Elizabeth in MN Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Living in the middle of nowhere I am out of the loop on what food evils lurk in my food. Right now I see people becoming aware of the evils of artificial flavors and colors. The last I was aware High Fructose Corn Syrup was the last bad-boy to be ousted. Maybe I heard some rumblings about Palm Oil? What are the top five to ten things you ban from your kitchen? Mine are - 1 Soy (allergic) 2 Artificial Flavors and Colors (bad reactions) 3 Limited milk (allergy) 4 Sugar (Mom is diabetic) 5 Limited Process Foods By and large out food budget is a bit more than we can deal with, but there is just no room to cut. For example - Mac and Cheese. My daughter loves it so we have to buy the Annie's version rather than the Kraft because of the AF&C issues (and maybe Soy - I can't remember exactly). The price difference can be between twenty-five cents to a whole dollar depending on where we can buy it. Home made is a bust with my DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 What are the top five to ten things you ban from your kitchen? Partially hydrogenated fats corn syrup (including HFCS) artificial coloring- except in medications artificial sweeteners- except in medications MSG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 This is an interesting question. My current top 5. 1. High Fructose Corn Syrup 2. Processed Food Products (Doritos, Rice a Roni, etc.) 3. Processed Soy 4. Hydrogenated Oil 5. I limit refined sugar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 (edited) We are newly adjusting to a life with no butter, no coconut oil and no palm oil. Rounding out the list would be partially hydrogenated oil and shortening. Edited February 5, 2012 by Acorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Wheat bread Splenda hummus yogurt herbal tea 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 decaff anything margarine milk chocolate highly processed and/or surgery snack foods my DH (unless he is cooking bacon! :tongue_smilie: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Aspertame, Splenda (fake sugars) HFCS Food Dyes Sodium Benzoate MSG -- any name that it's called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Wheat breadSplenda hummus yogurt herbal tea 8) :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Dh's cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Artificial sweeteners margarine corned beef hash in a can (childhood baggage, LOL) hazelnut coffee (I can't stand the smell of it brewing) And anyone who is in there NOT helping when I'm in there cooking or cleaning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Food colors (DS3 reacts) Fake butter Agave nectar (bad, bad headaches!) Things that don't taste good Snickers ice cream bars (I make sure to eat them before they get to the kitchen) ETA: HFCS is mostly banned, except for graham crackers. Too lazy to make them, and non-HFCS ones are expensive) Edited February 6, 2012 by BarbecueMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Dh's cooking. :D My mom feels this way about my dad! Hydrogenated oils Hydrolyzed anything Artificial Sweeteners Genetically modified produce HCFS Splenda Stevia - gives me terrible gut pain Gluten free for me - I'm not so reactive that the rest of the family cannot have wheat so it isn't banned from the kitchen, but it's on the naughty list of things to make sure it doesn't cross contaminate my food much. Soy - not totally against soy, just only small sparing amounts very occasionally and must be organic. Limited sugar intake Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Artificial sweetenersmargarine corned beef hash in a can (childhood baggage, LOL) hazelnut coffee (I can't stand the smell of it brewing) And anyone who is in there NOT helping when I'm in there cooking or cleaning I can still smell that stuff in a can. Still makes me want to hurl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Artificial sweeteners Margarine HFCS Sugar in things it does not need to be in - tomato sauce, canned fruit, stc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Here are my 5: 1) alcohol 2) coffee 3) tea 4) Spam 5) ocra The first three because I'm Mormon. The last two because...well...they just make me gag. There are other things I limit, but those are my top 5 banned items. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celia Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 wheat eggs dairy gluten Just four things here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Fake sugar Fake butter Most processed stuff Trans fat Usually no white bread/pasta (there are occasional exceptions) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto3innc Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 My top things are... 1) white sugar, flour 2) nitrates 3) HFCS 4) Dyes 5) Most processed stuff We also avoid soy and most dairy. Although if you saw what my husband brought home to eat during the superbowl....think he covered all of the top 5 with a vengeance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Formica. But it won't go away. Edited February 6, 2012 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 corned beef hash in a can (childhood baggage, LOL) I can still smell that stuff in a can. Still makes me want to hurl. I love that stuff. My husband said the same thing about having it a lot when he was a child. He blames it on one particular strike when his father worked for the power company. He is nice enough to grab a few more cans for me when I run out, but he never touches it himself. :001_smile: We have a few limitations for my husband. -No artificial sweeteners at all because they make him violently ill. -No