Today I am sharing a “roundup” of the misleading products I’ve been sharing on Facebook lately. Just in case you missed some or need a friendly reminder…please don’t let the food industry fool you with these products!
Taco Seasoning
I couldn’t believe it when I looked at the back of this taco seasoning packet and saw “Maltodextrin” as the first item on the ingredient list (meaning what it contains the most of). Maltodextrin is a filler found in highly processed foods and is usually made from corn. I don’t know about you but it’s not an additive I cook with at home. So then why would it be the main ingredient in something as simple as taco seasoning?
Pasta “Plus”
This is the pasta I used to buy before we cut out processed food because I thought it was the “healthier” stuff. But, the thing that makes pasta “real” is being made with whole grains. The first ingredient in this pasta (and what it contains the most of) is “semolina” flour, which is actually a refined grain. The whole grain version of semolina is called whole durum wheat.
Real Food Alternative: Whole-wheat pasta is pretty easy to find and usually only contains 1 ingredient: whole durum wheat. And the word “whole” is very important! If you are new to understanding grains check out our post about grains for more info.
Breadcrumbs
It’s amazing how the food industry can take something as simple as plain breadcrumbs and make them full of so much junk. This one has more than 30 ingredients including high-fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (a.k.a. trans fat)! Not to mention it’s made with highly refined white flour (labeled as enriched flour).
Real Food Alternative: It’s easy to make your own bread crumbs (there’s a recipe at the end of this post), but if you don’t have time I like “Ian’s Whole-Wheat Panko Bread Crumbs” made with only a few simple ingredients. It comes in a yellow bag and is available in some grocery stores and on Amazon.
Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
Out of all the label reading I do this one really upsets me. Quaker (you know the “heart healthy” breakfast) says this on their website about their Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal, “Imagine a warm summer morning and a fresh bowl of juicy, sun-ripened strawberries topped with rich, dairy cream. Now imagine all of that warmth and rich flavor in a bowl of Quaker Oats.” Yet, when you actually read the ingredients you’ll find that the pictured red fruit chunks aren’t even strawberries! They are dehydrated apple pieces treated with artificial strawberry flavor and red dye. Not to mention this product also contains partially hydrogenated oil (a.k.a. trans fat), and a few other strange things I would never make oatmeal with at home.
Crystal Light
This “lemonade” product is another one that’s rather disturbing. Crystal Light’s “Natural Lemonade” mix doesn’t even contain a single drop of lemon or lemonade! Plus both its sweetener (aspartame) and yellow tint (yellow 5) are completely artificial. There are currently no regulations for slapping the word “natural” on a food package so don’t let this terminology fool you.
Real Food Alternative: Unfortunately even if you make REAL lemonade from scratch at home it calls for quite a bit of sugar. You are better off just squeezing a little fresh lemon juice in your water or saving lemonade for an extra special occasion!
Ranch Dip
This packet of Hidden Valley ranch seasoning looks pretty innocent…you just add sour cream and you have yourself a zesty dip for veggies. Except the fact that, according to the ingredients, it contains more maltodextrin (an additive made from corn), salt, and MSG than it does any actual herbs or spices.
Real Food Alternative: I find this unfortunate when it’s super simple to make your own ranch dip at home. My recipe has been adapted from the $5 Dinner Mom’s ranch salad dressing!
Cool Whip
I know “Cool Whip” is quick and easy, but I find it strange that it contains more water, hydrogenated vegetable oil (might contain trans fat), high-fructose corn syrup, and corn syrup than it does cream, which happens to be the main ingredient in REAL whipped cream. I know this product doesn’t claim to be “whipped cream” and instead calls itself a “whipped topping,” but let’s face it…we all know what this is trying to imitate!
Real Food Alternative: In case you’ve never tried making your own homemade whipped cream before it’s actually pretty easy…check out the simple instructions at the bottom of this chocolate torte recipe.
Uncrustables
Uncrustables seem to be a pretty popular school lunch item. Just be sure to know they contain high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, AND sugar as well as partially hydrogenated oil (a.k.a. trans fat). This variety also uses bread made from refined white flour, dough conditioners, and quite a lot of other ingredients I cannot even pronounce and would never cook with at home.
Real Food Alternative: I don’t know about you, but when I make PB&J at home it doesn’t contain any of that junk. And you can even make your own “Uncrustable” sandwich with one of these handy little sandwich cutters/sealers from amazon (just wrap it up and throw it in the freezer when you are done)!
