Some manufacturers’ labels for healthier options are a good start, but most shoppers are confused by the many different labeling systems.

Pediatricians could have a surprising ally in the war against childhood obesity. Dr. William Sears, pediatrician and author of such books as The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood and Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Book, told an audience at May’s Food Marketing Institute Show in Chicago that supermarkets can play an important role in promoting healthy eating habits.

“At no time in history has the foodservice industry had the chance to make such healthy choices,” Sears said. With the help of healthcare professionals, supermarkets have the opportunity to change children’s eating habits and eventually make them healthier shoppers.

“In a nutshell, kids have lost their taste for real food,” he said, and noted that efforts such as “traffic-light eating” could be used by supermarkets to create more health-conscious shoppers. Traffic-light eating breaks foods into “green-light” foods that children are encouraged to eat as much as they want, “yellow-light” foods that are best-suited as occasional treats and “red-light” foods that children should avoid altogether. Signage at supermarkets identifying “green-light” and “yellow-light” foods can help children and parents become more aware of healthy eating habits, Sears said.

Even though programs such as Sears’ L.E.A.N. system encourage shoppers to avoid processed foods that make up a good portion of supermarket shelf space, he said such initiatives will end up benefiting supermarkets. He pointed to so-called “pure moms” who eschew most packaged foods in favor of fresh produce and meats.

These moms cook more, buy more and shop in the areas of the store with the highest profit margins, Sears said. L.E.A.N. stands for “lifestyle, exercise, attitude and nutrition.”

Among the steps Sears said supermarkets can take to help turn their stores into “giant nutritional classrooms” are simple things like producing point-of-purchase hand-outs on subjects such as portion control. He said this can help supermarkets become “trusted sources” for nutritional information.

Another area Sears said he wanted supermarkets to take action in is supporting uniform labeling for the entire food industry. He said some manufacturers’ labels for healthier options are a good start, but most shoppers are confused by the many different labeling systems. The L.E.A.N. system, he said, encourages children to look for “good words” like “whole grain” and avoid “bad words” such as “high-fructose” and “hydrogenated.” It also teaches children that “low-fat” and “low-sugar” don’t always mean “healthier.” “Sugar is not a bad word; it’s the company it keeps or doesn’t keep,” he said. Sears said such efforts could prove to be profitable for supermarkets, and healthier for children and parents. “We as healthcare providers are working behind the scenes to grow healthier shoppers for you,” he said.

Conscious, Concerned Snacking
With consumers increasingly seeking snacking alternatives that are better for their health, it’s not unlikely that they would seek snacks that benefit the planet, as well. At the Food Marketing Institute Show in Chicago, Kat Fay, a senior editor and consumer analyst for the Mintel International Group Ltd., recommended that manufacturers target these consumers.

Addressing “The Future of Snacks,” Fay reported that healthier and better-for-you snacks continue to be in demand. In addition, “People are getting very savvy and reading labels to find out where their products are coming from,” she said.

With consumers already interested in healthy-for-you products, Fay said marketing that touts a product’s environmental or social benefits was a logical next step. In addition, with more green products in stores, she said consumers are ready for ecological and green advancement in snacks.

One consumer demographic Fay highlighted was teenage girls. One study found many young women said they don’t want their makeup products to be tested on animals, or prefer the manufacturers give portions of their profits to charities or causes, such as breast cancer research. “This is very top of mind of teenagers,” Fay told the audience. “You want them [as consumers] as they’re young. They obviously take their shopping habits into adulthood.”

Another demographic Fay named was “alpha moms,” which her presentation defined as “educated, tech-savvy, type-A moms with a common goal: mommy excellence.” Fay told the audience that alpha moms are a part of their core customer base. “These are the women that are going to be making [important choices],” she said. “These are the women that are going to be reading labels.”

Fay also recommended that snack manufacturers participate in charities as a way to appeal to concerned consumers. “Anything that can make your product stand above the rest,” she explained.

Culinary Community
Local sourcing has been an industry buzz for some time, but there’s an emerging trend that takes the idea to a new level: underground dining.

The idea is to not only bring together local chefs using local ingredients, but also to incorporate local performers, artists and guests in nontraditional locations for a unique fine-dining experience, according to San Francisco-based Ghetto Gourmet.

Although the restaurant is unlicensed, it seeks to “continue whittling away at the walls of the contemporary restaurant experience,” Ghetto Gourmet said. “Events feature a growing roster of professional chefs, caterers and cooks with diverse backgrounds.” Guests of Ghetto Gourmet pay an average of $50 in advance, and are savvy to the event’s location only several days prior to the feast.

Past Ghetto Gourmet venues have included private residences, parking lots, museums and art galleries.

While each event is BYOB, dinners are also BYO-floor cushion. Although events cater to the adventurous types, the idea has been catching on for a number of reasons, according to Ghetto Gourmet. “Today, our world is very divided; the need for community is great,” the company said. “Just in the last few years, similar projects have been developing all over the world.”

’Restaurant Raves’
As a departure from his day job as executive chef of Global Dish Caterers, Mitch Prensky says he creates what he calls “restaurant raves.” A graduate of the French Culinary Institute, he and his wife, Jennifer London Prensky, organize exclusive, one-night-only dining events.

The Philadelphia-based full-service restaurant, called L’Atelier of Global Dish, features a full menu with wine pairings at $125 per person. These are invitation-only events that have been held in art galleries, retail stores and warehouse spaces. “It’s kind of like an underground party where only certain people are ‘in the know’ about the date and the place,” L’Atelier said. “The restaurant materializes each time in a different space with a menu, style and ambience unique to that space.”