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Recently, there’s been a lot of debate over whether or not the Smart Choices program–a labeling system that seeks to indicate to consumers that a food is healthful–is actually helpful for families looking to eat a more nutritious diet. With the Smart Choices label being slapped on sugary cereals like Froot Loops and Cocoa Puffs, many health officials saw Smart Choices as deliberately misleading, and as of last week, it was announced that the program would be phased out.

How to make seriously smart choices when it comes to feeding your family? Consider these three simple rules from The ABCs of Natural, which encourage consumers to avoid the following:

• Artificial flavor, color, or preservatives. A University of Southampton study linked consumption of artificial flavor and color to hyperactivity in children.
• Bromates. Chemical compounds used in flours as dough conditioners to achieve pleasing texture and appearance. Exposure in high amounts can be toxic to humans and animals.
• Corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup is used as a sweetener and in particular has been suspected as a cause of obesity. When manufactured by a chemical process this sweetener is not natural.

Want to learn more? Check out ahealthywayoflife.com, where you can download a copy of the book for free.

-Marygrace, KIWI staffer

It’s not just the younger set that need healthier school lunches–many college students are also victim to unhealthy offerings at university dining halls. Fortunately, administrators have heard the cry for healthy, sustainable food options, and some schools are responding.

Recognizing that the typical fare of pizza and burgers in most college cafeterias isn’t cutting it anymore, big-name schools are bringing new options to the table. The Sustainable Food Project at Yale University manages an organic garden that provides food for the school’s dining program, while Duke University encourages students to compost or choose recyclable or biodegradable food packaging. Even more impressive, the University of California-Berkeley is home to the nation’s first certified-organic salad bar.

These three schools aren’t the only ones making changes, though. With others like the College of the Atlantic, Evergreen State College, and Berea College promoting healthy, sustainable food, it won’t be long before eating for the planet becomes the norm at schools for kids of all ages. To learn about other ways colleges and universities across the country are doing their part to help the planet, check out KIWI’s Green College Report.

-Marygrace, KIWI Staffer