Austin, TX—Parents of kids under 18 spend an average of 27.2 minutes per week reading food labels and/or thinking about the ingredients in their children’s food. That's according to an online survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market calculated the potential annual time savings, based on 27.2 minutes each week, and determined parents could gain an extra 1,414.4 minutes per year, or 23.57 hours per year, with the help of Whole Foods Market Quality Standards. The Standard guidelines include prohibiting more than 150 preservatives, flavors, colors, sweeteners, and other ingredients commonly found in food, which the grocer says help alleviate the need for time-consuming label scrutiny.

Additional findings from the survey, according to a press release:
  • 87% of parents with kids under 18 are concerned about the ingredients in their child(ren)’s food
  • 69% of parents report worrying less about these ingredients when shopping at a grocer or retailer they know has high ingredient standards.
“At Whole Foods Market, we believe that customers should know where their food comes from, how it’s grown and what ingredients are used,” said Jamie Yael Katz, Senior Advisor, Quality Standards at Whole Foods Market. “As a parent myself, I know how much mental energy can go into choosing food for our kids. Parenting proudly and eating joyfully is much easier and less time-consuming when you know that your grocer has done the ingredient homework for you.”

To help parents and caregivers out as they prepare for the back-to-school season, Whole Foods Market has teamed up with Certified Holistic Nutritionist and mom of twoKelly LeVequeto raise awareness of its Quality Standards.

“Knowing that I can feel good about the products offered at Whole Foods Market is a time-saving game changer,” LeVeque said in the release. “As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, I recognize the power of knowing that Whole Foods doesn’t allow hundreds of preservatives, flavors, colors and sweeteners that are found in so many packaged foods. Whole Foods Market’s Quality Standards deliver confidence in what I give to my family and recommend to clients.”
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Followers on Whole Foods Market’s social media pages can get a back-to-school store tour from Team Members who shop it with their own kids. Whole Foods also announced a sweepstakes across itsFacebook, Twitter, and Instagrampages. There will be a giveaway of 100 $50 Whole Foods Market gift cards as prizes. Entrants can find official ruleshere.