Tag Archives: Kroger

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What does That Seal Mean?

Do you know what the USDA Organic seal REALLY means? Do you get confused as to what you should buy organic and if it is worth spending the extra money. I hope to make this as plain and simple as I can and help you understand what the organic seal really means. 2000px-USDA_organic_seal.svg

Okay, so you go to the store and you see a product that says it is organic. First off it has to have the USDA seal on it to be certified organic. Now, there are three different components to this.

  1. 100% Certified Organic – This means that EVERYTHING in that product is organic. You will not see the 100% Certified Organic very often. You will usually see just Certified Organic.
  2. Certified Organic – This means that at least 95% of the ingredients in a processed food is organic.
  3. Made with Organic ingredients – This does not contain the seal but can say “Contains organic ingredients” or “Made with organic ingredients” and either of these can be stated on the packaging. This means that 70% of the ingredients must be organic and those ingredients will be found in the ingredients list.

An added bonus to buying organic is that you are also buying nonGMO. In order for anything to be certified as organic is also cannot contain any genetically modified organisms. You can read more on GMOs by clicking HERE.

I know, it can get SO confusing. One thing I want you to remember is that just because a product is “Organic” DOES NOT mean it is good for us. There is “organic” crap out there just like there is non organic crap. Yes, there is organic sugar, but guess what? It is still sugar! There are organic cookies, but they are still cookies made with organic crap! Get the point?

What should you buy organic? This is where you will have to decide for yourself what is most beneficial for you and your family. I know most of us cannot afford to buy everything organic or have access to everything organic. For myself and my family I try to purchase organic foods that we eat the most. For instance, my son drinks cows milk everyday, therefore I have had him on organic milk since a baby. I eat spinach everyday, therefore I buy organic spinach. We all three eat an apple everyday, so I buy organic apples. A great way to purchase organic foods is to join a local CSA and to shop at your local farmers market. An added plus to this is you are supporting your local farmers. Be sure to ask if any pesticides or chemicals are used when buying local. Also it is great to stock on fruits and veggies when they are in season and then freeze or can them to have all year round.

You may be thinking, what is recommended that you should buy organic? Produce wise a good rule of thumb is if you eat the entire fruit or vegetable, try to purchase organic. Example, you don’t eat the peeling of a banana but you do an apple. The dirty dozen (plus two) and clean fifteen break it down:

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Now, meats, poultry and dairy. In order for livestock to be considered organic they must eat organic feed, have access to the outdoors and not be given antibiotics, hormones and any animal by products.  Let’s think about this, non organic livestock is shot up with steroids (so they can grow faster and bigger) to produce more, they are given antibiotics, fed GMO feed, etc. We then eat them. We eat what they eat. This also holds true for their milk supply. Everything they are given gets into their milk supply, so we end up drinking all that mess too. The same goes for poultry and eggs too. Hmmm…don’t you think meats, eggs and dairy should be purchased as organic?

When looking at what you should be purchasing organic I would encourage you to sit down and evaluate what you and your family eat the most of that you should try to purchase organic. I do want to make one thing clear. If you cannot afford organic that is OK! A non organic apple is much better than a bag of chips. I also encourage you to shop around and pay attention to prices when shopping. You may be very surprised! For instance, organic Kale at our local Kroger is $0.99 and non organic Kale is $0.99. Why would you NOT buy the organic? Organic apples at Trader Joes are $0.79 an apple which is cheaper than a non organic apple. You may have to do a little homework but in the long run it is very much worth it knowing you are feeding your temple and your families temples better.

Much Love,

Jennie B

 

References: helpguide.org and greener choices.org

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Oh Those Nuts (Nut Butters)

Oh How I Love those Nut Butters…

My closest friends and family can tell you that I LOVE peanut butter. We have a very close relationship. I think if I was told I could never have peanut or almond butter EVER again I might just loss it!

Peanut butter has a special place in my heart. Not only do I love it but I tend to help random people while in the nut butter isle. I tend to spark up conversations while in the nut butter section. It makes for the perfect time to educate people on what true peanut (nut) butter really is (or should be). Sometimes while I am talking to them I can tell they are really soaking it all in and other times, well not so much. I get a look like…really lady? (I can only imagine what is being said in their head), “You are gonna stand here and tell ME what I need to be buying? I am Jif’s #1 fan. I grew up on Jif and so in my house it is Jif all the way everyday.”

