend on cooking complete meals? I really hope the quoted statement was made in hyperbole because I highly doubt that the majority of parents assume their kids won't eat anything except foods high in unhealthy forms of fat, sugar, and salt.

Pasta is not necessarily a fat-laden meal. Sure, if you eat fare similar to fettucini alfredo it is, but if you eat whole grain pasta with a moderate amount of cheese then it's fine. Having a diet composed of mainly fruits and veggies is not good (and I'm not saying that the author is advocating this point). People need carbs, sugars, salts, and fats for energy. Additionally, no matter how you slice it, unused calories become stored energy in the form of fat.

I feel that exercise should have been discussed more in this article. Exercise is an important part of any healthy lifestyle, no matter if you're 2 or 99. Since we are eating more as a society, maybe it's time to exercise more as well? Changing our eating habits will not happen overnight, so a way to offset the excess consumption is through cardiovascular exercise. Not skipping meals is also important.

M.D. mostly has it right, except I think he failed to mention that he exercised a good amount because a resting pulse of 55 bpm isn't attained from just eating healthily.

How much does the carrot and ginger soup recipe you provided cost (with and without the shrimp additions)?

Please don't say that eating foods high in fats, sugars and salts is almost equal to snorting cocaine. Hyperbolic sensationalism (yes, I know it's redundant) like that is not needed in any form of print, unless it is fiction. And this article certainly isn't fiction.

I agree, this article's tone is not necessary.
And your daughter probably asked why she wasn't offered the salmon because you were talking about the "bad" food she was given.
I have met "food nazis" before, and usually they are trying to show us all how much better they are. Did you ever think that your host could not afford $30 a pound serving a child who in most cases would not eat it? Maybe you should read a manners article in regards to demanding people serve your child a selection appropriate for an adult.
I am not a food expert, but I have had some training in regards to nutrition. Everything in moderation with a good mix of experiences is the key. An occasional hot dog or mac and cheese is fine. But tempt the palate with salads and other foods occasionally. The taste for some foods normally require several introductions. Salmon is one of them. And if "richie-rich" here can afford to serve and throw away several servings of salmon, good for her. I can't afford that!
And really, does reading one book chosen to meet your view of the world make you an expert? Does it mean we should have the government telling us how to eat?

I doubt that most parents in your target audience can afford coconut milk, sesame oil, and fresh ginger to grate for dinner each night.

The tone here sounds so naive -- why don't people feed their children better? It's so easy, look, I do it, I'm amazing.

PS - Typos here were distracting (her's?)-- editorial oversight would be helpful in maintaining a professional level of writing.

Cathy Arnst again. For the commenters who think the carrot ginger soup recipe is too expensive for many families: I priced out all the ingredients you would need to buy to make the soup, assuming you had none of them in your cupboard or fridge. The only thing I didn’t include was the olive oil, since you only need one to two tablespoons and I assume everyone has oil of some kind. The prices come from Fresh Direct, an online grocer in New York City. Once you’ve bought the non-perishable ingredients you can make the soup over and over, of course, but for that initial batch of soup, you would have to spend a total of $21.11, or $5.28 per serving if you give very large servings to four people. The shrimp is completely optional, but a 1 lb bag of frozen large shrimp at Fresh Direct is $8.50. If you made all of them it would add $2.12/serving to the price.

More expensive than a box of Kraft deluxe macaroni and cheese, for sure, which costs $3.29 each and feeds four, but I don’t think the soup will break the bank for most families, especially when you amortize the price of many of the non-perishable supplies over many meals.

Here’s the prices I used:

carrots 69 cts/lb
ginger $2.99/6 oz piece (would only need 1/3 of that)
sesame oil $2.99/6 oz bottle (1 tsp needed)
low sodium soy sauce $2.89/10 oz bottle (3 tbsps needed)
light coconut milk $1.89/can (1/4 cup needed, about one quarter of the can)
fat free chicken broth $1.49 can (2 cans needed)
lime – 39 cts each
onion 30 cts each (approximate)
brown sugar $1.19/one lb box (2 tbsps needed)
creamy peanut butter (Jif) $3.59/18 oz jar (1 tbsp needed)
skim milk $1.19/qt (1 cup needed)

And finally, Julie, thank you for pointing out the grammatical error with her's, it has been corrected.

One more thing. Bignumone, at Fresh Direct fresh salmon costs from $7.99 to $9.99 per pound. It is no where near $30 per pound. As for the dinner party I mentioned in my original post, it was pot luck and I brought the salmon, which is why my daughter (who loves salmon) wondered why she didn't get any. I explained to her that all the rest of the kids wanted mac n'cheese and hot dogs, so the hosts assumed that she would prefer those for her meal as well. I may be a "food nazi," as you say, but I do have manners, and did not think it appropriate to make a fuss over how they chose to feed the children in their own house.

I think we should stop blaming the food industry and how they intice parents to buy the "wrong foods". If anyone has any common sense when they shop they will notice that most healthy foods are on the periphery of the super market. Fresh fruits and veggies, meats,dairy products and most healthy breads are sold in non-aisle sections of the store. Yes, we do have to go down some aisles to pick up things, but do the outside first and I think you will see that you will finish up your shopping with less junk food. Why do adults have to be told what is healthy? It's just right under their noses if they will look. Oh yes, if you buy un-prepared food products that means you might have to wash, peel, chop and actually cook the foods. Maybe that is what is keeping most parents from buying healthy foods, the actual time it takes to prepare, taste, and give your child the opportunity to be a part of the meal preparation. You not only get good food but you get time with your family. I think the double bonus is worth it.

Well... I guess a good article makes for a good discussion. I found this article very interesting and with good advice, but the discussion that ensued was even more interesting. The best thing about it was that the issue IS being discussed, and I can tell that we all love our children and take this issue very seriously. I think that as parents we are trying our best to learn more and teach our children all they should consider when it comes to their eating habits.

At home I have 3 adolescents and each has different eating habits. My eldest (18) is very health conscious, eats lots of fruits and vegetables, only whole grain breads, drinks only water and does not eat red meat. My youngest (14) loves to eat meat, cookies and pasta, and dislikes vegetables. The one in the middle (16) is like that in her food habits as well since she loves fruits and vegetables, drinks plenty of water, eats only whole grain breads, but also loves cookies and cake, and she sometimes likes to eat a hot dog for lunch. I never have sodas at home and all three do not like candy that much. They usually have a small piece and are through. I usually cook healthy foods and from scratch, and try to keep it balanced. I say usually because I work and some Fridays I am just to worn out to cook dinner, so I might order a pizza or we might go out. But anyway, my point is this, that even though all three grew up in the same home and environment, with healthy home cooked meals, they are at different levels as to their eating habits. We talk about this and I make it very clear what IS healthy and what is not, but then I let them decide for themselves and also let them face the consequences of their decisions. As you can tell by their choices and their ages, the talks we have had are taking effect according to their maturity level, and how they define their 'social' choices as well (as in not doing what the others do).

So Cathy Arnst, I thank you for this article, I will make sure and forward it to my children, and hope the it helps them to understand food a little more. After that, the choice will be theirs.

Oops! I forgot to mention. All my children are very healthy and fairly active (especially my youngest son). None are even remotely over weight.

I want to say that I personally eat very healthy and therfore my kids do too. I do gve them mac n cheese but only once in a while as a treat. Instead of soda they drink fruit juice and my son's favorite food is grilled salmon and broccoli. He chooses this over pizza and french fries because it is what he has eaten his whole life and because it is what I eat. So I agree completely we chose what our kids get used to eating it is our job as parents to make sure they develop healthy lifetyles and to do that we need to live them too. You can't eat a bag of chips then expect your kids to eat carrots. My kids are not overweight in fact they are considered under weight not because of malnourishment but because so many people teach their kids candy and sodas are okay then people like me are frowned on so I say this "shame on you parents who think a normal dinner should be whatever the kid will supposedly eat! Teach them right and you wont have that problem"

Damn! We must avoid "extremely palatable" food, presumably in favor of margainably palatable or even unpalatable foods, and/or foods with inconvenient preparation time and/or cost.

