Non-GMO vs Organic... cutting through the confusion

 

Labels can be confusing. One thing that really seems to confuse people is the difference between non-GMO and organic labeling, so I thought it would be helpful if I explained it to you.



When a product has the Non-GMO Project Verified label, that means the product contains no genetically modified organisms. There are strict guidelines that have to be met before a product receives this certification. And I imagine nothing makes Monsanto angrier than to see this label appearing on more and more foods. But it makes us happy, right? 

Now the question is... if it's labeled GMO-free, does that mean it's organic? And the answer is no. 

Here's an example: I called a local farm recently and asked if their corn was non-GMO. The farmer confirmed that it was. He said, "We don't use no GMOs here." Of course, I won't comment on his grammar as that's beside the point. I reworded the question, just to make sure: "So none of your corn is from Monsanto's seeds. It's not genetically modified, right?" "That's right. You won't find none of that here." 

Okay, time for the next question: "Is it organic?"

"It's good corn."

"I'm sure it is," I affirmed. "But do you use any pesticides?"

"Yeah. We have to... 'cause of the worms, you know. But we use [he pronounced two pesticides I wasn't familiar with and can't remember the names of] and they're the safest ones."

I thanked him and hung up. 

In order to be organic, there cannot be any toxic pesticides used AND the produce must be free of any genetic engineering. 

So, the bottom line is... if you're concerned about pesticides and GMOs, stick to organic, which may or may not have the Non-GMO Project Verified label.

If you're mostly concerned with GMOs, look for labeling that indicates there are none (whether it simply includes the words "No GMOs" or has the actual Non-GMO Project Verified label.

And don't forget, when it comes to the PLU number on fresh produce, it's important to look at the first digit. If it's a 4, that means it's conventional. An 8 means it's genetically modified. And a 9 means it's organic. 

Keep an 8 

off your plate, 

bite into a 9 

which is perfectly fine. 

 


 

Just remember:

Give it a try!

 Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and contains affiliate links.

 

Abe's Market, the online marketplace of organic and natural goods, just launched a great new sampling program that lets consumers buy full-size product samples for just $2 each, with free shipping! You see, Abe's Market cracks open cases of their favorite products such as Quinn Popcorn, KIND granola, and even vegan smoked jerky. Consumers can then pick up to three samples every day.

“We are thrilled to provide a solution that will make natural simple,” says Richard Demb, co-founder and CEO. “We have partnered with many of our favorite brands, big and small, to make it easier than ever to try their products. We all understand that trying something new is sometimes a risk — maybe it won’t taste good, maybe my kids never touch it — at its core we are removing that risk and opening up new, better, options.”

Once people receive and try their products, Abe’s Market will ask for feedback and their experiences, to better improve their selections, and help Abe’s Market sellers discover what consumers are looking for in all-natural and organic products.

Here are some of your options:

Barnana - a dehydrated banana snack comprising all of the nutrients of a banana (high potassium!) with the convenience of on-the-go snacking. The organic, non-GMO and gluten-free line includes original, coconut, chocolate and peanut butter flavors.

Fruit.0 - A super portable, compact fruit pouch containing, well, just fruit. The 100% organic crushed fruit contains no additional ingredients or sugars and is vegan, non-GMO and free of nuts, fat, gluten and artificial ingredients.

Birch Benders Micro Pancakery - Making pancakes has never been easier. Certified organic and non-GMO Birch Benders include all the wholesome ingredients in the package and you only need to add water, shake and cook. The line offers gluten-free options and delicious flavors like cinnamon and banana buckwheat.

Hooray Puree - A perfect way to get your veggies on the go. Hooray Puree picks their organic vegetables at the peak of ripeness and purees them into gluten-free snack packs without adding any preservatives, dyes or acids. So when you're not near the store, you can always have fresh sweet potatoes, spinach and butternut squash on hand.

Primal Spirit Foods: Love jerky but don't eat meat? These meatless jerky strips, in six flavors like mesquite lime, teriyaki and Thai peanut, quash that craving when you need protein. The low-fat, non-GMO vegan treats comprise soy seitan and shiitake mushrooms and are certified kosher.

Powbab: Get a daily dose of delicious 100% antioxidants and boost your immunity with vitamins A, C and E from this superfood through tasty acai and pomegranate chews, moisturizing oil or powder you can mix into a drink. The fiber-packed vegan treat contains no gluten, dairy, soy or nuts.

Health Warrior: Boost your run or workout (or even when you need a pick me up in the middle of the day) with chia-packed, flavorful energy bars. The non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, high-fiber bars with omega-3s comprise tasty flavors including chocolate peanut butter, coconut, coffee and banana nut.

KIND: Load up on healthy and tasty gluten-free snack bars, granola, healthy grains bars and more. KIND products are GMO free, protein packed, high fiber, dairy free and all natural. Toss a couple in your bag, your desk or in your gym locker and grab it whenever you need a little extra energy with great taste. (Note: The KIND clusters in this promo are GF)

Quinn Popcorn: Quinn reinvented microwave popcorn and made it healthy. Comprising organic, non-GMO, vegan ingredients in a chemical-free bag, Quinn makes movie time — or anytime — more delicious with flavors including Vermont maple and sea salt, hickory smoked cheddar, parmesan and rosemary and just plain sea salt.

