LIKE MANY OF YOU, I’M A COMPULSIVE READER OF INGREDIENTS LABELS. But I have a confession: the “healthier” I perceive a product to be, the less likely I am to check the ingredients. As a result, I’m often unpleasantly surprised to discover when I get home, that, say, my frozen peas have added salt or my maple yogurt has caramel coloring.

Now I try to check every label every time. I might still buy the “salt free” canned tomatoes even though the ingredients say “sodium chloride” (a salt – I’m talking to you, Trader Joe’s) but at least I know what I’m eating.

Last time I was in the cereal aisle, I saw one of my (no longer) favorite cereals on sale: Quaker Oat Squares. “Oh,” I thought, “Lucky me. Maybe I’ll buy it.” But then I checked the ingredients….

What the label touts:

• “heart healthy”
• “96% of your minimum whole grain needs”
• “Good source of fiber and calcium”

What else you’ll find:

• Yellow 5
• BHT

What the label touts:

• “Heart Healthy Selection”
• “Antioxidants”
• high in fiber
• whole grain

What else you’ll find:

• red 40
• blue 2
• green 3
• blue 1
• red 40 lake
• blue 2 lake
• BHT

What the label touts:

• “Good source of fiber”
• “made with whole grain”
• “Strong Heart”
• “Antioxidants”

What else you’ll find:

• Yellow #5
• BHT

The safety of food dyes has been in question for years. Great Britain has outlawed them and US manufacturers have found other ways to color foods for consumption there. Food producers in the U.S. are starting to get the picture, too, and have started to switch to fruit and vegetable based colorings – most notably, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.

BHT is used as a preservative and an antioxidant. When food producers use BHT as a preservative, they can also promote an antioxidant claim,even if the antioxidants come solely from the man-made BHT, not from any berries or other food ingredients. The FDA considers it safe, but I avoid it when I can because, from what I can find out (for example, here), it’s safety isn’t 100% clear. There are alternative preservatives for food producers to use, such as mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) — also an antioxidant. Many of the more “natural” brands of cereal contain it, as do all of the brands of dog food I have ever purchased for my dog over the past 13 years. Why wouldn’t I hold the food for my children to the same standard?

THE BOTTOM LINE: Read the ingredients. Even “healthy” foods can contain substances you might not want to consume. If you don’t know what it is, think hard about whether you want to eat it and feed it to your family.

AFTER READING BRUCE BRADLEY’S POST ABOUT tricks of the food industry trade, I promptly freaked out over the fact that I’d been eating calf stomach – rennet – in my cheese. After maniacally checking the labels of all the cheese in the house, I calmed down enough to turn to my best defense when I’m faced with a food crisis – looking for answers.

NO OFFENSE, BREAKFAST, you’re important too, but for kids in school Lunch has it all going on. Sure breakfast gets kids through the morning, but without a healthy lunch, kids just can’t function in the afternoon.

Recently, I spent some time in my son’s preschool lunch program and while it’s been interesting on a number of levels, what’s in kids lunch boxes has completely intrigued me — mostly in a good way.

But in one case, not so good. One kid consistently had – there’s no delicate way to put this — a crappy lunch. One week it was two Nutrigrain bars, a box of raisins, and a Capri Sun fruit punch. The next it was a Nutrigrain bar, Keebler PB&J crackers, and a Capri Sun fruit punch. The next week… well, you get the idea.

Let me be clear: this is not a socio-economic issue — this family is upper-middle class with two working professional parents. Nor is this a “picky eater” issue — I’ve seen this child eat lots of other things for snack in class, like fruit, yogurt, cheese, and turkey.

So what happened after this child had this lunch? The rest of the afternoon in class, this child was whiny, weepy, uncooperative, and/or tired.

Poor kid.

I experienced something similar with my own kid (a first-grader). He would ask for a bagel for breakfast and want the same thing in his lunch. Even though he was also eating lots of fresh fruit, he was having some rough days at school and coming home cranky. After a couple times I (finally) made the connection – no protein. Once I got some protein back in his lunch box, things straightened out.

There is a link between what kids eat and how they act. Every kid is different and as parents we can see how our kids react to different foods and ingredients then make adjustments. Some kids need more protein, some react more negatively to dyes or sugar. But one thing is true for all kids: a lunch full of additives, dyes, and refined sugars and carbs are a recipe for a bad day at school.

So, back to my preschool friend. Processed snack foods aren’t lunch. Kids need a healthy, balanced lunch that includes fruit and protein to make it through the day successfully. I’m 100% certain this child would have had a lot more fun at school after a healthier lunch.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A healthy lunch is  very important for kids. Crappy food in, crappy behavior out.

SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, I FEEL LIKE I DON’T EVEN NEED A BLOG POST TO EXPLAIN THIS, that just the name of this product sums it up. Goldfish Bread? Come on.

Pepperidge Farm touts this bread as having “3g of fiber plus essential vitamins and minerals” and “No high fructose corn syrup.” Plus it lists a myriad of health benefit buzz words like “zero trans fat” and “cholesterol free.”

