EAT THIS, NOT THAT! FOR KIDS

September 21st, 2008

EAT THIS, NOT THAT! FOR KIDS

Numerous studies have shown that our children face a real problem: obesity. Besides inactivity, the main culprit behind the enlarging of our kid’s waistline and rise of health problems is the food that our kids consume. The easiest solution would be to move our kids to a secluded island where only veggies and fruits are served, but that’s unrealistic. In reality, we as parents face a daily barrage of fast food advertisements, on-the-go foods at the local grocery store and the clamor from our kids for some macaroni & cheese.

Knowing this reality, author David Zinczenko, Editor-in-Chief for Men’s Health, created the book, Eat This, Not That! For Kids. With a high goal of helping parents make better, nutritional choices, this book helps you choose the best possible food option. Instead of staying away from McDonald’s completely (which I’ve found is nearly impossible), the book presents the best possible meal for your child. With images accompanying nutritional facts and comparable meals, Eat This is a great guide for busy parents.

Besides reporting on the best and worst food choices available for kids in restaurants across the country, the book also provides the best food options at the grocery store. The book also has a section called the “Menu Decoder” that breaks down ubiquitous foods found on menus such as dumplings, smoked chicken, calzone, grits, and explains in easy-to-digest descriptions of what these menu items are made of. This section is a must-read if you’re the type of family that goes on spontaneous runs to the diner.

The book also includes a handful of helpful footnotes and small sections such as “Restaurant Report Cards” that grade the most popular chain restaurants, a food pyramid for kids and a school-cafeteria survival guide. This book is a fun read with loads of information that can help you make the better meal choice for your child. Seriously, how else would you know that to burn off the calories your kid just gained from eating two pieces of KFC’s Extra Crispy Chicken your child would have to walk all the stairs of the Empire State Building … twice.