Blog Posts for: Megan Weinberg, MA
11/12/2009 | Megan Weinberg, MA
Ahoy Cap’n! Abandon Ship!
This morning, I went to the Cap’n Crunch cereal Web site because I had a question about one of their products. I was greeted with the following message:
"Thanks for visiting the Cap'n Crunch web site. We are refreshing the content and look forward to your next visit. The activities advertised on packages of Cap'n Crunch are no longer available. We apologize for any inconvenience."
10/26/2009 | Megan Weinberg, MA
Drowning in a Sea of Food Marketing
Today, the Rudd Center released a report to the public entitled “Cereal FACTS: Evaluating the nutrition quality and marketing of children's cereals.” The report is the culmination of a year’s worth of research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and its release coincides with the launch of our new website, www.CerealFacts.org.
08/04/2009 | Megan Weinberg, MA
Parent Insecurity: A Food Marketer's Dream
Health advocates spend a lot of time and energy trying to curb food marketing of unhealthy products to children. We worry about adults too, but fear that children are more vulnerable to persuasive intent and therefore need greater protection. What we are discovering is that many food products that are designed for children are being marketed to parents. There are a variety of messages on packages, on television, and on internet ads touting the attributes of select products, claiming that they are good choices for your children. Some of these messages are explicit (highlighting nutrients that children should be consuming like calcium, vitamins, whole grains, and more recently, antioxidants) while other messages conveyed are implicit (promotion of family togetherness, bonding, and taking good care of the ones you love).
06/01/2009 | Megan Weinberg, MA
Label Libel: Nutrition Fact or Fiction?
Jones-ing for a less guilt-inducing sweet snack the other day, I mindlessly grabbed the Klondike “100 Calorie” ice cream bars on sale without paying attention to the nutrition labeling on the back. The pictures of ice cream enrobed in chocolate with the low-cal promise were good enough for me . Later that night, I dashed to the freezer to enjoy a treat. Now, since I had more time, I turned over the box to see what I was about to consume. What I saw perplexed me greatly, and fueled my growing frustration over misleading and confusing labeling.
02/21/2009 | Megan Weinberg, MA
Fast Food in a Time-Stretched Society
I consider myself to be very health conscious. I just don’t always have the time to turn that awareness into practice. I do the best that I can, as many of us do, as a full-time working mom, homeowner, and wife. My husband and I strive to eat well and provide nutritious food for our 2 year old daughter. But I have to admit, it’s downright exhausting to come home every night and wonder “what can I make for dinner that’s healthy, quick, and tasty?” We try to prepare on weekends, making large amounts of food that can be portioned and reserved in the freezer for future meals. But it’s not always easy to do that with competing chores and activities. If we make food all weekend, that doesn’t leave much time for exercise…and if we can fit in a jog or two on top of that, when are we going to do the 6 loads of laundry…and when are we going to play with our baby daughter who misses us at daycare all week… and are we ever going to get to SIT DOWN for 5 minutes?!?!??
12/26/2008 | Megan Weinberg, MA
Cooking for the World…Can One Chef Dish Up?
Recently, Alice Waters and other culinary giants joined forces to persuade President-elect Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to choose their White House chef carefully. The goal would be to set an example for the world about healthy, sustainable eating. In an interview with Waters, who is a chef and sustainable farming advocate, Tara Parker-Hope of the NY Times.com Well blog asks why the selection of the White House chef is important to Waters. Waters articulates, “We have to bring children into a new relationship to food that connects them to culture and agriculture” and believes Obama is a person who “understands the issues of obesity and understands the issues of the environment.” In a letter to Obama, she posits that the selection of the right chef would send a powerful message that food choices matter.
