When I heard on the radio yesterday morning that the major soda companies had come to an agreement to limit their sales of sodas to schools, I was equal parts stumped and amazed. Nicki talked about the Soda School? No More! yesterday in the Parents blog, but I wanted to share with you my thoughts on it with regard to what a great first step it is to bettering health and fitness for our children.
First and foremost, by limiting soda sales to only high schools and limiting it even further to be only diet sodas, we have the opportunity to control the number of calories that our children are getting through their drink choices. With my daughter starting kindergarten in the Fall, I like the idea that she is not going to have free access to all the soda she can drink if she just has the change.
It’s a vital first step in creating a far healthier environment where healthy choices are prompted by removing temptation. While many people believe that choosing diet soda is a better option than regular soda – eliminating sodas altogether eliminates empty calories that provide no nutritional value whatsoever.
I can’t think of a better choice in health and fitness for our children. Chances are good that kids who are starting school now and limited to choosing water, milk or juice as their beverage are going to be less likely to choose sodas when they do reach their high school years.
Taking away their choice now is only a first step because we need to create an environment that encourages them to make healthier choices when the choice is returned to them. After all, it’s important to remember that when our children are allowed to make choices for themselves, chances are they are going to choose against what we desire just to see what it is like for themselves.
So while it is immeasurably positive that our soda companies are partnering with our schools to improve that environment – it is even more crucial that we take advantage of this opportunity. Encourage healthier choices at home, limit their soda intake there and limit your own.
For example, my daughter actually prefers apple juice and Tropicana orange juice to soda. She likes milk. She likes water. These are great ways to manage two problems – caffeine and empty calories. Still, combining healthier choices in their diet with healthier choices in their activities is a fantastic way to teach them to live a healthy life where good diet and fitness choices are a matter of course.
We need to teach them a positive lifestyle – so for now – I raise my water glass to the soda companies and I applaud our schools. As consumers, they have done us a great turn. As parents, they have given us a tremendous opportunity. It’s up to us to take advantage of it.