Finding Food Help

Hi J.-
i am a nutritionist and i understand your issues. the only way to avoid hgh fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and hydrtogenated oils is to read the labels as you have been doing. some grocery stores are better than others in terms of what they carry in teh stores. all Organic labeled products seem to be void of the HFCS and hydrogenated oils and usually preservatives and artificial colors.
you might have to start making your own packaged foods?
i usually suggest using organic butter or butter from a local farm. a little bit of butter is far better than a little bit of hydrogenated oils any day.
i also go shopping with some of my clients in their grocery store to help them read the labels and also show them where in that store the more healthy options lie. and if we cannot find them there, then we go find someplace else (not always trader joe's or whole foods) to find it. i do provide some recipes as well for those how want to start making their own crackers, pretzels, etc.
hope that helps!
J. C.
personal nutrition coach
www.nutrition-in-motion.net
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1 mom found this helpful

Hi J. :)

My kids are older now (5, 10 & 11)... so I'm beyond the baby food stage. It sounds like you have put a lot of energy into finding a healthy alternative to the jar stuff. Take that energy & cook the fruit & veggies until that are soft (boiling is great, or those new steam bags they have out now, are very cool!) Then blend away! use a food processor, mixer, hand mixer, & etc. ... don't add anything to them so they are completely natural, but you can mix the fruits, they are yummy. That's about it, go crazy! When she's ready to nibble & eat cookies & stuff, look on the internet for food food recipes specifically for "diabetes", "celiac disease", & food allergies".
Here's a couple of books that might help you too:

*The Petit Appetit Cookbook: Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler.

*Superfoods: For Babies and Children.

*Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food". This book is cool because you can incorporate veggies & fruit into everyones breakfast lunch & dinner. It's sneaky, but they get their nutrients :)

Good luck!
D.

1 mom found this helpful

J., Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter is wonderful and comes in chunky or smooth. Get them used to it now, while they are young. Cook your own plain oatmeal and add brown sugar or maple syrup as a sweetener. You can get them used to this and minimize the yucky, sugary cereals. Bake your own cookies and use butter in the recipes. Kids love baking and cooking with Mom. Do not use microwave popcorn. You can get the old fashioned stove top popcorn maker or buy a hot air popper and add a little butter. Read your labels and splurge on as many organics as you can afford. Try yogurt instead of other sweets. There is sugar in yogurt, but the trade-off is worth it. Offer raisins instead of candy. Read labels for crackers--you can find some without the hydrogenated oils.
I have been a stay-at-home mom for a long time and raised my three children vegetarian. I now am a TotalHealth Coach and work on these issues all the time with individuals and families. Call me anytime, or go to my website for more health tips! ###-###-#### www.dianafletcher.com Good Luck,D.

It is hard to shop for healthy foods and health food stores are very expensive. I find a good whole grain bread at the Acme and organic milk and yogurt there. There is a whole wheat tortilla in the refrigerator section that is not too bad. The rest is make it yourself. Butter or cold pressed oils and skip the margarine, almost every packaged cookie, bread, cracker, and even ceral have hydrogenated oils in them. And the partially hydrogenated are worse than the fully. I think food companies would offer healthy foods if we stop buying the junk. Vote with your pocket book.

The best area of your market to shop is the exterior perimeter. Almost all the processed, prepackaged foods which contain all what's bad for us (artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, too much salt, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, etc.)are in the regular aisles. Instead of packaged snacks, keep fresh and frozen fruit available. Try visiting some web sites that analyze nutritional content of foods. I use www.Sparkpeople.com because it helps me keep track of how many calories I'm consuming when entering all that I eat into the food tracker. They have a large database of foods that you can look up by brand to find out their ingredients/nutrient profile. As for a spread, I use Smart Balance; it's non-hydrogenated. I applaud you for your green efforts! I wish you success in your parenting adventure.

