There can be no denying it. The vegan and plant-based movements have made great strides in the last 20 years. Yet, despite all the progress and acceptance, the movement has enjoyed, there is still a lot of garbled noise about eating patterns, health, beyond-human species sovereignty, and planetary impact. There are conflicting messages everywhere we look. One area where this confusion is most evident is Childhood Nutrition. We can look for reliable information sources and quickly realize that few can be found. It seems like the subject isn't sexy enough, or maybe it's dangerous to discuss, or perhaps there's just no money in it. However, the latter can't be true because Big Food spends upwards of $1.4Billion per year just marketing to children. So, clearly, someone thinks it's worth the investment. It is an obvious fact that all populations have children. It is also a fact that nearly all children in this country get the short end of the "quality nutrition" stick. Furthermore, it doesn't matter who the parents are or where they come from. I mean, just about every three-year-old knows what chicken nuggets, pizza, and fries are, right? Let me be clear. I am not blaming the parents or other caregivers. Although we parental types have a lot to say about what our kids eat, we are not the only ones feeding them. Much of the time, we are not even solely responsible for the options offered to our children. In reality, the most potent food influences come from the 5,000 commercial ads the average child sees yearly. Kids absorb these messages ("as planned") and then bug their parents for the advertised items (also "as planned"). Then, in a few years, they grow up to be adults who have to fight off all the illnesses that come with eating the advertised foods (certainly predictable, if not "as planned"). This is a crazy way for companies to make money. It is even hard to believe until you see it. Take a look at this video from Food Myth Busters https://realfoodmedia.org/video/food-mythbusters-the-myth-of-choice-how-junkfood-marketers-target-our-kids/ featuring Anna Lappé. You'll get the picture and never be able to unsee it again. So, as conscientious plant-loving, happily hugging beyond-human beings, and planet-protective folk, let's take a few minutes to consider what we feed children in this country. I invite you to close your eyes for 20 seconds and think about a typical kid's menu. What comes to mind? Pizzas, cheese, cookies, donuts, sweetened breakfast cereals, milk, chicken nuggets, mac 'n' cheese, burgers, and fries? Yes, that's about right...oh, and candy, and sugary beverages. Don't forget those.
NM Vegan | 19
