My children, who are in fifth grade, are currently reading the now seminal Chew On This: Everything You Don’t Want to Know About Fast Food. Eric Shlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, distilled his often shocking information on the fast food industries into a book that kids can understand. Chew On This should be required reading for all children so they are fully equipped when making the decision about eating the mostly garbage fare served at fast food chains. Watching Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me” would be another way to get children on the healthy eating bandwagon as is the new movie, “Fresh,”which was just screened at the New York Food Film Festival. Featuring such fresh food crusaders as Michael Pollan and Will Allen, Fresh makes the point yet again about how important it is that we put our money where our mouth is.
I agree that we need to be doing more to educate kids about the dangers of fast food. I attended the Boston screening of “Fresh” last Thursday, and I definitely think it’s a film that kids should see–although some scenes may be a little too intense for very young children. At the same time, we need to stress the value and importance of fresh, nutritious, locally grown foods–not just to kids, but to their parents as well. I really enjoy your blog–keep up the good work!
Kate Strassel, http://centralschoolgarden.wordpress.com/.