HEALTH FOOD PACKAGINGFOR CHILDREN

TINA LEESENIOR THESIS1 / JANE PIRONE

PROBLEMS - Childhood obesity is a huge problem in U.S.- Children only eat what they want especially fast food / unhealthy food.- Most of food packages for children are related to unhealthy food in market.- Organic food packaging doesn’t even appeal to children.

Obesity by the numbersOver the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. The numbers are even higher in African American and Hispanic com-munities, where nearly 40% of the children are overweight or obese. If we don't solve this problem, one third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives. Many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma.

How to Deal With a Child Who is a Picky Eater Children can become picky eaters for a variety of reasons. Some children feel that the food they take into their bodies is one of the few areas they alone can control and assert some independence from their parents. Some children may just like to indulge their favorite foods and reject new tastes and textures. Regardless of the reason, in this section, you will find several tips to stop your child from becoming a picky eater. We will also caution you against the inclination to use food as a reward with your child.

Food packaging is a very common practice in the modern marketplace. Aside from the simple advantages of convenience and stor-age, food packaging has revolutionized the market through a number of additional technological and business advances. However, some packaged foods create a negative impact on health and the environment, and are not always as sustainable and beneficial as unpackaged foods.

THESIS STATEMENT I am studying how we reduce childhood obesity by creating fun healthy food packagingbecause I want to find out what kind of food packaging grabs children’s attention to enjoy eating healthy food and develops children’s healthy eating habits.

METHODOLOGY- Research children’s food packaging / healthy food packaging in Market.- Interview with 100 young parents in grocery stores.- Survey color preference in young children.- Sketch different kinds of children food packages.- Explore different shapes of food packaging using paper.

AUDIENCE - Young children from 3 to 8- Young parents who have young kids.

- What is the role of the packaging?- Why is there so much packaging in the world?- What are positive and negative effects of packaging?- What has the packaging industry done?- What are the materials for packaging?- What are important design elements for good packaging?- Who are the targeting consumers for children food package?- What is the role of food package for children?- How does food packaging impact on child’s eating habits and children obesity?- How can we reduce food package garbage by recycling?- How can we encourage children's to eat healthy food with the product cover? - How can we make the product package that allows children to both enjoy eating healthy food?- How can we earn the interest from the children's by differentiating our food package? - How can we materialize the food package into a toy? - How can we combine educational tool into the food package?- How can we recycle the product package instead of throwing it out? - What are the necessary materials to create the toy package? - What are the different types of design that we can produce? (ex. animal, car, airplane, fish, robot, etc.)- How can we advertise our product to different consumers?- How are we going to contain healthy/organic food in a fresh condition?- What is the role of branding in food packaging?

WHAT ABOUT OUR SOCIETY? - Pace of life dramatically higher and still accelerating.- Working households are the norm- Eating ‘on the run’- Less cooking, more prepared foods- Much more “city living”

HOW ABOUT FOOD PACKAGING FOR KIDS?- Boring shape (Box)- Nothing special- Most of them are for parents, not children.- Small typeface- Children have a strong influence on their parent’s buyer behavior in food choices for children.- Children are more likely to influence the purchase of unhealthy foods due to influence from packaging.

WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF KIDS PACKAGING?- Playful, Clean, Simple- Clear information about nutrients- Instruction for use- Unique design and playful shape- Safety- Containment- Effective for Kids- Children can play with package as their toys.- Recycle, Sustainable Design- Educational tool- Vivid color- Attractive/Playful images

QUESTION

THE ROLE OF PACKAGING - FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Protection and preservationA basic function of package is to protect and preserve the contents during transit from the manufacturer to the ultimate consumer. It is the protection during transport and distribution; From climatic effects (heat and cold, moisture, vapor, drying atmospheres); from hazardous substances and contaminants; and from infestation. Protection is required against transportation hazards spillage, dirt, ingress and egress of moisture, insect infec-tion, contamination by foreign material, tampering pilferage, etc. A package should preserve the contents in 'Fac-tory Fresh' condition during the period of storage and transportation, ensuring protection from bacteriological attacks, chemical reaction etc. 2. ContainmentMost products must be contained before they can be moved from one place to another. To function successfully, the package must contain the product. This containment function of packaging makes a huge contribution to protecting the environment. A better packaging help to maintain the quality of the product and reach ability of the product in the consumer's hand without spillages It gives better image to the organization.

3. CommunicationA major function of packaging is the communication of the product. A package must communicate what it sells. When international trade is involved and different languages are spoken, the use of unambiguous, readily under-stood symbols on the distribution package is essential. It is the interest further that to get appropriate communica-tion to the consumer about the product, how to use it and other utility information. Packaging protects the inter-ests of consumers. Information includes: quantity; price; inventory levels; lot number; distribution routes; size; elapsed time since packaging; color; and merchandising and premium data.

