When I give my “100 Days of Real Food” presentations I routinely bring along a grocery bag full of “tricky” food products to discuss. Here are a few the items I share:
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1. Garden Veggie Sticks
Ingredients*(according to Amazon.com):
Potato Flour, Rice Flour, Expeller Pressed Sunflower Oil, Spinach Powder, Tomato Powder, Sea Salt, and Beet Powders
Reality Check:
I called the company myself to find out exactly how these “Veggie Sticks” are made, and what I learned is that they are deep-fried in oil. Last time I checked “French fries” are potatoes deep-fried in oil and if you look at the first three ingredients on the list above (which reflects what this product contains the most of*) these “veggie sticks” are basically potato flour (and rice flour) also deep-fried in oil. Yes, they also contain some spinach powder, tomato powder and beet powder, but let’s face it they contain more oil than any of these so-called veggie “powders.”
Keep enjoying Veggie Sticks if you’d like, but please don’t be fooled into thinking that they are a replacement for real vegetables. I think they are perfectly fine as an occasional treat, and I would personally classify them as a couple small steps above French fries.
Real Food Alternatives:
If you are looking for a crunchy replacement snack try whole-grain pretzels, whole-grain crackers, popcorn, or (I’m gonna say it) some fresh crunchy raw vegetables like carrots, bell peppers or celery. If your kids aren’t into raw veggies try offering them with a dip like homemade ranch or hummus. You could also try making your own real “veggie chips” with our Kale Chip recipe.
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2. Yoplait “Light” Yogurt
Ingredients* (according to Amazon.com):
Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Strawberries, Modified Corn Starch, Whey Protein Concentrate, Kosher Gelatin, Citric Acid, Tricalcium Phosphate, Aspartame, Potassium Sorbate Added to Maintain Freshness, Natural Flavor, Red No. 40, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3
Reality Check:
Based on the ingredient list above this product contains more high fructose corn syrup than it does strawberries. And if you love this yogurt please don’t shoot the messenger because this information is right there on the label for anyone to see! This product also contains artificial sweetener (aspartame) and artificial dyes (red no. 40). Possibly more than you bargained for in a supposed “healthy” light yogurt?
Alternatives:
When buying yogurt there are three key things to look for…
1. Plain – Flavor it yourself! We like using homemade berry sauce or a simple maple syrup/vanilla extra combo.
2. Whole milk / full fat – Unfortunately (fortunately?) low-fat products are just more processed, which is exactly why we avoid them.
3. Organic – Unlike fruit and veggies you can’t peel or rinse off dairy products so I definitely recommend springing for the organic version if you can.
Note: A lot of people ask about “Greek” yogurt and as long as it meets these three recommended requirements (plain, full fat, and organic) it’s a good choice as well.
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3. Trader Joe’s Multigrain Crackers
Ingredients* (according to the package I hold in my hands 
):
Enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sunflower oil, sugar, scotch oatmeal, inulin, rye flour, multigrain flour blend (wheat, rye, triticale, barley, corn, millet, soybean, sunflower seeds, rice, flax, durum, oats), wheat germ, modified corn starch, salt, invert syrup, sodium bicarbonate, onion powder, malt flour, monocalcium phosphate, microbial enzymes
Reality Check:
Multi-grain is very commonly confused with “whole-grain,” and the bottom line is they have similar names, but mean two different things. Multi-grain simply means the product contains different grains, which could or could not be highly refined. Whole-grain means the product contains “whole” grain ingredients, which have not been stripped of any beneficial nutrients. For a more in-depth explanation of whole-grain vs. multi-grain – including a full-fledged diagram of a grain! – check out our “Understanding Grains” post.
So with that being said when I look at the ingredients above what I see is this product is made mainly from “enriched flour” a.k.a. white flour and that it contains more oil and salt than any whole grains. Sure, it’s Trader Joe’s so there are no artificial ingredients or hydrogenated oils, which is desirable, but still this product is far from 100% whole grain if that’s what you are going for.
Alternatives:
Some whole-grain cracker options include Ak-Mak (also sold at Trader Joe’s and they are organic), Multi-Seed Original (these are gluten-free in case you have an allergy/intolerance), or Triscuits (which still contain refined oil, but they are 100% whole-grain and contain only 3 ingredients). Or you could always make your own Easy Cheesy Crackers…it’s not as hard as you think!
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*According to the FDA’s website “Listing ingredients in descending order of predominance by weight means that the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first.” So in short – what the product contains the most of you’ll find listed first.