Sounds like just the prescription we need for this, hectic, competetive, dangerous and already only marginally enjoyable life, which will end in misery anyway, no matter what we eat along the way.

How about the commercial food giants developing extremely palatable foods that are also nutritious, fast and reasonably healthy and affordable. This CAN be done, if we want it enough!

Sure give me smaller portions, OK -- but very "palatable" food PLEASE!

Sorry sarah sweetie but sometimes the truth hurts.

I have personally watched what the constant advertisement of food, and the ability to have it everywhere can do to a lifestyle and a family.
I live on a campus and if there is any sort of gathering, we involve food. If we go to a movie, we get food. Often times we surround our children and ourselves with the opportunity to eat when it isn't needed at all.

I do agree, that yes those recipes may not be very good, but to be honest, not very good looks a heck of a lot better than crap. Also, if it isn't the parents fault for watching what their kids eat does that mean we leave our children in control with the decision? That's when an 8 year old develops the attitude to decide their lifestyle, which is not only dangerous but can be completely overwhelming to a child. They need someone to help guide them. I am sorry to seem harsh, but if we don't take control soon we will not only struggle with denial, but inability, and I do NOT want to have to surrender my life to food.

I am far from good at this, I have a horrible time eating right, but I can see the problem.

K.W. is definitely right, I run a lot and lift several times a week.

I almost think that exercise is actually more important than what you eat. Again, my parents encouraged this in me both directly and through their examples. My dad ran (and still does run) 3 to 5 miles at least three days a week. My mom typically does several miles of brisk walking on a treadmill. My dad also encouraged me to try sports, eventually I found I loved XC and track.

I strongly believe that getting even a little exercise can really accelerate your metabolism. Eating right makes you exponentially better off, but it's not going to improve your cardiovascular health as drastically as exercise can, and though you may be a healthy weight, if you don't exercise, you won't get nice firm muscles building up.

So yes! Setting an example of activity is also very important. I'm not just saying this because of my parents... just a lot of my friends who are pretty active had parents who were active and encouraged them to do stuff. When I saw my mom going out for a walk every day or other day eventually I wanted to go with her, and soon I was interested in running, and then I ended up joining XC in 6th grade and we've been inseparable ever since, haha.

I'm telling you, there's an activity for everyone. Everyone likes SOMETHING.

So yeah! There's my 55bpm and 105/70. (Though I think my blood pressure is partially genetic low blood pressure.)

No matter what any of you say, the parents buy the food. Kids don't. Therefore only parents are to blame in this situation. They are responsible for the future of their children's health. So stop blaming the food industry. Can't afford to buy healthy food that would allow children to have a healthy life? DON'T HAVE KIDS! Stop ruining the lives of children you can't afford to give healthy lives to.

In addition to what Fred said, how many luxuries do these "poor" parents own that they didn't NEED? You would really put a price on your child's long term health and wellness?

Great article! Thanks for the recipes. I'll have my wife cook them for me this weekend. They really look delicious and healthy, too!

Buy Mirrors

In the hands of corporate america, food is a drug. We should tax junkfood, just as we do cigarettes and beer. We will. The comparison between cigarettes and mac and cheese is utterly apt. This will be the accepted wisdom in this country in thirty years; so the snap reaction is predictable. Processed foods are a root cause of the fog that americans live in.

Buy local. Eat less. Don't give into the footstampings of children, yours or others. Don't be lazy in what you put on the table. Stop bitching about the cost of food if you have time to cruise the internet. Try eliminating your access to the web if you can't afford to buy vegetables. That's twenty bucks, add that to what you save by not buying pounds of refined sugar and gallons of corn syrup on every trip to the market, and maybe you can make the soup, or something like it every night of the week. Then your kids might not look like they are being inflated through an air valve in their hind end.

I soo agree with everything that Ms. Arnst said. Comments about not having time or money to feed our children is a load of bunk. I was a single mother with two children and a very low paying job in the fast food industry and still made a point of feeding my children real food. I could have fed them garbage every day for little to no money and made a conscious decision not to. I chose to place my children and their needs as first priority. No cable, no internet, no cell phones. My money (what little there was) went to providing for them and that meant real foods. I cooked. From scratch. I made my own pasta sauces and baked my own breads. I never cooked with salt and if there were treats in the house like cookies and cakes I had made them so I knew what was in them. It was my belief then and still is now, that if you are going to have children then they must be your first priority.
Not believing that foods are medicine is ignorant and short sighted. NO SINGLE THING has a greater impact on our bodies then what we put in them daily. As a result of my parenting choices both of my children are college educated, descent human beings in excellent health.

I agree. These corporations need to stop making their food taste good.

Yes, please tax junk food. But remember, our children will eat what we buy. YOU need to take responsibility and keep the stuff out of your house.

Great words all, and M.D. I take yours to heart. I'm the father of an 8-year old addicted to candy, treats and desert... I'm the stay-at-home and feed him wholesome, healthy foods for breakfast and lunch... but his Mom thinks he's "deprived" and wants him to have ice cream, cake, candy and all sorts of junk food- every damn day. I've nearly given up trying to counter such unhealthy foods because I'm the "bad parent" in his eyes. How do I compete with a Mom (and a teacher) who wants him to have sweets all the time, and believes that loving him means making him feel good with junk food and short-term quick-fix goodies? Right now I've planted over 130 feet of garden space with all sorts of veggies, and I'm on my own with it. Getting him to eat it is another thing. Bottom line- I believe parents make an enormous difference in their child's habits, diets and future well-being with how we treat (and shovel food into) them while they are young. Unfortunately I don't know if I'm really making a difference with my son or not. - Frustrated Mike in Missouri

Maria, do you have children? Yes, the parent is ultimately "responsible" for what is brought into the house for a child (maybe under the age of six), but there is that little bit called the "nag factor" - a term coined by advertisers, nonetheless, of a child who throws a tantrum or begs the parent for XYZ product. Many parents put up a fight, but ultimately cave after about the ten millionth time.

So yes, parents are responsible but there is plenty of blame to go around. The issue is rarely as simple as you make it out to be.

Look,

What is missing in most of these posts responding to the article. The issue is how certain fatty/salty foods actually self-perpetuate over-eating in much the same way nicotine causes one to smoke.

So yes - homemade Mac N' Cheese is probably healthier than out of a box (i.e. - no artificial ingredients). But the from-scratch recipe does nothing to reduce the issue relating to our dependence on high-fat/high-salt foods.

And what makes it worse is the fact that you end-up craving these foods as rewards. It is why (and I cannot tell you how many times this pops up) that pizza is served at meetings. Why not salads? Because pizza satisfies our lizard brain in ways that carrot sticks do not, even if we deep down know that pizza is bad for us.

Interestingly - the healthier foods are on average also better for the Earth (i.e.- if you really want to cut-down on your carbon footprint, become a vegetarian (or at least cut-out red meat from your diet....something I cannot bring myself to do yet).

So those harping on the author for being too mean spirited I am guessing either have weight issues themselves or have children with weight issues. But rather than face up to the fact that they have been responsible in part for perpetuating bad eating habits, they attack the author, who is highlighting a salient issue that needs to be further investigated by policy experts and government:

"Do we need to regulate food which inherently makes us unhealthy?"

This is from India, so there may be a mite of difference in the point of view. We didn't have Mac 10 years ago, so I guess we should be blaming the US of A for bringing burgers and pizza into our national consciousness!

