Labels…… They are everywhere. We use them for clothing, personality traits, health and beauty products, and most importantly, for food. We all use these labels. But have you ever taken a closer look? Have you ever paid attention to food labels? Do you know how to navigate the ingredients and serving size list? If not, you are in luck! Today we will discuss food labels.

If you have a food allergy sufferer in your family or have celiac or other specialized dietary guidelines you are probably well versed in label reading. But even the best of us can get bamboozled from time to time. I couldn’t figure out why I kept getting sick after eating my homemade almond butter. I knew almonds were not a problem but I was getting sick anyway. I finally went to the source. I looked at the bag of almonds, thinking there really shouldn’t be any ‘ingredients’ listed except almonds and salt. Instead, what I found was; almonds, salt, and peanut oil. Peanut oil?! I make my own nut butter because I am allergic to peanuts. It never occurred to me that I would have to use caution around a bag of almonds. Lesson learned; never judge a package by the outside, always read the label!

One thing to really pay attention to is the serving size. It is easy to see the calories, fat, sodium, and sugar on the label. But you need to pay attention to the serving size as well. It might seem like the food doesn’t have that many calories or that much fat, but there may be several servings in one container….. So be aware. Hopefully with the new guidelines in labeling, it will become clearer to everyone. In the meantime, watch those servings!

Now, how about those ingredients lists? I am not here to judge. I am not here to shame or criticize. I am just here to inform and help bring about awareness. Take a look at the ingredients labels. Can you pronounce the words? Do you know what all of them are? If not, inform yourself. I am not here to tell you what you should eat. That is your decision alone. But research and know what you are putting in your body. For example, my boys LOVE their mac ‘n cheese. I hate the ingredients in most of them. And they won’t eat homemade. So I compromise and buy the organic kind. I don’t buy it because it is organic, rather because some of the ingredients are better. It in no way makes the product healthier. But it does offer some better quality ingredients, giving me a little bit more control in my boys’ diets.

this one has a lot of words! this one looks better.

My oldest buys some of his own food now. I have taught him to read the labels and make conscious choices about what he puts in his body. He is aware that additives and sugars are both problems for him. He reads labels and then makes his decisions. They are not always the best choices,but at least he is aware of what he is putting in his body. It is a starting point….. 🙂

a not so great choice and a better choice……

By learning the lingo, we can not only become more aware of what we are putting in our bodies, but learn to make healthier choices. We can use that stepping stone toward a healthier body and a healthier lifestyle, if we chose.

Enjoy!