Finding the right children’s food can be overwhelming, especially with so many brands claiming to be organic, 100% natural, so and so certified, etc. We all want the best for our children, but how do we know which brands are greenwashed and which are truly what they say they are? The majority of us rely on certified or green labels as part of our buying decisions without thinking twice or reading the ingredients because we’re so convinced and blinded by health claims. To ensure that our children are getting the nutrients and quality food they deserve, here are some tips for recognizing legitimize products from greenwashed.
Greenwashing is the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, and technology or company practice. Greenwashing can make a company appear to be more environmentally friendly than it really is.
The Don’ts
Don’t rely solely on labels when purchasing children’s food. Corporations use catchy green labels and phrases to attract consumers, such as the eco-friendly or family health-conscious type of consumers.
Don’t rely on other entities to make decisions on what’s best for your children. Going through the supermarket aisle and trying to figure out which baby food is the best can be time consuming. Nobody has time to stand there and read the ingredients, which is why so many consumers fall for the deceitful pictures and labels because they believe in the goodness of big corporations and our government to protect us — but that is not always the case. The United States has one of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes: look how cheap our sodas and junk foods are – it’s all about the big bucks. Just because it’s on the supermarket shelf doesn’t mean it’s safe and healthy. Sometimes you may be paying more for inferior products with misleading, dazzling labels.
Don’t assume a product is chemical-free organic just because it has the label “All Natural” on it. You have all probably seen the following food labels, but they’re not tested or certified by any regulatory agencies. These are claims made by farmers or processors to the best of their knowledge that their products are what they say they are and are in compliance with the food safety standards. If we allowed our children to grade their own exams, how many of them do you think would be truthful about it? When you see the “All Natural” label on children’s food, there’s no rules or guidelines to support the claim. They may contain chemicals, growth hormones, or antibiotics for all we know.
Beware of the Following Claims
- HORMONE-FREE / RBGH-FREE
- RAISED WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS
- GE-FREE / NON-GMO
- ALL NATURAL
- FREE-RANGE
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Children’s Health Defense Bring Legal Action Against Beech-Nut Nutrition Company Concerning Misrepresentation That Their Naturals Baby Foods are 100% Natural
Comprehensive Test Results Show Beech-Nut Naturals line of baby foods contain residues of synthetic pesticides including glyphosate, acetamiprid and captan.
Don’t buy children’s food from foreign countries that are corrupted and known to not comply or play by the rules because it’s difficult to track where the food came from. The food labels may have the “organic” claim labels to it but how do you track the origin of that food when it came from many processors and countries? Whether the food came from certified, organic growers or Countries like Canada that have strict food regulations, especially for food labeled as organic, are regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and should be trusted. Similar to the USDA guidelines, single ingredient or multi-ingredients with 95% organic contents can be labeled or advertised as “organic” and have the Canada Organic label on the packaging.
The Do’s
Do become familiar with certified labels such as “Non GMO” and “USDS Organic” to save time at the supermarket and making sure that your children’s food are truly what they say they are. There are many brands and types of children’s food to choose from. By knowing and being able to distinguish greenwashed labels from legitimize labels, you can save time and money at the supermarket.
Do shop at your local farmer’s market. If you decided to make your own baby food, shop at your local farmer’s market. Unlike big supermarket chains, farmer’s markets allow producers and consumers to interact and ask questions, which is important because not all producers use chemical-free products. Doing a little bit of research and talking to the producers can go a long way in ensuring your food safety and establishing a long-term relationship with a brand or producer you can trust.
Do believe in your research and instincts. While making your own baby food may not be a viable option for many of us, being conscious and informed of what goes into our children’s little stomachs is the least parents can do. Companies under the umbrella of big corporations have access to marketing tools to help them become certified whereas small, unaffiliated companies do not. Organic certification labels are expensive for a lot of independent farmers, which explains why a lot of them don’t have “organic” labels on their products. If you are confident with your local farmers/ providers, but they lack the labels, then trust your research and instincts because not all good things come labeled.
Pros of Farmer’s Markets
- Reduce carbon foot print
- Establish long term relationship with trusted brand/producer
- Fresh produce
- Reliable source
- Interactive relationship
Cons of Farmer’s Markets
- Not certified
- Pricey
Ensuring your children get the best quality food can be time-consuming and making the switch to intentional, focused shopping doesn’t happen overnight — it takes time, practice and talking to people. When strolling the supermarket aisles or farmer’s market, keep in mind the following items to avoid being a victim of greenwash:
- Read the labels
- Know legit certifications from fake ones
- Don’t be fooled by the green flashy labels (Natural, Eco, Sustainable, etc.…)
- Avoid products from questionable countries
- “Made in” vs. “Product of”