School Age

On a recent grocery shop with my kids, we enter into a friendly round of the Healthy or Not? game. They point at food and I either shake or nod my head. Seems simple enough, so we start: Apple! Nod. Chips! Shake. Broccoli! Nod. Carbs! Shake, nod, shake.

“You lose!” smirk my young contestants.

Ever feel as if there’s no way to stay on top of nutrition? Are you stumbling through supermarket aisles wondering if you know the good guys from the bad? We’ve zeroed in on some great pretenders in the food department and uncovered the nutritional facts, so that you won’t be caught shaking and nodding at the same time.

Illusion Avoid red meat.
Unless you’re raising a vegetarian, extra lean or lean beef is A-OK for nutrition. It’s an important source of 12 essential nutrients, including protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins. All that protein means beef really sticks to a kid’s ribs, providing long-lasting satiety.

Reality check
• Beef is loaded with iron, a much-needed nutrient for growing kids of any age, but especially teen girls. Without iron, children get tired. It’s necessary for healthy blood and energy levels, plus it impacts learning and growth.

• Remember: A serving is no bigger than a deck of cards. Look for lean ground beef and trim steaks and roasts of visible fat.

• To avoid E. coli, do not serve rare hamburgers. Since colour isn’t necessarily the safest indicator of doneness, the best policy is to pull out an instant read thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).

Originally published in Today's Parent, May 2006