Rationale
Convenience food is a part of our lives. Emeryville, California which my school serves, is located in the heart of a food swamp. That means that within .5 mile of our school there are seven fast-food restaurants and three mini-marts. The smell of bacon from IHOP fills the schoolyard every morning. Signs that read: "Under 400 Calorie Menu" and "All Natural Breakfast Biscuit" greet students as they pass McDonalds and Seven Eleven en route to school. They are inundated with convenience food and the words that enwrap it. Messages that include words like "organic," "low-fat," " low-carb," "omega-3's," "sugar free" or "high-fructose corn syrup" can be confusing and misleading. Students need to know what these words mean and decide if they want to buy that product based on how it benefits or does not benefit health.
With newly gained knowledge about the words on food packages, students will become better-informed food consumers. When people are hungry and have $5.00 to spend at a mini-mart or grocery store they need to weigh their options and decide which food works best for them.
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