dairy for him because it also makes him violently ill. I change our meals when he is home, but we eat cheese and milk products when he is working. I don't worry much about corn syrup or dyes or MSG or things like that. I cook enough from scratch that I don't worry about that stuff sliding by. -I do try to limit unfermented soy as much as possible. A friend in college was surprised that I like edamame and told me that she only ever ate fermented soy products. I don't know if it was cultural or a family thing. It stuck with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Trans fats Corn syrup MSG Splenda Probably more, but we've avoided them for so long I've forgotten that they exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 1. Canned fish or meat 2. MSG 3. HFCS 4. Fake butter 5. Fake sugar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Fake Butters I forgot. They aren't totally banned because for some unknown reason my Mom likes them. Fake sugars also give me migraines! I hate it when I get a soda, take a sip and find it's a diet. NOT THE SAME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Formica. But it won't go away. :lol::lol::lol: ...I don't worry much about corn syrup or dyes or MSG or things like that. I cook enough from scratch that I don't worry about that stuff sliding by... This is me too. I try to cook mostly with "real" ingredients and serve a fairly wide variety of foods, and then go about the business of living happily. No matter what I eat or don't eat, the fact is I will die someday of something, and paranoia in the kitchen is not going to change that fact. It might shift what I die of, or exactly when it happens a little one way or another, but with the ever-shifting nature of dietary science it's hard to sift out the real information from the hype, and yesterday's dietary villains are as likely to be next week's superheroes as not. So I stick with the basics and get on with life. Edited February 6, 2012 by MamaSheep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*lifeoftheparty* Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 There are some things I would like to stay away from, but I'll get them every now and then. This is the list of things that are absolutely, positively, NOT ALLOWED in my kitchen. If someone gives these things, or something containing them, to me.... I will throw them away. 1. Hydrogenated Oils 2. High Fructose Corn Syrup 3. Non-Grass Fed Beef 4. Non-Organic Milk 5. BHA/BHT Everything else can sometimes slip by.... and that's OK. But I cannot allow the above 5 in my house, in my families bodies, with a clear conscience b/c I know how bad they are. I try to keep the rest out... but I don't, well, I TRY, not to stress out if they make it in every now and then. I can't bring myself to buy conventional meat (Beef/Pork) from a "regular" grocery store. *Barf* I have tried.... I stood at the meat counter at Target for a good 45 minutes trying to talk myself into buying their meat, but I couldn't do it. I don't like to eat meat at other peoples' houses either, if there is a possibility that it's conventional. YUCK. If the meat isn't from Whole Foods, or MOMS Organic Market, or straight from a trusted farmer/rancher. NO THANKS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I'm on a tree hugging kick, so: plastic extraneous packaging chemical cleaning supplies styrofoam (meat trays, egg cartons) single-use paper products Food-wise: processed foods...that's fairly inclusive, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sukale Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 fake butter fake sugar and I am trying to get rid of anything plastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeganCupcake Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Formica. But it won't go away. I'm having the same problem with vinyl flooring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 For a long time, we try to avoid buying products with any hydrogenated vegetable oils. I am working on eliminating all sources of corn syrup, which means that I have been learning to make even more of my own stuff. Tonight I made homemade spaghetti sauce for the third time. A couple of weeks ago I got some advice on the forum about how to cleanse my life of cream of bleck soups. The next project is making homemade ranch dressing. I also try to avoid products made with dried milk. So really, other than buying canned tomatoes, canned tuna and salmon, canned black beans (because they are so hard to cook) and boxes of cereal, our food is homemade. OH, for pete's sake, I forgot the condiments that I buy. But I am learning--just give me a few more weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 tomatoes-carrots-blueberries--I am ALLERGIC---don't like mayo but the guys have a jar in the fridge---don't like food colorings- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 GMO Foods (grains, soy, corn, produce) Hydrogenated oils in anything Vegetable oils (corn, soybean, etc.) Artificial Sweeteners High Fructose Corn Syrup Commercial breads, buns, rolls, etc. Non-organic dairy MSG BHT/BHA BPA plastics, cans, etc. Soy in anything Fish and shellfish, along with things like Worcestershire sauce, Asian sauces, Caesar dressing, etc. due to DS's allergy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristineW Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 No artificial food coloring (DS6 reacts) No artificial flavors (see above) No soy (DD2 is allergic) DH has diet coke but no other artificial sweeteners (migraines for me including stevia (boo)) No ginger (DD2 and DD5 break out in hives) We were peanut free (just a pain b/c I can't send it in to preschool, but DD2 loves the stuff). Thankfully, DD2 also seems to be over her dairy intolerance because the rest of us can't get enough cheese. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Formica. But it won't go away. :grouphug: I share your pain LL :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Children & Men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 HFCS Trans Fat Margarine/Crisco/Lard Nitrates/Nitrites(My oldest dd gets very ill from this) MSG Alcohol Things with unnecessary added sugar(i.e. Peanut Butter, Jam, Canned fruit etc.) I only buy Adams Peanut butter, canned fruit in juice, and applesauce without sugar. I try to avoid white foods also, so I buy brown rice only, and whole grain or whole wheat everything else. I try to limit pre-packaged food but we do eat some. Mostly stuff my dh buys. I'm sure there is more but that's all I can think of right now.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Wow, I feel like such a slacker. :eek: I don't "forbid" anything in my kitchen, unless we simply don't like the way it tastes (like margarine :ack2: -- we're butter people here!) We don't eat things like frozen dinners, but again, it's a taste thing and not an "evil ingredients" thing. We have friends who are very restrictive about what they'll eat, and everything has to be organic, with no preservatives, and the list goes on and on. I admire them for their dedication to a healthy diet, but I'm more of an "everything in moderation" person. And yes, I am eating chips and drinking a Coke while I type this. But not the jumbo-sized bag or anything... I am a bad, bad person. But thanks to my snacks, I'm not hungry or thirsty right now, so I consider that to be a good thing. ;) Edited February 6, 2012 by Catwoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Pork Poultry Red meat Artificial sweeteners Soda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 1. Artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives ... many here react negatively. 2. Gluten ... many here react. 3. Dairy ... same. ;) 4. MSG ... gives dh migraines. 5. HFCS ... it's just evil. :lol: I also really limit our soy intake. Other than the HFCS, which my boys only have in the occasional 7-Up at my mom's house (like tonight), the above items are non-negotiable; the reactions in various members are such that it's just not worth it (though we can do stuff that has been processed in facilities). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Wow, I feel like such a slacker. :eek: I don't "forbid" anything in my kitchen, unless we simply don't like the way it tastes (like margarine :ack2: -- we're butter people here!) We don't eat things like frozen dinners, but again, it's a taste thing and not an "evil ingredients" thing. We have friends who are very restrictive about what they'll eat, and everything has to be organic, with no preservatives, and the list goes on and on. I admire them for their dedication to a healthy diet, but I'm more of an "everything in moderation" person. And yes, I am eating chips and drinking a Coke while I type this. But not the jumbo-sized bag or anything... I am a bad, bad person. But thanks to my snacks, I'm not hungry or thirsty right now, so I consider that to be a good thing. ;) :iagree:I don't ban anything. We don't eat much junk but last night for the superbowl that's almost all we had :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Peach Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Wow, I feel like such a slacker. :eek: I don't "forbid" anything in my kitchen, unless we simply don't like the way it tastes (like margarine :ack2: -- we're butter people here!) We don't eat things like frozen dinners, but again, it's a taste thing and not an "evil ingredients" thing. We have friends who are very restrictive about what they'll eat, and everything has to be organic, with no preservatives, and the list goes on and on. I admire them for their dedication to a healthy diet, but I'm more of an "everything in moderation" person. And yes, I am eating chips and drinking a Coke while I type this. But not the jumbo-sized bag or anything... I am a bad, bad person. But thanks to my snacks, I'm not hungry or thirsty right now, so I consider that to be a good thing. ;) Phew! I was beginning to think my kitchen was the seventh circle of h3ll! :D We, too, use real butter. We also use real sugar. I stopped drinking Diet Pepsi and switched to regular. :001_smile: We practice moderation around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) For a long time, we try to avoid buying products with any hydrogenated vegetable oils. I am working on eliminating all sources of corn syrup, which means that I have been learning to make even more of my own stuff. Tonight I made homemade spaghetti sauce for the third time. A couple of weeks ago I got some advice on the forum about how to cleanse my life of cream of bleck soups. The next project is making homemade ranch dressing. I also try to avoid products made with dried milk. So really, other than buying canned tomatoes, canned tuna and salmon, canned black beans (because they are so hard to cook) and boxes of cereal, our food is homemade. OH, for pete's sake, I forgot the condiments that I buy. But I am learning--just give me a few more weeks. If you are making homemade ranch dressing, you can cook up and freeze a pot of black beans from dried. ;) Rinse the beans Put them in a pot and cover with an inch or two of water Cook until tender Cool, drain and bag for the freezer. You can add salt - you'll want more than you think to get them to taste good, and some onion and bell pepper. Edited February 6, 2012 by Parrothead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 veal gizzards black beans - I *hate* the way they taste imitation vanilla grocery store dog food Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Phew! I was beginning to think my kitchen was the seventh circle of h3ll! :D We, too, use real butter. We also use real sugar. I stopped drinking Diet Pepsi and switched to regular. :001_smile: We practice moderation around here. Well, we're not perfect by any stretch. And I do allow SOME HFCS, but I avoid it when I can. I took a college Nutrition couse last year, and learned about HFCS and how it's metabolized; that kinda ruined it for me, LOL. In that regard, I wanted to mention that your regular Pepsi is sweetened with HFCS, not 'real' sugar. Which, IMO, is just as bad as any other 'fake' sweetener. Unless you're drinking the Throwback Pepsi; that has sugar instead of HFCS. Not judging, just informing. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) My kitchen is a scary place for the uninitiated. There is NO: Soy (allergies) Shellfish (allergies) Cinnamon (allergies) HFCS (started with my corn allergy and spread to the rest of the family) MSG in any of its strangely labeled forms --wait I'm stopping at 5, right? You also won't find a single marshmallow in my house. The cornstarch on them gets in the air too easily. I'll go on. GMO foods BHT Wheat bread lunch meat treated with bacteriophages (yummy) Milk from cows given hormones chicken with added chicken flavor tuna with broth added to it (read the label) artificial sweeteners anything with "spices" or "natural flavors" pork that wasn't humanely raised fish that wasn't wild caught in the ocean (local rivers test high for mercury) I could continue but I have to go cook breakfast and make lunches. Edited February 6, 2012 by Karen in CO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Element Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 MSG in any of its strangely labeled forms WOW- I did not know that! Thank you for the informative link, Karen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 We're pretty laid back, and break our own rules sometimes, but as a general rule we try to avoid: Trans-fats pre-packaged bakery type snacks (i.e. Twinkies and such) white flour (we occasionally use it, but hardly ever) fake butter things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classical Country Mama Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 We are TOTALLY a fake family. Sugar-free creamers, fat-free salad dressings, Diet Coke (just for me), skim milk, store-bought breads and lunchmeats, whatever the cheapest tub of yellow spreadable pretend butter is, etc. I would LOVE to do natural things, mostly because it sounds like the kind of person I want to be. How do you do that?! We're already so fat (I just lost a bunch of weight but still have 20lbs to go); the idea of using sugar and fat terrifies me. Otherwise, off-limits in my kitchen are: 1. Pepsi products Actually, I think that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I hardly buy anything without reading labels. As more and more labels have more and more mystery chemical names and vauge 'natural seasonings', I make more and more from scratch at home. 1. MSG is the biggest here that I have to actively watch for in order to prevent its entrance. That stuff makes me sicker than sick. Add to that any thing hydrolized and well, that eliminates much more. However, dh likes his ramen nodles occassionally so those are bought occassionally. I just don't eat them. MSG in foods also means I am very careful about here I eat. My kids love Chik-Fil-A but nearly everything there except fries and drinks have MSG. 2.Because ds and I have dairy allergies, dairy products outside of cheese are rare. I can tolerate some cheeses. Dh will buy (or ask me to buy) his own milk sometimes. 3. I try to watch for anything artificially sweetened as aspertame will make me sick as well. However I will occassionally make koolaid for the kids as a rare treat. 4. HCFS is another. I hate finding it in crazy things - like tomato sauce. 5. Salt. I try to buy as much as possible that is low salt or no salt added. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) 1. My MIL :D 2. Veal (I don't like the way the animals are treated before death) 3. Lamb because I think it tastes and smells gross 4. Fake sugar and margarine That's about it. We fortunately have no food allergies/sensitivities here. We try to eat organic when we can, and are part of a local farm share that although not certified organic, practices sustainable agriculture. Edited February 6, 2012 by jujsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 In general, I try to avoid: hydrogenated oils high fructose corn syrup soy artificial colors/flavors juice/soda artificial sweeteners None of us consume those things regularly, except for DH, who insists upon splenda in his homemade iced tea. He hates the aftertaste of stevia (though I like stevia just fine and use it myself and will occasionally make hot drinks for the kids that have stevia, whereas I don't want them consuming splenda or aspartame at all, ever), and splenda is the lesser of the evils (over aspartame). I also don't worry too much about the occasional consumption of any of it. We don't eat large amounts of soy, but if I need an ingredient for occasional use that has some, eh, not the end of the world. If it's an ingredient we use frequently, or that is reasonable to pay a bit more for the non-HFCS version (like for ketchup, for instance), I'll buy the better one, but otoh, the pickles we bought for the burgers probably have artificial colors in them, and it's not the end of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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