My Rule of thumb is: If it is written on the front of packaged food, don’t believe it. Packaging claims are really just that…claims. Usually false claims at that! Check it out for yourself.
Recently I read about Almond Breeze being sued for false advertising. In short, they do not contain enough almonds in it to justify the claims made on the front of the carton. People seemed shocked. I am not sure why. Read this article for yourself here.
We saw this a few years ago with Nutella being sold as a nutritious breakfast idea. People were up in arms when someone finally decided to turn the container around and read the ingredients and sugar content. Have we not learned our lesson? Come on people. We spend hours a day reading social media posts that do not effect our lives. But we can’t take the time to read the labels on the food we are feeding ourselves and our children? Something is wrong here.
How many of you would believe everything a politician claims – not many right? How many of you think that you actually won a free trip no strings attached to Aruba when your phone rings at 6:30pm during dinner time – probably less of you. So why is it that we seem to blindly believe packaging claims made by companies that sell packaged processed foods?
I am not pointing fingers. I do realize we live in a fast-paced society where, in many cases, parents and guardians are working hard just trying to do the best for our families. But the food we put in our children’s bodies have consequences. And in many cases those consequences are cumulative.
Should you choose to offer your children Almond Breeze Milk, Nutella, Cinnamon Toast Crunch or any other food for that matter, that is your business – your choice. No judgement (well, not too much judgement anyway). Should you choose to feed them these packaged, processed foods and not do the research and then years later be upset that you have been duped, well I am sorry – take responsibility. Be the adult.
Instead of playing the blame game, find a better brand and vote with your dollars or join forces with other likeminded people and petition the company to change the ingredients and/or the false advertising. We can’t leave the health of our countries in the hands of the food industry. I’ll say that again. We can’t leave the health of our countries in the hands of the food industry.
I know it may be overwhelming to go and read the ingredients of everything in your pantry if you have not done it before. So Start Fresh. Choose a few products a day or a few products each time you shop and start educating yourself. If it contains fructose, glucose, corn syrup, sugar and all kinds of thickening agents, it probably isn’t as healthy as the packaging makes it seem. It is still your right to buy it, just be aware of what you are buying.
Happy shopping…and good luck!
~ Plant Trainers
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