PRESS
Monterey County Herald, The (CA)
November 9, 2005
Section: Taste Food
Page: D1
Healthy snacks kids will swallow
BRENDA MOORE
When her daughter Savannah turned 5, Michele Green wanted to take a birthday
treat to school to share with the class.
We'd love it, school officials told her, as long as it's healthy.
"This was fine; in fact, I think it is great," said Green, who also has a 2 1/2-year-old, Sierra. "But I was stumped as to what to make."
After searching the Internet, Green found an acceptable treat, carrot-cake cupcakes, made from scratch. But the bigger challenge looms. Finding healthy snacks and treats can be a trial for parents everywhere, not just at Captain Cooper Middle School in Big Sur (where Savannah is a kindergartner) and not just on birthdays.
For many parents it's a daily dilemma, arising every time they pack a lunch, shop for after-school snacks or weigh dessert options.
"I sympathize because everything is conspiring against" parents, said Christine Dresslar Moss, who coordinates the Monterey County Health Department's Nutrition Network/Project LEAN programs. Heavy junk-food advertising during children's television programming, questionable claims about nutritional value, jam-packed family schedules and other factors can work against healthful eating, Moss said.
Parents such as Green want to get past all that. They want to know what's "healthy." They want recipes that fit the "healthy"
definition. They want some imaginative ideas. They want to know whether,
when baking, they can safely and effectively substitute applesauce for oil,
"egg product" for eggs, Splenda for sugar. They want to know how
to get their kids to eat what's good for them.
The answers are out there. Or at least some of them are out there. The high
rate of overweight children (28 percent in California, according to a body-mass
index formula) has spawned an army of efforts to reform poor eating habits.
The federal government has mandated that schools adopt wellness policies.
The state has approved bans on sales of sodas in schools and set standards
for the amount of fat, sugar and calories in foods sold on campuses by vendors
and vending machines. Some of the rules are already in effect; others are
coming.
At the same time, public agencies and private enterprises — from state and county governments to produce marketing groups to nonprofit groups — have put together a raft of recipes, advice and strategies to help families navigate, many free for the asking.
One of the newest local efforts is Healthy Eating Lifestyle Principles, or HELP, a nonprofit group supported by the agriculture industry. Through free programs it promotes healthy eating, physical activity and positive lifestyles to overcome the obesity epidemic.
Its staff includes Suzanne du Verrier, who has been working in government nutrition programs for children since 1980. Du Verrier worked for years at the Alisal Union School District, where she pushed many efforts that are becoming more widespread at schools today — limits on vending-machine junk food, salad bars, gardens tended by students, integration of more fruits and vegetables in lunches. She's helping spread those practices through HELP and other consulting work.
Marlene Trotter, wellness coordinator for the Boys and Girls clubs of Monterey County, turned to du Verrier, the health department's Moss and others to develop a new nutrition policy for the organization's Seaside and Salinas sites. As a result the clubs are serving healthier offerings at their daily afternoon meal. Next up, they're tackling the snack issue.
They've already declared vending machines off-limits until after the meal is served, Trotter said, and they're working on stocking them with healthier foods and drinks.
Involving the kids in developing the policy has been key, Trotter said. The more they know about nutrition, the more they care, she said. In one popular project the clubs do, kids get to pick a favorite junk food, then see what its actual fat and sugar content look like. They scoop the equivalent amount of lard into a plastic bag and pour the equivalent sugar into a cup.
"They have that visual of 'That's how much fat I'm putting into my body every time I eat this bag (of chips) or how much sugar in each Coke,'" she said.
Does it have a lasting impact? Trotter thinks so.
"The other day one of my girls who is famous for getting Hot Cheetos said, 'Marlene, they have baked Hot Cheetos now. Why don't we get baked Hot Cheetos'" in the vending machine? Trotter said. "So I know we're making an impact."
How can you make an impact at home? David Lawrence, a personal chef and caterer in Beverly Hills, has some ideas. Lawrence put together about 150 recipes for "KidShape Café," a new cookbook developed by Dr. Naomi Neufeld. It is a companion to "KidShape," a family-based weight management program designed by Neufeld, a Southern California pediatrician and endocrinologist.
Neufeld started "KidShape" in 1987 and wrote a book about it in 2004. The cookbook, with her guidance and Lawrence's recipes, was published this year. In September, Neufeld spoke at an Ag Forum Luncheon at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas.
Lawrence tested many of the recipes on the three teen children of his main client, a cardiologist for whom he cooks five days a week. From his experiences with the family, as well as cooking classes he's done for kids, Lawrence learned some lessons that can be put to use by families looking to improve their eating habits. Moss, du Verrier, Trotter and Neufeld, in her books, echoed many of the ideas. Among them:
* Try new things.
