Grocery Stores- The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

All grocery stores are in the business of making money and selling you what you're looking for.  Unfortunately like any type of store they are master marketers and set up their stores in an attempt to get you to spend more money.  Below I'll share some ways that grocery stores are getting more money out of your pocket and some ways they are helping you make healthier decisions!

The Bad:

• Stores are mapped out in a specific way to force you to spend more money- or at least walk by more items you might cave in and buy.  Think about where the milk is located in your favorite store; typically it's at the way back of the store.  All you want to do is run in for a simple gallon of milk and then you get roped into multiple other items because you have to walk by it to get to your milk.  
• In order to avoid junk food it's best to stay on the "outer loop". This means to stay on the areas closest to the outside walls of the store.  Typically this is where fresh produce, homemade bread, meats, and dairy is located.  In the isles is where junk food, chips, candy, other not-so-great for you foods are located.
• Beware of "end caps".  End caps are the section of "goodies" at the end of an isle.  Often people think of these as a place for good sales.  This is not always true and even more than that end caps are primarily used sell items that will catch your eye.  Bright displays with big signs normally are placed here.  Next time a holiday comes around take note of what's placed here.  Recently the weekend before the Super Bowl the end caps were filled with chips, dips, soda, and other snack things, but nothing healthy!
• Grocery stores play into the age and height of people shopping.  Next time you take a stroll down the cereal isle look up and down.  Have you ever noticed that the sugary kid cereal is down at a lower level?  That's so your kids notice them because they are at kid height!  Likewise, the healthier fiber rich cereal is above you.  Look up and down for the best deals, the healthiest options, and the off brand items that have the same nutritional value as the known brand.

 The Good:Super Snack Lady prefers to shop at Hy-Vee for buying produce for work.  It is important to note that Super Snack Lady has a working relationship with Hy-Vee in order to purchase produce at a good price for school visits.  No matter where you shop I'd like to introduce you to a really cool tool that Hy-Vee has implemented in their stores.  It's called NuVal and it tells you what the nutritional value of almost every item in the store right next to the price tag.  A NuVal score of 1 says there is practically no nutritional value in it while a NuVal score of 100 means it has the highest possible nutritional value.  This system makes it easy to see how healthy you are shopping and even easier to compare different items. If you want to know more about the NuVal system click here!  Check out the photos below that Super Snack Lady took on a recent trip to a local Hy-Vee store!

This Romaine lettuce scores a 100 on the NuVal
scale which means it is SUPER healthy!

These red raspberries scored a 91 on the NuVal
scale, which means they are very healthy.

This guacamole (which is made out of avocado)
comes in at 47 which is pretty middle of the road
for the NuVal scoring.  However it is still healthier
than cookies!

This fruit dip comes in at a poor score of 2. 
So remember, your fruit is healthy but if you start
dipping your fruit it is going to make it
a lot less healthy!

Fruit by the Foot scores a bad score of only 1.
Just because it says Fruit in the title of the item
doesn't make it healthy!

Skittles which are famous for being fruit flavored
also come in at a score of 1.  This means that
it has no nutritional value at all.

Another common item comes in at a score of 1.
This Gaterade has no nutritional value for you
or your child!

 Bottom line about grocery stores:  You have to know the secrets in order to not be drawn into getting items that you didn't want to get.  Have a list of items you need and stick to it.  That will not only make you feel better about the choices you are making but will also save you money. 

All Produce Needs a Good Bath Before Eating!

When Super Snack Lady visits classrooms and passes out produce to kids the students often comment that the produce is "wet".  Super Snack Lady simply explains that all produce is washed before she brings it to the classroom.  While most kids think this makes sense it begs the question of, "Why do I need to wash produce before I eat it?" Depending on where the produce comes from it can have pesticides, salmonella, or other bacteria on it.  Not to mention that everyone at the store touches the produce before you purchase it.

During classroom visit kids say things like, "At the store there is water spraying on it.  Isn't that washing it off?"  Or even, "I rub the apple on my shirt to clean it off, doesn't that count?" NO IT DOESN'T COUNT!!! All produce whether it is apples, leafy greens, celery, or anything else needs to be properly washed.  So that brings on the next question, "How do you wash produce?!"