I’m just curious if you know of a better option for veggie straws that has a similar texture. My one-year-old can’t really handle raw veggies or pretzels yet, but he loves veggie straws, and I think part of it is the crunchiness.
have you tried roasted garbanzo beans with them? http://steamykitchen.com/10725-crispy-roasted-chickpeas-garbanzo-beans.html my bf loved them!
maybe they would be too small for a 1 yr old.. i don’t have kids yet! haha
Target sells freeze dried fruit (bananas. strawberries, mango, and apple) that have nothing but the fruit in the ingredient list. I have a 3 year old and a 20 month old and they have both been eating them for a long time. They are crunchy, but also kind of melt away in your mouth. My 3 year old likes the bananas way better then fresh ones.
My kids LOVE the freeze dried fruit!
In the organic section of our grocery store, they have dried snap peas. Tasty- but also have oil (corn oil, I think) as the second ingredient. But if I’m not mistaken, they are whole snap peas, not made from a powder or anything
Hope that helps!!
Homemade kale chips might be good…and like some of the others said freeze dried fruits which sort of melt in your mouth.
I haven’t looked at the ingredients on rice cakes yet, but would that be an option for your child? They offer the crunchy/melts to mush combo.
We found sweet potato chips at the store with only 3 ingredients: sweet potatoes, salt and oil. That might be an option (or you can make them homemade).
(I posted this on Facebook also) Homemade baked kale chips are a wonderful alternative to the “veggie” sticks. My kids LOVE them and ask me to make them!
Or if you have a dehydrator, you can do crunchy kale chips that are raw (and don’t need to be prepped with any oils. A dehydrator is awesome for making all sorts of crunchy snacks, like banana chips and carrot stick chips. Then flavor with whatever spices you want, like cumin and ginger or cayenne or curry powder.
when I use my dehydrator, everything’s (Fruit/veggies) chewy. The bananas and apples and such. I read that banana chips from the store are crunchy because they are fried! How do you get yours crunchy?
Nuts are obviously crunchy though.
I agree with Jennifer. I was so shocked when my dehydrator put out soft chewy dried fruit no matter how long I dried. So all the stuff you buy in the store is fried! Yikes! Didn’t know that! I’d like to know how you get yours crunchy too with the dehydrator.
My guess is the spinach, tomato and beet powders in the veggie straws are only for coloring, and there are no nutritional benefits from those otherwise healthy foods in the final product.
Interestingly, just this morning I checked the ingredients list of the 365 whole shredded wheat crackers (Whole Foods’ store brand version of Triscuits) and was happy to see the list is very short.
Thanks for another great post!
I saw that too at Whole Foods the other day- the list is shorter than the triscuits list!
Yes! The 365 “triscuits” contain no oil. There is only whole wheat and salt!
I JUST bought those veggie sticks. I read the ingredients and it looked fishy to me but I thought there were better than the regular junk. Guess not. Thanks for the info!
So, to continue along the non-fat arena, is it best to drink whole, organic milk vs non-fat, organic milk? There go my WW points. Also, I like espresso mochas and have been making my own chocolate syrup/sauce using a Saveur recipe. I use 30 grams of sauce per espresso, but my OCD tendency worries about the butter, sugar and 1/2 n 1/2 in the recipe. I tell myself to get over it, but the alternative recipes I’ve tried are yucky. Any ideas?
Lisa posted a chocolate sauce recipe/concept that I use to make hot chocolate…cocoa powder and real maple syrup. It’s REALLY yummy and easy to make!
It does depend on how your nonfat, organic milk is made. I get mine from Trader Joe’s and asked if they add back some milk solids after removing the cream, and they said they did not. I’m continuing to drink nonfat, and giving my kid the 2% organic.
Dara- Don’t be afraid of fat! I would definitely drink whole fat milk versus the non-fat. We need fat. Our brains are 65% fat and they thrive on it to function and feel happy. And I wouldn’t worry about the butter either, especially if you get a nice grass-fed butter like Kerrygold. Its a great way to get some vitamin A,D and K in your diet and again, your brain will love it!
Check out Nancydeville.com. She is a big advocae of fat and eats a pund a week. She looks amazing at 61. Also, watch the movie “Fat Head.” We’ve been lied to as far the saturated fat thing goes and the movie will explain it to you. Basically, saturated fat became the enemy about the same time Crisco and margarine came on the market. Ironic, huh?