Indeed yes, it is in and seems settled down. I have a 11-year-old son whose good humor switch is pizza. Daughter, 5, is staple on macaroni and pasta. Fortunately, we get by without cheesy stuff. And frankly, the domestic diet natives are not much better. I come from south of India, where rice is staple (if you consume rice thrice a day, i assure you, you'll end up overweight and unfit, no matter what anyone says.) in the north, where i've settled, there's much too much of butter and cream in the diet. salt, of course.

i've gradually switched to the moderate portions school of thought. small portions, 4-5 meals, and exercise. i've lost about 12 kilos since last october.

and when those kilos go away, believe me, the body FEELS BETTER.

seems the cigarette example is what's got most of the readers' goat. just ignore it. read the rest of the article. and DO SOMETHING to give your kids good, clean, healthy food.

hari

To those readers who disapprove of the "tone" of this article...Grow up!
I'm sick of parents who think kids are "natural" so ignorance is OK. Would you buy a dog without finding out how to keep it healthy? Why should kids be treated worse than pets?
Humans are very easily spoiled so the first 5 years in particular are critical.
Bravo to the parents that put the effort in!
If you feed junk food to your kids regularly you are practicing child abuse. Period. No "I'm too busy" excuses are good enough when the knowledge is so explicitly available.

Cathy is speaking to a true epidemic that will not only hurt people, families from the likely health problems caused by unhealthy eating, but will also add costs to an already overburdened health care system. I also believe eating healthy is part of living healthy whether talking about relationships, finances, or physical health.

I think a simple way of separating good v. bad food is processed (out of a box, can, etc) v. fresh. Of course that is big generalization. I am big on breakfast (eggs), fresh fruit and fresh veggies but I want to eat less red meat. A lot of great comments - way to go Cathy!

I'm here to say that it is possible to wean yourself from an addiction to the taste of processed food and fats. A few weeks ago I started following Mark Bittman's "vegan until six" eating plan, mostly for environmental reasons. What I ended up doing was eating lots of fruit and lots of beans and vegetables flavored with oil and garlic.

I realized something had changed one day when my entire lunch was half a head of cauliflower roasted in garlic and olive oil, and I thought it was the best lunch ever. [Recipe: cut up cauliflower into florets. Toss in a roasting pan with a generous amount of olive oil. Roast in a 375-400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, then add several cloves of garlic, slivered if desired but not chopped too finely. Keep roasting, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until cauliflower browns and softens, 30-45 minutes total. Add salt and pepper. Enjoy.] I was full from the fiber, and the strong natural flavors of the cauliflower and garlic had hit all the taste centers so I didn't feel deprived at all.

I had always had a strong and, I thought, unshakable addiction to cheese, but for the first time in years I realized I had no cheese in the house and I was fine with that. Last night as a "treat" I had some of my favorite mac 'n cheese from before, and I realized it just tasted bland and flavorless. I still eat olive oil and salt, but increasingly my palate is starting to crave the flavors of real food.

I'm not preaching at everyone to go vegan, just saying that if you try it you'll be amazed at how you can reset your palate.

I wholeheartedly agree with the positive posts in this thread.

My wife and I have made a conscious choice to provide our 19 month child with a healthy balanced diet and are sticking to it quite successfully. My son's favourite treats are low-fat probiotic plain yogurt (go figure)and oatmeal. I'm still having a bit of trouble feeding him fish though(he dislikes the smell).

I've found that the easiest way to get him interested in healthy food is to get him to participate in the preparation process. I take him with me to the fresh produce market every weekend and I get him to smell and touch every ingredient that will go into his meal (and ours, he eats what we eat). The same applies to the cooking, he gets to smell fresh herbs and spices before they go into the pot/pan/BBQ. Needless to say, anything prepared with those herbs/spices becomes instantly interesting for him.

What I really don't buy is people complaining that it takes too long and costs too much to prepare healthy meals. Both my wife and I work full 40 hour shifts (and more at times) but I still find (or make) the time to cook a proper meal for my family every night.

And shopping for fruits and veggies at the fresh produce market (not at the major supermarket chains) is generally less expensive. For 20 Canadian dollars, I purchase enough fruits and veggies to last beyond a week, and in the summer and fall, I spend my produce dollars at various farmers markets.

Healthier, cheaper and I get to spend my Saturday mornings sharing my passion for (healthy) food and cooking with my son.

Obviously, I don't mean to offend single parents who might have more difficulty finding time in their busy schedules. I can only imagine what it would be like raising my son on my own, and the prospect scares me. But is the difference between spending 20 minutes making Mac and Cheese and 40 minutes preparing a healthy meal really worth complaining about?

Here's a little junk food for thought. When you start taxing something, people get a chance to utilize the services the tax money is going to. So, if you lose your job, tax money is used to assist in working with that unemployed person. Would someone who is overweight get to claim some sort of "assistance" needed, if the junk food is being taxed? BTW, great comment Andy!

I just purchased a 15 pack of mac and cheese from Costco and plan to eat it all very soon. Life just isn't that enjoyable without good tasting food. I'd rather live a shorter, happier life than sacrifice something I really enjoy for a few more years.

I had an interesting conversation with my 8 year old daughter about making good food choices. She eats pretty well, but loves junk. Of course I agree 100% that if you don't buy it in the first place, then it's not available for your children to eat (at home, anyway).

When I explained why chips, soda, etc. are bad for our bodies, she looked at me so incredulously and asked "then why do they make it?" The situation suddenly became crystal clear: It starts with telling her why certain foods and drinks are unhealthy. She needs to know why the outside perimeter of the grocery store is where the best foods are for healthy bodies.

I found the cigarette analogy interesting, especially considering the health problems we're only beginning to see that are associated with food.We teach our children not to smoke - and they don't see cigarettes marketed to them as 8-year-olds. But if they watch TV, they see non-stop ads directed at them telling them to eat and drink this stuff...they go to a friend's house and are offered it...they go to the grocery store and see the fun packaging...

I think our kids can be much better at making healthy choices than we give them credit for - we just need to tell them why.

How about an inverse tax on nutritional value? The higher the calorie to vitamin ratio, the higher the tax per gram, ounce, etc. Oh, and a requirement that all taxes get spent on playground equipment. The tax should be applied to the manufacturer, not at the retail counter so that change comes about quicker. Food additives that serve only to increase food addictiveness or attractiveness (colorants/dyes) should be taxed at double rates.

Better yet, grow your own food and eliminate the tax, the cost of administering it, and the corruption in all things where money flows.

Take away my chicken biscuits and I will cut you.

In reference to Stephanie's comment, some states DO tax soda. California, for example, has a "12 pack" tax that grocery stores apply to both soda and beer.

I don't want to be nitpicky but after telling us that portion sizes are important and providing a delicious recipe with nutritional information - you forgot to tell us the portion size for the soup.

Good Lord, some of you are so judgmental. Ms. Arnst even mentions in one of her comments that “I get the same kinds of comments from some of my friends, who seem to think I am depriving my daughter because I don't routinely give her soda and candy.” (It's a wonder anyone would want to raise a child these days.) Now, if some of you feel so passionately about showing these lost parents the error in their ways, I challenge you to talk directly with the so-called offending parents... but only if you maintain the tone of your comments during the discussion. See how far you get. I had my 21 year-old son read the article and he chuckled, considering I fed him “bad” food throughout his childhood and he is quite healthy and very fit (because it's not all bad food). As for fascinating books about the food industry, check out the following books (I've read them all): What to Eat by Marion Nestle; Twinkie, Deconstructed by Steve Ettlinger; Organic, Inc. by Samuel Fromartz; The End of Food by Thomas F. Pawlick; Food, Inc. by Peter Pringle; The Politics of Food by Joel Solkoff; and Stuffed and Starved by Raj Patel. And that's just a start. A few documentaries to watch: “King Corn” and “Fed Up!”. Listen to speakers on You Tube like Vandana Shiva, Raj Patel and Michael Pollan.

I suggest the idea of "raising sales tax on soft drinks, cigarettes, and even all of the fast food restaurants" at a suggested rate of 20%. I don't like taking my kids to McDonalds, Burger King, Dairy Queen, or KFC. They are all offering junk foods there. And by the way, I support the idea of some airline companies now making the overweight fliers buy 2 tickets instead of 1. It's not discrimination here to the big sized people, it's just safer for the flight as I think every airplane has its own limited capacity there.