Well Super Snack Lady washes her produce with a white vinegar and water solution.  For every 1 part of vinegar you put 3 parts of water.  Typically Super Snack Lady washes her produce in her sink by plugging the sink and then adding the water and vinegar.  However you can easily make the cleaning solution in a spray bottle and spray onto your produce.  Make sure you rinse the produce off after cleaning it too!  Cleaning produce with a white vinegar solution is proved to clean 98% of dirt, bacteria, and grime off of produce.

This is what the water looked like
after Super Snack Lady recently washed
celery in her sink.  Not only is the
water cloudy, but there is visible
dirt on the bottom of the sink.

After the water is drained there is
a ton of dirt at the bottom of the sink.
YUCK!  Super Snack Lady is happy
that the dirt is in the sink and not
on her yummy produce!

 

February's Fruit and Veggie

New Month = New Snacks!!!

I know a lot of kids really enjoyed the oranges last month and alot of students tried bell peppers for the first time.  Well, since we've changed the calendar to the month of February that means that we have a new fruit and a new vegetable when Super Snack Lady comes to visit. Below you will find pictures of the new fruit and veggie for this month.  Can you figure out what they might be?

This is the vegetable of the month.
In this picture you can only see half of the veggie. 
Some people in Iowa search for these
in the woods in the spring time.

This is the fruit of the month.  It can come
in a lot of colors like green, yellow or red. 
We can grow them here in Iowa too!

Super Snack Lady can't wait to bring these new snacks to your classroom sometime soon!

Flat Super Snack Lady has been BUSY!

Recently you saw a blog post that featured Flat Super Snack Lady on a dairy farm in northern Iowa.  Well after that she got shipped in the mail and went out to.... UTAH!!!  It was a long trip, but she made it safe and sound.  Below is a picture from that visit:

Can you spot Flat Super Snack Lady?  She is located on the sled!
I bet she enjoyed the view of the mountains and sledding in a
new city!  Looks like fun!
This is in Sandy, Utah which is a town right outside of Salt Lake City.

Once she got back to Iowa from Utah she enjoyed a snow day from school with the real Super Snack Lady and her puppy Bailey. 

Good thing Flat Super Snack Lady is just paper
otherwise she'd be freezing in the snow!

Flat Super Snack Lady played with Bailey.  Bailey
loves to play fetch and tug of war.

Where will Flat Super Snack Lady be next?  You'll have to check back to find out!!!  (Hint:  Somewhere far away from Cedar Rapids and it's MUCH warmer!)  She's always looking for people who are staying active and enjoying healthy foods all over America!!!!

Super Snack Lady is more than Nutrition!

Did you know that Super Snack Lady works with teachers to do cross-curricular work during her visits?  What exactly does that mean you ask?  It means that Super Snack Lady teaches students about more than just the fruits and vegetables.  Below are some ways that Super Snack Lady incorporates other subject matter into her lessons:

• We count how many pieces of fruit or veggie we are given.
• We discuss the color of the produce.
• We use descriptive words to desribe our produce. Oval, rough, smooth, juicy, delicious, yummy in our tummies, and crunchy are a few examples.
• We tie in geography and talk about where our produce comes from.  When often point out on a map what states the produce grows in and talk about how far it traveled to get to us.
• We attempt to do a short burst of physical activity that gets the students' bodies moving and gives their minds a quick break.
• We work on visualizing by having students close their eyes while Super Snack Lady describes the fruit or vegetable.  Once students can picture the produce in their mind they raise their hand to have a guess at what produce Super Snack Lady brought.
• An art teacher at one of Super Snack Lady's schools did an activity with her 2nd graders which included using My Plate to create a balanced meal (check out those photos below).
• One teacher recently did a compare and contrast chart with her students that compared lemons and oranges.

As you can see Super Snack Lady works hard to make her visits worth while for the teachers and students alike.  Not to mention that a lot of activities are "more fun" for the kids if it involves a yummy snack at the end of it!

A student's artwork from Hoover elementary.
Can you tell what's on their plate?

Another student's artwork from Hoover.
Corn, watermelon, and green beans. YUM!

One last piece of artwork from Hoover.
Chicken leg, pear, apple, and grapes.  Sounds great to
Super Snack Lady!

Here, There, Everywhere!

Sometimes kids wonder what Super Snack Lady does when she isn't at their school.  Well, Super Snack Lady is one busy person!  Currently she visits 6 schools a month which equals about 40 classrooms and 1,000 students!!!  That is a lot of kids that Super Snack Lady sees every month.  

