Kids Cuisine

I recently read on the Internet that in the United Kingdom new advertising rules will officially label cheese as “junk food”. I hope this never happens in the United States! Could you imagine?

According to the article, “Under regulations coming into force this month, broadcasters will be banned from advertising cheese during children’s television programmes or in shows with a large proportion of child viewers…. The ban is part of a government drive to crack down on junk food adverts on television, which is designed to reduce the exposure of children to foods high in fat, salt and sugar. It follows evidence that TV commercials have an indirect impact on children’s eating behaviour and are contributing to the obesity epidemic.”

I can understand the concern, but I’m curious as to the extent of this ban. My 16-month-old daughter has been eating cheese (in small amounts) since she was 3 months old — bleu, mascarpone, gruyere, camembert, aged cheddar, and others. She absolutely loves the strong, earthy bleus (especially with apples and pears), the mild, creamy camembert, and all of the other wonderful flavors from the wide variety of natural cheeses.

I firmly believe that children should be exposed (in moderation) to full-flavored, natural foods–particularly cheese. Eating processed foods, such as some cheese products, could result in problems like obesity for children eating foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as claimed in the UK news.

According to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, “only 1 out of 3 children get the calcium they need. Children develop almost 90% of their adult bone mass by age 17. Cheese and other dairy products are especially important for children and teenagers when the body is forming nearly half of all bone mass and about 15% of adult height is added. A 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese provides the same amount of calcium and other nutrients as 1 cup of milk.”

Cheese is a great source of calcium. Starting children early in their development in sampling different cheese–cheese that’s natural–will not only help in their growth and brain development, but will give them seasoned palates. My wife and I recently went out to dinner, ordering the cheese plate to start our meal, and my daughter was not shy to help us enjoy the three-cheese sampling.

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has created an interactive area within their website to introduce children to cheese making; it has on-line games, coloring books, quizzes and other activities.

If you haven’t given your children cheese (other than the processed kind) you should give them a treat with some natural cheese. I’m sure you’ll find a nice selection at your local grocer. Let me know what you buy and how your child likes natural cheese.

(Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board)