Kids Don't Need to Be Fed Healthier Foods Masquerading As "Fake" Junk Food

Schools across West Virginia are cutting fat and calories by "furtively supplementing hamburgers with soy and subbing applesauce for shortening in cake." the Associated Press reports.

So for instance, they're serving pizza a lot. But wait. It's more nutritious pizza, a school official contends.

In fact, as the AP notes, the head of the state's children's nutrition program admits that they're getting "a lot of criticism for serving pizza so often." But he's quick to point out that "the cheese is low fat and the crust is whole grain.” (This was Richard Goff, director of the state Department of Education’s Office of Child Nutrition.)

Frankly, I think we need to give kids a little more credit than this. You don't need to feed them what the AP calls "faux-junk food" to get them to eat more healthy foods.

It's just downright absurd to think that the only way you can tantalize children enough to enjoy nourishing meals is to serve dishes masquerading as junk food!

Just talk to officials across the country in schools that do serve their kids more nutritious fare, and you'll find they get intrigued by collard greens, squash, broccoli, asparagus, apples and more.

In fact, the AP's reporter (not mentioned by name) had the smarts to approach renowned nutrition expert Marion Nestle, Ph.D., a New York University nutrition professor, for a comment.

She makes the same point: "When you go into the schools that take responsibility, you see kids eating adult food and they’re liking it.”

You can learn about how kids are embracing real food across the country in the AFTERWORD to my book SUGAR SHOCK!, which is subtitled, "Rays of Hope and Signs of Promise."