Spotlight Study finds 81% of toddler foods are considered ‘ultra-processed’ Drew Pittock USA Today Aug 9, 2026 Aug 9, 2026 Updated Sep 3, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save More parents are beginning to scrutinize the foods they give their children early in life, and a new study suggests they’re right to do so.kAmp E62> @7 C6D62C496CD 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 %6I2D 2E pFDE:? DFCG6J65 a` 8C@46CJ DE@C6D 24C@DD pFDE:?[ %6I2D[ 2?5 7@F?5 E92E >@C6 E92? g_T @7 2G2:=23=6 E@55=6C 7@@5D H6C6 F=EC2\AC@46DD65]k^AmkAmw6C6’D H92E J@F D9@F=5 <?@H 23@FE E96 DEF5J 2?5 H92E :E >62?D 7@C E@55=6C 962=E9 :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D]k^Amk9am#6D62C49k^9am kAm%H@ C6D62C49 D4:6?E:DED 2E E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 %6I2D 2E pFDE:? G:D:E65 a` 8C@46CJ DE@C6D 2C@F?5 pFDE:?[ 82E96C:?8 A9@E@8C2A9D @7 a[fgb AC@5F4ED 3:==65 2D DF:E23=6 7@C 49:=5C6? 286D e E@ be >@?E9D]k^Am People are also reading… WNC Renaissance Faire set for this weekend in McDowell County Stabbed husband saves wife by driving car into knife-wielding man, NC sheriff says Marion man accused of waving gun at people floating on Catawba River Burke superintendent addresses Draughn, Freedom football game called at halftime Lake Lure starts eviction proceedings against prominent business McDowell County commissioners approve six-month moratorium on data centers Baxter International issues recall of IV solutions made at McDowell County plant McDowell EMS leader receives scholarship to attend UNC School of Government McDowell alumni spotlight: From Marion Elementary to leading the county's parks and rec Find out where the Carolina Panthers landed in ESPN's final preseason power rankings See McDowell Tech students who made President’s, Dean’s and Honors Lists 1 killed, 2 injured after train hit car in Hickory; Charges are pending in investigation Blue Ridge Parkway seeks public input on Linville Falls recovery plan 2 new Panthers to wear uniform numbers of beloved franchise legends Will NC get snow this winter? Here’s the Old Farmer’s Almanac forecast kAm%96J 7@F?5 g`T @7 E96 AC@5F4ED H6C6 F=EC2\AC@46DD65[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 4C:E6C:2 @FE=:?65 :? E96 }@G2 u@@5 r=2DD:7:42E:@? $JDE6>]k^AmkAm%96 7C2>6H@C< DA=:ED 7@@5D :?E@ 7@FC 8C@FAD — F?AC@46DD65 @C >:?:>2==J AC@46DD65 7@@5D[ AC@46DD65 4F=:?2CJ :?8C65:6?ED[ AC@46DD65 7@@5D 2?5 F=EC2\AC@46DD65 7@@5D — 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 “?2EFC6[ 6IE6?E 2?5 AFCA@D6D @7 E96 :?5FDEC:2= AC@46DD6D E96J F?56C8@” 367@C6 H:?5:?8 FA @? D@>6@?6’D <:E496? E23=6]k^Am kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ tC:? p] wF5D@?[ 2 &% pFDE:? 8C25F2E6 DEF56?E 2?5 D4:6?46 A@=:4J 76==@H H:E9 E96 p>6C:42? $@4:6EJ 7@C }FEC:E:@?[ 96C C6D62C49 F?56CD4@C6D 2? :>A@CE2?E 5:D4C6A2?4J :? H92E A2C6?ED E9:?< E96J’C6 7665:?8 E96:C 49:=5C6?]k^Am kAm“|2?J A2C6?ED >2J 2DDF>6 E92E AC@5F4ED D@=5 @? E96 323J^E@55=6C 7@@5 2:D=6D @7 E96:C 8C@46CJ DE@C6D 92G6 E@ >66E 46CE2:? ?FEC:6?E DE2?52C5D] ~FC 7:?5:?8D 9:89=:89E E92E 92=7 @7 E96 E@55=6C 7@@5D 2G2:=23=6 :? =@42= 8C@46CJ DE@C6D 5@ ?@E[” wF5D@? D2:5] “pD 2 C6DF=E[ A2C6?ED 92G6 E@ 36 G:8:=2?E :? 4964<:?8 =236=D 2?5 :?8C65:6?ED E@ 56E6C>:?6 E96 ?FEC:6?E 4@?E6?E 2?5 AC@46DD:?8 =6G6= @7 AC@5F4ED 7@C E96:C E@55=6CD]”k^Am Kraft Mac & Cheese is seen at a Kroger in Greater Cincinnati. Alexander Coolidge, The Cincinnati Enquirer k9am(w~ C64@>>6?52E:@?Dk^9amkAm%96 C6D62C49 E62> 2=D@ 7@F?5 E92E 7@@5D @? &]$] 8C@46CJ DE@C6 D96=G6D 76== D9@CE @7 2 DE2?52C5 6DE23=:D965 3J E96 (@C=5 w62=E9 ~C82?:K2E:@?]k^AmkAmx? a_aa[ E96 (w~ AF3=:D965 2 }FEC:E:@? 