21 Sep 2014 App of the Month: Smash Your Food

by Brittany Gilbert

Smash Your Food
by Food N’ Me
$2.99 in the App Store

Do you want your kids to know just how bad that burger, shake, fries and soda are for them?

Smash Your Food is a really neat app that helps kids make better food choices. Created by dieticians and nutritionists, their goal is to inform kids and adults of how much sugar, salt and oil are in their food. This app won Michelle Obama’s award for “Apps for Healthy Kids” contest. It is advertised for ages 6-11, but younger kids would definitely enjoy it, especially with a parent to help.

First, you select your favorite “food face” along with age and activity level. Then you select a fridge that is filled with options. You select a food item and try to guess its sugar, salt and oil contents. This is when you smash your food. After smashing the food, the correct nutritional information is shown.

You can accept challenges, such as “try a new food and earn 10 gold carrots.” Useful tips for parents are also provided with each smash.

Pros:

Colorful and vivid sound effects
Multiple food items to choose from
Food challenges with a reminder of each commitment
Fun and informative nutrition tips with every smash
It’s messy without the real-life cleanup

Cons:

A free version would be nice so that you could try before buying

Brittany Gilbert is a former FACS teacher at Maumelle High School. She and her husband, Levi, have two sons and live in Conway. Brittany can be reached at [email protected].