Checked the ingred. lately???

[mykidsand_i]

There's a new 'article' on yahoo telling us to check our lables before buying processed foods. Most of them (if not all) are pretty obvious, but It's really almost a challenge for me now. I wonder HOW MANY products I can buy that DO NOT contain ANY of the following:

Artificial Colors- this will be hard since it's now popsickle season!
Artificial flavorings-
Arificial sweetners (things that contain aspartime, Equal, Nutra Sweet, splenda)
Benzoate preservatives, Bromainated Veg. Oil
High Fructose corn syrup
MSG (Stimulates appitite!!!)
Olestra
Hydrogenated oils/Shortening

All this stuff is in pretty much EVERY processed food- so I suppose in order to do this, everything should be from scratch- but not many people have all the time for that nowdays! It's a good challenge though. I feel that if I can cut out at least 1/2 of this stuff that I buy, then that's a start!

 

[bicker]

I try to steer clear of all that stuff, except for saccharine and sucralose, which I feel (very strongly, so let's not argue about it in this thread) are not really of very much concern. As a vegetarian, in some ways it is easy to avoid these things, since the amount of processed food that qualifies as vegetarian is limited, since I also insist on avoiding:

Bloody Mary Mix
Broth that is not specifically "vegetarian"
Carmine (red food coloring)
Geletin
medications in Gel-caps
Oleic acid
Marshmallow
Pepsin
Stearic acid
Worcestershire sauce
(and so on)

While eating a more raw-ingredient, vegetable-and-grain-based diet helps a lot, as a vegetarian who grew up a meat-eater, you're often driven to consider "meat substitutes", to give help you relive some of those food memories of your youth. What could possibly be more "processed" then vegetarian food made to look, feel and taste like a traditional meat product?

For example, yesterday, I had a vegetarian replacement for BBQ pulled pork. I'm sure it had loads of nasty things in it. (Reading ingredients of a similar product -- I cannot remember what I had yesterday -- not bad actually: Soy protein concentrate, textured soy flour, unbleached evaporated cane juice, dehydrated onion, corn starch, tomato powder, paprika, hydrolyzed soy protein, torula yeast, natural vegan flavor, spices, garlic powder, citric and malic acid, but there is clearly some of the "bad stuff" in there.)

I think one answer, that is important for me as a vegetarian to come to grips with, is to avoid foods that cannot be inexpensively provided without being a processed food. That means giving up hamburgers, for example. (And I have -- given up veggie burgers, I mean, pretty-much.) I should probably give up BBQ pulled pork-like food too.

I think the reality is that the search for more lightly-processed, less-bad versions of products that are processed food products is too difficult. Better just to move on and find some other food product, one that is more typically less processed.

 

[bumbershoot]

I agree, bicker. It IS easier as a vegetarian and going away from processed foods. And if you do go with processed stuff, I try to get the organic options (like Safeway's O Organics mac and cheese, etc).

But it's hard to avoid those things! We *have to* avoid some of those things, for the health of DS and DH, so we're constantly reading labels, even on tried and true things. Ingredients change, so you have to always check them.

But sometimes they change for the better. I have a secret love of Miracle Whip, and was sad to see that it had HFCS in it. About 6-12 months later I was buying mayo, and checked the MW again. No HFCS. No hoopla, no announcement (it's hard on the companies, when they still have soe problems with junk in them, b/c to announce "yay we took that out of this!" can slap them back if they don't take it out of *everything*), just "sugar" instead of HFCS. Good change.

Also, sometimes the particular plant a product is made in means different ingredients. KitKats and Reeses PB cups have different ingredients based on how they are packaged, and I assume that's based on where they were made. I read that one tiny soda bottling plant uses cane sugar in a product that all the other soda bottling plants (for the SAME soda) use HFCS in. Crazy!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I eat what tastes good.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

There's a new 'article' on yahoo telling us to check our lables before buying processed foods. Most of them (if not all) are pretty obvious, but It's really almost a challenge for me now. I wonder HOW MANY products I can buy that DO NOT contain ANY of the following:

Artificial Colors- this will be hard since it's now popsickle season!
Artificial flavorings-
Arificial sweetners (things that contain aspartime, Equal, Nutra Sweet, splenda)
Benzoate preservatives, Bromainated Veg. Oil
High Fructose corn syrup
MSG (Stimulates appitite!!!)
Olestra
Hydrogenated oils/Shortening

All this stuff is in pretty much EVERY processed food- so I suppose in order to do this, everything should be from scratch- but not many people have all the time for that nowdays! It's a good challenge though. I feel that if I can cut out at least 1/2 of this stuff that I buy, then that's a start!

For the most part, you are correct, many processed foods include one form or another of these items. The way to avoid this is to avoid processed foods as much as possible, shop the perimeter of the stores, avoid the center aisles and avoid canned food almost 100%.

Many people think it takes a lot of time to make a home cooked meal, but it really is not that much more difficult or time consuming if you practice and plan.