I made my own. Its easy and doesn't take alot of time. Just look around online and the book store for books about it. I simple small food chopper worked for me. I just chopped up whatever we were having for dinner before I added seasoning to it.

When my kids were little, we formed a co-op to buy food from a natural food company outside of Phila. They deliver to us in south central pa and I know they go near Allentown too.
We had just six families and they only carry foods without processed sugar or flour, etc.
check it out by calling ###-###-#### or
go to their web site
http://www.nvorganic.com/ or this is the
sale flyer for last month.

http://www.nvorganic.com/catalog/catalog_feb08.pdf

Hope this helps.

try trader joe's. most of their food has one line of ingrediants and you can understand exactly what is in it!
Whole Foods and the EE Co-op is great too. although both of those are pretty pricey.
good luck

I too look for foods that don't contain these ingrediants and plus I have a lot of food allergies which make grocery shopping a pain. I have found that most stores that have organic products work best. Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Wegmans, and even Giant's organic section. You will pay more and may have to go out of your way to go shopping, but I feel that it is well worth it!!!

J. I had the same concerns as you do and I go to an all natural food store that sells only organic foods and that is where I get the foods I need. They have almost everything that you need.

I buy Organic(certified) Smart Balance Whipped Buttery Spread. It's non-hydrogenated. I either bought it at ShopRite or Trader Joe's. I'm not sure where you live but both of those stores have a good variety of natural, healthy, foods.

If you're looking for a non-hydrogenated butter substitute, I happened upon a product called "Smart Balance." It has a great flavor. We use the regular "Smart Balance" but there is also an olive oil version, if you like that.

J., I food shop at places like Trader Joes, Whole Foods , and the Food Coop in the Pittsburgh area. They have a great selection of foods that do not have the additives, preservatives, and made with more wholesome food
products. Maybe that would provide a greater choice for healthy foods that are so important to provide for our loved ones.

M. Schultheis
www.mynikken.net/lifecontrol

Well, first and foremost you want to stop buying prepared foods. Make things from scratch. If you want cookies or any kind of baked goods make them yourself. And you can even make them more nutritious by using whole wheat flour.

Instead of using margarines use real butter. If you want something spreadable take a stick of salted butter, melt it and add to it 1/2 cup of olive oil. Stir it together and then put it in the fridge, it will spread nicely and doesn't have any bad things in it. If you need shortening for a recipe you can find it without hydrogenated oils (Spectrum is a brand that makes shortening without hydrogenated oils).

Cut soda out. I think that it usually contains HFCS. You could use seltzer, it is naturally flavored and has nothing else buy carbonated water in it. It is a taste that takes getting used to, so you could add it to some natural juice which would still be better than soda.

Make your own bread. It is so much cheaper and so much tastier. You could get a bread machine if you don't want to do it by hand.

The key thing is to shop the perimeter of your grocery store. The stuff in the middle is generally processed and contains alot of bad stuff. If you want crackers or something like that look for less mainstream brands like Kashi or Annie's.

I don't have anything in my house with either of those things in it. The only thing that I buy that does is puff pastry. But I buy that rarely and am still looking for an alternative.

Beth

Yay! I get so excited when I hear that I am not the only one who avoids these additives! As a matter of fact, my senior thesis paper for my degree will be on HFCS... anyway, we shop at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and Giant. Luckily we are 100% safe at Whole Foods b/c they do not allow partially hydrogenated oils or HFCS in the products they sell. I buy alot of their "365" brand, to save $. At Giant, I find some good things in their "gluten free/organic" section. Trader Joes has some good natural selections of granola bars and cereals without these addtives as well, but I have bought some products accidently there that contained HFCS. I just read labels like crazy, and try to go food shopping w/o the kids... the other day at Giant, I was telling my oldest son (11) that we couldn't get the cereal that he chose b/c it had HFCS in it. The lady next to us later asked me in the dairy section what it was, and I told her! Then she asked me to check her cereal's ingredients to see if it contained HFCS! It was hilarious. I wanted to call Oprah and Dr. Oz right then and there and tell that America finally is coming around! ;)

