The problem with this whole thing is that it dismisses just using common sense; a trait everyone has but come to rely too much on sensationalism to verify any uncertainty

Michelle, yes we should use some common sense and when nutrition professionals/etc. see a program that portrays to have consumers’ health as their main concern, but really are attempting to persuade people to push more product–highly processed products especially, it is only right to challenge this deception. People are already confused enough about What To Eat. Doing what is right is common sense.

An easy benchmark for this program would be no food could qualify if it contains PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL aka Trans Fat. The safe amount for humans is 0 grams. There are many reasons why this program displays that it is not created for people’s health, but to promote product, but including any food that has added Trans Fat is just insane.
People’s health over Corporate Wealth already!

Ms. Tharalson: I share your dismay at the lack of basic food knowledge/preparation skills and am encouraged to hear that you are involved in redressing this issue. I post here frequently about common sense solutions to many of the topics that come up. I fear that readers will find me tiresome, but your post convinces me that it is necessary to let a younger generation know that there are alternatives to packaged and processed food and that one need not even have special training in order to use them.

However, I suppose what resonates with me the most about this is that it showcases the big bucks that are made simply because millions of Americans are unable or unwilling to cook for themselves. Certainly lack of time is a factor, but as a Registered Dietitian with formal culinary training, I see a lack of basic cooking and food identification skills as a major stumbling block as well. My work involves filling in this knowledge gap…gaps that are sometimes rather shocking.
Unfortunately as long as these conditions exist, I don’t see reliance on processed convenience foods going away. The very least we can do as responsible nutritionists is to avoid bestowing credibility on something that is so deeply flawed from a common sense standpoint.