Foods, Real Foods

I started paying attention to food labels back in my twenties. At first, I was just trying to cut out sugar (anything ending in “-ose”) and Red #40 from my son’s diet. This was well before it became a common thing to do. Back then, asking questions about what was in your food often earned you some strange looks. But something didn’t sit right with me, and thankfully, it was actually easier to avoid toxic ingredients then. Fewer processed options, fewer marketing distractions. And yes, for those wondering, the change made a real impact.

Every new school year, the usual forms would come home asking about allergies or special dietary needs. I always returned mine with a simple request: “Please don’t feed him anything that I didn’t send.” I packed everything he ate, from daily snacks to birthday cakes. But the school always pushed back. They wanted a physician to sign off on this so-called special diet. So I brought my handwritten food log, a real notebook filled with daily entries about what my son ate and how he responded, to our DO.

She would glance through it, nod, and say, “I wish more parents would do this.” Armed with her signature, I returned the paperwork to the school. Even then, they acted like I was doing something extreme, like I was depriving him. But with a doctor’s note, their hands were tied. And to be clear, he never missed out. If there was a celebration, I supplied cake. Homemade. I made cookies, candies, and more, all from scratch. No shortcuts. No chemicals. That alone could fill a book.

Years later, not much has changed. I still read labels when I shop. And to be honest, most of what I pick up goes right back on the shelf as soon as I spot something like toxic oils, hydrogenated anything, synthetic sweeteners, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, or colors. At this point, I don’t even call them ingredients anymore. To me, they’re chemicals.

There are whole aisles in the grocery store that I just skip. Condiments are a lost cause. Salad dressing? No. Store-bought mayo? Definitely not. Most of it smells like it’s gone rancid, and for good reason. The oils used are unstable and low quality. BBQ sauce? Packed with sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. I make all of these at home with real food. Ingredients I can recognize and pronounce. Sometimes I add in lacto-fermented components to boost nutrition and shelf life. Though nothing really lasts long in my fridge. I do consume fats, just ones that my body recognize, things like real butter, olive oil, animal fats and the such.

This isn’t a fad for me. It’s just how I live. If you ask the people around me, they’ll tell you I’m hard core about it. If I’m at someone’s house and they offer me food or drinks, I usually decline. Politely, but quickly. Even when it’s something they think is a better option. That’s when the game begins. They start rifling through their kitchen, hoping to find something I’ll approve of. I always appreciate the effort, but it’s sad how many of those “healthy” products are still full of questionable ingredients. Labels like “natural,” “sugar-free,” and “fat-free” are just marketing. Most people don’t realize how misleading those claims are.

One example that sticks with me is Wheat Thins. Their box practically shouts health benefits. “Whole grain,” “no artificial flavors or colors.” One day, I was shopping in the store and broke my usual rule. I bought a box to munch on during the drive home without first reading the label. As I was eating, I noticed they tasted oddly sweet. I figured maybe I was just sensitive because I don't eat sugar. But when I flipped the box over, here’s what I saw:

WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR, CANOLA OIL, SUGAR, CORNSTARCH, MALT SYRUP (FROM CORN AND BARLEY), SALT, REFINER’S SYRUP, LEAVENING (CALCIUM PHOSPHATE AND BAKING SODA), BHT ADDED TO PACKAGING MATERIAL TO PRESERVE FRESHNESS.

From my perspective:

• Canola oil is toxic.

• Sugar, malt syrup, and refiner’s syrup are all added sugars.

• BHT is a toxic synthetic preservative I want no part of.

I threw the box away. I hated wasting the money, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat another bite. It’s disappointing. And the saddest part is knowing how many parents buy these thinking they’re doing something good.

I have some hope that the MAHA movement will push the food industry toward more transparency. But even if it does, it won’t solve everything. That’s why we can’t stop reading labels. We have to stay alert. Companies will always look for cheap ingredients that maximize profit (nothing wrong with profit as long as it isn't harming anyone). And many of them intentionally add substances that mess with your brain chemistry and appetite. The goal is to keep you coming back for more. If that sounds a little like addiction, it’s because it is.

Last weekend, I did my usual grocery shopping. I stuck to the outer perimeter of the store, where the real food is. I picked up fresh produce, eggs, milk, half and half (more on that in a second), and meats like chicken and pork. I also grabbed a bag of corn chips, but only after carefully scanning the options and picking the cleanest one. And no, I don’t snack on them randomly. They’re part of an actual meal.

Let’s talk about cream. I love using it in recipes and coffee. But I’ve noticed that most heavy creams, even the pricey organic ones, come with gums and stabilizers. Why? Cream should be just that: cream. That’s it. Ironically, I’ve found that plain half and half, which is just milk and cream, usually doesn’t have any of those additives. I have no idea why that’s the case, but it is. If I could find raw heavy cream straight from a local farm, I’d be thrilled. Until then, I’ll stick with half and half.

This is how I live. Every day. It’s not about being extreme. It’s about being intentional. What’s really extreme is how normal it has become to fill our bodies with synthetic chemicals and call it food.

So now I’ll ask you. Have you made changes to your diet? What have you swapped out? What differences have you noticed? Let’s start sharing and celebrating real food again. It’s time.

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Wretha,

Thanks for visiting!