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American Eats

(Rated TV-PG, Educational, Starring Jeremy Schwartz, Where to watch: History, DVD)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    History lesson might cause junk food cravings.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Not an issue.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Occasional mention of war.

  • Sexy stuff:

    Some food ad images can be somewhat suggestive.

  • Language:

    Rare "hell."

  • Consumerism:

    Lots of brand names are visible and/or involved in each story -- and most of them are junk food brands like Coca-Cola, Domino's, Nathan's, etc.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Depends on the episode, but some may include references to drug or alcohol use.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About American Eats

Parents need to know that this food-focused history show mostly covers traditionally American (aka "unhealthy," in many cases) food like hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza and could very well leave viewers of all ages craving junk food. Product names and logos (Coca-Cola, Domino's, etc.) appear frequently. Some episodes include information about drugs or alcohol -- like the fact that cocaine was in the original formula for Coca-Cola -- but it's in a purely historical context.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how what we see on television affects the food, drink, and other items we crave. After watching an episode about soda, do you feel more like drinking a Coke? What do you know about the connection between media images and what people choose to eat -- and how they choose to act? How are commercials for food and beverages different than shows like this one? Do they have similar effects? Why or why not?
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