 

[hucifer]

Many people think it takes a lot of time to make a home cooked meal, but it really is not that much more difficult or time consuming if you practice and plan.

That's true. The more I cook from scratch, the easier it gets. Plus, I love being able to control the ingredients.

 

[Ember]

I eat what tastes good.

OMG! Is that popcorn you're eating?! Is it organic? Was it microwave popcorn? Do you know what's in that stuff? Did you put margarine on it or butter?? And what about salt?! GAH!!

 

[bicker]

I eat what tastes good.

Yup, I used to do that too, when I was young, and thought that nothing could hurt me.

Many people think it takes a lot of time to make a home cooked meal, but it really is not that much more difficult or time consuming if you practice and plan.

Having done many years eating convenience foods, and now very much having moved away from that and doing a lot more home-cooked meals, I can say that I've found what you're saying there not to be the case. We've found that it is a lot more difficult and time-consuming. Indeed, even just meal planning, itself, is something that is a lot more difficult and time-consuming now, than it was when we were eating mostly convenience foods, and by much more than a little. Worth it? Absolutely. But still.

 

[mykidsand_i]

I'm not one to go 'all the way veg.' because I was raised in the mid west on meat and potatoes types of food. I love meat, but We've started only buying meat from our local farmer, who sells pigs, cows, chickens...

I do a lot of 'from scratch' cooking, but some of it has to be quick, which still partially from scratch, but some time saving things too- I've gotten a few recipies from Sandra Lee's shows- which the more of her recipe ingred. I look at, the less I use her recipes- or the more of a chance that I change them.

I am by no means a health freak. I just want to raise a healthy family. And in order to do that, NOWDAYS, we have to be more aware of what we bring into our homes. We love popcorn, just had some last night- and no it was not organic or anything like that. I think that the correct way to do it all is in 'moderation'!!!

 

[mykidsand_i]

Worth it? Absolutely.

I think it's definately worth it. SOOOOOO many people are very overweight now days, the kids have so many health issues and problems- most of which can be at least HELPED with a better diet. When we put conveniance over heath, I believe it's not a good thing. Some people don't have a choice (due to time issues or financial issues)...but for those of us that do, I will put health before conveniance because I don't want my kids to struggle through weight and health issues for the rest of their lives.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

OMG! Is that popcorn you're eating?! Is it organic? Was it microwave popcorn? Do you know what's in that stuff? Did you put margarine on it or butter?? And what about salt?! GAH!!

Anything in moderation.

 

[themilesfamily]

I have a really good book to recommend that talks about all this: The Omnivore's Dilemma.

I think the author's name is Michael Pollen.

 

[FireDancer]

Since I started shopping at Trader Joe's I have found it much easier to avoid all the chemicals and science experiments that are in most processed food. I read the label on everything I buy and if there is HFCS, any artificial sweetener, or hydrogenated anything I put it back. I don't even have shortening, sugar, or artificial sweeteners in my house.

I have always loved cooking and like to cook from scratch which is the best option. Like a PP said, once you make meals for a while you learn quick and easy ways to make meals from scratch that contain nothing you don't put it.

I definitely think it is worth the little extra effort. Those extra minutes it takes to read the labels and make meals from scratch will most likely pay themselves back down the road with increased healthy.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Having done many years eating convenience foods, and now very much having moved away from that and doing a lot more home-cooked meals, I can say that I've found what you're saying there not to be the case. We've found that it is a lot more difficult and time-consuming. Indeed, even just meal planning, itself, is something that is a lot more difficult and time-consuming now, than it was when we were eating mostly convenience foods, and by much more than a little. Worth it? Absolutely. But still.

And I can vouch the other way (otherwise I wouldn't have said it). I used to be a convenience food, processed food person, and now, not so.

I can plan a weeks worth of meals in the same amount of time as I did before, and shop at the store in the same amount of time. In the end, I still need to get an idea of what I want to eat for the week, then I need to create a list. Now instead of creating a list of canned goods and processed food, I create a list of ingredients to make a meal, usually following a recipe of some sorts. I know which ingredients are good based on memory from previous shopping trips, I know the organics, I know the foods which fit the goal I'm trying to achieve, not all that different to know which brands of general food people like. Sure the first few times you'll try different things, different ingredients and maybe spend a few minutes longer, but long term, minimal if any difference in shopping, I actually might find it quicker now as I don't go up and down the aisles, I can do most of my shopping in the Wegman's Nature's Market area, Fresh Vegetables, Meat and a few frozen foods, which is in a much smaller footprint then the rest of the store.

I don't cook vegetarian (I don't really believe that it is healthy to be a fully vegetarian, but I digress as that's another subject altogether), but I cook healthy, balanced meals.

Cooking really doesn't take too long, I can bust out a meal within 30 minutes, that is based on real ingredients, unprocessed (or minimally processed) food, etc. Maybe I'm just an efficient cook, but I don't think I'm the only one (FireDancer agrees with me).

