Explore the Grocery Store: What's Eating You?

I confess that nutrition videos aimed at teens usually make me feel like a) dozing off from boredom, b) pondering the wisdom of filmmakers who honestly think a teenager is going to choose tofu over pizza, c) putting down my apple and hoisting up a pint of Ben and Jerry's just to be rebellious, or d) all of the above. So I was very pleasantly surprised to see that this entertaining video, instead of serving up boring nutrition facts scrolling over images of no-fun foods, opts for the realistic approach of moderation over deprivation. When high school juniors Ricardo, Lynette, and Will decide to do a class project video about their favorite subject--snacks--Ricardo enthusiastically announces "we're going to cover all four food groups--sweet, crunchy, salty, and cold!" During the ensuing tour of the grocery store, the students run into various peers and adults who steer them toward better--but still plausible--snack choices. For example, instead of banning soda outright, the program suggests mixing mineral water and juice as an alternative, and rather than decrying pizza altogether, recommends choosing veggie over pepperoni, or opting for whole wheat crust. Offering more than simple damage control, Explore the Grocery Store recognizes that teens (and, yes, adults too) will want yummy foods that often contain fat, salt, and sugar, and should therefore learn to make wise, moderate choices about those foods. Purists needn't fret, however, since the program also covers basic nutritional bases with recommendations on fiber, calcium intake, fruit, etc., as well as how to read those tricky product labels. Funny, practical, well-acted, and backed by good supplemental information, this is enthusiastically recommended. Aud: J, H, P. (E. Gieschen)