In one of those funny coincidences, I was getting ready for last night’s Twitter party on food dyes when my 8-year old son handed me a magazine opened to this ad and said, “You should put this on your blog!” (I have him well-trained, no?)
Given all the recent media attention on the possible risks associated with food dyes, this seems like a really odd way to promote a product, doesn’t it? But maybe the average Kool-Aid consumer is unlikely to be up on that news.
Meanwhile, Jenna of Food With Kid Appeal asked if I might recap last night’s food dye Twitter party.
It was a fun, passionate discussion — although when tons of people are all communicating at the same time in 140 character sound bites, it’s hard to say there was one coherent thread. People generally expressed concern about the food dye issue as well as other aspects of our food supply which may be unsafe, and I shared with the group some resources I’ve recently learned about — first, a link to Natural Candy Store.com (which, coincidentally, I found out about from Jenna herself via Twitter) as well as a mobile phone app created by CSPI to help consumers sort through additives on food labels (shared with me by a TLT reader and fellow Houston School Health Advisory Council Member – thanks, Mike!) I also shared that lovely palette of real food colors created by NYC artist Tattfoo Tan.
Several participants mentioned that there’s a petition currently circulating on the Internet asking Kraft (coincidentally, maker of Kool-Aid) to remove risky food dyes from its products. That petition can be found here.
And finally, I gave away some of those sought-after (yeah, right) Lunch Tray fridge magnets to two lucky participants. I was also going to give away some vintage cafeteria lunch trays but then worried that maybe no one actually wants such a thing sent to them! (If those are of interest, though, let me know and I’ll use them for a future giveaway here on TLT.)
Thanks again to Robyn O’Brien, author of The Unhealthy Truth, for inviting me to be a panelist for the party. Although I don’t hold myself out as an expert in this area, it was a great experience to tweet with others and learn more.
mom said says
Thanks for recapping the night!
My kids have taken notice to kool aid ad too. They aren’t impressed.
Donna says
Those crazy “fruit” strips also turn your tongue colors or leave temporary tattoos. I’m sure many think they’re giving their children something healthy.
jenna Food w/ Kid Appeal says
thanks for the recap! glad to know of the petition to Kraft. I’m all over that one.