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Episode 71: Smart Snacks and Sneaky Snacks
Inside School Food
English - September 26, 2016 15:09 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MB - ★★★★ - 7 ratingsFood Arts Education inside school food heritage radio network laura stanley school nutrition education school food school lunch program food service industry institutional food interviews Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Previous Episode: Episode 70: Remembering Philando Castile
What's so smart about those USDA-regulated "Smart Snacks" sold in school vending machines? More whole grain, and lowered sugar, fat, and calories—even if they're Cheetos, Doritos, or Pop Tarts. These reformulated items are less unhealthy, sure, but new research from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity proposes that their "copycat" look and packaging is designed to maintain brand loyalty outside of school, where the original versions are heavily marketed to teens. The strategy may be working—and backfiring on school food service when the presence of perceived junk food undermines parent trust.