Parents magazine says processed foods are “best”

Nutrition confusion abounds. I’m often asked “what should I look for on a food package?” Aside from choosing fewer foods that come in packages I usually suggest looking at the ingredient list. It’s also easy to trust a publication or expert and get sucked into “best of” lists. Sadly, the criteria for these lists is often some numerical cut off- making sure there isn’t too much sodium or too much sugar or fat in a product. I’d suggest turning this logic around. If a magazine is going to suggest something ask yourself what does this have in it or what nutrients or benefit does this offer me? It’s not enough for a food to be better than the worst of the worst.  That’s setting a very low bar for consumers or in this case parents and children.

So when this list of Parents magazine 25 best packaged foodspopped into my inbox I looked. And I found

Jif Whips

Ingredients: MADE FROM ROASTED PEANUTS AND SUGAR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: MOLASSES, FULLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (RAPESEED AND SOYBEAN), MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SALT.

 “Families are so busy that it's more important than ever to ensure that our kids eat quality, healthy foods at home and on-the-go,” said Dana Points, Editor-in-Chief, Parents magazine. “We were impressed by the variety of packaged-food options at the supermarket that tasted great and had a good nutritional profile.” 

I know Dana, she's super smart but are parents so busy that they need sugar and bad fats “on the go”? Yes, there are a variety of packaged foods at the supermarket even one from a company on this same list, Smuckers, and the ingredients for their peanut butter? Peanuts and salt.

What other quality foods should our kids eat according to this? Parents magazine says processed cheese and Tyson nuggets. I get busy, I get easy but peanut butter doesn’t need processed fats, cheese ingredients can look like this Pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes (thank you Cabot) and doesn’t need to be from Laughing Cow. That’s not “fast and fabulous” as the online headline reads.

Sure there were a few organic items in the 25. It was nice to see Applegate listed even if it was for their bacon. There is a place for a healthy snack or even cookie but the options with the best ingredients, for my children and yours or for you and me, aren’t made by Keebler and Newton’s.

What do you do when you come across sub par nutrition advice? Do you mention on social media? Let the publication or person know? What are your favorite fast and fabulous foods?
For the record I wrote in to Parents and said this

I was happy to see your "25 Best Packaged Foods" in my inbox. I wasn't happy about what I saw. I understand busy and the need for convenience but I don't understand sub par ingredients certainly not on a "best" list from such a reputable publication. My thoughts are in this blog post. As I said here, it's not enough if an item isn't the worst of the worst (even though some listed well…) it needs to offer our children (or us) something. Let's set athe nutrition bar higher and perhaps say "maybe you will not purchase or require all 25 of these foods" but here are crackers or snacks with more fiber or non-refined grains etc"

Lauren Slayton MS RD
note: I initially indicated the Jif had trans fats (partial hydrogenation) it does not this is a processed fully hydrogenated fat- still far from the "best" and my fault for posting quickly.

Turns out, the best things in life are free (today anyway)

On Monday we sent out our September “Foodtrainers Fall Finds” newsletter. We only send one update a month and so it is always chock full of information. That’s the good news; the bad news is that while some readers order goodies from us or head to the market, others get angry. We start to field questions “where do I find this product in Plano?” Or the truly testy “you mention these great things and then I cannot find them.” Well that’s not my intention. I don’t like to be the mean girl showing off my super duper gluten free cookies when you can’t have them. I don’t. I want you to have the goodies too. And guess what? It’s giveaway day (actually giveaway week Monday we had hemp goodies and Quinn Popcorn). These great companies wanted to share their healthy goodness.

Ginny Bakes

Once upon a time I was a Samoa girl. While I no longer eat Girl Scout Cookies because they’re full of gluten (among other things), I loved the coconuty taste and texture.  I had sort of forgotten about my Samoa soft spot until I sampled Ginnys. Coconut Oatmeal Bliss. Fortunately, unlike Girl Scout cookies, Ginny makes single serving packs. Ginny, the mother of 4 boys, has a whole amazing line of organic, gluten free goodness. And they’re giving a lucky reader a Ginny Bakes basket.

