I haven’t done a blog ‘meme’ in what seems like forever, maybe even longer. However, one of my favorite people, and writing buddy Random Chick, tagged me for this meme and I just can’t say NO to her! And, I really want that free copy of her book: Stupid Poetry, Volume I. Besides, being a little more conscious about what I eat, can’t be a bad thing.
Meme Rules:
Go into your pantry [or refrigerator] and pull out something. It can be crackers, chips, cookies, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, jalapenos, pickles…whatever. Look at the label. What do you see? Then put the product on your blog, who makes it and follow the trail of who owns which companies. List the ingredients (find out what those things are that are in your product that you can’t pronounce). Find out who REALLY makes the product, and what the ingredients are REALLY. You might be surprised. Then pick five other bloggers who will do the same thing.
Basically, this meme is intended to raise awareness about what we eat. Certain chemicals are used in foods – and people should know the dangerous impact that can have on our health. As someone who suffers from Severe Food Allergies and Crohn’s Disease, I always read all of the labels on all of the packages of the food that I buy. Simply because I have to. Therefore, this particular meme was not too much of a stretch for me.
Here We Go:
Product: Haagen Dazs Coffee Ice Cream –
Manufacturer: Haggen Dazs —> Dryers Grand Ice Cream –> HDIP Inc.
Ingredients: Cream, Skim Milk, Sugar, Egg Yolks, Coffee
Okay, so I happened to ‘luck out’ here because that is one of the FEW sweet delights I can eat, and it’s not packed with anything unnatural.
*whew*
But. Um, after visiting This Website? I’m pretty sure I will never be able to look at dinner the same way.
I’m “tagging” whomever wants to play along!
You picked a good one. hehe. I know before I started buying more and more organic food, the stuff on the labels used to freak me out.
As for the link, it was a site like that that led to me being a vegetarian for several years. And even though I eat mean these days I can definitely say that by eating locally grown and organic food has changed my life for the better.
Now I'm scared about what to even look in my fridge and am really curious about Hagen Daaz' website.
Reading labels is time consuming but necessary for me. I was forced to learn how to eat healthier with all my crazy medical conditions. And, I think I have become healthier for it.
Actually, and surprisingly, Haagen Dasz, is one of he FEW ice cream manufacturers that DO NOT use chemicals or artificial flavors in their products!
I've something scarier:
Product: President's Choice Calorie Free Sweetener
Manufacturer President's Choice → Loblaw Companies Limited
Ingredients: Dextrose, Maltodextrine, Aspartame and Phenylalanine
Dextrose: D-Glucose http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose
Maltodextrine: A food additive derived from corn-starch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltodextrine
Aspartame: A commonly known artificial sweetener not without controversies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame
Phenylalanine: An amino acid found naturally in 'Breast Milk or Mammals' Huh ?! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenylalanine
Good Bye Sweetener – Hello Sugar.
Oh, lord. I so would have lost at this one… we have so much processed crap in our kitchen!
I *heart* REAL sugar and REAL butter on EVERYTHING!
Most people do!
I don't study food labels TOO closely. It would just make me crazy. There is something bad in everything. And besides, I feel good when I can simply get something hot on the table and get the family to eat it. That's my biggest challenge.
FOOD! Oh great, now I'm hungery. 😉
Agreed!
I'm always hungry!!!
Gosh, I thought memes were extinct … LOL!
Me too! I did it for the free book!
It sure sounds like Haagen Dazs is a good choice if we desire something sweet. I like the fact that it has no artificial chemical or additives in its ingredients.
I missed the Food, Inc movie when it was screening here in Singapore. But I did manage to pick up the book to read. It was a very eyes opening experience. I used to think that as long as we eat healthy food, we should be pretty alright in our health. Now it seems that we not only have to watch what we eat, but we also have to know where and how the food we are eating is being produced.
I no longer consume any raw sugar, only splenda. Of course there is sugar in some few things that I eat but generally I eat pretty healthy. Right now IM eating a bowl of shredded wheat, skim milk and liquefied snickers bars. OK, IM kidding about the snickers bars. With banananana ! And splenda. Which is ALL NATURAL. OK, I gotta go to my job now selling Florida swamp land to destitute widows.
ps Sentence structure is. Not my. Strong point. (I may have had a few drinks of crushed fermented grapes ;>)
Yep. Haagen Dazs is good like that. It's kind of scary!
I love shredded wheat. Or at least I used to. Now Im allergic to it. [insert sad face] I wasn't too sure about Splenda. So I googled it. And I found this article. Um. I think I'll stick with plain old, natural, real, sugar!
I'm not at home now, that's right I'm at work getting paid to comment on your blog! But all that's in refrigerator is beer and one bottle of diet Italian dressing. Wow, I watched that trailer and it's pretty frightening. I can't wait to see the movie, thanks for posting the link and enjoy the Haagen Dazs!
Come on! You want me to know what's actually IN my food? I thought that was one of those you really don't want to know questions. If I start reading about what goes in my mouth, I'll wind up eating sticks and bark. I honestly think the dogs eat better than I do.
Great meme, Meleah!
Very informative.
aaahhhh…Haagen Dazs Coffee Ice Cream. Does it get any better than that? I use to work for Godiva and they also had one like that – it was DELISH!