“Wheat” Crackers
This product comes to you from the health food store (where you STILL have to read ingredient labels). The front of this healthy-looking brown box says “Crispy Wheat Crackers” but don’t let that lead you to believe there is anything “whole-wheat” about them. Even refined white flour comes from the wheat plant so if it doesn’t say the word “whole” then it’s not a “whole-wheat” product. I don’t understand why our society has given “whole-wheat” the nickname “wheat” because they are NOT the same thing and it makes things confusing! If you look at the ingredients on this box you can see these crackers contain no “whole wheat” flour at all…only refined “wheat flour” a.k.a. white flour.
Strawberry Syrup
I am guilty as charged because I used to buy this stuff for my kids. It was right there by the chocolate syrup, and I thought it would be a fun way to switch things up. But soon after my real food wake-up call I started raiding our pantry and fridge, and I was shocked to see (according to the ingredients) that this “strawberry” syrup doesn’t even contain any strawberries at all. The flavor and color are both completely artificial.
Real Food Alternative: If you are looking for a berry flavored drink try making this homemade berry sauce instead and sieve out the seeds…it would be great in some nice cold (organic) milk.
Bread
If I were to make sandwich bread at home it would take about 5 ingredients (whole-wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and honey) and even if I were to add a few extras like nuts, seeds, and a different type of flour maybe we are up to 10 ingredients. So why does it take “Arnold” 31 ingredients including white flour (a.k.a. unbleached enriched wheat flour) to make their whole grain “Health Nut” bread?
Nutella
Yuck! We love Wildtree Taco Seasoning made with organic ingredients. The Ranch dressing too :)! http://www.mywildtree.com/PWS/jenpal/store/AM/product/TACO-SEASONING-large-plastic,1347.aspx
Please rethink your comment on the pasta. You can not make pasta with just while durum wheat, you need a binder or liquid of some sort. Silly mistakes like this is what gets an otherwise good argument dismissed.
I can’t help but laugh at the Nutella one! We’re not big ‘sweets’ eaters so I don’t buy it. I think it’s hilarious that people think it’s okay breakfast food. You’re exactly right, it’s frosting!
My chilli powder already has salt in the ingredients list. Does yours? What brand of chilli powder do you use? If my chilli powder already has salt in it, I’m wondering if I still need to add the extra 1 1/2 tsp of added salt that the recipe calls for?
Hi Christy. Most chili powders do have salt. I do add the additional salt when making the taco seasoning. ~Amy
I really like this post, but would love if you did it as a reoccurring blog entry with new products.
I’d like that too! Like a biweekly special.
Check out Frontera by Rick Bayless for taco and enchillada sauce without artificial ingredients. I couldn’t believe that most of the sauce packets I recognized every ingredient. I do think one of them has xanthem gum but most don’t. And they are DELICIOUS. I use them to make quinoa & veggie filled Mexican stuffed peppers. Yummy.
I just wanted to thank you. I know that you have devoted your life to making others aware. But thank you what you are doing is making a difference in my family. I have been a fan for about a year and of course ordered your book!
Love your blog!
It just makes eating healthier so much simpler!
I have 2 kids…6 & 8…and have started substituting white flour for whole wheat, adding ground flaxseed to their lunches and a lot of small steps that I hope go a long way!
Thank you for being so inspiring!
I agree with every single one of these except the Nutella. I think it’s the use of this food that is important, and I agree it’s advertisement is misleading. We treat it as a dessert. One thing I appreciate about it is the lack of additives that I have to watch out for with so many other products. Sweets in moderation is key. We love (my homemade) mini-whole wheat nutella stuffed cinnamon muffins, but they are a dessert for us, not a breakfast food.
I love my Nutella. :)
Even more alarming than the high sugar content is the fact that Nutella contains MSG. Neurotoxins are not ok!!
http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-nutella.html?t=JFH
The American imported Nutella is MUCH sweeter than the European version I grew up with. I still love it but would much rather have the one that isn’t sweetened to make American taste-buds happy…. Why do some companies feel the need to give us items that are of a different quality (sometimes lower or chemical ridden) than what they give the rest of the world?
Thank you for the taco seasoning recipe!!! I had stopped making them because of all ingredients in the seasoning packets. I just made it tonight and it was delicious!
I found many food products the other day that are so misleading! The kind bars, which have a slogan that you can pronounce all of the ingredients, contain refined white rice! Their Dried blueberry trail mix has lots of ingredients including cane sugar. There were multigrain pita chips (I could see through that one!!) and I saw baked Lays chips, which contains more stuff than the deep fried lays! Food can be so….misleading.
The oatmeal is also instant oatmeal which means most of the nutrition has been removed by the steaming it take to pre cook it.