Health Warrior

Perhaps you’ve been around the health block and think, “I already know about Health Warrior bars.” Well, do you know about their new flavors coffee, banana nut and apple cinnamon? If you’re saying, “actually I do” then you don’t need the 2 boxes they are giving away. If you’re open minded and nice (can you believe I can fight with an imaginary know-it-all reader) I’ll let you know the bars are widely available for sale throughout NYC, including at Foodtrainers, Whole Foods Market, Fairway Market, Juice Generation, Just Salad, and many other independent retailers such as Foodtrainers. They are only 100 calories but chia is a natural appetite suppressant (swells as it digests) so it's a powerful 100 calories.

Naked Edge

While I love, a la Ginny, when someone takes a typical treat foot and makes it healthy using quality ingredients, I also love when a childhood favorite is made over in a grown up version.  Enter Naked Edge’s Veggie Gos. Surely you remember fruit leathers well these are veggie leathers. My boys like Mountain Berry Spinach; I’m partial to Carrot Ginger. Did I mention that they’re less than 20 calories? Or, that the Naked people are giving away a mixed case?

Sure each of these products these are great for kids and  “back to school” but they’re even better for post summer “back to reality” for us adults. Don’t we deserve fun foods too? Yes, so here’s how to get them.

To enter

1. Comment below, tell us which of these you’ve seen or tried and which you’re most curious about.
2. Tweet “The best snacks in life are free @Foodtrainers @ginnybakes @thenakededge @health_warrior #giveaway” http://foodtrainers.blogspot.com/2013/09/turns-out-best-things-in-life-are-free.html
3. And like these 3 great companies Ginny’s, The Naked Edge and Health Warrior on Facebook.

You have until Tuesday 9/24 to enter.

I'm Glowing

It was the Friday after the Friday after Thanksgiving. I was at Whole Foods Market stocking up for our first of many trips to Vermont for the season. Aside from produce and meal staples I had to get everyones favorite goodies. I had Bear Naked Fit vanilla granola for Marc, dried strawberries for Myles and smores ingredients for Weston. I always have medjool dates and dark chocolate on hand but noticed a brand of gluten free cookies I hadn’t tried before. I tossed a box of Glow Gluten Free Snickerdoodles into the cart and continued to shop. 

 The next day, after skiing and lunch, the boys and Marc headed down the road to skate. I stayed back to organize the house, do some cleaning and eventually get dinner started. If I’m being upfront, I really stayed back because I get a couple of hours to be alone (and do the aforementioned activities yeah, yeah).  I said goodbye to the boys and started up the teakettle. I choose Harney Hot Cinnamon spice tea 

and turned the lazy Susan (what’s better than a lazy Susan, really?) in the cabinet in search of a mate for my tea. I spotted the pretty package of snickerdoodles and opened it. 

I sat at the kitchen counter with my oversized cup of tea, my generously sized cookie and aptop and before tasting anything knew life really doesn’t get any better than that. And then it did. I had a taste of the tea and it was perfect for a cold winter day. It had a sweetness from the cinnamon and wasn’t too hot to drink. Then I had the cookie, I am not a snickerdoodle person, and it was crispy and chewy at the same time. I dunked the cookie in the tea and almost fainted from euphoria, I tweeted about it instead.

Deliciousness is one thing but I knew that if these cookies and I were going to coexist I had to know more about them. I looked at the label and saw they were 110 calories and had 2 grams of fiber per cookie, pretty good. I glanced at the ingredients expecting to see potato flour or some other gluten-free, and not necessarily wholesome, base and saw “garbanzo and fava bean flour”. While I know this information might deter many of you for me this sealed the deal. My newfound treat was made from legumes, it tasted fantastic and I still had an hour and a half left in the house.

P.S. Over Christmas I bought the Glow Ginger Snaps. I had one and they were even better than the Snickerdoodles. When I returned to the lazy Susan a couple days later, I turned and turned and the Gingersnaps were gone.

Do you love being alone as much as I do? What are your favorite cold-weather treats? Do you think it’s bad that I don’t skate with the boys?