5 food label resources to make better decisions (and a blog update)

Standard food labels have minimal requirements. Help fill the gaps with these resources to better understand what's in the food you choose to buy.

When I started this blog in June last year, I regularly posted three times each week. The summer temperatures were rising and I spent the hottest times of the days indoors where I could comfortably write and post. You may have noticed that later in the year I slowed down to two posts per week. That was a seasonal change that helped support fall gardening and beekeeping time needs, and manage our first season with pigs.

Today our pigs move on for the purpose we acquired them for. The timing works well with the spring garden season demands and longer days. Since this will be the first spring that I’ve had this blog, I’m already noticing the challenge of balancing my usual time outside with creating the same volume of posts. I’m embracing another seasonal change and switching to weekly posts. So much happens between the garden and the bees in the spring. I think this schedule will not only work better for me logistically, but I’ll have a lot to share too. I still intend to practice my solstice breaks, and encourage you to find a routine seasonal practice that helps you recharge.

Moving into this new routine with the growing season motivates me to play what a friend calls “freezer roulette.” I don’t label my garden harvests and meal creations when I put them in the freezer. Instead, I take a good guess, take it out to thaw, and wait to learn what I’m having for lunch or dinner. One of my favorite stories to tell happened last year. It was midafternoon and I really needed a snack. I found what I thought was a brownie wrapped in the freezer. I set it out to thaw and a little while later I made some tea and started to dig in. As I unwrapped it, I realized I had wrapped up a hamburger patty. Not a brownie. That was a moment when I would have appreciated a good label.

While I have poor personal standards with labeling our food, I have high expectations for regulators and commercial food producers. Mass-produced food labels fall short when it comes to my own standards, and potential industrial changes could create more gaps in labels. Today I’ve curated a handful of food label resources that help educate consumers about these gaps. These are resources I regularly consult when making decisions about which ingredients to bring into our home, or what I’ll order at a restaurant.

1. For instance, food labels aren’t required to show glyphosate content. Glyphosate is a widely-known herbicide and desiccant used on many primary crops, and it’s a potential carcinogen. (Hear an interview with an attorney from the Monsanto Cancer Trials.) Commercial growers commonly use it to suppress weeds and to help dry crops for packaging. It used to be an off-the-shelf product for any consumer to purchase at big box stores and garden centers, but a big brand removed it from residential inventory at the end of 2023. Only licensed buyers can acquire and use the product now. While consumer exposure may be reduced on a garden application level, our food supply remains full of foods containing glyphosate that bear no labeling indicating the content. According to Glyphosate Facts, glyphosate is present in: “Cheerios, Goldfish Crackers, granola, orange juice, Impossible Burger, hummus, and meat from animals who fed on GMO corn and soy.” Glyphosate Facts also shares links to maps, water quality assessments, crop exposure, and policies.

2. The Bionutrient Institute works with growers to test grains, produce, and soil in an effort to create nutrient density reports that showcase specific minerals, polyphenols, and antioxidants. Their robust reports range from showing the significant nutrient difference between hydroponically-grown tomatoes and soil-grown tomatoes, nutrient variations in wheat and oats based on soil and growing practices, and a forthcoming report on beef.

3. Both online and in an app, the Environmental Working Group researches food practices and undisclosed ingredients. For example, one of their reports centers on potassium bromate, a potential carcinogen found in more than 130 foods, many with big name brands. They also dive into low-calorie sweeteners, propyl parabens, food additives, and more. Their Food Scores database hosts more than 80,000 foods, so you can quickly check a product or brand to help you make more informed decisions about what you’re putting in your body.

4. Local and regional fish advisory programs can help you understand potential toxins (mercury, PCBs, etc.) in types of fish in certain areas. For instance, where I am in North Carolina we have Fish Consumption Advisories released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

5. Food marketing includes hundreds of label claims, some labels regulated and unregulated. References to hormones, animal by-products, grass fed, and antibiotics are commonly found on labels—what do they mean? Non-profit A Greener World released Food Labels Exposed, a report analyzing food label claims and revealing if they’re certified by third parties, have protocols, and other factors. For instance, these common claims have no legal or regulated definitions: cage free, crate free, dry-aged, conventional, farm fresh, free range, hormone free, humane, heritage, and so many more.

BONUS: In case you missed my post about honey labels, check it out.

Many under-the-radar food label resources exist and it’s hard to showcase them all. Let me know which ones you rely on or are curious about.