I use ground beef when I make tacos and always start my base seasoning with fresh garlic and onions sauteed in a bit of olive oil. Then I brown the meat in the mixture and when its almost done I add my favorite jar of salsa. It gives it wonderful flavor and a nice moist consistency (I like my taco meat and the saucier side).
What are your thoughts on this bread called “Dave’s Killer Bread”. They are selling at places like Costco.
Hi Pris. Dave’s Killer Bread is a good choice among store bought breads. The ingredient list is long but consists mostly of whole grains, nuts, and seeds. They do add gluten, molasses and sometimes cane sugar but they are very far down on the ingredient list. While it does not qualify under the pledge rules, it is a good option outside of the pledge. ~Amy
I started off on a low carb diet a few months ago, and at the same time started following you on Facebook. As I started to make my own meals more (instead of packaged frozen meals) and used fresh ingredients, and I started to think more about what I was putting into my and my daughter’s bodies. I find myself going back to previous posts you’ve made, that wormed their way into my brain and made me really aware of how much refined foods I was consuming. I switched to 100% whole what flour! changed the dark chocolate I was buying, and generally just read the labels on everything I was buying. Case in point was dinner tonight, I have been on a turkey taco kick lately (minus the tortilla) but don’t especially love the packaged taco seasoning. While at the store I was contemplating trying a different brand, when I remembered seeing you out up a recipe to make your own. So I looked it up, bought the ingredients, and made my turkey tacos. Oh. My. Goodness. So delicious! Seriously the best I have ever had! Thank you so much, you have influenced my life in a very positive and healthy way and I look forward to seeing what other changes I can make.
It’s not my website, but is my favorite destination if I’ve got time to burn! If UR interested in “Whole Food” search for that or anything that strikes UR fancy! If UR a homeschooler or if you still have an inquisitive nature it’s a clean & safe place to learn new information. I landed on UR website via search when I’d heard someone on TV recently say not to consume nonnutritive beverages as they’re full of poison! I decided to phrase the query, “If you were not part of the food industry what would be the purpose of Maltodexrin?” That brought UR website high in the results! I’m as they said in “Austin Powers”, a fat bastard at over 500 pounds & a life-long struggle to do the right thing. I’m not a tree-hugger, if there’s an issue related to the rain forest either consumer demand or world outcry will most likely right that issue eventually. This morning I wrote a response to the Frederick News-Post as local officials decide if citizens have the right to be able to purchase whole/raw milk, but they’ve been in the past heavily influenced by Big Agriculture who are “Hand-In-Hand” with Big Government to tell the people they know better what’s good for you than you do! Previously, I’d lost 170 pounds using a sole source liquid diet similar to Medifast, but the plan previously was called “The Cambridge Diet” and now is owned by Dean Foods, makers of Jimmy
Dean pork sausages and no longer suggest that the product be used as a sole source meal replacement beyond two weeks. I’m considering surgery lose the 300+ pounds that’d put me into chance to have a productive pics after being sidelined by an injury while working as a long-haul trucker if not disabled I’d need to work ten more years to be eligible for SSI.
I use Chocolate Covered Katie’s Healthy Nutella recipe. My family loves it.
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/01/09/better-than-nutella/
I just wanted to suggest a whole wheat pasta. For those that shop at Walmart, their Great Value brand uses only Durum Whole Wheat. It is the ONLY ingredient in it and I like it much better than any other whole wheat pasta I have ever bought. The texture of it is much better also. I also work in a preschool and very much dislike the Uncrustables. They have a horrible smell to them, one that pb & j should not have. Why someone won’t take 10 minutes to make these up themselves is beyond me. You can make your own and freeze them in less time than it takes to walk to the back of the store(where they are located in mine), find them, and checkout.
Hi there, I made the taco seasoning earlier this week and just went to make it and realized that I was unsure about the water. I had been using the packets that call for 1/3 or 1/4 cup of water I don’t remember. But is this the case with the spices? thanks :)
Hi Mollie. Sometimes I’ve needed to add water and sometimes not. When Lisa browns the meat for her taco salad, she is adding the meat to a pan that has butter and sauteed onion in it, so more moisture isn’t necessary. If it is looking dry and the spices aren’t distributing well, add a bit of water. ~Amy
I noticed that you did not point out the vanillin in the Nutella. That is one of the primary ingredients that we stay away from. Who would want to eat artificial vanilla especially when it comes from the waste products of paper mills? Has anyone ever driven by a paper mill and smelled that horrible odor? Who would want to eat that stuff…
Real vanilla extract is cheap and easy to make. Order some vanilla beans, slice long ways, place in a glass jar, and fill with vodka or rum. Swish the container once a week and when the smell goes away (about a month or two) the vanilla is ready to use.