 

[Witherbark]

I am a vegetarian, and actually aim for around 75% vegan. And I agree, I can cook a balanced, healthy meal from scratch in around 30-45 minutes. And nearly every night, I do just that. I actually do two weeks worth of meal plans at a time, so I sit down on a Sunday afternoon with my cookbooks and figure out what I want to cook (and what our schedule is for the week) and do one big shopping trip. Then I make a quick run to the farmer's market or bakery mid-way through.

Honestly, at this point I can whip up a butternut squash soup with home-made biscuits in the same amount of time it takes to order a pizza. But everything in moderation - sometimes we do opt for the pizza or the popcorn! We just try to save it for "treats". My desire for fast food and even restaurant food is pretty much gone, I find my own cooking so much better.

 

[bicker]

And I can vouch the other way (otherwise I wouldn't have said it).

And I think the point is that it has a lot to do with how much time and energy you put into planning and preparing food. You can really spend very little time when all you're doing is eating convenience foods. So when you say that you can manage spending just about the amount of time you spent before, that could be because you expended a good bit more time planning and preparing food when you were eating convenience foods than I spent.

In the end, I still need to get an idea of what I want to eat for the week, then I need to create a list.

Yeah, we didn't need to do that, when we didn't care about what we were eating. Heck, we would walk into the supermarket cold, without any kind of list. We'd just buy things on impulse. "Chili in a can... that looks good. Maybe we can pour it on lettuce." Then we'd get it home, the lettuce would go bad because we had frozen dinners three days in a row, and we'd eat the chili on spaghetti.

Heck for years we were on one diet or another that pre-packaged the food, and shipped it to us: Everything we'd need to eat for two weeks, all in one box.

Then, of course, there is the, "Oh shucks, because we didn't plan ahead, the fridge is empty" trips to restaurants for the riblet and fries platter.

No freaking way that anyone could plan and prepare fresh, wholesome, healthy meals in as little time as we convenience food Masters were able to accomplish our feats of poor nutrition.

I don't cook vegetarian (I don't really believe that it is healthy to be a fully vegetarian, but I digress as that's another subject altogether),

I pretty-much agree. I'm an ethical vegetarian. I believe that you can eat "healthfully" including animals in your diet -- I choose not to for reasons that go beyond nutrition.

Cooking really doesn't take too long, I can bust out a meal within 30 minutes

I can bake a frozen pizza in 12 minutes; or microwave a Lean Cuisine in 4 minutes.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

...So when you say that you can manage spending just about the amount of time you spent before, that could be because you expended a good bit more time planning and preparing food when you were eating convenience foods than I spent.

Yeah, we didn't need to do that, when we didn't care about what we were eating. Heck, we would walk into the supermarket cold, without any kind of list. We'd just buy things on impulse. "Chili in a can... that looks good. Maybe we can pour it on lettuce." Then we'd get it home, the lettuce would go bad because we had frozen dinners three days in a row, and we'd eat the chili on spaghetti.

See, I've always planned a menu for the week, because I don't like to be indecisive in the grocery store, I found that taking the 10 minutes up front to make the menu saved a ton of time, even when convenience shopping.

No freaking way that anyone could plan and prepare fresh, wholesome, healthy meals in as little time as we convenience food Masters were able to accomplish our feats of poor nutrition.

But I think there are two categories here, it's not a matter of being a convenience food person or not, rather a planner or not. And lets not forget, driving to the store on whim or taking a trip to a fast food or sit down restaurant, takes time, time that could be spent on making your own food.

 

[bicker]

You can't prepare fresh, wholesome, healthy meals without planning. You can prepare pre-packaged, processed, unhealthy meals without planning.

BTW, Applebees is 10 minutes away.... if we would walk!!! If we drive there, we could polish off the riblets platter before your 30 minute meal is on the table.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

You can't prepare fresh, wholesome, healthy meals without planning. You can prepare pre-packaged, processed, unhealthy meals without planning.

BTW, Applebees is 10 minutes away.... if we would walk!!! If we drive there, we could polish off the riblets platter before your 30 minute meal is on the table.

So Applebee's is 10 minutes away, takes 10 minutes to get there, wait 20 minutes to get a seat, be seated, order, food delivered, eat and pay (and 20 is being aggressive), then 10 minutes to get back. A total of 40 minutes spent on dinner, same amount of time in the end (and I can cook many meals in less then 30 minutes, but during the week, 30 minutes is my cut-off limit for cooking) that I can make my meal at home and eat it.

 

[bicker]

So Applebee's is 10 minutes away, takes 10 minutes to get there, wait 20 minutes to get a seat, be seated, order, food delivered, eat and pay (and 20 is being aggressive), then 10 minutes to get back.

You didn't read the whole message you replied to. I'll copy and paste it again so you can read it this time.

Applebees is 10 minutes away.... if we would walk!!! If we drive there, we could polish off the riblets platter before your 30 minute meal is on the table.

A total of 40 minutes spent on dinner

No. Your math is way off. It is 2 minutes to get there, 3 minutes to get seated, riblets delivered to our table in about 8 minutes.

And if the riblets are in the freezer in our kitchen, it is even quicker.