So with all these great health benefits, why am I labeling it as a Worst Food? I’m glad you asked.

Because it’s an overpriced luxury food that Pepperidge Farms would like us to believe is a pantry staple. Each pack contains 8 slices, which, if you are looking to make a sandwich that actually looks like a goldfish, is 4 sandwiches. Not even one week of school lunches. One pack costs around $2 – $3+ depending on where you shop. On the low end, that’s $.25 a slice, $.50 a sandwich. Whhhaaaaatttt?! Come on. Let’s save our money for true necessities (more fresh fruits and veggies, anyone?)

Because it’s just one more novelty food for your kids to neg you about. This product expands the Goldfish franchise. Kids love Goldfish crackers, and by expanding the brand to soup, bread, etc. Pepperidge Farms hopes we’ll keep buying to keep our kids happy. Ever hear of the nag factor? This is one way companies leverage it.

Because kids don’t need goldfish-shaped bread to eat lunch. Somewhere out there I know there’s a parent who is saying “Oh, but my child won’t eat a sandwich unless I make it in a shape!” Bummer. Then don’t try to get your kid to eat sandwiches. Or cut the bread into the shape of a fish. Or – did I say this? – don’t try to get your kid to eat sandwiches.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Someday, if you want to give your kid a special treat of a Goldfish-shaped sandwich, then own this purchase as a one-time treat. Otherwise, save yourself some money and save your sanity — skip the Goldfish bread.

Summer’s here and if you have kids that means ice pops for every special occasion. And in the summer, special occasions abound: Memorial Day weekend, end of school parties, July fourth, every weekend with friends, family vacation, and “What the hell, it’s really hot out.”

The Worst

Any conventional ice pop from Popsicles to Fla-Vor-Ice fall into this category. They are all just water, sugar (or HFCS), artificial flavors, and dyes. The only thing these pops have going for them is honesty: they certainly don’t pretend to be anything they aren’t.

Don’t Fool Yourself – Part 1

Ever find yourself thinking “Oh look, it’s made with real fruit” as you put the pops in your cart? Time for a reality check. Edy’s, 365 Brand, and Breyer’s Pure Fruit all fall into this category. Yeah, yeah, they’re made with real fruit. But the fruit is so highly processed that flavors and colors have to be added back in to make the pops palatable. Vitamins and nutrients are long gone — processed out. The ingredients list is shorter than The Worst, but still includes the ubiquitous “gums” found in most processed foods. While you might feel better about your kids eating these because of the fruit and lack of dyes, don’t fool yourself into thinking they are remotely healthy.

Ingredients

Water, Strawberries, Sugar, Carob Bean Gum, Natural Flavors, Guar Gum, Citric Acid, Color (Beet Juice Extract, Turmeric Color), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C).

I shiver to think what these “all fruit” pops looked like before they added the color back, but now I know that beet juice mixed with turmeric makes a nice strawberry color, which will come in handy when I make this cake.

Don’t Fool Yourself – Part 2

I fell for this once and I bet I’m not alone. Sugar-free doesn’t mean sweetened with fruit juice; it’s just food industry code for artificial sweetener. Every brand now seems to have a sugar-free version and unless there’s have a dietary need, kids (or adults) shouldn’t be eating artificial sweeteners. Here’s a little food math: crappy thing about ice pop brand + crappy things about artificial sweeteners = a whole lotta crappy.

Ingredients:

Strawberry: Water, Strawberries, Sorbitol (Sensitive Individuals May Experience a Laxative Effect from Excess Consumption of This Ingredient), White Grape Juice from Concentrate (Water, White Grape Juice Concentrate), Maltodextrin, Glycerin, Polydextrose, Natural Flavors, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Beet Juice Concentrate (Color), Citric Acid, Sucralose (Splenda Brand), Acesulfame Potassium, Guar Gum, Turmeric Color, Carob Bean Gum.

Oh boy! It’s an ice pop AND a laxative!

Marginally Better

When it comes to store-bought ice pops, I like Smooze Pops. They have a short ingredients list that includes fruit juice, cane sugar, and coconut milk with minimal additives (and no gums). My kids love these – I only wish they offered a variety pack of flavors so I could hear my kids argue over who gets the last mango pop. I would love to find some other options in this category. If you know of anything, please share in the comments.

Ingredients: mango fruit juice 48%, coconut milk 40%, natural cane sugar, pectin, citric acid, natural fruit flavors, ascorbic acid.

Yes, it still has added flavors, which is why this is called “marginally better” and not “the best thing ever”.

The Best Ice Pops Ever

No surprise here: make your own. Before you get your panties in a bunch over not having time to make ice pops, take a breath. It doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated. I detest pulling out my food processor and I don’t even own a blender. My kids love yogurt pops and orange juice pops. I bought ice pop molds, but you can make pops in paper cups or any freezable container. If you do enjoy a blender experience, you can make pops from blended fruit with honey. Or Google to find one of the thousands of ice pop recipes out there.