I'm a 10K runner and I guess that´s what has kept my kids, 3 sons and 2 daughters, from getting obese. This is in Mexico where we also have the same proportions of fats as you folks in the states. The prices of fresh vegetables and fruits is quite affordable down here which might not be the case with you guys but still we have plenty of fatsos. It´s not easy to avoid the tortillas. Mexico is the second largest consumer of soft drinks after the states so if you come up with a pill to keep you from drinking and eating so many tacos please keep us informed.

I was eleven in 1967 and was on a doctor-recommended diet. One recommended meal was hamburger patty, scoop of cottage cheese, raw vegetables. That was before Atkins or "Protein Power," an excellent book in my opinion. Why was I fat? I ate a lot; not sure why (stress in the family, perhaps). I would recommend water at meals as well as banning soda and chips. Good luck!

My dad (close to 60 now) was raised on a really healthy diet when he was younger and he eats chips for breakfast SOMETIMES now! Just b/c you grow up eating healthy stuff doesn't mean you'll stick with it either. In fact, he felt deprived and made up for it when he was older he says. He loves junk. He still eats good food too. My mom let us kids have junk food and we aren't as crazy for it as my Dad is, b/c we were not "deprived". In fact I drink soda a couple times a year. Only cheese-its are my must haves. Chocolate every so often. Balance is the key to everything. That's all there is to it really.

Interesting read, both the article and the comments. Being a mom of a 3 and 1 year old I'm trying to feed them healthy foods, and I admit they get Kraft dinner and hot dogs (although not all the time) I rarely buy soft drinks but when I do, I admit I lie to my kids and tell them it's a mommy or daddy drink and they wouldn't like it (so far it's worked). They don't eat sugary cereals (don't buy them), love yogurt, apples and bananas and last summer my daughter loved to pick and eat beans from our garden so we're hoping to continue that again this summer.

I guess my problem is sometimes I just can't come up with healthy ideas for meals.

What I need is a website that I can enter in my available ingredients and it can populate a list of possible healthy recipes.

Education is the key not placing blame, banning, or taxing foods and products.

To MD: You may be thin and healthy yet I fear for your intelligence if you can not make a point without using the words that you do. I enjoyed your post until I saw the lack of eloquent vocabulary. Maybe your daddy should have researched what foods would have made his child smarter, nicer, and more socially acceptable.

Taxing junk food will do no good. People will pay the tax because they don't know how to cook for themselves. Some people's favorite recipe really is the phone number to Domino's pizza. Sad.

This was an interesting story and debate. I particularly enjoyed the recipes. I was very thin when I was growing up and living overseas (my father was an American diplomat, my mother a foreigner). When I was a twenty-something, I was a size “0”. Then I moved back to the U.S., and I started gaining weight (at age 40, I need to lose 50 lbs). I can’t blame my mother: she made just about everything from scratch when I was a child, and was very health-conscious (we occasionally had "treat" food, but candy and sodas were an exception to the norm). I do remember my mother being annoyed when – after the high-protein “healthy” diet of the 1970’s, the new low-fat high carbohydrate “healthy” diet went into fashion in the 1980’s. When high carbohydrate diets were once again put on the “evil” list, she gave up and decided to just stick to eating everything in moderation, with only so-so success. As an adult, I do eat healthy foods (my personal trainer has confirmed this) – although I fully admit that my portion sizes are too large.

My main problem (and maybe other people's problem) is that contemporary American suburban society doesn't facilitate exercise in my everyday life. For example, I drive to the store because it's a 40-minute walk each way (compared to a 7-minute drive), only part of the route has sidewalks, and frankly it's a little dangerous (I would not fancy a jaunt through the underpass without a flashlight and a large burly escort). When I arrive, I park close to the store, because the cart wheels will lock if I go beyond a certain radius, and who wants to risk getting mugged (which never used to happen in my neighborhood, but in today’s economy…). I do decline the bagboy's offer to help (sorry, I know he's probably making minimum wage and could use the tip); because I think that lifting groceries out of the cart into my trunk is an opportunity to exercise. The last time I was “thin” (four years ago), I was walking 5-miles 5 times a week, playing 90-minutes of tennis 4-5 times a week, and eating less than a 1000 calories a day (only high fiber carbohydrates, and lean meats). This diet and exercise plan is difficult to sustain if you need to work for a living – especially if your job involves sitting in front of a computer most of the day, as so many of us do.

Our species evolved with “natural” whole foods (without mad scientist ingredients), and exercise as part of our daily life (not some separate activity). We rose with the sun, and went to bed soon after it went down (no electricity, except lightning and static). We relied on family and friends for society (not television or – ehem! -- computers). Trying to achieve some measure of “natural” life is probably worthwhile if we want to be healthy. Does this mean I want to return to life as it was 10,000 years ago? No. As Thomas Hobbes once wrote, the State of Nature (i.e., life without government) is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”. Analogously, trying to replicate prehistoric life is doomed to failure – let’s not forget that the average Neolithic lifespan was only 20 years.

Apologies -- I know I've gone off on a tangent. My point is, although it's terrific to teach kids to appreciate and eat healthy foods (I salute all parents who make the effort), we need to change more than just our diets if we want to change our status as some of the fattest folk on the face of the planet. The answers won’t be simple, but carrot-ginger soup is as good a place to start as any. A meal prepared with love at home is more than a sum of ingredients and calorie counts: the social aspect of sitting down to share time with family cannot be discounted.

On one last tangent, Jessica, there's nothing wrong with MD’s vocabulary, and verbal skill is irrelevant to this debate. Having read both your comments, I would have to say that MD expresses herself rather well. She’s a bit self-righteous, but all teenagers know it all. When I was 19, I too, knew it all. Now I am wiser, and know I know nothing. :)

Cheers and good health to all!

KMH

Jessica:
I am not trying to brag about my dad, nor am I trying to brag about myself; however, I do not appreciate your slander(*), and feel obliged to defend myself despite the triviality of this argument. As such, I will adhere to an academic tone for the remainder of this comment.
My dad in fact encouraged and enforced polite conduct and etiquette as a child and I retain said lessons to this day. However, it is absurd to expect an academic tone in a comment on a blog post; such a medium is an open forum for not only placid remarks but also extended, vehement rants utilizing outspoken or even blunt diction. Blogs and other Web2.0 services typically serve as extensions of everyday casual conversation as at a bar, or any analogous situation where a news report or comment can spark a passionate, heated contention — one in which a formal style is unnecessary and incongruous.
Despite my alleged deficiency in mental capacity and poor command of rhetoric, I was actually required to get a 4.0 through the entirety of high school; if I did not, I was not permitted to drive or go out. My junior year, I achieved a composite score of 34 on the ACT with a 36 in rhetorical skills, usage, and grammar, and scored a 2180 on the SAT. I now attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Chemistry on a half-tuition scholarship as National Merit Scholar. I was selected for the Freshman Science Honors program for Advanced Chemistry and Advanced Biology, which I completed this year.
In addition, I delight in engaging myself with broad ranges of subjects. In my year at USC, I completed a Social Issues course and a Gender Studies course. For these Gender Studies, I produced three 12 - 15 page argumentative papers, all receiving high A marks, and one 21 page research paper also receiving an A, with the highest score in the class. For Social Issues, I composed four 10 - 12 page argumentative papers, earning a B+, A- and two As.
In addition to these accomplishments, I was elected as the chair of the Freshman Advocacy Board on the university-wide Programming Board, responsible for funding, planning, advising, and approving events; I also was elected to be my dormitory's representative on the university-wide government.
I sincerely apologize if the preceding discourse is perceived as arrogant; I only intend to defend myself and not allow the fallacy of an argument ad hominem to prevail; especially given the hypocritical nature of the conveying post, which paradoxically launches patronizing remarks which question the intelligence, compassion and overall tact of someone while in the same paragraph vomiting tasteless slurs that employ insolent sarcasm in combination with a bitter, odious tone of similar unacceptability to the post it speaks of -- the sole difference being that this post singles out one individual and his father as targets. Please be aware that while blunt statements may not be appropriate for some situations, directly insulting someone’s parents with immature sarcasm and pompous conceit is typically unacceptable as well.

