Try Erin's Baked Goods To Help Fight Childhood Obesity

STUDIO CITY (CBS/KCAL) — A local woman is using the unusual combination of baked treats and healthy eating to help fight childhood obesity.

Erin Baker, activist and founder of Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods, stopped by the KCAL 9 studios at noon on Tuesday. Baker supplies charities like the Boys and Girls Clubs with healthy baked goods that combine the appeal of goodies with nutritional benefits to help fight obesity.

Baker's own journey started with being 20 pounds overweight and not feeling well most of the time as a result. She regarded food as an afterthought, but soon embarked on her own personal campaign to change her food and feel better. That campaign, combined with her 17 years in the natural food market, has inspired her advocacy of the fight against childhood obesity.

Baker suggests three easy tips for people who want to stop obesity in their family's lives:

Step 1: Do a Pantry Makeover! Providing a diet that includes six to nine servings of fruits, vegetables and grains per day will change your family's life. It will give them more energy, enable them to exercise more effectively and truly give everyone the fuel they need. Erin will discuss what foods to SHOULD be in your pantry, and which ones should NOT be in your pantry!

Step 2: Be Prepared! Make sure you have plenty of portable to-go containers that you can grab on the go while running out of the house. No need to spend money on fancy Tupperware either - recycle food packaging of all sizes, from the Altoid box for your handful of almonds to a lunch meat container for your cut up apple slices!

Step 3: You CAN Eat Healthy While on the Go! Don't look at a restaurant menu to see what's available for you to eat, determine what foods your body is missing for that day, and customize your order accordingly. Ask for that bowl of steamed veggies if you haven't had your six-nine servings for the day - or whole wheat pasta with plain marinara sauce if you are lacking in your daily grain intake. Nine times out of ten the chef will accommodate you!

For more information on Erin Baker and her mission, visit her online.

Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods are available at Gelson's, Whole Foods Market, Albertsons and Ralphs.