Kid Food: The Challenge of Feeding Children in a Highly Processed World

Most parents start out with the best intentions to raise a healthy eater, states blogger Siegel (the Lunch Tray). From a lollipop at the bank to cookies at the grocery store to sweets as a way to ease the stress of a doctor’s check up, temptations are everywhere. Candy at eye level in every supermarket, and fun filters featuring companies such as McDonalds and Taco Bell on tween-favorite snapchat aren’t much help either. In Houston, 80 percent of public school students live close enough to the poverty line to qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch meals, thus cafeteria food isn’t an option but a must for many. First Lady Michelle Obama’s healthy school lunch initiative encouraged the restaurant industry to offer healthful options for children. The resulting Kids Live Well designation sounded great on paper, but many companies maintain the bare minimum by offering just one alternative meal choice.