Rip Van Wafel: Coffee time just got more delicious! Just unwrap, place over steaming coffee (or tea!) wait a few minutes and enjoy an all-natural, high fructose corn syrup-free caramel- or cocoa-filled, crunchy Dutch treat!

Urban Accents: You've never had more fun or an easier time cooking, baking or grilling than when using Urban Accents dry glazes, rubs, flapjack mixes, seasonings, veggie roasters and more. The gourmet food line produces non-GMO, all-natural and gluten-free products.

World Peas: This green pea snack makes it easy for you to forget high-fat greasy chips. With exotic flavors like Sicilian tomato, Santa Barbara Ranch, Hungarian garlic and Nagano wasabi, World Peas delights without gluten, dairy or high fructose corn syrup.

I Heart Keenwah: Love quinoa but don't like when it spills in your bag when you try to take it on the go? I Heart Keenwah, with its delicious gluten-free, high-fiber crunchy clusters of almond, chocolate, peanut butter and cranberry, is a perfect snack to take anywhere with you.

Folks, this is a win-win situation. For $2 each, you and your family can sample up to 3 of these products a day. And remember, the shipping is FREE, so you have little to lose. Why not give it a try? I'm going to.

Offering you alternatives and healthy eating,

Disclosure: The above is a sponsored post with affiliate links. I received product and/or compensation for this post and will receive further compensation if you click any of the links above and complete a purchase.

Organic foods are so expensive... Really? I don't think so...

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received product and/or compensation in exchange for the possibility of a review. However, the opinions expressed here are my own.
 

 

It was a simple enough meal. But, oh, was it delicious! 

Let's start with some organic wheat angel hair pasta boiling away in one pot while a jar of Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce is simmering in another. Meanwhile, slices of sour dough bread are being slathered with organic butter and sprinkled with Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Garlic Powder. Add an organic spring mix salad with a balsamic dressing and dinner is served!

That's what it was like in my house a few nights ago. The smell was amazing and the taste phenomenal! I can't even begin to tell you how good the pasta sauce was. The ingredients (certified organic by Quality Assurance International) include:

 

• organic tomato puree
• organic tomatoes
• organic basil
• salt
• organic onions
• organic soybean oil
• organic sugar
• organic garlic powder
• organic oregano
• organic garlic

Oh.my.goodness. Seriously. This tomato sauce reminded me of my childhood somehow. Maybe it was because it was made of ingredients like those of old -- unmodified -- and there was no excess junk in there. I admit that I normally doctor jarred pasta sauces. I add onions, cheese, and/or spices. Not this time and I'm so glad I didn't. 

As a diabetic, I have to watch eating things like spaghetti, because of both the carbs in the pasta and the sugars in the sauces. The Wild Oats Marketplace sauce only had 4g of sugar in a 1/2 cup serving; only 8g total carbs and 2g dietary fiber. Not bad. Add in wheat pasta, and I did okay. Oh, and substituting sour dough bread instead of Italian bread was a healthier option as well, since sour dough bread is low on the glycemic index.

The bottom line was that I was immediately sold on the Wild Oats Marketplace brand. Dinner was that good.
 

Tonight, I made another meal using one of their products. The Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Long Grain & Wild Rice Blend is amazingly wonderful. I was halfway through my second helping when I decided to look at the carb content. Oops. Now this one was not diabetic-friendly with a whopping 41g of carbs in a 1/4 cup (dry) serving. Yikes! I thought as I scooped the rest of my second serving onto my husband's plate and then salivated as I watched him eat it. Oh my, was it good! 

The ingredients in this mixture are simply organic jasmine rice and organic precooked wild rice. You have to rinse it before cooking, which I found a bit inconvenient. After I ate, I was reading the back of the package and must admit, I found these words a bit troubling: "Rice is a natural agricultural product. Despite the use of modern cleaning equipment, it is not always possible to remove all foreign materials. Sort, remove foreign material and rinse before cooking." Really? Remove foreign material? Unfortunately, I missed that little paragraph before I cooked the rice and ate it. Oops. But seriously, have you ever seen anything like that on a package of rice before?

I must admit that it was probably the best rice I've ever eaten, and my husband agrees. If only I could get around that total carb issue...

Now, you're probably thinking these food items are expensive, right? Well, that's the fun part. For those of you who shop at Walmart, you can now buy the Wild Oats organic food items right in the store at affordable prices. For example, check out these prices:

Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Tomato Paste (6 oz) $0.58 
Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Chicken Broth (32 oz) $1.98 
Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Cinnamon Applesauce Cups (24 oz) $1.98 
Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Tomato Sauce (15 oz) $0.88 
Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (25 oz) $1.88

These are fantastic prices for food items that are safe for everyone in your family. No nasty GMOs or pesticides. No toxic preservatives. Just wholesome natural ingredients. And from what I've tasted, the food is absolutely delicious.

