non-gmo

Some of you may remember your mom buying you Lunchables to take to school. You know, the little DIY kits with everything from crackers and meat and cheese, to little pizzas. When you think of “processed food,” Lunchables should immediately come to mind. What’s for lunch? CHEMICALS! But now there is a (slightly) healthier option for busy moms and dads who struggle to find time to pack their kids’ lunches: Organic Lunchables.
A little bit healthier. Emphasis on “a little bit.”

Do you know which foods are “healthy?” If you said no, or you only have a vague idea, then you have something in common with the majority of people who responded to a recent survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC). [1]

Monsanto announced last week that it licensed the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool from the Broad Institute in Boston for use in seed development. The technology will allow the agritech giant to edit crops’ DNA by “snipping” away undesirable traits – or adding in more desirable ones – of the plants’ genetic codes. Frankenfood? [1]
Source: Business Insider

It took years of begging and pleading, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally agreed in February to start testing for glyphosate in food. The agency announced just a few days ago that U.S. honey samples tested positive for the chemical, which is an ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide. [1]

A lot of people are willing to spend a few extra bucks to buy organic produce and antibiotic-free meat these days, while others aren’t too worried about eating foods made with genetically modified ingredients or sprayed with pesticides. Well, it seems that scientists recently made history when they served up – and ate – the first full-meal consisting of genetically engineered food using CRISPR technology.

On July 13, Dannon executives unveiled Dannon and Oikos Greek yogurt products containing more natural and non-GMO ingredients. [1]
The company plans to highlight the non-GMO ingredients on all of its product packaging. It is also ensuring that by the end of 2018, all cows that supply milk for these products (as well as its Danimals brand) will be fed non-GMO feed, which will impact some 80,000 acres of farmland.

The government isn’t particularly interested in making sure Americans know what they’re eating. It seems like knowing what is in the food should be a basic right, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, last week Congress passed a federal requirement for labeling products containing genetically modified ingredients that signifies a big win for food companies.

Like probably many of you, I have friends who have no clue why eating organic is a big deal. Prepare to show this piece to them the next time they laugh at you for spending a little extra on foods that aren’t genetically modified and covered in pesticides.
A new study analyzing data on milk and meat found that the organic varieties contain 50% more omega-3s than the non-organic types.

In an effort to feed children the best quality food possible while promoting environmental health, a Bay Area school district has become the first in the nation to serve 100% organic meals to students.

Whole Foods is hoping to lure consumers to its stores that may have eschewed its products due to high prices. The company says it will start offering deep discounts on produce, meat, seafood and other items in an attempt to recover from a number of financial hits it suffered this year.