The Bottom Line

Summer brings lots of ice pop opportunities, and most store bought ice pops are less than healthy. Having some homemade pops on hand for more frequent consumption means your kids will eat less crap and more good stuff like fruit. Then that (truly) occasional conventional pop won’t seem so bad.

1. What is a Paleo diet? How is it different than a raw diet?

When you follow a Paleo diet approach you pretty much eat lean meats, vegetables, some fruit, and healthy fats from nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.  The quality of the food you eat matters, so many people eating the Paleo way try to eat grass fed meat, free range chicken/eggs, and wild caught fish (as opposed to farm-raised).  You avoid grains, dairy, and legumes as well as processed foods and sugary food.

Robb Wolf, one of the Paleo lifestyle authorities, has a ton of great information on his website and in his book.

I am not too familiar with the Raw Diet, but from what I have seen you don’t eat meat and you eat a bunch of vegetables.  I like vegetables, but could not do without meat!

2. How long have you been following a Paleo diet and why did you start?

I started trying to try to dial in my eating about two years ago after I read “The Primal Blueprint” by Mark Sisson.  I got nice results following his method (which is similar to the Paleo Diet), but decided to get more serious with the Paleo approach at the end of last summer.

I started to see more people involved in CrossFit giving it a shot and getting great results (better body composition, more energy, better mood, better performance in the gym) so I wanted to give it a try.  My gym (CrossFit Generation) had a 30 Day “Paleo Challenge” and after that went really well, I was convinced it was the answer for me.  I got lean, had more energy, and just generally felt great.

3. What is an example of a day of meals for you?

Breakfast is usually a few eggs and some sausage or bacon (but not every day) and black coffee or espresso.  Other days I might just eat some leftover chicken or steak.  No more Kashi or puffed wheat for me!

For lunch I have a “big salad” with spinach, lettuce, chicken, onions, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, etc. with olive oil and some balsamic vinegar.

Dinner is usually some meat and vegetables.

After workouts I have some coconut water and a piece of meat.

Before I used to snack much more but now I eat around three meals a day and don’t need to snack since I am not as hungry as I was when I had grains in my diet.

4. I don’t know if I could commit completely to this diet, but are there small changes I could make in this direction to improve my eating habits?

Absolutely.  The best thing you could do, or anyone for that matter, is to eliminate gluten or grains from your diet.  If you cannot eliminate them, then try to limit them the best you can.  Gluten has been linked to so many autoimmune diseases and other health problems.

It is amazing how much better people feel when they eliminate or reduce grains from their diet.  I know that my health has improved significantly (e.g. I don’t get colds like I used to, I rarely have stomach aches, feel more energetic all day long, etc.).

Another thing you can do more generally is to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you take in.  A lot of people take in way too many carbohydrates from sugar, grains and other processed foods and this contributes to weight gain and its related health issues.

The bottom line: Really, following a Paleo approach is not all that difficult.  You are pretty much eating some meat, eggs, vegetables and a bit of fruit and nuts.  If you can kick the bread and grains and focus on eating real food you might just be “Paleo” before you know it!

Jolie Ravioli

Organic Letter of the Day Cookies

Monkey Bars

Organic Jammy Sammy

Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps

Lunchables – Now with Fruit

Oh, I love this one! You may already know how I feel about Lunchables (spoiler: I don’t like them), but now they come with fruit! “Wait,” you might be saying to yourself, “they didn’t come with fruit before?” Apparently, no. The powers that be over in Lunchables HQ didn’t think kids needed fruit with lunch… until now! But before you get all excited thinking Lunchables comes with fresh apple slices or some grapes, bring yourself back to reality. It’s just some processed tasteless fruit in a cup.

Capri Sun Roarin’ Waters Fruit Punch

The Bottom Line:

By Randy Rabney

Buy now at Lulu $12.00 – paperback $9.00 – download

In Delicious for Life, Randy Rabney of The Conscious Plate speaks to all of us regular people who want to cook real food from real ingredients, but aren’t quite sure where to start. She takes this complex subject matter and breaks it down into easily digestible (pardon the pun) morsels of information. When you are done reading this book, you’ll know how to stock and outfit your pantry with ingredients and tools that make sense for you and you’ll have a starting point for creating your own “signature dishes” — that is, easy meals that you and your family enjoy and that are easy to whip up. Randy also gives you the stepping stones to take those dishes to new places to avoid boredom, and shares several simple, delicious recipes as jumping-off points.

Whether you are completely new to cooking from scratch or have already gotten your apron dirty you’ll find wisdom in this well-written book.

Why it changed my eating habits: I love Randy’s approach of skipping recipes in favor of cooking with flavors you like. Following recipes is great for special dishes, but for everyday cooking, it’s important to be able to cook with what’s in my kitchen. Focusing on what flavors I (and my family) enjoy is a great way to do that.