GL

Stay on the perimeter (outside of the isles) of the grocery store. All the good stuff is around the edge.....If you find yourself down an isle, chances are you are eating processed garbage. It is really hard to cook and eat this way, but cheeper than trader joes. Of course you might have to venture in for some seasonings. The convience of packaged foods is sometimes too tempting. I usually just make double and freeze half. (my own pre-packaged meal). Good luck

Hello,
I watch all of my food for HFCS or corn syrup, and artificial colors & sweeteners. I now do all of my shopping at Trader Joe's in Media with the exception of fruits and vegetables (Gentile's in Newtown Square or Farmer's markets) and meats in bulk at BJ's in Springfield. 98% of Trader Joe's food is artificial color free (the exceptions are some candies) and the whole wheat bread we buy does not have HFCS or corn syrup it has other natural sweeteners. Trader Joe's is also diligently switching to no trans fats in their products. Of course you will still need to read labels but I find it is much easier to buy at Trader Joe's without the frustration of finding an item and then having to put it back due to High Fructose Corn Syrup, corn syrup, artificial colors or artificial sweeteners or trans fats.

Have you tries a Trader's Joe? Or a heath food store? It seems at times that you have to make everything from nothing. I am happy to hear that you are being healthy it is very hard to do in this time. Would love to have the will power that you have. Or maybe a Wegman's? Best of luck on your search.

Hi J.
I'm not sure what area you are in, but there is a Whole Foods just off Rt 1 in Princeton or on 611 in Jenkintown. Wholefoods can be pricey, but they have their own brand called 365, which is great for people who shop on a budget. Giant on New falls Rd in Levittown also has a great all natural section.

It's really hard. I think they use it so that they don't have to include it in the ingredients column as sugar. Notice sometimes you buy a low sugar amount food that tastes too swee to be believed and when you look in the back it's got high fructose corn syrup on it. It's really a pain. I have the most luck at Trader Joe's and the organics section in supermarkets, though not a guarantee that it does not have any in it.

Hi J.- I also have had a hard time trying to find foods that do not have any type of corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. I have found that Wegman's has a good organic food section with some good choices. We make a lot of our food from scratch but for things like crackers we like Kashi, Back to Nature or Annie's products. Juices we tend to stick to Juicy Juice brand or apple juice because most brands do not add anything to apple juice. Target also carries a good selection of things and it is less expensive then most grocery stores. WHole foods is another good grocery store but it too can be pricey. Most brands offer coupons if you are willing to go to their site and print them out. It can be really time consuming to read all the labels but its worth it in the end. Good Luck!

Hi J.!

We faced the same issue! We have been very pleased with what Trader Joe's offers-- it offers much of what Whole Foods does, but on a smaller, more personal scale. They offer tremendous options for our family, minus all the stuff we don't want to be putting in our bodies! ;-)

Hope you find a better store to suit your needs!

J.

Hi J., Good job getting rid of this stuff from your diets now. It is much harder to do it later.

I agree with most of what was said, shop the parameter of the store, make what you can and grow what you can.

I am guessing though that you need some convenience foods. The stores suggested will work (read the labels anyway, unless they are labled organic there are no standards for things like "natural"). Are you near Pittsburgh? There is a place called Frankferd Farms that sells bulk organic food at it's store and also delivers to co-ops, even way out where I live 2 hours away. E-mail me if you'd like their website. Also, ask your store to carry more foods without these ingredients. The more we ask, the more likely they are to respond. It's time we(consumers) took control of what is on the store shelves.