I lost all my weight switching to real food and real fat. Whole fat. Healthy fats. And I rudeced my grain intake to one serving a day. Way more veggies, force myself to eat fruits at least once a day (i’m weird)and healthy proteins.
Dara I’m on WW also. I cut out processed foods when I started WW. I use full fat dairy. I’ve lost 60 pounds since November. The key is eating full fat dairy in moderation.
Dara – I know you’ve gotten a few different answers here, but YES it is definitely best to drink whole organic (preferably non-homogenized from grass-fed cows) milk. Check out this post for more detail: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/04/15/mini-pledge-week-6-no-low-fat-lite-or-nonfat-food-products/ Also, I love mochas too and this is how I make mine: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/03/04/recipe-maple-mocha/ I hope that helps!
Dara- I was up to 185 lbs this January and knew I had to do something. Went on ww points plus- lost 10 lbs over 2 months (and ended up gaining that back!) and realized I was still not eating healthy! (Chik-fil-a, diet sodas, just in smaller amounts!) When I started exercising and switched to real food by following Lisa’s blog and getting a few recipes/tips & tricks from foodrenegade.com , I have lost 35 lbs since the end of March. Not even 2 months! This is on full-fat dairy (probably more than I should drink)no carb cutting and no reduced fat anything. I make a nutritious meal and eat a good sized portion. Now that I’ve changed my eating habits I feel like I could never go back- I wish you luck on your weight loss journey and hope that it becomes a nutrition journey as well!
P.S. To whoever mentioned it- I also eat Kerrygold butter and it is amazing!
Bummer! My kids love Veggie Sticks.
I agree that any time something is “light” or “low-fat” means that it is ultra processed with more fake ingredients added. Light yogurt is one of the worst too. I do sometimes buy veggie straws, but probably too much. We need to avoid those too I guess.
Good post.
Thanks for offering alternatives.
Are the Multi-seed original from Trader Joe’s too?
I have not seen them there…they have them at Earth Fare and Costco.
I make my kids smoothies nearly everyday. Last week I bought a frozen fruit mixture from Dole. Today I realized the ingredients peaches, pineapple, mango, strawberries and natural flavour. natural flavour? Does that mean they ADD flavour to the fruit?! In any case I’ll be buying other brands and looking at labels even more closely! It did say 100% fruit. Frozen is the only option where I live for most of the year
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If you are looking for REAL fruit products for you children then you might want to take a look at this. I have made smoothies with the crispy fruit and the real fruit that are awesome. http://www.snackhealthy.com/sandystoker
I’ve been able to find frozen, organic fruit with no sugar or any other additives at Kroger, Target, and Central Market. You just have to read carefully, lots of them add sugar. Uck!
I buy the frozen fruit bags from Target and they don’t have extra stuff added. Just fruit. It’s a red and white bag. They also have the store brand at Wal-Mart. But you have to be careful because Wal-Mart has some that are fruit and syrup.
Yes, something vague like “natural flavors” is definitely questionable…even high-fructose corn syrup is technically “natural” so you never know what they could be talking about. Also FYI – you could freeze your own fruit when it’s in season.
Quick question about freezing fruit. Do you need to put anything in the fruit? Water? Or just slice the fruit and freeze? Any suggestions or tips would be much appreciated. Thanks!
It depends on what type of fruit you are trying to freeze, but berries can usually just go right in the freezer.
I heard something on the radio last week regarding where “natural flavor” vanilla can come from (like the kind used in the “natural” coffee creamers and ice cream). I was so shocked I looked it up, thinking it couldn’t be true, but several different sources have confirmed it. Yes, they’re technically “natural,” I guess, because they come from animals, but I was absolutely appalled at some of the sources. Why can’t they just use REAL vanilla and call it a day? Now I’m definitely skeptical of all natural flavors…if it’s natural, then just tell me where you got it. And if it’s natural, why is it a “flavor” at all?
here is some insight on the “natural” flavoring as well:
http://www.foodrenegade.com/decoding-labels-mccormick-pure-vanilla-extract/
LOVE your blog!
@Misty
I’m not sure how this recipe works but I found it on pinterest and thought it might be a great alternative for something or your baby to crunch on!
http://greenlitebites.com/2011/10/25/homemade-teething-biscuit/
What kind of veggie straws do you recommend? Costco sells a brand, is that one okay?
All veggie straws are pretty much the same thing.
It would all depend on the ingredients, but I would venture to say that other brands are similar to the ones detailed here.