Well if you are not up on what peanut (nut) butter should be, read on. Oh, quick side note, nut butter is butter that is made from a nut. In case you are wondering.

When you are buying a nut butter you must turn it over and read the ingredient list. It should read the nut and salt, or just the nut. Example, for peanut butter the ingredients should be just peanuts or peanuts and salt. Most nut butters have all kinds of added crap. From hydrogenated oils to sugar. That is not a true nut butter. That is processed crap. If you are reading this and you have any kind of nut butter around go read that ingredients list. See what cha got.

It can be tricky. You go shopping and find one that says All Natural. You think, that is good! NOPE! Just because it says Natural or even Organic that does not mean it is good. You have to be proactive and read those labels.

Now, you may be thinking, how do they get away with this? The food industry that is. Well there are so many loop holes in the food industry it just crazy. I don’t even understand it. I just know they do get away with it and they trick us as consumers into thinking we are doing good. Why? Because they are in the marketing business not the health and wellness business. That is why you have to take the time (and it really is not that much extra time) to read those labels and find the better options. No one is going to do that for you.

Here are a couple of examples. Notice the Jif Natural says contains 90% peanuts. Really? So what is the other 10%? Look at those ingredients and then also the label. It should have zero grams of sugar. Peanuts do not have natural sugar in them. Notice the Kroger Natural. Much better don’t you think?

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It can get even more confusing. The Kroger Natural, it is a good one (and Kroger actually has an organic one that is even better for you due to it being organic) but they also have a Natural No Stir. You would think that would be okay. Right? Wrong! The no stirs have added crap in them that keeps the oil from separating and is why it is no stir. Here again, you must turn that nut butter over and read the ingredients. Plain and simple.

Much Love,

Jennie B

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My Argument with the Cashier at Kroger

Oh YES I did…Simple Truth

While checking out one day at Kroger I got into a little heated discussion with the cashier. While I know it is very hard to know about ALL products in the store. Heck…as soon as they bring something new in, they take something old out. It is constantly changing and I would never expect anyone to know EVERYTHING. I certainly get stumped ALL THE TIME. The nutrition industry is always changing yet one thing does remain the same. What the Lord provided us with is what we should eat. If it does not have a label on it…eat it! Anyways, sorry, I got a little side tracked. Back to the cashier…

As he was checking me out he made a comment on my Simple Truth items.                                                                           Saying, “All these Simple Truth products are so good!”                                                                                                               I replied, “Yes, the ORGANIC ones are great but it makes me mad the way they market the brand.”                               His reply, “Organic? It is ALL organic!” (which he said very matter of fact)                                                                             Me, “Ummm…NO…it is not!” (Which I said Very Matter Of Fact).                                                                                           Cashier, “YES IT IS!”                                                                                                                                                                         Me, (picture me scavenging through my groceries that the bagger is bagging to find one item that WAS organic and one that was NOT in the Simple Truth brand) “Do you see the difference in these two products? With the Simple Truth logo?”                                                                                                                                                                               Cashier, well they are both Simple Truth and all Simple Truth products are organic.” As he is saying this to me he is pointing to a display that is promoting the Simple Truth brand.                                                                                                 Me, “Then why does this one (as I am point to the one that does not say organic) not say ORGANIC? Why does this one not only say organic but has the USDA Organic stamp on it?” (Notice the stamp on the eggs in the lower right of the picture. One is USDA stamped and the other is 100% natural).  He could not answer me. I then preceded to tell him that if he goes on Kroger’s website they actually explain the Simple Truth brand.  I did not go into the whole spill that their are actually three variations of the Simply Truth brand.

-Natural

-101

-Organic

It gets better…

I then look at his name tag to call him by his name and notice he is a District Manager…YEAH! So I say, “Oh my gosh, I see you are a manager and I am teaching you about your companies brand.” Of course I tell him that this is part of what I teach people. I teach them about nutrition AND how the food industry tricks the consumer!

I do believe that the Simple Truth brand is good and probably a better choice over some others brands. I applaud them for offering us consumers better products at cheaper prices than some of their competitors. The point of my story is that he thought all their products were organic.

As we left my son was giggling, he is ten. He thought it was great that I just gave a District Manager a lesson on his products. The topic at the dinner table that night was how Mama set the cashier straight at Kroger earlier that day.

This my friends is just another reason why we must inform ourselves, and others, on our food. What the food industry is doing and getting away with is very disappointing. It truly makes my blood boil.

Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be You.

Much Love,

Jennie