While Super Snack Lady isn't at your school she is probably at another school.  Some days she has to be in the office she is based out of making up the monthly newsletters and preparing the yummy snacks you eat.  Of course some days she has to go shopping and get the food or other supplies (like plates and napkins).  Lastly, she attends a lot of meetings in order to make connections with other people who are passionate about kids being healthy. 

Below you will find some pictures of Super Snack Lady doing what she does.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day Super
Snack Lady volunteering at Mt. Mercy
University.  She helped package
meals for starving children.
(She's on the left in the purple shirt!)

The mix that was packaged is made
into a stew or soup full of healthy
nutrients that kids need.

These boxes will provide 6,400 meals to starving children
in America and other countries.

This is a nutrition visit at Hoover Elementary.
Super Snack Lady comes during PE time.
She is saying, "Hold up your green bell pepper!"  :)

Here Super Snack Lady is teaching kids
how to peel an orange to make it easier to eat.
A lot of kids learned how to peel an orange
this month! 

How Staying Active Shaped America's History

First and foremost, HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR DAY!

No one can deny that MLK Jr. played a major role in shaping America's history and culture.  Without Martin Luther King Jr. the civil rights wouldn't have moved along at the pace it did- or maybe it wouldn't have happened at all.  Overall the Civil Rights Movement prided itself on being peaceful and using non-violent protest to make their statement. 


Did you know that MLK Jr. led several Freedom Walks?  

These walks happened in towns all over America and were peaceful protest to African Americans being segregated from whites.  One particular walk- the Freedom Walk in Detroit in June of 1963 drew a crowd of 125,000 people!!!  It lasted over an hour and a half and was several miles long.  It is considered a pretty big turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.

MLK Jr. is pictured in the middle of this photo
next to the man in the hat.  As you can see
this is a very peaceful walk through Detroit.

The other big march that MLK Jr. led was The March on Washington took place in August of 1963 and drew a crowd of 250,000 people!! This is where his famous I Have a Dream speech took place.

Martin Luther King Jr. is pictured on the right
forging forward during the big March
on Washington.

An approximate 250,000 people (with about 1/4 of them
being white) participated in the March on Washington.

Did you know that Martin Luther King Jr. did so much of his civil work while on his feet? How can YOU change the world?  How can you change the world while staying fit and being active?  In an age where everything (including this blog!) is digital, it is important to remember how we got to where we are and how we continue to make a difference in the future.  Perhaps your difference is just a personal one- you eat a new fruit this week, or add a vegetable to your diet, or walk to the store instead of ride there.  Every big change starts with small steps.  In the honor of Martin Luther King Jr. think about the change you want to make in your life and in the world!
 

Super Snack Lady Night at NewBo Market!

                   MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!!

Super Snack Lady is going to be at the NewBo City Market on Thursday February 7th from 5pm-7pm!!  

While Super Snack Lady will probably be roaming around the market she will primarily be at the Kirkwood Culinary Kitchen where some of Super Snack Lady's friends will be doing live cooking demonstrations.  There will also be healthy, fresh products provided by various NewBo Market vendors for you to sample.  So, plan on bringing your family and checking out this awesome local resource!

Super Snack Lady recently made a mid-day visit
to take some photos at the NewBo City Market.

 Don't know where NewBo City Market is?  It's on the corner of 12th Ave and 3rd street South East, Cedar Rapids, Iowa!  This is pretty close to Mercy Hospital, the African American Museum, and Czech Village. 

Where Has FLAT Super Snack Lady Been Lately?

If you remember back to a little bit before winter break I introduced Flat Super Snack Lady who was going to be mailed all over the United Stated in an attempt to catch people staying healthy and participating in awesome physical activities.  Well, I'm here to report that I've gotten some pictures back of Flat Super Snack Lady's adventures!

Below are pictures from my friend, Amy, who took Flat Super Snack Lady to her family's dairy farm in northern Iowa.

Amy's family eats healthy and Flat Super Snack Lady
found her way into the basket of fruit! YUM!
What fruits do you see?

In this picture Flat Super Snack Lady helped
feed a baby cow! 

Do you notice anything different
about Flat Super Snack Lady?
(Hint: Look above her mouth)
This is fresh milk straight from a cow
on Amy's farm!

 Flat Super Snack Lady is traveling all over the United States!  Check back soon to see where Flat Super Snack Lady traveled next- and what she found people doing to stay healthy!!