Nestlé dumps artificial flavors from candy bars

Butterfingers, Baby Ruths, Crunch bars will soon be free of Red 40 and Yellow 5.

Nestlé USA has announced plans to remove artificial flavors and FDA-certified colors from all of chocolate candy products, including Butterfingers, Crunch bars and Baby Ruths.

“We know that candy consumers are interested in broader food trends around fewer artificial ingredients,” Doreen Ida, president of Nestlé USA Confections & Snacks, said in a news release.

“As we thought about what this means for our candy brands, our first step has been to remove artificial flavors and colors without affecting taste or increasing the price. We’re excited to be the first major U.S. candy manufacturer to make this commitment.”

It’s another business that has hopped on the healthier food bandwagon, as what the country’s kids are eating is debated on Capitol Hill.

Last month, the fast-food chain Wendy’s pulled soda as the default drink from the kids’ meal menu. Soda is still available, but now parents will have to ask for it.

Michelle Obama will appear on the cover of Cooking Light Magazine next month. Promoting the fifth anniversary of her “Let’s Move” campaign, the first lady talks with the magazine about the state of family dinner in America and why the country’s future depends on what kindergarteners eat today, according to a promotional article on the magazine’s website.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act OF 2010, which sets requirements for sodium content and the use of whole grains in school lunches, will need to be reauthorized by Congress, before it expires in September.