Nutritious cereal? General Mills launches “Good is Good Enough” campaign to redefine healthy eating

18 Aug 2021 --- US-based food company General Mills recently launched a “Good is Good Enough” campaign to address parental guilt associated with not eating healthily.

According to General Mills Big G Cereals survey results, many parents and caregivers put a lot of pressure on themselves and feel that it is their responsibility to ensure their children eat a balanced diet.

“Good nutrition does not have to be hard and should fit within what one can afford, access and enjoy eating,” says Amy Cohn, registered dietitian and nutrition lead at General Mills.

The survey found that nearly eight in ten (77 percent) of parents with children under 18 years believe that nutritious means attempting to provide a homemade breakfast, as this is perceived as having more nutrients than convenience foods.

General Mills claims that a bowl of cereal can be a nutrient-dense option that is also the easiest for a family when factoring in time and costs.

“Many cereals are filled with essential nutrients, like fiber, vitamins, and minerals, along with whole grain, to help support growing kids,” says Cohn.

Survey results reveal “perfect” meal pressure
The survey results revealed that 60 percent of parents agree that social media puts additional pressure on them to be the “best.” Approximately one-third (34 percent) agreed that images of “perfect” family meals on social media make them feel guilty about what their family eats.Parents feel pressure to cook nutritious food for their children to provide them with the “perfect” meal.

The company positions a bowl of cereal as “hard to beat when it comes to nutrient density” as few other breakfast foods offer the essential nutrients found in cereal.

Furthermore, a second study conducted at Ohio State University, US, found that people who skip breakfast have nutrient gaps and poor diet quality as they cannot make up for the “missed” nutrients found in breakfast.

“The quest for ‘perfect’ eating has made the pendulum swing a bit too far, vilifying certain foods and creating unintended negative consequences,” says Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, registered dietitian nutritionist, New York, US.

“As a registered dietitian and new mom, I know how important it is to serve foods that are not only nutritious but taste great too.”

At the same time, industry players have voiced concerns over misleading food labeling claims. In this space, the US Food Labeling Modernization Act aims to correct public misconceptions about healthy food choices as some food labels are inaccurate.

Breakfasts cereals in focus
Cereal innovation toward “healthier” options has been in the works, while some packaging issues have been highlighted. Earlier this year, General Mills’ Cheerios brought back limited-edition O’s in heart shapes and new flavors to promote cardiac health.

Also, in this space, Kellogg’s introduced a fruit and vegetable, plant-based breakfast cereal for children with no added sugar.

After an investigation found that 92 percent of children’s cereals are still high in sugar, UK charity Action on Sugar urged manufacturers to remove child-friendly packaging graphics.

By Nicole Kerr