"Kids have a reputation for being really picky eaters and I think a lot of times that really starts with the parents," Lawrence said. "Parents kind of make their own picky eaters. People assume kids won't eat vegetables or kids don't like things that are green. I find that if you're creative and if you involve the kids, they're open to things."
* Involve children in the process.
Take them grocery shopping, get them to read labels, let them choose items (but give them guidance beforehand), and let them help prepare the food.
"I've had many kids say to me 'I've never tried this or that before, but I'll try it because I made it,'" Lawrence said. "They'll try it and like it. It's taking ownership."
Du Verrier also said label reading can be enlightening. When kids read some of the ingredients, "they're going 'Is this a food?'" She suggests a rule: If you can't spell or pronounce an ingredient, you probably don't want to eat it.
* Have healthy foods readily available.
"Most kids like fruit but a lot of kids, if they're walking by a fruit bowl on the counter, are more likely to go to the cupboard for a cookie," Lawrence said. "But if you cut it up and have it on a plate readily available, they'll eat it. Oranges, apples, jicama ..."
* Do a "mystery" shopping tour.
Du Verrier suggests taking the kids to the grocery store and have them hunt for healthy items. They'll find a growing number, especially in the produce section, she said, where companies such as Carmel Valley's Earthbound Farm are doing more things such as sliced apples in lunch-box-sized packages.
* Use substitutes to cut fat and calories.
"KidShape Café" has numerous recipes that use Butter Buds for butter and egg substitute or egg whites for eggs. Lawrence also said unsweetened applesauce is a good substitute for oil in baking things such as cakes and breads. "It doesn't taste any different and you get all the moisture with none of the fat."
He also has recipes that use a sugar substitute, such as Splenda Sugar Blend. While the Food and Drug Administration approved the sweetener in 1998, based on more than 110 studies, it has critics concerned about potential long-term health effects.
Here's what Neufeld writes about sugar substitutes in "KidShape Cafe":
"You're right to be concerned about the use of artificial sweeteners, because of possible health risks and because you don't want to encourage your child to crave sweet foods. But because of the health risks of a child being overweight, and because it can be really difficult for a child not to have cookies and brownies like other kids, we have included some dessert recipes that use sugar combined with a sugar substitute."
* Make it fun.
As an alternative to birthday cupcakes or cookies in class — Michele Green's dilemma — du Verrier has recommended healthier things the kids can put together themselves. Two ideas: Fruit kebabs they build from pre-cut offerings or low-fat yogurt parfaits they scoop and top with fruit and granola.
"It sounds like this is too simple but the kids will eat it," she said, "and they'll eat it more if they fix it than if you brought it in prepared."
Here are some kid-tested recipes from "KidShape Café" and other sources:
Brownie fruit pizza
Nonstick cooking spray
3 T. butter or margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
1/4 cup egg substitute
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chocolate syrup, plus more for drizzling
Toppings:
3 cups assorted fresh fruit, such as strawberries, kiwifruit, peaches, bananas,
mandarin oranges, raspberries and blueberries
Steps: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 12-inch pizza pan with
nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter
and Splenda until smooth. Slowly add the egg substitute and beat well. Alternately
add the flour and chocolate syrup, beating on low speed after each addition
until well combined. Spread the mixture over the prepared pizza pan. Bake
for about 20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.
Allow the crust to cool completely on a wire rack. To serve, arrange the
fruit on top of the brownie crust and slice into 12 equal wedges. Drizzle
each wedge with a bit of chocolate syrup.
Per servings: 116 calories, 2 g. protein, 24 g. carbohydrate, 1 g fat.
— David Lawrence, "KidShape Café"
Individual apple crumble
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 1/2 T. liquid Butter Buds
Steps: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice apples and toss with
the lemon juice. Layer them into 4 ramekins or other small baking dishes
and set aside. In a small bowl combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon,
nutmeg and Butter Buds. Stir with fork to combine. Sprinkle the topping
over the apples and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown
and the apples are tender. Serve warm.
Per serving: 200 calories, 2 g protein, 49 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat
— "KidShape Café"
Banana bread
Nonstick cooking spray
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oat bran
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup liquid Butter Buds
3 med., ripe bananas, mashed
Steps: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with cooking
spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon,
cloves and salt. Stir in the oat bran and set aside. In a small bowl, beat
together the egg substitute, brown sugar and liquid Butter Buds. Fold in
the bananas. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. Cool in the pan
2 minutes, then remove and cool completely. Makes 1 loaf (can also be made
as muffins).