Mike:
My father too was a stay-at-home dad. Unfortunately it is difficult for me to think of any way to convince her because as just a 19-year old guy, I don't feel equipped to offer sound advice on that. My mother was in support of what my father practiced presumably from the beginning, so I have no experience dealing with that. However, one idea might be meeting with a pediatrician... perhaps he/she could convince her. Just an idea I had while typing.

*comments/blog posts/forum posts are typically regarded as slander, not libel, so no need to correct me, because you'll be wrong.

Wow...all i can think is that I hope my parents don't read this article and these posts. They raised me on Mac-n-Cheese, any kind of pasta, pizza, burgers, sausage, pancakes...anything that could be made in mass quantities, cheaply and quickly. Well, they did have 10 children, but as I'm reading, that is apparently no excuse. They would have been much better off having fewer children (but then, I'm the 10th and that would mean I wouldn't exist). But then, when I think about it...you're right! It IS the parent's fault. Should I file a lawsuit? I mean, I've spent the majority of my adult life suffering for the fact that they brought me into this world, loved me, did the best they could and fed me what food they could afford to purchase for such a large family (12 in all, including them). Never mind that they never got to sit with us at dinner, not at the same time...they had to cook in shifts to feed us all...and the table wasn't big enough for us all to sit at the same time anyway. And it's quite true...they scrimped and saved to take us on regular summer camping trips, that we all enjoyed and formed memories that we'll never forget and treasure for a lifetime. But you're right...they should have spent that money more wisely on healthy food. Who needs to have fun, for God's sake, when people are eating unhealthy food in this world?!!! Despite the fact that they gave us life, lots of siblings to love and did the best they could for us...simply doesn't negate the fact that they probably should have given up sleep. I mean, who needs to sleep when your child is not eating healthy food, right??? Damn! I may have to seek out the advice of an attorney...AND a good therapist!

I think most of these quotes are nuts. And ya know...comparing food with narcotic drugs and stimulants? Are you serious? So, we're all supposed to eat healthier, exercise regularly, live longer, never eat indulgent foods, don't drink, don't smoke, and don't use drugs. Live a really long, healthy, boring lifestyle...outlive all your friends and relatives and loved ones??? Why? So, that you can go through life like a flipping zombie and die without experiencing anything fun, exciting or indulgent? Geez, I don't want to live in that world! Give me a good stiff cocktail at the end of a hard work day! Hell, occasionally, I might even take a few puffs off a friend's cigar! And yes!!! Occasionally, I might eat 2 or even 3 pieces of pizza! If I have to go through life focusing on all the things I can't have and denying myself every simple pleasure in life...then I have no desire to be healthy, so that I can live a nice, long boring life! Ugh!

Wow! MD - thank you for that! See everyone!!! A 19 year old CAN know everything! Life experience and wisdom have little if any advantage over plain ole book-learnin'!!! Thanks for putting us all in our places! :)

You don't need to tax junk food. The reason it's so cheap in the first place is agricultural subsidies for potatoes, corn (which makes corn syrup and cheap greasy feedlot beef), etc. Without that money the raw ingredients for processed food become pricier, drives up the price and lowers the profit margin.

Any attempt to reform agricultural subsidies will be met with stiff opposition for this very reason. Kraft knows just as well as we do that nobody's going to pay $5 for a plate of instant mac'n'cheese. Food companies are among the staunchest supports of the current Farm Bill structure- look at how they've fared under it, as opposed to farmers.

1.) I fail to see how someone insulting my intelligence and rhetorical skills would be relevant to life experience.

2.) So far all you're proving is that older people are capable of just as much self-righteousness, sarcasm, and insolence as the younger generation.

3.) The "__ year olds know everything" argument is a non-sequitur... another logical fallacy. It is irrelevant to the point being disputed (my intelligence, apparently).

Furthermore, it's really just something that pompous middle-aged individuals resort to when they get flustered and refuse to admit someone (GASP) younger than them is right.

And, strange enough, as the world would have it, it seems book knowledge is more valued, especially in this area of dispute, which is Jessica's allegations of me not being able to prove a point without using vulgar language, that I have a limited vocabulary, am unintelligent, and that my father didn't raise me well enough for me to be smart. Personally, I find that to be extremely tasteless and crass.

Please understand, I was not trying to show superiority to anyone here by using overly academic language... it was just in response to Jessica's absurd charges.

I am going to preface this by saying that no, I do not have children: I am a female college student.

The reason I'm even commenting on this at times interesting, at times completely ridiculous discussion, is because I want to point something out to you:

You are all right. I think 80% of the points brought up are completely valid. Of course, parents are responsible for what food they provide to their children, of course advertising targets unhealthy food at children, of course junk food is often cheaper/easier, of course fat and sugar makes you fat, of course there is blame to place everywhere. This is a nation wide problem, it is complicated and goes very deep in many directions. Your sitting here defending your point to a dozen people on one website that 99.99% of people are never going to read doesnt change anything (even if it does give my friends and I something to laugh at.)

You are doing what everybody does on the internet, you are attempting to preach to the choir. Forums like this pull self righteousness out of normally rational people because there is no accountability (I'm not going to deny that this post is itself somewhat self righteous, of course...) No one is coming to a 2 week old blog post on the Newsweek website intending on reading the COMMENTS and taking serious parenting advice from complete strangers.

If you want to talk about how great your two your old kid is, and how wonderful your parenting job is, go ahead, I'm sure you work hard and love your children very much. But bragging about your children is really just that: bragging.

So stop arguing. Reserve this space to tell Cathy what you think about her article, not picking the flaws out of other people's stories about their children or childhood.

If it makes any difference, my parents fed me mostly home cooked meals, but with some junk. Yes I ate pizza and popcorn and soda sometimes and wow look now I'm a vegetarian and the perfect weight for my height! People are different, people's histories are different, and yes your children will grow up and make good or bad life choices that will have little to nothing to do with you, including about food. Of course read and research and do the best you can but RELAX, people. My God.

Haha.. normally it irks me when people post their ACT scores, but I really got a kick out of everything you wrote M.D. Sounds pretty good to me. What Jessica wrote was out of the blue for sure.. haha

As far as the article, I think the tone is right on... Many people (parents) are not taking this as seriously as they should be... especially soda which (in addition to the sugar etc) contains high levels of phosphorus which can be damaging to developing children's bones. Sodas, if served at all, should be kept to a strict minimum in children before puberty at least (and moderate after that and then reduced again after menopause for continued bone health)

Cathy Arnst, again. Once again, thank you for all your comments. This is quite a lively debate--proof, I think, of the importance of this issue. I wanted to respond to a few of your points. First, Kate, apologies for leaving out the portions on the soup recipe. It is meant to serve six, which would bring the price down to $3.50 per serving on its own, and about $5.00 if you add the shrimp. The soup keeps well in the fridge for several days, and is quite tasty cold.

Wendy, there IS a web site where you can plug in your own recipes and get the nutritional count: www.recipezaar.com. It's also a great site for searching by ingredient, if you want to make something with whatever you have in the cupboard. Other good recipe sites are www.epicurious.com, which compiles recipes from Gourmet, Bon Appetite and Cooking Light magazines, and www.cooks.com. And, for those of us trying to lose weight, I'm a fan of www.weightwatchers.com. They have a lot of useful free information on their site.

