Mom Goes Green

About a year ago I ran a post about PLUs.  These are the numbers listed on the little stickers of the produce we purchase.  Did you remember that PLUs (“Product {or Price} Look-Up” labels) actually mean something?… they aren’t just random numbers.

I have them in long-term memory but I was reminded about them during my recent grocery store trip when I realized (while standing in line, of course!) that I had forgotten to purchase tomatoes.  I asked my 10-year old to run back to the produce section and bring back three tomatoes.  I did, however, forget to be specific… ugh-oh.  Well, lo and behold, she returned with three lovely tomatoes and said “Don’t worry… they’re 9 Mom!”  Yes, she remembered!

So, it’s a good time for a reminder:  the important number is actually the first digit and they can tell you a whole lot about the produce you purchase.  It tells you exactly how it was grown.

Here are the digits you need to remember (with an update from my past post) :

• 3 or 4 – indicates conventionally grown produce (grown with pesticides, herbicides & fertilizers)

• 8 – originally I had indicated that this identifies genetically-modified (GMO) or genetically-engineered (GE) produce but more evidence is showing that this may not be so and there is no true designation for GMO.

• 9 – indicates that the produce is ORGANIC

The next time you pick up a piece of produce: (1) look at the first digit of the PLU label, (2) remember these numbers, (3) know what you’re buying and then (4) rest assured that they’ll tell you more about the food you’re buying for (and serving to) your family.  And, even when you don’t expect it, your kids may catch on too!

No kidding.  Mom Goes Green went to the ER.

Long story short… it started with an “Ugh-oh… what is happening to my vision?… Ugh-oh… wow, now speaking is becoming an issue” kinda-thing.  (No, I wasn’t drinking too many cocktails, it was actually some crazy migraine thing that created quite a frightening set of side effects … but ANYHOW…. I need to tell my amusing part of the story!!!…)

During the “50-question-how-did-you-get-here” portion of the evening I was asked the typical questions that delve into your lifestyle: Drinking? (socially) Smoking? (not any more) Drug abuse… prescription or recreational… ?!?!  Well, you would have thought they asked me if I was willing to eat my young(!) because my response was, well, a bit over the top!

It sounded a little bit like this?:

“Drugs?  God NO! Are you kidding me?  I eat all organic food. I won’t even eat FOODS that do drugs! Disgusting.  Really.  I’m all organic, no steroids, no growth hormones and all that junk.  Do you have any idea how bad it is for you??? So drugs, for me?  Yea, no… not even in my FOOD, my man!” (His blank look was priceless.)

It’s kind of funny how my love for organics came bursting through, even in the most bizarre moment.  I guess I am, and will always be, Mom Goes Green… the funny thing is, that dialogue probably made me sounds like I WAS on drugs, didn’t it?

Oh well… I am Mom Goes Green… at home, in the market, on the go and I guess… in the ER too!

It feels as if it’s been somewhere close to… oh, I don’t know… “forever”(?!) since I’ve been able to buy fresh, local produce.  I’ve paid ridiculous amounts of money for fruits and vegetables over the winter months because, in my opinion, it’s always worth it.

It will be a few months yet (for many of us) before it’s high time to enjoy our fabulous, local harvest.  But whether you’re shopping your local farmers market or buying the usual organics from your grocery store, you want to make sure you get the “most” out of everything you buy.

Sadly, the nutritional content of today’s conventionally-grown produce is believed to be dramatically decreased from 30 years ago. The vitamins, minerals and proteins are dwindling (due, in part, to the use of synthetic fertilizers that make them grow faster and inhibit the absorption of nutrients!) so this is another little testimonials for “going organic” too.

But whether your produce is conventionally-grown (afterall, the “Clean 15” is often considered) or you go 100% organic, there are a few helpful tips to get the “most” out of your produce:

• “Fresher is better” – all produce begins to lose nutrients are soon as it’s harvested, so consume it as soon as possible after you buy it. The rule of thumb should be one week maximum (plus, you must consider where your produce “originated”), so plan for what you need and don’t overbuy, even if it will “keep”.
• “Bigger isn’t better!” – choose smaller pieces of fruits and vegetables instead of the largest ones in the bunch.  Plants have limited amounts of nutrients to pass on, so if the produce is smaller the nutrients are more concentrated.
• “Keep it together, people!” – while pre-washed, pre-cut, and pre-prepped fruits and veggies may sound appealing (and convenient!), skip them… this causes them to lose nutrients as well.  And don’t do a lot a prep, cleaning, chopping or cutting at home until you actually need to consumer them either… no need to set those nutrients loose!

