Slowly switching to better food. How and where to start.

[zoestargrove]

[QUOTE=daisymommy;2785628][I]

What sweetener is the best? On here I see a range of stevia, honey, and (can't remember the other one). Now I am reading about tagatose.
Unrefined is best. So any of those. Including maple syrup, rapadura, succanat.

I totally agree with pp, that you take on one thing at a time - make the change, let it become second nature, then work your way down your list. Trying to do it all at once was too overwhelming for me.

This summer we are working on reducing our overall sugar consumption and then, when using sweetener choosing a healthier version. (just keep in mind - that even though these substitutes haven't been stripped of their minerals and nutrients - they don't really offer any health benefits. In other words, my overall goal is to get myself and my family used to the flavors of foods with less sweetener.

I've replaced our white sugar with rapadura. It can be used in the same proportions as white sugar. It's brown in color because it hasn't been stripped of the molasses naturally found in cane sugar.

I bought a case of rapadura from Amazon and signed up for their renewal program to get an additional 15% off.

and we also use maple syrup and raw honey. when using these in baking, you can use less - I think it's 3/4 cup maple syrup or honey to 1 cup of sugar...and to reduce your baking temperature by 25 degrees.

I've also read about dates and date sugar, but haven't tried them yet.

I have a chart somewhere that compares different sweetners, I'll see if I can find it.

[BabyMine]

Thank you everyone!!

Yes I live in Florida so I have been buying the Greenwise but I looked at the package and it didn't say whether the meat was free range or not. I know some meat manufacturers are still keeping the animals in pens and feed them grass. I did research awhile ago on a farm near us that raises free range organic Bison so I'll probably go that route.

I missed our local organic CSA's openings. I'll have to look at when the next time to register is.

I did talk to the farmer about the blackberries. He said they do not spray after the bushes are planted. They spray fungicide and nutrients after they pull the bushes and till the ground.

I want to change for our health. M is going into K next month and I know their lunches are mostly crap. I'll send food from home but I know he will trade. I want to make sure he gets good food at home.

[boltfam]

I would HIGHLY recommend the book "To Buy or Not to Buy Organic". Also, the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list of organic/not produce.

I just read this book, and it was a HUGE help to me! I second the recommendation.

[essnce629]

I didn't get a chance to read all the responses, but for books, I just got these two for my birthday and they are great and have excellent reviews on Amazon:

Super Natural Home: Improve Your Health, Home, and Planet--One Room at a Time
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1605299812

To Buy or Not to Buy Organic: What You Need to Know to Choose the Healthiest, Safest, Most Earth-Friendly Food
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1569242682

The Super Natural Home book is divided into four sections that include a) what goes in you b) what goes on you c) what surrounds you and d) supporting information. I'd say I live a pretty natural/crunchy lifestyle and there's still a lot of new stuff I've learned from the book. I'm really enjoying it, so much so that I feel like going out and buying both of these books for all my friends.

[essnce629]

1. I recently found this website that rates humanely raised foods (which are generally organic and/or local): http://www.wspa-usa.org/pages/3202_e...food_guide.cfm
Apparently there is an iphone app too. I have used this to figure out which meats from costco and TJs are relatively humane. ** Note that the cheap organic eggs from costco get the highest rating and carry the humane certification.

Thanks for this! Great resource!

But I'm not seeing any humane certified eggs at Costco. All that comes up are Kirkland Organic eggs that are USDA Organic and the Horizon eggs that are USDA Organic and Cage Free. Both get "Better" ratings. Certified humane would be rated "Best."

[sste]

At my costco they carry eggs in a very large pack that I am pretty sure are called eggland innovations or something like that and they are certified humane. They are organic and much cheaper than the normal grocery store.

Maybe it varies between costcos?? We tend to get a fair amount of organic stuff in our local one.