Tistabile and Jim -- I never meant to imply that we should cut out ALL fat, sugar and salt from our diets (though I might pause at 15 packs of Costco mac n'cheese). There is a gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream in my freezer, Nutella in my cupboard, and this weekend my daughter and I ate movie popcorn. I also made a lemon cake that was pretty much all fat and sugar (I may post that recipe soon, to prove I'm not a "food nazi"). The point I was making, and Dr. Kessler does much more eloquently in his book, is that for many of us, and our children, our diets are overladen with processed foods that are sky high in "hedonic" ingredients that make us crave more and more. Processed food is far more abundant and far cheaper per calorie than it was 30 years ago, and we as a nation are much, much fatter as a result.

There are many factors contributing to the obesity crisis, and I do not think it can all be chalked up to a lack of self control. As Kelly Brownell, director of Yale's Rudd Center for Eating Disorders, once said to me: "Are we all so much less responsible than we were ten years ago?" The food and advertising industry do have a pernicious influence on our eating habits, which may be why children consume far more soda and junk food than they ever did when most of us were young. But I think awareness and knowledge are the first step towards changing the obesity trend lines that are rising around the world, as other countries adopt the "American" diet (see the comment from Mexico and India). As parents, we do have some control over what our children put in their mouths, and it is probably not a bad thing to obsess over food a little. Better than mindlessly eating whatever we see on TV--or the inner aisles of the supermarket.

This Dr is wrong. Fat does NOT make you hungry, carbs do. Let me prove it. Eat something fatty: butter, lard, fatty tuna (O Toro Sushi), bacon. You will describe the food as "rich" and stop eating quickly. The fat then has to be broken down via the krebs cycle, which means it takes a while to work. Contrast that with carbs. First you have to set yourself up with a steady insulin level. (low or slow carb diet like south beach) Then consume a sugary soda and/or candy bar. Then notice how in an hour you are "starving." What happened was your insulin level rose to counteract the blood sugar increase from the food. (~15-30 minutes) Then, it continued to be in your blood stream storing the sugar as fat. But it crossed the point of balance. It continues to take sugar and store as fat, too much so. Now your blood sugar is too low and you feel hungry again.

Fat isn't the enemy. Fat has 9 calories per gram, but carbs only have 5. The problem is that you can eat far more carbs before your body says "no" because you are more fat sensitive. Eating fat won't make you fat (ask the Innuit, or Aftrican tribes) but carbs alone or in conjunction with fat will. We are not evolved to live off carbs - there were no breads triscits, english muffins or bagels 100kya, but there was fat.

Macaroni IS evil.
Pretty much anything made of flour.
Pasta, bread, pretzels, cake, cookies, crackers and low fiber cereals.

These produce sugar spikes which are contributors to diabetes and obesity.

You can't make healthful mac n' cheese. It is a side dish to be enjoyed with a main dish preferably composed of primarily vegetables. (Stew, for example.)

One trick for parents. Restaurants serve everything all at once, there is no need for parents to do this. Start cookie veggies first and when they're ready, call the kids to dinner. The main course follows the veggies ten minutes later. Mix vegetarian entrees in to fight the mentality that meat=main course. Carbs pack the most calories, but meat in large amounts is not particularly helpful either.

www.drmirkin.com is loaded with research journal based health info including research about healthful diets. Don't bother with second hand information.

I'd love to see a tax on High Fructose Corn Syrup. I'd like to see HFCS lose it's labeling as "natural." And I'd like to see corn subsidies removed and given to farmers of non-starchy and high nutrient value veggies like spinach, broccoli, beans, nuts & seeds (not peanuts).

You don't really seem to consider the time and convenience factor. How many families have one parent available to spend "only" 30 minutes cooking dinner every night? Mac & Cheese and hot dogs are 15 minutes and the cook doesn't even need to pay attention to them while cooking. your usage of "only" seems to imply your typical meals take longer to prepare.

In 1969, only 16.6% of women and 80.1% of men in households with children worked full-time, In 1996 that went up to 39.2% of women and 81.1% of men. I'd expect it to be even higher now.
http://www.census2010.gov/prod/3/98pubs/p23-196.pdf

Even if a family can afford the healthy ingredients, the time it takes in a 2-income 8-5'er household to eat healthy is difficult to consistently achieve.

M.D. -

Please stop typing. You've made your point, and we all know that you're really, really smart (what with the impressive stats you've listed). A little more maturity may show you that you don't have to empty the contents of your brain at the drop of a hat (unless you've just suffered a serious industrial accident).

Yes! Lower income taxes for all, and higher sales tax on junk food - to subsidize Obama's health care plan. Make the people who are causing themselves medical trouble, pay for their medical trouble. I don't want to pay for the medical care of people who don't feed themselves healthfully!

Cathy Arnst here again, with a notice from my daughter's elementary school about an event being held this week to discuss diversity. Note the refreshments:

A quick reminder to send your RSVP for Thursday night's Family, Film and Food Night. This FREE event will be held from 6:30 - 8:30 PM. In addition to the post-film, family-oriented conversation, we will take part in Mediterranean fare during the film, make 7-layer nacho dips, and build our very own ice cream sundaes.

I rest my case.

Sorry, I must apologize, but I feel this is a good time to be Mr. Obvious. First and foremost, don't eat things that you feel are bad for you. If you feel the need to control others or decide what they can and can't eat, don't. It's like when you hear something on the radio that you don't like, simply change the station and all is good (you made a choice for yourself), the bad thing to do (and very rude) is to look at others and say you can't listen to that (or eat it) either. What you are saying in this article is simply common sense, not ground-breaking journalism, so at the end of the day everyone will go to bed with knowing the decisions they made about what THEY put into THEIR bodies. To take it one step further, moderation should be the key element here instead of saying you (or no one else) should eat certain things at all, and above all... be a good parent, it all starts in the home, not in Washington D.C. or the schools (or an article that the author thinks is shedding new light on common sense).

People really need good information right now if they are going to change their habits. I have been stocking my pantry with healthy foods and avoiding the processed foods. A fair warning, it will cost more. This has been great at home, but I'm constantly on the go. I've found it difficult to find healthy options out in the wild. Even if I find a place that seems healthy, there isn't a way to measure. Only the national chains are giving out nutritional information. I'm planning to start making soup at home and taking it with me. This recipe will be a good start.

"Don't blame the parents" - you HAVE to blame the parents. They are the ones that are supposed to protect their children. Would you say "Don't make the parents responsible?" Would you abdicate your responsibility over the well being of your children?
Life is increasingly complex and confusing. Now even in feeding oneself one is subject to the machinations and manipulations of those who pay more attention to their financial interests than to your health.
Luckily, we also enjoy the greatest amount of access to information humans have ever experienced. And people/parents/individuals need to LOOK for this information and apply it in their best interest.

Adding an extra tax for soda and junk food is a horrible idea. Why is that when there is a problem, we expect the government to legislate it away. Be responsible and watch what you eat. Don't penalize the rest of us who are responsible and like to enjoy a soda or some chips. In short, grow up and start acting like adults. And be better parents to your children. This is the worst generation of parents this country has ever seen. A large majority of today's parents should be ashamed of themselves.

Dear Fred, I found your comment about not having kids if you can't afford them to be highly reprehensible. After all, the only way to not have kids is to not get married, are you anti-marriage? Unless of course you're one of those people who doesn't see any harm in using birth control in order to decide whether or not to have children. Everyone knows that birth control has been denounced by the Pope as a sinful and wicked thing.

M.D.

just, stop. honestly. this is hardly the place for you to start verbally vomiting how awesome you are to everyone, it makes you come across as a complete tool. even to educated people like myself.

i read through your rant that included your ACT score as i would read a case that was decided and written about in 1929: with disgust and audible groans.

as a future lawyer, here's a piece of advice. you want people to listen to you? make it simple.

winning an argument on the internet is like winning the special olympics. you know the rest.

and to the question at hand? my parents didn't have a lot of money growing up either but we always managed to eat healthfully. of course we fought with our mother because we didn't have the "cool" stuff in our lunchboxes, but now? as a 26 year old, size 4 yogi who bikes everywhere she goes in chicago, i am eternally grateful for the food AND LIFESTYLE habits that were instilled in me. (can't neglect exercise.)

your kids may fight you now? but they'll be grateful when they grow up. this applies to more than just what you feed them. good parenting is tough, but it's so worth it.