My kids have always been great eaters when it comes to a variety of fruits and veggies but, whether for us or our kids, we all know every bit matters, so use these tips to make the “most” of every precious bite!

Two weeks ago I wrote an article about “Antibiotics in our Food Supply”.  I got some interesting emails as a result (after I addressed the fact that I had been accused of writing “fear based content”). Again, that’s never my intent, but anyhow… a reader also sent me a fact and a link.  This, too, is worthy of sharing.

“Today, 7 out of every 10 items on grocery stores shelves contain ingredients that have been genetically modified. In other words, scientists are using new technology to transfer the genes of one species to another, and these altered foods are in the market stream. And yet many scientists have concerns about the safety — to people, wildlife and the environment — of this process. That’s why consumers in Asia and Europe are demanding that their food be free of genetically modified ingredients.”

Take that however you’d like but I will say again and again that I hate my foods being “messed with”! (And now I will jump off my soapbox and just continue…) As for the link, it directed me to the Organic Consumers Association site.  I checked it out and it’s fantastic.

Whether you are want to join a campaign and take action, find green/organic products and services in your area, or just catch up on some green news, it’s a great resource… for everyone.

As the saying goes, “we are what we eat” and, although I am far from perfect, I prefer to remain “un-modified”! You?

Okay, another “confession”… until recently, I had no idea either!  I’m talking about the little stickers on the produce we purchase.  They’re actually called PLUs, (“Product {or Price} Look-Up” labels), and would you believe the numbers actually mean something?… they aren’t just random numbers.

(*Insert a look of surprise from me too!*)

The important number is actually the first digit and they can tell you a whole lot about the produce you purchase.  It tells you exactly how it was grown.

Here are the digits you need to remember:

• 3 or 4 – indicates conventionally grown produce (grown with pesticides, herbicides & fertilizers)

• 8 – indicates genetically-modified (GMO) or genetically-engineered (GE) produce

• 9 – indicates that the produce is ORGANIC

The next time you pick up a piece of produce: (1) look at the first digit of the PLU label, (2) remember these numbers, (3) know what you’re buying and then (4) rest assured that they’ll tell you everything you want to know about the food you’re buying for (and serving to) your family.

(*Yes, continue that look of surprise from me too!…*)

Yes, I know the snow is still flying for some of us, but my friends, it is NOT too soon to think “summer CSA”.  It’s just the right time, in fact, because many CSAs have already opened up reservations for summer participation.

But first things first!… you know about CSAs, right?

If not, here’s a little bit of explanation:  CSAs, or community supported agriculture, are the best way to share in the bounty of the freshest, organic, locally-grown produce and foods.  It’s a partnership between farms and community individuals who support the growing and production of food.  Members “purchase” a share of the harvest and are usually on a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of fruits and vegetables (and sometimes even dairy, meats and grains).

It’s the perfect scenario… you get fresh and organic foods, support local growers and farms, AND avoid the CO2 emissions created to bring your food from other parts of the country… or world, for that matter!

Last year we participated in a CSA with Fresh Fork Market.  If you’re lucky enough to be in Cleveland, take a look because… yes, they’re taking reservations NOW!  Last year, during the 22 weeks of summer, our CSA participants sampled over 350 different products from 62 local farmers.  At year’s end, Fresh Fork proudly spent over $300K with local farmers! THAT gives me the warm fuzzies!  Not only was I serving my family fabulous, organic food but we ALSO helped generously support local farmers and the local economy.  Everyone wins in that scenario!

If you aren’t in Cleveland but want to find a CSA in your area check out Local Harvest or Biodynamics to put you in the right direction.

Get on board, sign-up, eat organic and support your farmers… I promise, you won’t regret it!

(These are our strawberries from last year… NO methyl iodide included!) 

Product labels can be tricky… in fact, they can be a bit deceptive.

My recent post about knowing the difference between “Unscented and Fragrance-Free” got some surprised comments.  I hadn’t even known the difference until I uncovered that tidbit and got a little schooling of my own!

Another label that can often cause confusion is the organic label.  It’s easy to be misled about what’s contained in the product and tricky labeling doesn’t help.

