This article originally appeared in the Park Record’s Parent section on August 15, 2009, as written by Greg Marshall.

Homemade Snacks Are Better

The biggest challenge to making healthful meals for kids is a lack of time, says nutrition specialist Michelle Larson.  Busy parents often depend too much on pre-packaged goods for brown-bag lunches that are often loaded with sugar, artificial fats and other culprits.

“It’s an easy thing to fall into,” said Larson, who is the co-owner of Park City’s Origin Nutrition.  At the same time, Larson said letting kids overindulge in sweets and snacks can be detrimental, even if long-term consequences, such as diabetes and obesity, aren’t immediately apparent.
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Fifty years ago, the average American household spent twenty percent of their income on food.  Today, this figure has fallen to just ten percent.¹ At first glance this appears to be good news.  It implies that we are spending fewer dollars on food yet still feeding our families.  Unfortunately, it’s not that simple.  The mere fact that we are spending less of our income on food belies bigger issues, and those issues have implications for our personal health, our health care system, our environment and even our foreign relations.
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