I got to do one of my favorite things on the Charlotte Today show this morning…debunk deceiving food labels! We went through 6 different examples of packaged foods, and I shared better (and realistic) alternatives for each. I used to buy every single one of these processed items before my real food wake up call back in 2010. Which ones have you fallen for?
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Here are some details for the alternatives I mention in the video.
Real Food Alternatives:
- Pasta: Look for 100% whole grain pasta that only has 1 ingredient (whole durum wheat) listed on the package.
– - Breadcrumbs: Make your own (by crumbling bread in a food processor and baking it at 300 degrees F for 20 to 22 min) or buy Ian’s brand that has only 4 whole ingredients.
_ - Honey Mustard: Make this at home by mixing together equal parts honey and mustard.
– - Popcorn: Add 1/4 or 1/3 cup kernels to brown paper lunch bag, fold it over 2 or 3 times, and microwave it until the popping slows down to 1 to 2 seconds between pops (it takes 3 minutes 15 seconds to fully cook at my house).
– - Lemonade: Even if you make it at home from scratch it’s still full of sugar! So try water with a slice of lemon or a splash of juice instead.
– - Taco Seasoning: Make it at home by mixing together 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, oregano, and salt.
Lemon Roasted Chicken and Cauliflower
Although I noticed that this is a few years old, I still have to say how much I appreciated this. I’ve seen clips like this before, with the idea of which foods to avoid, but yours was so much more helpful and informative. Good tips and well explained, while keeping it simple. Thank you!
I love my air pop popcorn machine. So simple and no paper bag required.
Have you found anything showing that it’s safe to microwave or cook with a brown paper bag? This article references the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service ( http://www.fsis.usda.gov) and says to never use brown paper bags in the microwave. http://archive.freep.com/article/20121025/COL37/310250077/Susan-M-Selasky-Don-t-pop-corn-in-a-brown-paper-bag
I LOVE when you do these kind of videos this is so hard sometimes to figure out and these are very very helpful. Thank you very much!
I usually like to do my own spice and seasoning blends, but taco seasoning is one we use a lot and is good to have made up ahead of time. I like Penzey’s (www.penzeys.com) because they don’t use any junk. And it’s delicious!
We have been doing the popcorn trick for a few weeks here and I am so thankful for it. So easy and you are right, NONE of the added crap that the microwavable popcorn has AND it ends up being cheaper in the end. Love it!
Your taco recipe is lacking two essential ingredients: garlic and smoked paprika.
I make my lemonade with honey from my step-dad’s bees. My kids love it and it’s much healthier than processed sugar!
These are great tips, thanks for sharing! When looking at labels, I am always of the mindset that if I can’t pronounce an ingredient, I probably don’t want it in my body. Many people think it’s difficult or intimidating to start eating better, but often it’s simple and easy to make wholesome alternatives to processed items.
Great video, thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try the popcorn in a brown bag alternative. Such a minor change for a healthier option, thanks!
Thank you. I used Old El Paso taco/fajitas spice mixes (and Maggi So Juicy too, I’m in the UK don’t know if you have those in the US) and I just found home made replacements for all after seeing your video. No more expensive, unhealthy mixes for us! Many many thanks!
Oh my goodness, I had never ever thought to make my own microwave popcorn! I usually use an air popper or stovetop with oil, but sometimes we get the nasty bad for you stuff when we want something easy and mess-free. Mind blown. :)
I was going to point out that none of the foods (except the glass of water) were actually real foods at all, but processed grain food-like substances instead, when I realized that at least these ideas might move someone partway towards real food.
Real foods are easy to find, they are in your produce and meat departments, and nowhere else in the store.
What a great video. So glad you are getting this message out there!
Awesome video!!! This helps a lot on moving my whole family to a whole food lifestyle.
Oh! So I’m assuming the yellow mustard us good too use?
Hi Melissa. As long as you find one that has a short ingredient list without additives and preservatives. Here is Eden Organic’s list: Organic whole, yellow mustard seed Brassica alba with mild heat and mellow sweetness is hammer milled and mixed with organic raw apple cider vinegar, organic turmeric, organic paprika, organic garlic, and a bit of our finest Portuguese sea salt. ~Amy
Great information! I was actually just thinking about the terrible ingredients in taco seasoning and how I could mix it myself, so this was beautiful timing for me! Thank you for doing what you do!!!
Thanks so much for sharing. I LOVE all the information you provide and have learned so much. Keep ’em coming!
Thanks! Enjoyed the video… I will be removing a couple of items from my pantry!
Great job! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!