February's Green Challenge: They're Making it Out of People!

This or That?

CFLs or LEDs?

February's Green Challenge: They're Making it Out of People!

by Kelly Leahy (Subscribe to Kelly Leahy's posts)
Feb 9th 2009 @ 2:32PM

Filed under: Food, Health

Join the Green Challenge every month and make one small change to help the environment. Keep us posted on your progress throughout the month and keep an eye out for spectacular giveaways.

I did a big grocery shopping run over the weekend. I hate to admit that something as simple as shopping for groceries has gotten out of hand for me. I now shop two stores. I choose Whole Foods for various specialty items in addition to dairy, organic produce and chocolate croissants (doesn't everyone?!). I save the big stores for everything else. That's where I found myself on Sunday.

This trip took me little longer than usual because I was reading so many labels as I was on the lookout for corn syrup, especially high fructose corn syrup. I did pretty well in the produce department as well as the international foods division and the dry goods. Everywhere else was a chore.

I must have picked up eight different brands of hot dog rolls and NOT ONE was made without high fructose corn syrup. It wasn't until I got home that I realized the hot dogs themselves had "less than 2%" of high fructose corn syrup in them. It was during the ensuing rant to my husband that he started doing his best Charlton Heston Soyelent Green impersonation. Dressings, sauces, yogurts (which I normally buy organic anyway) are full of the stuff.

When I was out with the kids the other day and desperate for a distraction, I found a vending machine and was so excited to see fruit snacks amongst the candy bars that I fell for the "all natural ingredients" claim on the front of the package. Upon turning it over after my purchase guess what I found ... corn syrup! I should have chosen the organic raisins.

How are you doing this month? Any surprises?

Comments [10]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-09-2009 @ 4:36PM

Rottiepaws said...

I had already been doing this since late last year. There isn't a single product in my apartment with HFCS. I now shop at Whole Foods almost exclusively (though I have always shopped at multiple grocery stores). I was surprised to see that Snapple's flavored teas are now available without corn. When I suddenly and dramatically changed my diet to no corn syrup products, grass fed milk and beef, that was one of the products I had given up. My favorite soda had been IBC root beer, but no more. Bull's eye changed their formula sometime last year, so I continue to use that.

I want to get one of those hair tests to see how much corn is now in my diet. Probably, virtually none.

2-09-2009 @ 5:06PM

kelly.leahy said...

I'm not sure that I could give up the occasional Barq's. I should try Sugar Jones though I really only buy soda when I'm at an event of some sort.

2-09-2009 @ 4:56PM

Baron said...

Technically, corn syrup and HFCS (though I'm not 100% sure of the differences and to tired to check at the moment) are 100% "natural", but that all depends on your POV. It is sorta like a vegetarian that eats fish (or chicken for that matter), to them, they are still a vegetarian, but to others, they might not be (sorta).

Anyway, I digressed there a bit as I was going to say that it would speed up your shopping process to check out our list online first. It can be a pain, though some sites/stores make it easier (I even heard of one that would let you print our your list from their website and more or less route you through the store in order to pick up everything in the most efficient manner).

On a side note, these are great dogs: http://www.hebrewnational.com/pages/products/franks/beef_franks.jsp w/o HFCS too!

2-09-2009 @ 5:12PM

kelly.leahy said...

Baron, I'll grant that corn syrup can be made "naturally." Claims about HFCS are just wrong.

I knew I should have picked up the Hebrew Nationals.

I'm confused about the list you mentioned in your comment -- do you have a URL?

Finally, don't get me started on people who eat fish and chicken and call themselves vegetarians :)

2-09-2009 @ 11:00PM

Baron said...

Kelly, this is as close as I could find: http://www.publix.com/MyGroceryList.do

I get a number of trade newsletters and one of them talked about a grocery store that was working on a list application (like the one above), but it went a step further... After you filled out your list, it would give you the most efficient layout of the store to get everything. i.e. your list: milk, eggs, cereal, chips, candy (all specific brands and such of course) comes out to:
1) Milk - row 1, section b, shelf 1
2) Eggs - row 1, section c, shelf 2
3) Chips - row 5, section a, shelf 5
4) Cereal - row 10, section a, shelf 4
etc.
I really don't know what store it was or how far off the ground the whole project got as I generally delete the newsletters after a few weeks.