I’d also like to point out the modified corn starch and the monocalcium phosphate in the Trader Joe’s crackers. First, since the crackers do not appear to be organic, the corn starch likely comes from GMO corn. Secondly, monocalcium phosphate is a “hidden” name for MSG.
I don’t think that’s true. It’s a leavening agent. MSG is monosodium glutamate and there’s no sodium (Na) in the molecule. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monocalcium_phosphate
Lana: Per Trader Joe’s website, all of its “private label products are sourced from non-genetically modified ingredients”. I don’t see in my research that monocalcium phosphate is = to MSG, but I may have missed something. I don’t disagree that some TJ’s products could have fewer ingredients, but in a pinch, I’d choose them over a commercial brand at a regular supermarket.
Here’s a great link to go over the MSG hidden words http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html
Our Trader Joe’s does not have any organic crackers
Yes, all Trader Joe’s brand stuff is non-GMO and contains no MSG.
I find myself buying more and more staple items (white whole wheat flour, organic butter, etc.) from Trader Joe’s because I don’t have to worry about what’s in them.
Not true. There is MSG in a lot of their products. Check out how many of their foods list “natural flavors” as an ingredient. That’s MSG.
“Natural flavors” can mean a host of things – a lot of them not good – but not just limited to MSG.
Lana – I think Trader Joe’s has a store policy against GMOs, but I am not certain.
here is some insight into MSG and the other ingredients (names) that it can hide in for those who are curious:
http://www.foodrenegade.com/decoding-labels-better-than-bouillon/
It is tricky when reading product labels. You basically need a dictionary, thesarus and an encyclopedia just to navigate the grocery store isles. I really like my Snackhealthy products especially the crispy fruit, yum, because there are very few ingredients without all the additives and preservatives.
You’re absolutely right! I found a little pocket-sized book called “Food Additives: A Shoppers Guide to What’s Safe & What’s Not” by Christine Farlow. I don’t have time to look up everything while in the store, but if a product looks good except for a couple of ingredients, I can check them out before I decide to purchase the product.
awesome post!!!
Does anyone know if Snapea Crisps by Calbee are a better alternative to veggie straws, they are baked?
The Ak-mak crackers from Trader Joes are sooo good!
I fell nto the veggie straw trap. I bought them and then as I was stuffing my face I was reading the ingredients. So disappointing! I really liked them but don’t buy them anymore. It is basically a potato chip. I always though yogurt was good for you but once I started reading the labels. YIKES so much sugar in them. I am going to try your sauce and start flavoring my own. Love the info you provide here.
I really liked this post. I can’t tell you how inspired I am by your blog (which I just found about a month ago). We are already focusing more on whole foods, less sugar, etc. I also liked the tone of this post as well. It’s something I could share with friends on FB without anyone saying it’s “talking down to them”. Great job!
Thanks for sharing…I care about reader feedback and take it into consideration whenever possible!
I knew about the yogurt, suspected about the veggie straws, but was totally caught unawares on the multigrain crackers. Another one for the ‘no’ list. I did manage to get my kid to eat their stoneground crackers, which are possibly better, and I know he likes their woven wheats. Will read that ingredient list next time.
Wait, change that–I knew about the aspartame in the yogurt, but not the HFCS. That is so ridiculous.
Also if no one has picked it up I recommend In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan. Just like this great site discusses, you and your families live better by eating Real Foods (limit boxed/bagged) and snacks for little ones don’t need to be crackers with extras and gluten or non-gluten. Give them real Fruits and Veggies, steam them if raw is to hard to chew (I even gave my little ones frozen asaragus while teething!). And make smoothie from Real Fruits and Veggies too not premade mixes. It takes a bit of will power to get over that hump in your mind to not just grab for the easy box or bag but once you get the real taste on your palatte, it won’t let you go back to those imitation foods anymore.
What is wrong with sunflower oil? I notice you have it bolded in two of the products.
It’s not necessarily that it was sunflower oil in particular, but mainly because the Veggie Sticks (for example) have more “oil” than veggies. Here’s a post all about oils if you are interested: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/14/mini-pledge-week-10-no-refined-oils/
I had to smile when I saw your post today. My husband, trying to do something sweet for me, brought home some veggie sticks last night. I have been trying to go with whole foods and so these are not something I’m eating. But he saw the word veggie and thought good for you. Thanks for your blog!
Too funny…hope his feelings aren’t hurt!
I’m wondering how you handle if, let’s say, you had some lovely in-laws who loved to feed your kids lots of UnReal Food. I’ve let it go in the past but am thinking about piping up a bit more and am curious as to how you handle how/what your kiddos eat outside of the home…I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Ugh, that’s the story of my life. Drives me crazy!