Thanks for the great recipes, I look forward to trying them!
And don’t forget that palm oil is used in many products on the shelf(such as Nutella), sometimes under the name canola oil. Palm oil is the number 1 used oil and is devastating the worlds rainforests and endangering many species such as the orangutan. Sad world we live in. We are ruining so much. Humans are the invasive species here.
Bryn, you are mistaken about canola oil. While palm oil is indeed harvested from palms in rain forests, canola oil is manufactured from rape seed
from wikipedia: Canola refers to both an edible oil (also known as Canola oil) produced from the seed of any of several varieties of the rape plant, and to those plants, namely a cultivar of either rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) or field mustard/turnip rape (Brassica rapa subsp. oleifera, syn. Brassica campestris L.). Consumption of the oil is not believed to cause harm in humans[1][dead link][2] and livestock,[3] and for use as biodiesel.
Canola was bred naturally from rapeseed at the University of Manitoba, Canada by Keith Downey and Baldur R. Stefansson in the early 1970s, and had a different nutritional profile in addition to much less erucic acid. In the international community Canola is generally referred to as Rapeseed 00 or Double Zero Rapeseed to denote both low glucosinolates and low erucic acid. In addition to varieties from the traditional Rapa dn Napus species, recent cross-breeding of multiples lines of Brassica juncea have enable this mustard variety to be classified as a canola variety by lowering both erucic acid and glucosinolates to the market standards, achieving LEAR status (for low erucic acid rapeseed). It may also be referred to as canola oil and is considered safe for human consumption.[4]
Hi, Lisa I learn fron my mom not to use any proces food so went I don’t know what to use I call her.. About 2 monts ago I needed bread crumbs and she recommend forget about bread crumb use Organic Yellow Corn Meal I have been using this and works great just fried at lower temperature, this is great also in muffins, chili, home made polenta, cornbread and much more I used Arrowhead Mills Organic Yellow Corn Meal, there is only 1 ingredient on it and is also gluten free, weat free, but please make sure it is organic because most corn use in other puducts is GMO.
Great article! The more I learn about how misleading most of products are the more I want to learn to protect myself. The FDA is directly controlled by BIG PHARMA- the Federal entity that is supposed to protect “the people” learn more here- http://goo.gl/klEkf7
Thanks for the Great Harvest whole wheat bread mention! I will be making my own taco seasoning soon:-)
Pacific brand Hemp milk was great, then we noticed a slight change, more ingredients and an increase in sugar, 16 gm sugar!! So much that they don’t put the percentage on the ingredients! This made me think…why do I buy “milk” alternatives? We get our nutrients from food because we eat real food, we take excellent supplements via practitioners advice. Rethinking “milk” at this home.
Been making this kind of stuff for a long time, Especially the oatmeal, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing, cannot even eat the stuff from the store. Also stay away from hamburger helper, I make my own mixes for those as well it is great to see people are still passing the word along that making food and seasonings like this from scratch and watching your labels can help prevent us from consuming unnecessary chemicals that should never had been put in food for us to consume. For Christmas I am getting the pasta maker for the kitchen aide, so maybe I can avoid buying my pasta all together. Wish me luck and happy cooking to all of you!!
Wow- That’s some serious misleading information. I’m switching pasta brands!! So glad that Washington State passed the GMO labeling law. Hoping this will point us in the right direction.
it didn’t pass
I iust wanted to say thank you for caring enough to take the time to investigate and explain all of this in a way we can all understand and for posting it. I believe that our society is far to dependent on processed food. I try very hard to read labels and be aware. I love the alternatives you give as well.
Maltodextrin, flour and sugar are most commonly used in all foods…its not misleading its just how its made….i also use cornsatrch to thicken my gravy
You should also avoid products that use palm oil not only is it not great for people, but the harvesting of palm oil is destroying the rainforests.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=harvesting-palm-oil-and-rainforests
I would think you could sweeten lemonade with organic stevia. That would be a healthy no calorie addition.
Wow, I use those taco seasoning quit a lot, never knew how unhealthy it was, making it your own sounds great, I’d give it a go thank you.
I just had a question about the Great Harvest Honey-Whole Wheat Bread…. Our local Great Harvest only has a loaf called Honey Wheat…Is this the same as the whole wheat? They don’t have a labeled ‘whole wheat’ loaf?
Hi Rylie. It is the same. :) ~Amy
When I make tacos at home, I just brown the meat and add some homemade (or restaurant-made when I am in a hurry) fresh salsa. The salsa already has the seasonings to add flavor to the tacos. Super easy and Yum!