Ok, that's a tough one because they are in so much food we buy. Have you gone to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's? You pay a little more but have an easier time finding items without so many additives (but you still have to read the labels). I've found that employees at these stores tend to be rather knowledgable about their products and, if you tell them what you are looking for, will take the time to help you. I know Whole Foods also runs "classes" in their store from cooking to buying good food to making your own baby food.
I know for my family we haven't been completely able to get away form them but have really cut down by making our snacks mostly fruit and veggies and I do alot of my own baking, so can control what's in there. Since I am a SAHM, I am able to do this and the kids like to help out. When I worked, it was much harder.
Good luck!
E.
P.S. A great website for baking recipes is kingarthurflour.com (and baking products too). They have a pita bread recipe that is sooo easy and yummy!

Avoiding HFCS is a tough adjustment at first. It is really hard to find bread. I finally just bought a bread machine and make whole grain bread myself. As far as margarine - it is not food. It is a chemical. I hear that if you put a tub of margarine outside when it is warm outside, it may melt, but it will not attract flies or animals and it doesn't spoil. It may as well be plastic. I use real butter or for dairy issues pure organic virgin coconut oil. Yes is it saturated, but it is not a chemical. And it is a different kind of saturated. In moderation it is no worse for you than butter, and it offers a different taste and can keep you dairy free if that is an issue.
I applaud your efforts toward a chemical free home. It's not always easy or convenient.

Yeah, I HATE corn syrup too. I don't like the taste and I certainly don't want to feed it to my kids.

What I do is, instead of going for the more processed fare, go for more natural stuff. I bake at home when I can, for avoiding all the extra gunk in cookies/cakes/etc, and I buy 100% juice instead of fruit juice blends and natural applesauce (just made with apples and water) instead of the 'regular' kind.

For margarine without the partially hydrogenated oils, check out smart balance. it tastes fantastic and does not have any trans fats. Oh, and their peanut butter is awesome too!

Good luck!
J.

i purchase mostly organic foods for my family. im not sure where you shop... but giant foods has a few organic/natural foods isles. it is more expensive, but in the long run i believe its worth it for the health of my family. also, not sure if you are close to a whole foods market or wegmans, but sometimes their products are less expensive. almost anything boxed or ready to eat is going to have hydronated oils. cake mix for example.... you buy a cake mix and you still have to add oil water and eggs! and it has the hydronated oils as what??? butter? its not that difficult to measure out your own flour, butter, and vanilla or cocoa powder, and then you are still adding the water oil and eggs. i find that making mac and cheese myself and rice, and other sides is much healthier too. and not terribly time consuming. also, if you can shop at a surplus type store. sometimes they have good deals on natural products. i find that buying frozen organic veggies is cheapest. hope this helps you find what you need!

You probably know a bit more than me but i thought i would suggest anyway. I am not, at the moment, the helathiest eater but am trying and plan to do a lot better after my pregnancy. My girlfriend had heart surgery and was told to lay off the high fructose corn syrup. She told me that she found a lot of good food at Trader Joe's with no high fructose corn syrup. i have shopped there on occasion but it is a bit out of the way for me.
A.

I have found the brand "Back To Nature" as one that makes foods without high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. I've purchased their cookies and crackers and I think they taste delicious. I found them in the organic section of the grocery store (Giant Eagle). I also have bought Newman's Own items...such as their "Fig Newmans"...and those are made without HFCS or the hydrogenated oils (compared to the typical Fig Newtons). It is hard to find healthy snacks...but if you avoid the "middle" of the stores with all the prepackaged food and snacks, you should do a bit better. Of course the tradeoff is that these items are more expensive, but it sounds like you're already buying organic items, so you already know that.
Another thought is to shop at Whole Foods Co-op...I haven't been there yet, but that is something I want to try in order to find more natural foods.
Good luck!

We cut HFCS out of our diet about 2 years ago - Shopping at Whole Foods or Trader Joes helps as their brands tend to not have HFCS.