2?5 !C@>@E:@? !C@7:=6 |@56= 7@C 4@>>6C4:2= 7@@5D :?E6?565 7@C 49:=5C6? 2865 e\be >@?E9D] ~7 E96 ?62C=J a[fh_ AC@5F4ED wF5D@? 2?5 96C E62> DFCG6J65[ >2?J 72:=65 E@ >66E (w~ ?FEC:6?E DE2?52C5D[ :?4=F5:?8ik^Am kF=mk=:mkAm`fT 7@C DF82Ck^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmadT 7@C D@5:F>k^Amk^=:mk=:mkAm``T 7@C 72E 4@?E6?Ek^Amk^=:mk=:mkAm`aT 7@C 6?6C8J 56?D:EJk^Amk^=:mk^F=m kAm$A64:7:42==J[ wF5D@? A@:?E65 E@ A@AF=2C AC@5F4ED DF49 2D 7CF:E A@F496D W9:89 :? DF82CX[ @2E 32CD W9:89 :? DF82C 2?5 42=@C:6DX[ >24 2?5 4966D6 W9:89 :? D@5:F> 2?5 72EX[ EFC<6J DE:4<D W9:89 :? D@5:F> 2?5 72EX[ 4966D6 AF77D W9:89 :? 42=@C:6DX 2?5 A62?FE 3FEE6C AF77D W9:89 :? D@5:F>[ 72E 2?5 42=@C:6DX]k^Am k9am{@?8\E6C> 67764EDk^9amkAm&=EC2\AC@46DD65 7@@5D[ @C &!uD[ 2C6 724E@CJ\>256 7@C>F=2E:@?D AC@5F465 =2C86=J 7C@> C67:?65 :?8C65:6?ED[ 255:E:G6D W:?4=F5:?8 4@=@C:?8D 2?5 AC6D6CG2E:G6DX 2?5 =:EE=6\E@\?@ H9@=6 7@@5D] &D:?8 2CE:7:4:2= 7=2G@CD 2?5 DH66E6?6CD[ E96D6 7@@5D 2C6 56D:8?65 7@C >@C6 A2=2E23=6 E2DE6D 2?5 =@?86C D96=7 =:76]k^Am kAm(9:=6 E96 7F== 6IE6?E @7 F=EC2\AC@46DD65 7@@5D @? E96 9F>2? 3@5J :D DE:== 36:?8 C6D62C4965[ :?86DE:?8 &!uD —:?4=F5:?8 A24<2865 >62ED =:<6 9@E 5@8D 2?5 3@=@8?2 — 92D 366? 2DD@4:2E65 H:E9 >@C6 E92? b_ 962=E9 4@?5:E:@?D[ DF49 2D %JA6 a 5:236E6D[ 962CE 5:D62D6D[ >6?E2= 962=E9 5:D@C56CD 2?5 @36D:EJ]k^AmkAm(92E’D >@C6[ E96 C6D62C496CD 2E &% pFDE:? ?@E65 E92E “7@@5D 49:=5C6? 4@?DF>6 5FC:?8 E96 E@55=6C J62CD 42? D92A6 E2DE6 AC676C6?46D 2?5 5:6E2CJ 923:ED E92E A6CD:DE E9C@F89@FE 49:=59@@5[ :?7=F6?4:?8 =@?8\E6C> 962=E9]”k^AmkAm“sFC:?8 E96D6 4C:E:42= 62C=J J62CD @7 56G6=@A>6?E[ >@DE A2C6?ED 2C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 7665 E96:C 49:=5C6? 962=E97F==J 3FE >2J 36 492==6?865 E@ 5@ D@ 3J E96 E@55=6C 7@@5 AC@5F4ED 2G2:=23=6 :? E96:C 8C@46CJ DE@C6D[” wF5D@? D2:5]k^Am k9am}6H 5:6E2CJ 8F:56=:?6Dk^9amkAm%96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 w62=E9 2?5 wF>2? $6CG:46D F?56C $64C6E2CJ #@36CE u] z6??65J yC] :DDF65 ?6H 5:6E2CJ 8F:56=:?6D E9:D J62C[ FC8:?8 p>6C:42?D E@ 62E =6DD DF82C H9:=6 4@?DF>:?8 >@C6 >62E[ 7F==\72E 52:CJ[ 2?5 @E96C 9:89\AC@E6:? 7@@5D]k^Am kAm“%@52J[ @FC 8@G6C?>6?E 564=2C6D H2C @? 25565 DF82C[” z6??65J D2:5 5FC:?8 2 (9:E6 w@FD6 ?6HD 3C:67:?8 :? y2?F2CJ] “|J >6DD286 :D 4=62Ci 62E C62= 7@@5]”k^AmkAmqFE wF5D@? H2?ED E@ D66 E96 8@G6C?>6?E 8@ 7FCE96C E92? >6C6 8F:56=:?6D]k^Am kAm“(2C?:?8 =236=D @? AC@5F4ED 6I4665:?8 ?FEC:6?E E9C6D9@=5D 4@F=5 96=A A2C6?ED ?2G:82E6 E96 E@55=6C 7@@5 6?G:C@?>6?E 2?5 >:89E 6?4@FC286 >2?F724EFC6CD E@ C67@C>F=2E6 E96D6 AC@5F4ED[” wF5D@? D2:5]k^Am 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular US refusals of crucial newborn vitamin spike, raising risk of dangerous bleeding The percentage of parents and caregivers refusing a standard vitamin K shot for infants at birth has accelerated sharply this year, putting mo… How much income do you need to afford daycare in 2026? ConsumerAffairs found annual toddlercare costs more than average in-state tuition at a four-year public college in 37 states.
US refusals of crucial newborn vitamin spike, raising risk of dangerous bleeding The percentage of parents and caregivers refusing a standard vitamin K shot for infants at birth has accelerated sharply this year, putting mo…
How much income do you need to afford daycare in 2026? ConsumerAffairs found annual toddlercare costs more than average in-state tuition at a four-year public college in 37 states.