Wild Oats Markets was founded in Boulder, Colorado in 1987 and was a leading operator of natural and organic foods stores and farmers markets in North America. It grew to become the nation's second-largest natural and organic foods chain. 

They strictly adhere to USDA guidelines for organic certification and nearly 90% of what they sell is organic. They even sell ready-to-prepare skillet meals for all you busy moms and dads out there. And, again, the products are surprisingly affordable. The Wild Oats brand meets customer demand for more affordable organic foods. 

"By partnering with Walmart, Wild Oats is starting a movement that makes it easier than ever for customers to access affordable organic and natural products," said Tom Casey, CEO of Wild Oats. "Our availability at Walmart will allow us to finally pass along scalable savings directly to consumers. We are reinvigorating our brand by bringing great tasting Wild Oats products to more customers than ever before."

Walmart and Wild Oats are introducing nearly 100 products as part of the line, removing the price premium associated with organic groceries. 

So, like I said, if you are a Walmart shopper, this is one line you do not want to pass up. Take some home, try them, and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your review! 

CocomoJoe Organic Foods Prize Pack!

Hosted by: Queen of Savings, Tales From a Southern Mom,  
Michigan Savings & More and Just Plane and Simple

Sponsor: Cocomo Joe Organic Foods

The Challenge. Finding really good organic food without going broke. Right? Well, winning really good organic food would be especially sweet, wouldn't it? That's why I'm thrilled to introduce you to Cocomo Joe and give you the opportunity to win a prize package valued at $50! 

The Mission. At Cocomo Joe they make the best tasting and highest quality organic foods available. They want people to spend money on good food now so they don’t have to spend money on doctors later. Nothing fun ever happens in a doctor’s office.  

The Philosophy. They believe food is life. Treat your body right by eating good food, and eating it mindfully. Eat slow. Chew your food. Love yourself. Be yourself. Through sharing their philosophy, if they can help people feel better and be happier, we will all be better off. That's why on the back of some of their packages you will see... How you feed yourself is as important as what you feed yourself. Start with less than you want. Take your time, chewing slowly and thoroughly. Savor this food. Savor this moment. You will feel full while eating less. 

The Vision. They see a time when people get back to basics and recognize how important good health is, and work from the inside out to improve their surroundings. They see a time when great health, and the love of family and friends, along with having a purpose, are all priorities in our lives.

Prize: Cocomoe Joe Organic Foods Prize Pack $50 RV 

See all of the goodies here

Dates: 5/3-5/17

Open to: US Residents 18+

Enter to win using the Giveaway Tools Widget below. 

Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: Green Grandma did not receive compensation for this post and is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Redux Wednesdays -- A greener way with peas

We live in a preservative-happy culture. Chemicals and preservatives are everywhere. Does that mean you have to spoon-feed them to your precious little one? Absolutely not!

Homemade baby foods are the best choice for your baby and for the environment! Eliminating the waste produced by boxed and jarred baby foods definitely qualifies you as a green parent/grandparent/caretaker. And eliminating the chemicals and preservatives in your baby's diet qualifies you as a smart one.

Even celebrities have jumped on this bandwagon. In a Good Housekeeping article a year or so ago, Gwyneth Paltrow was quoted as saying, "When I'd read about what pesticides do to small animals, I thought, Why would I expose my child to that?...I just want my kids to be as healthy as they possibly can. And I feel like eating well is the best start for living well."

People magazine reported last year that Tori Spelling made all of her own baby food for daughter, Stella.

And let's face facts, folks; Paltrow and Spelling aren't pureeing peaches because of the cost factor! But that is another benefit for those of us on budgets! I picked up a small handheld baby food grinder at a garage sale for 25 cents! Brand new! I don't even have to plug it in, which gives me a couple extra green bonus points!

But don't just grab a handful of peas or a bunch of ripe grapes and start grinding. Age-appropriate foods are important. Stick with Stage 1 food for babies under 8 months of age. This will ensure less chances of allergic reactions. Most experts recommend not giving solid foods to babies under 5-6 months old and starting with cereals, followed by vegetables and fruits, meats, egg yolks (NOT egg whites!), and ending their first year with cheese and plain yogurts during the last couple of months.

Breast milk (or formula, if you must) can be added to foods as you puree them to give them the runny consistency necessary for babies starting out on solid foods. Don't store the pureed food for longer than 48 hours in the refrigerator. However, you can freeze portions by filling an ice cube tray and popping the frozen meals into containers for easy access.

An excellent website for advice and recipes on making your own baby food can be found at wholesomebabyfood.com.

One last thought on going green and healthy with a grinder or mini-blender...shop for local produce! Visit farm markets and look for organic foods.

Of course, it would be more convenient to just drive down to the store and pick up a jar or two. But, as I like to say...who said being a parent was about convenience. To quote Kermit the Frog, "It's not that easy being green."

Keeping it green,

Hana

Photos courtesy of Anna Cervova and Teodoro S Gruhl