I have that same problem. It is very frustrating!
I have this problem with my own mother, who will buy my 9 year old ice cream, frozen non coffee treats at Starbucks and all kinds of crap. I know this isn’t for everyone, but I’m very frank with my mom. I tell her, “we don’t want her (my daughter) eating that kind of stuff. We’re doing REAL, WHOLE foods whenever possible, so please don’t get her that crap!” Bottom line, we’re the mother’s and our family members need to understand that. Also, try sending your child WITH snacks and such, and let your family know that it’s there. That way, hopefully they will reach for what you’ve already provided and see that your child enjoys it
Good luck!
We’ve just begun to make the switch, although we’re not completely converted yet (but we’re certainly better than we were!). I try and send my own food/snacks with my daughter when she is not at home, but most of the time they’re still in her bag. I’m trying to figure out how to explain to our friends and family what we’re trying to do without coming off “better than”. People looked at me like I had ten heads when I mentioned that she didn’t get traditional candy in her Easter basket, and I’ve already gotten the old “you were raised on it and it didn’t hurt you” speech. For now I’m taking comfort in the fact that at least when she’s home and under my eye she’s eating better. I’m finding lots of inspiration in this blog, so keep it coming! Thanks!!
Trish – I don’t know if this will help at all, but occasionally when I am dropping my kids off for a playdate I’ll sometimes say “I made a batch of muffins for everyone!” and drop off a cute little paper plate full of fresh whole-grain muffins (for all the kids to share…not just my daughters). I don’t have time to do that a lot, but it seems to work when I do.
I know how you feel. But then last weekend I made popsicles with unsweetened grape juice, and my son took 4 of them outside to share with other kids. They all loved them, and I felt good that he was sharing, eating good food, and hopefully in a small way showing other kids that “natural” isn’t a synonym for “boring.”
I think it is best to avoid confrontation about food. If you want to share some real foods or send them with your kids and reassure the in-laws that the kids love them, that is one thing, but I’ve heard horror stories of kids refusing food that was given to them in rude and hurtful ways. People and relationships are more important than food, so I would just let the food rules apply at home and be lenient when they are at the grandparents.
(I have the same situation and this has worked well for us. Interestingly, both my parents and my in-laws are slowly but surely coming around to real foods without me saying anything.)
In my opinion, it is all about honesty. If you are true to yourself, and kindly tell them what you desire your child to eat, and GIVE THEM A LIST OF OPTIONAL FOOD, they will respect that!
In my opinion, if someone that had a child with a gleuten allergy had me babysit them, I wouldn’t be upset that they couldn’t eat white bread. Same difference…even if I thought someone was weird for their requests, I would still honor what they asked of me (after all they are entrusting their most precious child in my care!)
If you just let them know why it is so important to you, and how it has made a change for the better for you as a family…they will respect it, and honor your request!
I would start with not telling them you don’t want their “crap”. That just makes people need to prove their food is perfectly fine. I’m with Poorganic and believe that the relationship is more important than some poor food choices and perhaps they’ll warm to it as they realize how proud they can be of kids who choose fruit over candy.
Twinkle Teacher – This question comes up a lot so I’ve addressed how we handle it on our FAQ page (#11): http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/frequently-asked-questions/
I have this same problem although we mostly let it go because we were only seeing the grandparents 2x per year. Now we are moving closer and I feel I have to bring it up because their choices are SO bad, SO often. Their idea of treating the kids is a trip to McDonalds followed by a packaged cupcake. Their idea of a healthy snack is Yoplait yogurt. They are wonderful loving grandparents in every other way but they also have a TON of health problems so I really don’t want my kids following in their footsteps when it comes to food. I am really worried about bringing this up and I feel it has to come from my husband bc it’s his parents. I know they are likely to get VERY defensive. My other strategy will be to host them at our house so that the food is up to me.
I think I just posted this on your fb page but the “back to nature” brand of crackers has a whole wheat triscuty type cracker the I think only has 3, maybe 4 ingredients. Anf I’m pretty sure no oil.
Found the ingredient list on their website:
WHOLE WHEAT, SAFFLOWER OIL, SEA SALT, VITAMIN E TO HELP PROTECT FLAVOR.
So, they do have oil, but they are still super tasty.
And I know oil is oil, but safflower oil DOES have a few health benefits…http://www.livestrong.com/article/101297-benefits-safflower-oil/