The article is very interesting. I can't say I don't mind my share of mac n cheese, but I do like my fruits and veggies as well.

I'm just finishing college and have gained weight since I started. The university food plan doesn't make for healthy eating. We pay to go to school, food included at 19 meals a week. These meals usually consist of mostly carbs. There is a pizza section, a pasta section, a grilled cheese, hamburger and french fry section in the cafeteria on campus. There are soups daily, always a thick chili and another that varies day to day. Those soups are usually creamy and always high in salt. The salad bar does exist. The problem with that is they only serve iceberg lettuce which has hardly any nutritional value, but it is cheap. Then there is what we refer to as the home cooked meals. These are usually one or two meats and carbs. There is rarely a vegetable option, and on days that there are veggies, they are usually coated in salt, soy sauce, cheese, or mixed with other things. There are hardly any healthy options at the university.

During the summer I live with my fiance. We cook meals from scratch. We enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables as well as salads with spinach, romaine, or field greens. We cook meat such as chicken breasts and fish. Occasionally we have pork or beef, but it is once a month maybe. We are both young professionals starting out and these items are expensive on a limited budget. We eat pasta and breads because they are cheap, but we make good choices when choosing those items. We get whole wheat pasta or veggie pasta (veggie pasta makes wonderful home-made mac n cheese. The flavors are different because the pasta is made from wheat, tomatoes, beets, and spinach. Kids like them because they are fun colors.) We eat whole grain bread without high fructose corn syrup. We spend money on olive oil and unsalted butter because we need fat, just limited intake.

I am the oldest sister of five children and did my fair share of cooking when I was older because both of my parents worked long hours to support us. All of us have different eating habits, but we all like vegetables of some type. We would have chips and lunch meat in our lunch boxes at school, but our mom would always pack fruit, or veggie sticks. There is a balance, and even people on a tight budget can make it. Feeding seven people on a 40K salary isn't easy, but my parents have done it successfully. I have only suffered with my weight due to college. It is amazing the amount of weight I drop over the summer only to gain it back within a few months because there are no choices in food and I cannot cook for myself in a dorm.

I work part time at a pre school (2-5 years of age)and see the food some parents pack for their children. Some parents pack healthy, balanced lunches, while others pack junk. The food children eat is highly affected by what the parents feed their children. I do not believe that mac n cheese can be compared to cigarettes when it is balanced with other foods that the body needs.

Another way to keep from wanting to eat junk food all the time is to prep your meals for the week during the weekend when you have time off. Go shopping, clean and chop your vegetables when you get home. Marinade or dry rub your meat and store it. Chop your lettuce and store in a crisper. When it comes time to make a meal, the hard work is done, you just have to cook it. These can be family times. I know I loved to help my mom in the kitchen and this will teach children good habits as well. It's part of time management and budget balancing.

Ooooohhh yeeeaaah! Did you guys read Steve's comment where he pretty much ropes and hogties all arguments on this page?

My 10-year old's comment as we finished looking at this article was, "I'm never eating another Kraft Mac & Cheese again!" :) Of course we talked about moderation after that but I loved the logic: problem? make the adjustment! Mind you, he would have been eating it every day if I let him; it's a favorite of his. He totally related to the difference w/"healthy" foods not making you want more versus junkier foods almost never making you feel full. We've talked about it but for him to see it in this context too was great, and I could tell it had impact. Thanks!

It's all about moderation. Why must we deny the things in life we love? We need to give our children well-balanced meals, teach them to be mindful of what they're eating and instill the importance of exercise in their lives. The comparison of mac and cheese to a cigarette is ridiculous. And by the way, there are many studies about children that indulge in "bad" foods once they get out of the home because it was forbidden during their childhoods. Life is short, teach your children well, let them live but give them the tools to navigate life the best way possible. I run 4 days/week, take pilates twice a week and order pizza at least once a week...learn balance, teach balance.

Before 1961 Americans had for 200 years eaten a high protein, high fat, low carb diet. And we were not fat. Corn rarely appeared on the American dinner table. Other than creamed corn, whole kernel corn, or corn on the cob, corn in the USA was used as an animal feed, because it was and is the fastest way to FATTEN animals before sale and slaughter. Beginning with the introduction of Fritos Corn Chips, the American diet has been deluged with corn products for almost 50 years. Looked at side by side, there is a direct correlation between the increase in corn in our diet and the increase in obesity.
To compound the problem, anti-fat hysteria caused the removal of taste (fat is what tastes good) and the substitution of HFCS in almost every prepared food we eat. HFCS has been proved to suppress chemical signals in the body that tell us to stop eating.
If you want to tax, or ban something, start with HFCS. If you want to eat like the healthiest, longest lived generation of Americans (our parents and grandparents) stop eating anything made from or with CORN! Eat those things which 4 million years of evolution have adjusted the human body to easily metabolize: Meat, Fish, Dairy, Green Veggies, Fruit. Avoid prepared foods as much as possible. Avoid carbs like the plague they are. Or find a meal planner online from around 1940 and follow that.
People raised on that diet won a World War.

Slow clap for JT's comment.

I fail to see how our grandparents or parents were any healthier... they had much shorter life spans, a far greater percentage smoked and incidents of heart disease were higher as a percentage. I have news for everyone, we are all going to die. It does not matter how healthy we eat.

"Don't blame parents; they receive enough crap as it is these days. Instead, take a good hard look at what our food industry has become"

This is exactly what's wrong with our society these days, and precisely how these problems start. People are not willing to take responsibility for their own actions, and are instead always seeking someone else to blame.

It's not my fault, someone else makes the food. That's complete BS. Absolutely blame the parents! As a parent you have a responsibility for the wellbeing of your child. If you let your kid take up smoking, are you to blame, or can you not help it because someone else is making the cigarettes?

You have a CHOICE. Feed your child the mac n cheese or some vegetables. If they fuss about eating vegetables, tell them they can eat that or nothing. They will learn to eat the food you give to them.

Stop blaming everyone else and own up to your own decisions!

Everything in moderation.

Healthy eating is a choice, which many people believe in exercising(pun intended). We a healthy eater (most of the times), we cook at home, make most of the food at home, mostly vegetarian food.
Occasionally we do end up eating so called junk-food, but only when there are no options like in some sporting event place or in company meetings.
Once in a while we get bored of our home made Indian food, so we just do Mediterranean in between. Subways/Quiznos are sometimes Ok too (for us).
Some tips about Indian foods, avoid hotel food, try youtube for healthy indian recipes, since most of the times you would find alternating tastes also helps to keep you from eating junk.
Also avoid any cream based dishes like Kormas and butter based dishes like butter chicken, and to top it indian sweets are too sweet.

Everything in moderation, yes, I completely agree! I think this was said most often throughout the comments. If you want a cookie, have one, no problem, just don't eat the box. If you want cheesy pasta, make a small amount of it to satisfy your craving, but serve it with a piece of fish or chicken and some veggies. Don't just cook pasta, then you wont want to gorge on pasta.

On another note:
I have always been thankful for the way my mother raised me and my sister. Junk food just wasn't in the house and we were not taken to fast food restaurants. Sure, life was slower back then, but that wasn't the reason my mom fed us healthy food. It was just the way it was. I now say that I am very lucky for the way I was raised, extremely thankful I should say. I don't crave a lot of sweet or salty food. I don't eat fast food and rarely grab a box food from my pantry. Sure I make them occasionally, but the point is, it just isn't something that I am constantly battling...craving the unhealthy. I grew up on veggies, lean meats, right size portions, and junk food only once in a blue moon...as sort of a treat. My friend who is constantly on diets and fighting cravings said to me once... Your lucky, you don't have to completely change the way you eat! Maybe some cutbacks here and there, but you do it naturally because thats the way you grew up and because that is just what tastes good to you. When she grew up everything was seriously dipped in butter, fried, covered in sugar,etc. That was just the way it was. She has done wonderfully and now eats much healthier, but that is only because of strong behavior changes and hard dedication in re-training her body's cravings. Her story made me understand where that lifestyle originates and how much you have to do to change it. If we feed out children a lot of junk because we think they won't eat anything else, how hard will it be for them to be healthy as adults and choose or even know what is right for our bodies??