Thanks for the taco seasoning mix (and all the product alternatives on here!)
I am really addicted to the McCormick Thick & Zesty Spaghetti Sauce Mix. The ingredients are listed as: Sugar, Tomato Powder, Modified Tapioca Starch, Salt, Onion, Modified Corn Starch, Spices (Including Basil, Paprika, Black Pepper), Garlic, Corn Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Beet Powder, Xanthan Gum, And Malic Acid.
If I was to start making this myself, what would you suggest besides the basil, parprika, pepper and garlic powder?
Hi Tricia. I might add oregano, sea salt, and onion powder? ~Amy
OK, 2 things I wanted to say. First, it’s making me crazy that a lot of people say hydrogenated oils are transfats. It’s not true. PARTIALLY hydrogenated oils are transfats. Hydrogenated oils are generally saturated fats – still not good. I did a college report on this last semester, and after reading it over and over I felt compelled to clear it up. Secondly, if you want to know what’s really causing that strawberry flavoring in all those “strawberry” items that don’t contain any strawberries at all, head on over to Foodbabe’s website,and search, “Do you eat beaver butt?” It’s a really cute, informative video – and you’ll never eat anything artificially flavored again…
Hi Maria, my understanding is that you are right in that partially hydrogenated oils contain trans fats and fully or completely hydrogenated oils do not, however the label “hydrogenated oil” is ambiguous and could go either way. I’ll update the section on Cool Whip to clarify. – Jason
Thank you for this list. While we were doing most of these “real food” alternatives I had not seen the Ranch dressing one. It will come in handy. Thanks again!
The Maltodextrin in taco seasoning is pretty bad (especially since it is a prime ingredient) but the silicone dioxide worries me even more! That’s the same crap in the “do not eat” packets you’ll find in with new shoes or a leather purse! I used to love the flavor of the store bought stuff but not any more. Wildtree makes a great taco seasoning that is just as flavorful and actually cheaper.
Hello I love your site and have learned soo much . I was hoping for some advice on how to feed a family of four on a budget of 200 $ a month . I lost my job (still got tons of interviews so things look up) and my husband works but after bills( rent, 2cars, dental bill payment, electricity, trash, and phone plan trust me in a snow bank you wish you had a phone and for 3 phone unlimited $150.00 ish is a good deal but plan on dropping a line) and money to get to and frm work and bus stop (to far for kids as little as ours to walk ) were left with little to no money and we sadly have no stock pile(food or cash) anymore . We lost out home and jobs for a bit and used all we had to keep somewhat afloat to pack up and head cross country to find better jobs and lives for our kids . Any advice is welcome as long as it has a real helpful plan . Criticism is fine but not if it comes with no resolution. I’m truly at my low point I want to garden but I don’t know where to start . I don’t want to feed my babies junk to survive . And all of you here seem to know the value of loveing your family enough to want the best . Thank you Blessings to all
Hi Chris. Have you read through all the 100 Days on a Budget posts: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/100-days-on-a-budget/? While I realize Lisa’s budget was different from yours, I think you will find it a worthwhile read. Be sure to check out reader comments that follow each post because they have a lot of experience to share as well. You might find that others are in similar situations. I think you will find this useful, too: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/09/30/real-food-tips-12-ways-to-keep-it-cheap/. Best of luck. ~Amy
To be quite honest, There’s really nothing pure we can eat anymore. Even if we were to grow our own things “naturally” there’s still things we have to buy to do that and it’s never natural. Anything “made with” all natural ingredients is never “made only with” all natural ingredients. Everything is so ridiculous that the only positive I can get out of it is by knowing that we’re all in the same boat.
Hi,
I’ve been following your recipes for just a few weeks. I loved your article about Kraft Dinner and even though I live in Canada, your food woes in the US are the same as ours over here in Canada.
I read about your Bread post and I have a dilemma. We don’t have a Great Harvest here and I cannot go to a local bakery because my child has a severe tree nut allergy. I tried using a bread maker but discovered (this is after going through 4 machines) that there were a variety of problems i.e. grease from the machine was found in our bread…gross! So back to store bought I went.
Any recommendations?
Hi Erin. You can always try baking bread the old fashioned way. Here is a recipe from Deliciously Organic: http://deliciouslyorganic.net/everyday-whole-wheat-bread/. I just made this loaf and it turned out really well. Good luck. ~Amy
Or get a starter going. My family did this when I was in high school and since you need to make bread frequently to keep everything going, we always had fresh bread in the house. We would change things up by making white bread one time (this was before white whole wheat flour was available), whole wheat the next, added some cooked oatmeal, made burger buns or dinner rolls, etc. to change it up.