NJC My Pledge to the #NoJunk Challenge

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I worry about Boo constantly. I think every parent does.

I have blogged before about my worry about what she eats.

The child whose favourite word at the moment is choc, is a challenge like any other strong-willed toddler.

I first started thinking about the things she eats when I blogged about cereal.

The sheer amount of salt and sugar in every day foods is ridiculous and, to be honest, frightening.

So when I heard about the Organix #NoJunk challenge, I decided to step up challenge junk head on.

From 28th April to 4th May, parents (like me) will pledge to feed their family using real ingredients and will try to avoid foods with artificial colourings and flavourings, or foods high in added salt, fat and sugar. .

We will be able to take part in fun activities to explore what is in children’s food, help expose some of the junk, and share their own healthy and delicious recipes to cook simple meals with natural ingredients. Competitions will run throughout the week to win prizes: tickets to the River Cottage Food Fair, cookery books, aprons and tote bags, toy fruit and veg to encourage role play, and practical children’s cooking sets.

Organix have already teamed up with some fabulous bloggers who will be writing posts throughout the week with tips on healthy meals and snack ideas.

I have decided that I am going to gate-crash the #NoJunk party and blog myself. Any blog posts related to the challenge will, like this one, have NJC in the title.

Even if I just enlighten bore you all with what we have eaten that day.

Anna Rosier, Managing Director of Organix, said: “We know that parents want to give their children good, healthy and nutritious food, but it’s not always easy to make good food choices. We are launching the No Junk Challenge to help parents with advice on how to read the ingredients, to identify the dirty dozen, as well as providing fun activities to show parents what is in the food, and simple recipes to try out at home.

“We are also calling for the Government and the food industry to do their part. We need regulation and clear, easy to understand labelling that will help parents choose the best for their children. So we’re calling on parents to sign up to the No Junk Pledge.”

Facts about children’s food

The campaign responds to what is found in children’s food:

• Official statistics show that one in five children starting school are overweight or obese.

• Nearly half of the best-selling brands are high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS).

• Children’s food brands making health claims are found to be higher in salt, fat and sugar.

• Artificial additives are widely used to disguise cheap ingredients.

• The food industry is currently self-regulated with no-one with a long term commitment taking responsibility for what is in the public’s [and thus children’s] food.

This is a campaign with big ambitions.  The challenge aims to create a groundswell of support beyond this initial campaign phase, to move on to develop a manifesto for children’s food in October 2014. The No Junk Challenge will call on the government and food industry to address the artificial additives and to remove the high quantities of added salt, fat and sugar content in foods targeted at children.

This campaign should be close to the hearts of parents everywhere. What we put in our children’s mouths matters. Fact.

Sign the pledge at www.organix.com/nojunk and join the conversation at #NoJunk