There's Always Room for Dessert
There's Always Room for Dessert - by Joy Sypher
In 1964, Jell-O KHC introduced the concept that even after a full, satisfying meal, you still had room for dessert. Anthropologically, whether humans eat a morning meal or not depends on cultural influences and the abundance of food. The first evidence of a "three-square-meals-a-day" menu was published in a magazine in 1940.
I am the daughter of depression-era parents. My mother was the target of the 1940s Jell-O campaign. She was part of the demographic reached by magazines that pushed the agenda of eating three meals a day, complete with snacks and dessert. (My rant on the pressure men and women of this era faced to conform to gender roles will have to wait for another blog.) My parents, and later my sister and I, were heavily targeted to consume, eat, and produce.
In 1992, the USDA introduced a pyramid-shaped graphic for nutrition guidelines. Even though nutritionists at the time criticized it for promoting too many carbohydrates and cutting back on fats, it was pushed onto every child and parent as the solution to our growing health crisis.
I was a '90s mom and a target of that USDA campaign.
I was that '90s mom who watched influencers stand on stage after dramatic weight loss, and I believed them when they told me fat was bad and seed oils were healthy.
I was that '90s mom who read every article I could find on how to feed a family of four on pennies a day. I clipped coupons for over-processed snacks and used bread and pasta to stretch our meals. I remember reading in multiple media sources, "Meat should be used as a garnish, not as the main entrée."
I was that '90s mom who sent her kids to school to buy school-provided breakfasts and lunches.
Now, my daughter is a 2020s mom, trying to navigate the ever-changing pressures of how to feed her family. As a '20s mom, she has an active spouse who participates in decision-making on what foods are brought into the house. As a '20s mom, she also has access to real, unbiased information that's easily obtainable. As a ‘20's mom she has skills to push back on Big Food marketing campaigns that push an agenda that there is always room for sugar.
I feel that our understanding, in this country and around the world, of the role over-processed foods and seed oils play in our health and future health issues is growing daily. New articles are being published that showcase how seed oils and over-processed breakfasts are directly linked to cancer and obesity.
Ex-FDA food expert reveals worst cereal in America with link to cancer or Ex-FDA food expert reveals why Kellogg's Froot Loops is worst cereal in US- amid calls for cancer chemical ban.
Written by Joy Sypher
Published October 19th, 2024
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