Feeding the Kids

Parents should steer clear of most of the processed foods packaged to appeal to children, according to a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

But the Grocery Manufacturers of America countered that the report was written by “nutritional nuts” and said foods like pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs have a place in kids’ diets.

The report listed the “best” processed children’s foods in 19 categories, according to how much fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, added sugar, additives and whole grains and fiber they contained. Not a single cookie, granola bar, hot dog or luncheon meat made the grade nutritionally, said the committee of experts the center put together.

The CSPI recommended that children eat mainly fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and unprocessed foods.

Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the CSPI, said the list is intended as a guideline, not as law.

“It’s not like eating one of the foods not on the list will kill you,” he said. “We don’t even say no cookies. We’re just saying be aware that none of the cookies is a great choice. Have them as a treat, and fill up on healthier foods.”

Here are the “best” children’s processed foods in 19 categories:

Breakfast cereals: Alpen (no salt/sugar added); Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Wheat; Old Fashioned or Quick Oats; Post Grape-Nuts; Weetabix; Wheatena.

Cheese: Weight Watchers Low Sodium American.

Chips, pretzels, popcorn: Arrowhead Mills Blue or Yellow Corn Curls (unsalted); Baja Bakery Rice & Bean Tortilla Bits Light; Guiltless Gourmet No Oil Tortilla Chips; Skinny’s Corn Chips; Weight Watchers Microwave Popcorn; unsalted pretzels, all brands.

Cookies: None.

Frozen dinners: None.

Canned or shelf-stable entrees: Fungle’s Fun Foods; Health Valley Fast Menu; Hormel Health Selections Sweet and Sour Chicken.

Frozen entrees: Health Choice spaghetti with meat sauce or macaroni and cheese; Tyson Looney Tunes Pasta.

Fast-food meals: None.

French fries: McCain Classic Cut, Golden Steak Fries or Crinkle Cuts; Ore-Ida Home Style Wedges, Dinner Fries, Golden Crinkles, Cottage Fries, Pixi Crinkles or Lites Crinkle Cuts.

Frozen desserts: None.

Frozen dessert bars: FrozFruit Orange, Cantaloupe, Mango, Strawberry Lemon, Raspberry, Pineapple or Fruit and Yogurt.

Fruit beverages: Orange, grapefruit, apple (fortified) or grape (fortified) juice.

Fruit snacks: Nature’s Choice Real Fruit Bars.

Granola bars: None.

Hot dogs: None.

Luncheon meats: None.

Milk: Skim or 1% low-fat.

Pizza: Rice Crust Soy Cheese; Soypreme French Bread Garden Patch or Whole Wheat Cheese Style; Special Delivery Soya Kaas or Cheese; Tree Tavern Pizsoy.

Soup: Campbell Low Sodium Split Pea, Low Sodium Chicken with Noodles or Low Sodium Tomato; Hain No Salt Split Pea; Pritikin Split Pea, Lentil, Minestrone or Vegetable; Spice Hunter Quick and Natural.