Per serving: 186 calories, 4 g. protein, 41 g. carbohydrate, 1 g fat
— "KidShape Café"
Apple oat bran muffins
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup oat bran
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
2 egg whites
2 T. canola oil
3/4 cup peeled and shredded apple
Nonfat cooking spray
Steps: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together flour,
oat bran, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
In a small bowl combine buttermilk, egg whites and canola oil. Add the buttermilk
mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in the
shredded apple. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with nonfat cooking spray. Spoon
about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until
a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove
the muffins from the tin.
Per serving: 124 calories, 3 g. protein, 16 g. carbohydrate, 3 g. fat.
— "KidShape Café"
Fresh fruit dip
1 8-oz. package low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 7-oz. jar marshmallow cream
2 cups assorted fresh fruit (your choice)
Steps: In a small bowl beat together cream cheese and marshmallow cream
with electric mixer until smooth and well combined. Serve with the fresh
fruit for dipping.
Per serving: 173 calories, 7 g protein, 14 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat
— "KidShape Café"
Puffy peach pastries
8 canned refrigerated crescent rolls
24 peach slices (about 3 fresh peaches or 3, 15-oz. cans packed in 100 percent
fruit juice)
8 tsp. peach preserves or 100 percent peach fruit spread
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Steps: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll dough and separate along dotted
lines. Place three peach slices at the base of each triangle. Top with 1
tsp. preserves. Starting from the peach slices, roll toward the opposite
point of the triangle, holding the peach slices in place. Please on baking
sheet, point side down. Mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over rolls. Bake
11-13 minutes or until golden.
— California Children's 5 a Day-Power Play! campaign
Sparkling grapes
1 3-oz. package of any fruit-flavored gelatin
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup ice cubes
24 small clusters seedless grapes (about six grapes per cluster)
Steps: Pour gelatin powder into a measuring cup. Pour half into a bowl,
the other half into a clean, empty salt shaker. Add boiling water to bowl
of gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Add ice cubes and stir until ice melts.
Dip grape clusters in liquid gelatin mixture. Shake off extra liquid. Place
on plate. Sprinkle gelatin from shaker over grapes. Serve in paper cupcake
cups.
— California Children's 5 a Day-Power Play! campaign
Olympian fruit freezes
1 8-oz. container nonfat lemon yogurt
2 cups cubed, seedless watermelon
1 basket fresh strawberries, tops removed
1 med. banana, peeled and sliced
8 7-oz. paper cups
8 plastic spoons
Steps: Place yogurt and fruit in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into
paper cups. Freeze until thick and slushy, about 1 hour. Insert one spoon,
handle up, into each cup. Return to freezer until solid, usually about 2
hours. To serve, remove from freezer and let sit about 10 minutes. Peel
off cup and use spoon as handle.
— California Children's 5 a Day-Power Play! campaign
Sabrina's witchy wands
2 red apples, cored and cut into chunks (about 12 chunks per apple)
1 cup red grapes
1 1/2 oz. nonfat cheddar cheese or low-fat cheddar cheese, cut into 12 chunks
1/4 avocado, seeded, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
12 long, thin pretzel sticks (about 3 1/2 inches long)
Steps: Use a wooden skewer to poke holes in the center of each piece of
apple, grape, cheese and avocado. Thread pieces onto pretzel stick through
the holes. Repeat with all ingredients, making 12 wands.
— California Children's 5 a Day-Power Play! campaign
All recipes from the 5 A Day campaign have a whole serving of fruit or vegetables in each serving and no more than 30 percent of calories from fat, 10 percent from saturated fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol and 480 milligrams of sodium.
Internet resources
The Web has a wealth of nutrition information, with many sites including
recipes.
* Project LEAN: www.dhs.ca.gov/LEAN or www.caProjectLEAN.org (for teens)
Project LEAN's mission is to increase healthy eating and physical activity
to reduce the prevalence of obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease,
cancer, stroke, osteoporosis and diabetes.
* New Food Guide Pyramid: www.mypyramid.gov
Government guidelines on the amount of each food group needed daily.
* Healthy Eating Lifestyle Principles: www.helpunited.org
Nonprofit based in Monterey County to promote healthy eating, physical activity
and positive lifestyle values to overcome the obesity epidemic and increase
consumption of fresh produce.
* Produce for Better Health: www.5aday.com
Nutrition education program on fruits and vegetables.
* California Department of Health Services (Cancer Prevention and Nutrition
Services Section): www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/cdic/cpns
* California School Nutrition Association: www.stayfiteatright.org
Health and fitness information, recipes for kids.
* KidShape: www.kidshape.com
Weight-management program for youth and their families, developed by Dr.
Naomi Neufeld, a Southern California pediatrician and endocrinologist.
* David Lawrence: www.chefdavidlawrence.com
Private chef and caterer who developed recipes for "KidShape Café"
cookbook, companion to the KidShape program.