FIVE PURPOSES OF PACKAGING

CONTAIN -- To hold the product directly; this is PRIMARY packaging. Examples include the tube or pump for tooth-paste, the can or jar for a food item, the bottle for a beverage, and the drum for a cleaning product.INFORM -- To identify the brand and any related companies, to explain how it should be used, to warn about the hazards for misuse, and to reveal product contents. Much of this information is required according to various laws and agencies.PROTECT -- To prevent spoilage, leakage, breakage, moisture changes, theft and tampering. These packages: seal out contaminants in the environment (germs, dirt, dust, moisture, etc.); protect against tampering, theft, breakage, and spoilage. TRANSPORT -- To easily and safely move the product from the manufacturer, perhaps to a warehouse, then to the retailer and finally, to the consumer. Instead of all communities manufacturing all goods for their residents, costs are reduced when production centers can specialize in the development of a particular item. Parts and/or products can then be transported to communities when completed and/or needed. And storage space at these various loca-tions can be used much more efficiently when cartons are stacked.DISPLAY -- To attractively display, to sell (a marketing tool). Size, cost, colors, brands, illustrations and shape are all considered for display. As this country changed from the sales person mode to self-service, the package was needed to inform and sell the product. With 10,000 products available in today's typical supermarket, a virtual "jungle" exists. So companies find that investments in packaging bring higher returns than traditional advertising.Once an afterthought, the package design of today is an integral part of most products you buy.

RESEARCH

MIND MAP

My mindmap focused on children’s food and the role of packaging for children.

Food packaging for children should have playful / fun shape, unique design, vivid colors, and attractive format.

Children need to enjoy eating with fun pacakging and it stimulates children’s imagination.

- Most of foods for children are related to snack, cereals, sweets, and drink, not organic food.- Obviously, they have bright colors and specific characters.- But most characters are over used in many different packaging and they have boring shape and not fun at all.

RESEARCH

CURRENT CHILD FOOD PACKAGING IN MARKET

ORGANIC FOOD PACKAGING IN MARKET- They don’t have bright colors and specific characters.- It doesn’t much appeal to children.

SNACK30.5%

FIZZYDRINK21.6%

CEREALS 18.6%

YOGHURTS13.4%

FROZEN FOODS

11.6%

CHILD’S FOOD PREFERENCESParticipant : 100 people

PARENTS’ BEHAVIORS IN MARKETParticipant : 100 people

INTERVIEW / SURVEY

FRUITS, VEGETABLES 3.3%ORGANIC FOOD 1%

Most parents buy the products that their child requests in order to avoid conflict.

Most children would like to buysnack such as sweets, chips, cookies, jelly, etc.

They also like drink, cereals,yoghurts, and frozen foods.

Only few of them want to eatfruits, vegetables, and organic food.

I buy productsthat my child

requests45%I buy products

that my child requestsif they are high

in nutritional value25%

I only buy healthy foodfor my child

20%

OTHERS2%I buy

productsthat areon sale

8%

PRODUCT PACKAGING

62%FLAVORS

20%

OTHERS3%

TELEVISIONADVERTISING

15%

INFLUENCES ON CHILD’S FOOD PREFERENCESParticipant : 100 people

BRIGHT COLOR50%

SPECIFICCHARACTERS

35%

FREE GIFTSOF TOYS

10%

OTHERS5%

SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF PACKAGING INFLUENCESParticipant : 100 people

INTERVIEW / SURVEY

Children’s product preferences are influenced by bright colors used in packaging.

Also, most children like specificcharacters in packaging.

Child’s product preferences are greatly influenced by the packaging.

Children are more likely to influence the purchase of unhealthy foods due to influence from packaging.

INSPIRATION

CONCEPT

FUN / UNIQUESHAPE

CHILDREN’STOY

EDUCATIONALFUNCTION

Children can enjoy eating organic food using fun food packaging.

Children reuse food packaging as their toy.

Children can get knowledge about healthy food through food packaging.

Animal shapes really appeal to children because they have attractive characters. I tried to think about how it opens, folds, and closes.

Fruits shapes are very important for children to get knowledge about healthy food. I tried to think outside and inside of fruits. Also, I focused on moving packaging (open and fold).

ANIMALS

FRUITS

IDEA SKETCHES 1

When it is opened, it shows the inside of fruits. Therefore, children can learn about fuits of healthy food while they are using this packaging as their toy.

MINIATURES OF MY FIRST PROTOTYPE

PROCESS 1

I made small boxes and thought about how it opens and folds.FIRST MATERIAL - PAPER