I don't know if you are near Cranberry, but the Giant Eagle up there has an excellent selection of organic foods. The two Giant Eagles near me do not, but it is worth the drive to get the good stuff. Also you can call around to local farms and bakeries you may find that you can purchase products through them. Often when I am making a huge baking venture I contact one of my friends at the bakery and order the flour and such through them it is just cheeper and it is quality stuff.

Hope this helps.

there is a butter called smart balance that has no hydroginated oils. As far has baby food do you have a food processor you could just put your food in there and chop it all up.

T.

J.,

I also try to feed my family all organic and don't have chemicals in our home. It can be hard learning how to shop and what not to buy. It has taken us some time and alot of reading & self educating. Do you have a health food or Co-op store nearby? I find it much easier to shop at these. The employees can also be very helpful. I have recently found a new website that I love. It is full of information from an independent source so you can be sure it isn't being backed by any big companies that are paying them to say stuff. It is naturalnews.com
Ted Broer is another one of my favorites. he has books and cd's you can purchase. A good book I would recommend would be "Maximum Energy". He goes over the top things NOT no eat. It is a very easy read. he puts it in terms just about any one could understand. Google him---he does have a website. Good Luck!
Oh, another thing---if you go to websites for different organic fod companies---look for coupons or go to the "contact us" section and ask them if they offer coupons. Unfortunately healthy eating costs alot more. The coupons help alot!

sounds like you need to visit a Wegman's or the food co-op in Erie occasionally....we swore off anything but straight-up butter a long time ago.....you'd be horrified if you knew the process it takes to make something that isn't butter do the butter trick...good luck....i know how hard it is and am looking forward to spring vegetables...

I don't know what kind of stores you have in your area. I like to shop at Wegmans, they have a great organics section. There are also health food stores. You may have a whole foods store in your area, I don't, they are really good. Some of the other grocery stores are getting in organic foods now too. You should ask your stores to get some, if they don't have any. All the stores in my area have some stuff available now. You have to read ingredients and find the foods that don't have those harmful things in them. Here is a couple web sites with some more info on healthy eating:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/index.html
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/

Unless you can find an organic food store, I don't see you having much luck unless you start growing your own veg. garden and or picking your own fruit at a local farm. The only place that seems to carry a lot of organic foods is Wegmans but be prepared to dish out the extra money on this account.
Another thing to consider, being that your children are 5 &6, --when they start reaching third grade, 4th grade, appetites start to change and they seem to fall into this "gotta eat everything in the house mode and/ or I don't want to eat anything mode....and this progress well into late HS years.
Being organic is wonderful, but even the most organic may not be the most helpful. I have done the same research on eating healthy and avoiding all the "bad fats" and extra unknown sugars. And it's come to this for me, rationalize everything. More fruits and veggies, less of everything else. I buy no prepared foods, candies, snacks, etc.(of course this is a battle with my husband-whose a sucker for all junk foods)and I cook and bake everything from scratch as much as I can. By you setting the examples of eating healthy sets them for a healthier lifestyle when becoming an adult. Mind you despite what you try to enforce at home, may not be carried out in school. For I have learned from my own, on the lunch tradings with other students. ;-( and it's nothing I nor teachers can stop.

Best of luck,
Mom of 4.

Hi J.,

Good for you trying to feed your family healthier foods!
We are trying to do the same. We shopped at Trader Joe's on Saturday and really loved it - it is by far, the most economical healthier foods store we have found. I think none of the foods they carry contain hydrogenated oils. As for butter in particular, we buy non-hydrogenated Smart Balance (at Giant Eagle and other grocery stores). We try to buy lots of veggies and fruits. Trader Joe's carries a delicious pancake mix that is non-hydrogenated. We just try to buy things with the fewest ingredients possible. Like real maple syrup instead of that pancake syrup yuck. Good luck! Read labels...even if the front of the container says no trans fats, it may still have partially and/or fully hydrogenated oil in it if it is less than a gram. Crazy, but true.

I have found it hard also, but Wegman's is great. That is where I do all my organic shopping.