I do not pass blame on the parents or the food industry. Fault is tangled up in society and there really isn't a clear line of who is to blame. Instead of pointing fingers we just have to educate ourselves on healthy choices to feed families. If we don't buy the "crap", but instead buy the healthier food items (veggies, dairy, lean meats, fruits, etc), the food industry will have to respond in order to survive. That's just the basic principles of economics. Also, if we demand healthier choices then they will have to succumb to society's needs & wants or they will lose business. Just look at the environmental issues at hand and how green is now more the norm. Why can't we demand those same types of healthier changes and "green" our food industry? Just some food for thought. :) Good article! Sparked some great conversations! Also, great recipe, can't wait to try it.

I do agree with comments above that moderation is key - American culture is rather extremist in many regards, employing an 'either/or' approach to diet as well. I've noticed that many 'healthy' people do not necessarily deprive themselves of anything but eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well - they simply eat a good balance of everything, without having to read food charts and work out fat content.

The article is interesting nonetheless, and I wonder why many of those who disagreed with Cathy could not do so in a non-derogatory manner. You don't have to agree but the subtle 'insults' and denigrations were not really necessary.

Wow. The privilege in this article - it burns.

You point to an obvious villain. Then you proceed assuming your client's (come on, don't tell me Newsweek doesn't spin.) products, not being exactly accused are OK.

Your recipe is the evidence. It's is full of some of the sneakiest
addicting foods there are:

Olive oil
Chicken broth
Peanut butter
Sesame oil
Brown sugar
Skim milk
Coconut milk

None are healty. All are addicting.

I agree with Sophie, I've never seen so much outright classism and privilege in my life - in the article, but more so in the comments.

A bunch of people congratulating themselves on how much better they are than everyone else. It's really sad.

Just because a recipe is 53% or 39% fat doesn't make it bad for you - its the size of the portion you eat that is bad for you.

If you eat 1000g of something thats 10% fat you'll be eating 100g of fat.

If you eat 10g of something that is 50% fat you'll only be eating 5g of fat.

There is nothing wrong with homemade recipes that include healthy, natural ingredients which are eaten in moderate amounts and eaten in wide variety.

There is a huge problem with eating ready-made meals which include artificial ingredients and extra large portions of certain ingredients to enhance flavour and which are eaten in huge portions and eaten for every meal.

If you make Mac'n'cheese at home once a month and eat a small portion you wont do yourself or your kids any harm.

If you eat packet Mac'n'cheese in huge portions for every meal you are going to do yourself a significant amount of harm.

ANYTHING can be addictive if you allow yourself unlimited access to it.

Being moderate in portion control is one of the best ways of being more healthy, along with cooking your own foods which don't include artificial ingredients, and this way of eating is available to everyone.

"Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

You label your carrot-ginger soup "fabulous" and say your "daughter loves it". Does that mean you feed your daughter a food designed to be highly hedonic?

Eating food is inherently pleasurable, or people would forget to do it and die. Should we put our efforts into making food as unappealing as possible?

I completely agree that it is a parents responsibility. Educate yourselves, don't leave it up to the food industry and the dairy industry to tell you that you NEED milk for calcium. There is absolutely NO link between low calcium intake and osteoporosis, but that's why they tell you to drink milk. There is no calcium deficiency crisis in America.

Milk and cheese are not good sources of calcium! 1 and 4 children have an allergy or sensitivity to dairy products. Not to mention they are filled with hormones and antibiotics. This causes many illnesses.

It is possible to feed you kids healthy. I run a daycare and started caring for kids that did not like a single vegetable. They all eat mostly all fruits and vegetables, including the more exotic ones. They REFUSE the same foods they tell me they like at home. Why would they when they could have mac and cheese instead!!

It is a choice we make. It's not always easy, but it's the only choice I am willing to make for my daughters emotional, spiritually, physical well-being. Parents that don't make the same choice or lack knowledge make it harder for my daughter to eat healthy. We all know when you see food you usually want to eat it. I have had only fruits and veggies at my daughters last 3 birthday parties. Age 4, 5 and 6 and not 1 kid complained about it!!!!! Many of them were actually excited.

Do your research, food and other environmentally toxins cause disease.

Mac and cheese is NOT healthy. white flour has almost the same impact on your body as cane sugar does. And I won't even get into processed cheese...

I not only feed my daughter healthy and mostly fresh/raw foods, but I also take a lot of time to educate her about why we eat healthy and why we don't eat mac and cheese.

Kids have no choice!! Make the right one for them!!

Our bodies belong to God. Scripture tells us to take care of our bodies. The food of today is not the food of biblical times. We need to go back to the basics. Fruits, veggies, grains, and seeds and nuts. No studies show that these foods cause disease. Milk and meat however have plenty of research showing links to disease.

Feed your kids fruits and veggies!! I challenge you right now!! Get the junk out of your house. Buy only from the produce section. Change your life, change your health.

I went mostly organic and mostly raw and I will never go back!! So many positive things have happened in my life since then that I would be stupid to EVER go back to eating what I had been, albeit still healthier than most.

Make a change to today for yourself, but more importantly your kids!!

I strongly disagree with you. You say that "It is because we are eating far, far more calories than ever before, in the form of soda, junk food, sweets, fat and salt laden meals, and huge portions. We have become addicted to food, and that addiction starts in very early childhood." But you don't prove it in any form.

In my opinion, a plain account of calories is misleading and will possibly add up to the problem, increasing it instead of solving it. As an example of this it's not the same to get the 2,000 daily cals. by eating, say, popcorn or doughnuts or by eating a steak and some vegetables. The end result is the same: 2,000 calories. But in the first case there's a risk of becoming obese and not in the second.

That's my opinion. And if I'm right with it we should start to think in the new role of women, working abroad and preferring to pay for commercial food instead of preparing it by herself, as was traditional.

If you compare the graphs of obesity appearing and women working out of their homes you will see a narrow concordance.

The negative replies to this article are abhorrent to me. A lot of people complain they don't have the time or money to eat healthy. Water is free. Fruit is cheaper than ice cream. Plan meals ahead, prepare in advance, and they take far less time to cook. Healthy food doesn't have to take long to prepare, break the bank, or be unappealing!

I think the most important thing is to THINK about what you're putting into your body, not just blindly eat without thinking about the consequences. Indulgent foods aren't to be completely avoided; they should be enjoyed as a treat instead of treated as everyday fare.

When my daughter was 2, it was easy to get her to eat healthy food with us. Now it's a struggle because she wants to eat the same junk that her friends at school eat. And other parents think I'm a freak for insisting that she eat healthy. Eating junk has become socially acceptable.

I haven't given up the fight but parents can't always control what their kids eat. And just because parents model a desired behavior doesn't mean kids will always follow it.

"Cooter?" Seriously? You have some good points and you're lucky to have grown up in such a healthy environment but that does not make you better than other people. Let's be a bit more mature, shall we?

Thats one important fact our american parents should note about their childrens diet...

My god. Don't blame Mac and cheese for fat kids. Instead blame parents that are too lazy to give their kids more of an option than that. Also, I would like to add that I myself had basically lived off of Kraft dinner (to name brands) and hamburger for about a year, as that was all I could afford being a single college student. I maintained a muscular figure at 5'9" and 175lbs and still enjoy the occasional box of KD. The main problem I see is parents not wanting to take responsibility for teaching their children proper eating habits. If all your kids want to eat is KD...tell them tough, eat chicken and broccoli or starve!