Cookie's popularity crumbles, slips to No. 2 slot

Tag : Child Hat


Fruit is the new cookie. For the first time in 20 years, moreparents are serving fruit than cookies as snacks to children 6 andunder.

This jarring news comes from the NPD Group, a research firm thattracks American trends. The shift suggests "parents are saying,`I'm hearing the health message, and I'm listening, and I'm tryingto alter my child's behavior,'" vice president Harry Balzer said.

In 1987, the cookie ruled as top snack, with fruit as No. 2. Butthe latest statistics show the treats have reversed ranking, a signthat more moms and dads are subscribing to the apple-a-day maxim.

Children also are less likely to down soft drinks, ice cream andcandy. They're opting for fruit rolls and bars, yogurt, crackersand bottled water.

That said, nostalgic rules, Balzer pointed out. Eight of the Top 10snacks are fixtures on the 1987 list. Milk, for instance, retainedthe No. 3 slot. So Balzer, who authored the study, doesn't expectcookie cravings to fade. "Why? Because we like cookies," he said.

NPD asked 600 mothers to record every food and beverage theirchildren under 6 consumed during a two-week period in 2005-2007.Their diaries were then compared to journals compiled by 500 womenin 1985-1987. The Rosemont, Ill.-based firm sandwiched its findingsin its "National Eating Trends" report.

The other most-crunched/sipped snacks of yesteryear in descendingorder: juice, candy, carbonated soft drinks, ice cream, crackers,cake and chips. Their 2007 counterparts: crackers, juice, popcorn,candy, ice cream, chips, fruit rolls/bars/bits. Sugary soft drinksand cake gave way to popcorn and fruit rolls on the revised list.

Not every Oreo junkie is taking the cookie's crumbling statuslightly. Stephen Colbert blasted fruit as anti-American June 10 on"The Colbert Report." "I don't care what its nutritional value is,"the Comedy Central anchor fumed. "Carmen Miranda's hat is still aturban!"

Colbert blamed the Oreo's decline on Cookie Monster joining theeat-right bandwagon in 2005. The furry blue "Sesame Street" iconpopped in to refute the charge, defining cookies as a "sometimesfood ... you eat cookie after you eat healthy food like soup orvegetable." Colbert retorted that children should show "cookiepride" by pinning cookies to their chest.

Government statistics show that obesity rates are leveling off, asign that adults may be cutting back on sweets, too. According tothe NPD, more than 70 percent of Americans eat reduced- fat foods,and over half consume reduced-calorie, whole grain or fortifiedfoods. The average American also eats at least two "better for you"products a day.

Here are some summery, kid-friendly recipes bound to be tastierthan Cookie Monster's snack during "The Colbert Report." The Muppetscarfed Colbert's cherished Peabody Award for news excellenceduring a commercial break.