The beauty of the list was that you had exactly what you wanted, knew where it was, and could make one sweep of the store then check out.

2-10-2009 @ 9:37AM

kelly.leahy said...

Thanks Baron. I've seen a similar generic program but you have to fill it in once yourself to suit your store. Wouldn't it be nice if you could do an online product search for items that do not contain allergens, animal products or HFCS?

2-09-2009 @ 6:14PM

Rottiepaws said...

I'm not sure why I can't reply directly to Kelly's post, but here it is.

I could easily pass up drink a Barq's ever again happily. But I haven't ever really liked anything from coca-cola. My favorite beverage company was Pepsi when I would buy HFCS products. I wish Pepsi reformulate.

Right now I am drinking (when not typing) Steaz organic sparkling green tea cola. It may sound unconventional, but it's actually really good.

http://www.steaz.com/ (the website sure is annoying though)

my new favorite root beer (though expensive) is:

http://www.maineroot.com/

I was going to buy some Publix brand white bread a few days ago to save money, I couldn't put it in the basket without reading the ingredients (something a few months ago I never bothered with). Of course it contains HFCS, I couldn't let myself buy it.

2-10-2009 @ 9:40AM

kelly.leahy said...

Corn syrup in bread is ridiculous. I think that there was one brand at the grocery store that didn't have it. I usually just go for Whole Foods'. It goes stale quickly because of the lack of preservatives but I know it's better for my family.

2-09-2009 @ 10:13PM

Brettney said...

Thank God since I've been pregnant I've been more stringent on my diet and cut out HFCS entirely. I also have several natural food stores (one being a co-op for the best local produce) so I rarely ever touch the whole foods and stay away from the large generic grocery store chains. If you're craving a good rootbeer soda and are not a strict vegan try the Dr. Tima brand sweetened with honey http://www.drtima.com/Full%20Site%20Coming%20Soon! they seem to stay locally in CA but I'm sure you could contact your local Whole Foods to put in a special order for you. Trader Joe's (if you can find one in your area) is a great alternative to the supermarkets and saves a bundle on brands like Amy's Pizzas and others that you generally see in whole foods.

2-10-2009 @ 9:46AM

kelly.leahy said...

Although I live in a city we are so far behind when it comes to food stores. We have no coops and no Trader Joes. We do have a weekly farmer's market but that's about it.

I don't usually buy soda for home consumption. I wish that there was a common soft drink that bucked the HFCS trend when going to the movies or a game or whatnot.

Green Daily Video

Green Daily Series

Tip of the Day

Resist the stacks of napkins given from fast-food joints and eateries.

Learn More

Featured Galleries

Greenland - On the Edge of Global Warming

10 things you didn't know you could compost

Puma/Atmos Endangered Species Collection

Green Daily bloggers (30 days)

#	Blogger	Posts
1	Josh Loposer	21
2	Cat Lincoln	19
3	Angela Higbee	6
4	Serena Bartlett	3

Featured Galleries

Sites We Love

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Go On, Give Yer Mum Some Bloody Flowers Europe May Give New Parents More Time With Their Tots Immunizing Children May Help the Whole Community, Study Shows	Wii Tried It: Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 Lose That Slouch! Fit Clips: Gym Bloopers
Women in the World Summit Brings Together Diane von Furstenberg, Hillary Clinton, The Daily Beast's Tina Brown, Queen Rania and More Saks Fifth Avenue Introduces Special Delivery: The Hottest Designer Shoes for Spring 'Dirty Denim': Premium Jeans Designers Including J Brand and Chip & Pepper Come Clean	Swedish Punsch - LeNell It All 5 Questions for Cesare Casella Win a Year's Worth of Potato Chips!
David Schwimmer Is Engaged! Kendra Wilkinson: This Season of 'Kendra' Is More Real Than Ever Jude Law Upstaged By Al Pacino on 'SNL'	Rare Black Penguin, Hens Hatching Hounds and More Local Lowdown - Celebrating St. Patrick's Day With Your Dog Moderncat's Modern Finds: Great Scratchers from $10 - $500

Green Daily is a member of the Weblogs, Inc. Network. Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Notify AOL

This or That?