While living in Florida I had a friend who also has Crohn's Disease, so I know how important it is to read everything you eat. My god, whenever it acted up she was in so much pain.
I have an allergy to anything that has artificial sugar in it. I can't even chew sugarless gum because it rips my stomach up.
Thanks for sharing the great links!
Thanks Marty! You rock!
you're dogs really MIGHT eat better than ALL of us!
Godiva & Haagen Dazs Coffee Ice Cream are some of my most FAVORITE things In The World!
The pain from Crohn's can be quite debilitating. That's for sure.
And, you're welcome!
For scientific matters I don't trust blogs of that type. I will look in it further, but for me I really don't care much b/c I truly do not like sugar. Also, I am borderline Diabetic so there are some different parameters in play. For 20 years I drank diet coke. For the taste. I don't drink any soda now, but many folks said they hated the after taste of diet drinks but for me I preferred it. You on the other hand have different concerns. I wonder if you had these allergies growing up or if they recently manifested themselves. I had severe hay-fever till I was 24 or so. Over two years I had 2 steroid injections and the allergies vanished. I felt it was (almost) a miracle (PLUS, I started to play baseball a whole lot better ;>)
I also eat Grape-Nuts alot. Of course, the joke is they aren't grapes and they aren't Nuts. Grits are almost daily on the menu here, as they are corn I wonder if you can eat them. I put maple syrup in them and its like candy ! A huge bag of grits cost $1.29 !
I'm not playing along because last time I opened that fridge something bit me.
I need to hire a cleaning lady.
Cleaning Ladies are GREAT!
OMG. Grape nuts are SOOO good, on top of Shredded Wheat! My food allergies didnt start until I was 27 years old, and they have gotten progressively WORSE every year and my Cronh's only aggravates the Food Allergies. I will send you an email with the password to a protected blog post that explains my medical conditions in detail. That is, if you are interested?
And, YOU really DO need to be careful with sugar intake being a diabetic! I'm glad you aren't drinking ANY soda thee days. Its really BAD for you!
Yesssss! Hagen-Daz Coffee ice cream is the ONLY one I buy!! I win!
I'm afraid to look up the pork roll in my fridge….but you got me thinking so I just might. lol
Despite this being one of the coldest days ever, I want ice cream now.
That's because Haagen-Dazs IS the best!
PS: Im scared FOR you!
I always want ice cream!
Yep, love her. I want to be yelled at and berated by her. you know like a roast that they do for famous people on their birthdays? Also the guy Rick who was laughing in the background is very funny. Stuck in my head now.
i was pretty sure for years that i was suffering from crohns, but i had myself checked out and i appear to be crohns-free.
Thats my Uncle! He is The Best! And, Im pretty sure I could arrange for Gramma Ev to berate you! Ahahahhahahaah
Yeah, its an INVASIVE test, and I have to have that done TWICE, but at least NOW I know what I am dealing with. Have they come up with any alternative suggestions for you? Being in that much pain, and dealing with constant stomach issues = total nightmare!
Ok, I'll play your little game. Right now I am consuming the following: Enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid) vegetable oil (cottonseed, palm, sunflower and/or partially hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ for freshness) skim milk cheese (skim milk, whey protein, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, annatto extract color salt yeast paprika oleoresin (for color)
For refreshment, I am enjoying: cave spring water, corn, malted barley, and rye aged in a charred oak barrel for eight years.
I can only assume it is all bad for me. Care to guess what I am having tonight?
I have NO IDEA!!!
BUT…
I will guess: CHEESE CRACKERS & JACK DANIELS?
Me Again ! It's funny, even tho I have read food labels for a while, it is a good thing to encourage folks to continue the practice. Soooo, on that note (and since I didn't really do so In my last comment) here is PLUMSMART LIGHT ! Plum Juice, Sorbitol & Dextrin, Carrot and Blueberry juice, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Natural Plum flavor, Chamomile extract, Sucrolose and Ginger. I drink a 12 oz. glass every morning. It tastes so good, one has to be careful not to drink too much or dire consequences await ;>)
I'm alive, Mel. The past week has been tough for me, but this weekend should help. Enjoy yours!
Dang, girl. You nailed it.
BTW – dogs love cheese crackers.
Okay. See you back online Monday!
Yes! I am awesome!!
That sounds good!
You did luck out on that one! I would too, these days as I've pretty much done a nutritional overhaul on my diet. …and I feel a ton better. Nice food choice on the meme, btw. 🙂
Good For YOU!!
I do read labels now but that's only recently. I did make my very own granola today! Look mom, I'm a hippie! It actually turned out really good and the boy has eaten half of it already. And the best part is that I know exactly what is in it. Sorry about your Crohn's that really sucks, allergies too.
That is AWESOME!! I wish I had better skills in the kitchen!!
I have had to start reading more and more labels, lately. I am surprised how much fat and sugar is in things that are supposed to be healthy or how very little there is in the way of natural ingredients. It's a bit of a preservative nightmare out there. I can't eat ice cream because of the dairy and a friend of mine is always trying to get me to eat soy ice cream but it is disgusting. really. Kind of smelly socks disgusting. Think I 'll just have a piece of fruit for dessert, instead!
Hi Meleah, thanks for visiting on behalf of Selma's interview. This food meme is an interesting idea. I don't have any food allergies, but I try to purchase foods that are not filled with questionable ingredients.