Clicky: What's most important to you regarding food?

AggieCouple

My kids hate my marinara.  I don't know why, but it is very tangy.  More sugar maybe??  Anyway, so I've been buying the jarred stuff, and it's impossible to find something at least all-natural that's also low in sodium.  I try to tell myself, it's only once a week (we use it for pizza), but that's what I say about a lot of things.  My concern with sodium is H's blood pressure, but I don't know what's worse... sodium for him or food dye and other artificial cr*p.

To be honest, I don't care as much about low fat/low sugar, because they taste too gross to me to be worth it.  We eat mostly home-cooked foods anyway, so I just don't feel that we eat enough "junk" to warrant having to purchase healthy junk. When we eat junk, I go all out, as far as sugar/fat.  I still try to buy all-natural, though.

So, when shopping, what's the most important factor when trying to be healthy? 

[Poll]

august06mom

If it tastes bad, I'm not going to buy it, period. I don't care if it promises to add three days of life for every bite.

Otherwise, I look for all-natural foods first, organic if we can afford it. I usually only buy organic dairy, sometimes meats if there's a special. The extra costs really add up when you have a cart full of it.

I stay away from most prepackaged stuff (Hamburger Helper, etc.).

ENI36

SS for me.  We usually buy organic but I don't consider all organic to be healthy and that's what is important to us.  So for example, something could be organic but still loaded with sugar so that's not healthy.  We stick to mainly whole grains, veggies, and fruits.  We add in some chicken, fish, and dairy a couple times a week.  

p1nklemonade

i voted for low sodium, but i have bp issues like your h.  jarred sauce is loaded with it, so i'd go with the low sodium on this one, and go with whatever low sodium brand is the most "natural" so to speak.  when i don't make my own, we use victoria brand.

Glendi428

I try to find a happy medium among all those things... not going to buy organic if it's loaded with sugar, not going to buy low-fat/low-sugar if it's loaded with chemicals, not going to say never to junk food, either. I do try to avoid packaged foods like hamburger helper or even taco seasoning... not to say we don't eat it- I just find homemade recipes for them.

winomom22

I try to avoid foods with HFCS and artificial flavors/dyes. I try to buy foods with the least amount of ingredients.  As far as marinara sauce goes I get heart healthy Prego-It has less sodium than regular sauce.

AzaleaM

I try organic when possible, otherwise I pay attention to the ingredients...

With tomato products I do prioritize the organic factor.  The jarred ones I buy do tend to be acidic, but I find that adding butter helps cut the acidity, so I mix butter into the kids' servings.  Maybe an idea for the stuff you make.

JellymanKelly

I am an "everything in moderation" girl, but I like for my fat and sugar to be "real" fat and sugar. I try to avoid HFCS and trans fat.

DandelionMom

SS, I'm pretty much only concerned about finding gluten-free and vegetarian stuff.  If it happens to be healthy, organic, etc than that's just gravy. 

penguingrrl

I do my absolute best to avoid artificial ingredients. I won't buy a low fat/low sodium item that's full of chemicals instead of fat/sodium, but I don't care specifically about buying organic. If I buy tomato sauce (which is rare, I usually do a huge pot every few weeks and freeze it in single-dinner servings for nights we need a quick meal) I'll usually look for whichever one has the fewest ingredients. Otherwise I do very simple foods. Brown rice, grilled chicken or fish, steamed frozen veggies, whole wheat pasta with sauteed veggies or thawed frozen sauce.

boysx2

Low calories are much more important than low fat.

Leila'sMommy

Is it fresh and not in a box? Sign me up.

Could care less about organic.

MarchMom06

ENI36:

SS for me.  We usually buy organic but I don't consider all organic to be healthy and that's what is important to us.  So for example, something could be organic but still loaded with sugar so that's not healthy.  We stick to mainly whole grains, veggies, and fruits.  We add in some chicken, fish, and dairy a couple times a week.  

Pretty much this.

Top priority =for everyone in my house is that we all eat the recommended servings of fruit & vegetables each day.

Next priority = whole grains when possible, lean proteins

Priority after that = if there's a more natural/organic alterantive, we'll try it.

EdithBouvierBeale

I care about real food, and I am viciously opposed to factory farmed meats. (we don't eat meat, but it is the food issue I have the most passion about. I think it is one of the country's biggest problems, and I wish we could move away from such dependency.we are so out of touch from our food sources and seasonal eating, that we're shooting ourselves in the foot)

I like organic when it's not significantly pricier, esp for anything grown in soil (roots, tubers)

mostly, I don;'t worry about fat and sodium content and try to keep food real and fresh and whole.

and sometimes we eat junk, too.

and I do not like my kids to have artificial sweetners or chemically created stuff if I can help it.