Here is one thing you should know… the difference between Certified Organic and Organic Ingredients.  These are the facts:

• “Certified Organic” – this means that all ingredients contained are 100% organic.  Simple as that. This is the label you WANT to see.

• “Organic Ingredients” – this actually means that only 70% of the ingredients are actually organic.  The other 30% is not.  Even a label saying “100% Organic Ingredients” is misleading. While that 70% is 100% organic, you still have that 30% that is not organic at all.

• (By the way, if it says “Contains Organic Ingredients” that means less than 70% is organic, and you have no idea what that organic percentage might be!)

Tricky, tricky labels.  But if you know what the labels mean, you’ll never be misled.

We’ve been exclusively organic milk drinkers since our daughter was old enough to drink milk (8+ years and counting!).  I’ve written about milk numerous times on topics that include the benefits of organic milk, comparing organic to natural milk, as well as reading beyond the organic label.

While I believe that the benefits of organic milk are indisputable, I recently learned that there is yet another side of the story.  Do you ever wonder how ethical those organic dairy farms are (in terms of everything from how they treat their milk producing cows, to how they acquire the milk, to their overall business practices)?

Well, The Cornucopia Institute set out to find the answers.  I was surprised to learn that our “former” milk of choice (Horizon) chose not to participate (hmm?), but I was happy to learn that our current milk of choice (Organic Valley) rated “four cows” out of a possible five.  It’s great to know that while we’re consuming our organic milk, we’ve also made a smart choice in supporting a trustworthy brand that rates high on the “cow scorecard”.

Want to know how your organic milk rates? You can find the scorecard by clicking here (best to worst, or alphabetically).  If you want a full explanation about the ratings you can find more information by clicking here.

I hope you’re not disappointed by what you find, but if you are, now you know how to truly find a happy cow farm!

Got milk?… well, now you can GET MILK with peace of mind.

Eggs have been getting a lot of bad press these days, and for good reason.  Two massive egg farms, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farm (that house 7.5 million(!) egg producing hens kept in cramped, filthy conditions), are to blame for over 1,500 people contracting salmonella poisoning.  I can’t say that I’m surprised.

Research has shown that hens in these farms are more likely to produce contaminated eggs than free-range and organic hens simply due to the horrendous conditions where they are forced to spend their days and the cheap, unnatural grains they are fed, that often include the bi-products of other animals.  Add to that the antibiotic use on these poor hens (that destroys the healthy microflora in their systems) and, you guessed it… even more susceptible to contamination.

We always eat organic, free-range eggs due in part to this exact reason, PLUS when you consider that organic eggs are said to have three times more omega-3 fatty acids, twice as much vitamin E and 40% more vitamin A than non-organic eggs, it seems like a no-brainer, regardless of a little extra expense.

In a previous post I also reviewed all of the confusing terms that go along with egg selection and you can take a look by clicking here!  Eggs are truly an amazing source of protein and vitamin D, but when they’re organic you know that they are produced without antibiotics, steroid and growth hormones too!  Those are certainly some things and I would prefer to keep out of my family’s diet!

So be a “good egg”… buy good eggs, consume good eggs… and yes, I mean the organic kind!

Last night while having a family dinner on our back patio (in the middle of a discussion of our pending “kids’-back-to-school dread”) my husband and I had the following conversation:

(Husband:) “This dinner is fantastic!”
(MGG:) “Yea, it’s good!”
(Husband:) “No, really.  It’s fantastic!  Is it all organic?”
(MGG:) “Well, of course, honey.”
(Husband:) “No, seriously.  Never buy anything that isn’t organic again!”
(MGG:) “I try not to.  It is good.”
(Husband:) “Honestly, organic food is amazing!”
(MGG:) “I agree!”  (*smile*)

Have you ever found yourself in one of these conversations or at least thought about the same thing yourself?  Well, I have thought about it and, obviously, we’ve discussed it as well, and I couldn’t agree with my husband more.  I DO think it tastes fantastic!

I’ve never seen research that would either prove or disprove our belief, but I can’t help believing it is true.  Not so much with organic grains or more processed foods, but especially with fresh fruits, veggies, meats and dairy.

Somehow I can’t help but believe that when pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, steroids and growth hormones are left OFF of and OUT of our foods, they are much more “as nature intended”… unaltered, unmodified and, simply, more natural.

Maybe they aren’t more nutritious, but when they taste better and don’t have harmful additives, aren’t they just… well… better?

In the words of my husband… “Really… seriously… honestly?”… what do YOU think?