Read this previous post for an explanation about what this is all about.This week's challenge: Spend a few minutes this week learning about your food. Read a label!
Directions:
- Pick at least one convenience food your family often eats (something packaged like macaroni and cheese, processed snack foods, canned soup or frozen entrees).
- Read the entire label. What health claims are being made? Do you know what they mean? What are the ingredients? Do you recognize them?
- Next time you’re at the store, look for a product that has the USDA Organic Seal. What are the ingredients? Do you recognize them?
- To find out more about eating organically and whether you could be making healthier food choices for your family watch this video, read this article, and visit this website.
We seldom stock convenience foods in our home except for a box of cereal or nut crackers. We prefer to make things like macaroni and cheese and oatmeal from scratch.
One thing I do occasionally purchase is chicken or vegetable broth when a recipe calls for it. I used to just grab a can of the popular store brand. I went to the website LabelWatch to find a list of ingredients since I did not have a can on hand. Not surprisingly the broths contain MSG, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, and Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil as well as Maltodextrin, Corn Syrup Solids, High Fructose Corn Syrup and Dextrose. Doesn't sound very appetizing, but millions of people eat this stuff.
The organic broth I now buy fared a lot better. I recognized every ingredient from natural chicken flavor to sea salt to canola oil. But I am bothered by the organic yeast extract. Yeast is not my digestive system's friend.
I realize that even organic packaged foods might contain some questionable ingredients. I once saw a cooking show demonstration on how to make your own broth that you can freeze and use whenever you need. I really need to go find that video and make my own broth.
To learn more about choosing natural and organic foods to protect your family’s health and/or to try this challenge register at Baby Center to join the Easy Organic Living Group.
Disclosure: part of the Easy Organic Living program co-hosted by Baby Center and Healthy Child Healthy World and sponsored by Stonyfield
2 comments:
i know what u mean about certain foods, as for the broth, i tried to make my own, but didn't freeze it properly and it spoiled...very gross!
Great post! We go through a lot of broth in our house, too. We've started buying whole chickens straight from a local farmer and I need to learn how to boil the carcass to make broth. I've only tried it once in the past and it was really foul looking. I think the key is getting a skimmer so you can strain out the little bits of fat and cartilage. (TMI? That's where our food comes from!)
:-)
Thanks again for being one of the Easy Organic Living bloggers! You've been awesome!!
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