I wish Organix had been around in the 1980s when my children were little.
Organix produces healthy food for children so it is a godsend. Because it is certified organic, the junk is already excluded.
I love a good ban. Here is a small example of the junk which has always been banned from organic standards.
- Hydrogenated fats
- All colourings whether or not natural (except annatto)
- All artificial flavourings.
You will never find the above in organic food because their standards are based on the Precautionary Principle: why take an unnecessary risk?
And what an unnecessary risk.
Hydrogenated fats or trans fats are industrially produced. A cheap filler, they prolong shelf life and make a fake cake look cake-like. They are linked to the UK’s obesity crisis. Child obesity is a huge health risk and is NOT FAIR to kids.
Artificial flavourings and colourings mask the yuk taste of the junk, and are linked to hyper-activity and allergies. Like trans fats, these additives are a cheap alternative to real ingredients, and a health risk. There is currently no requirement to reveal their exact quantity in food.
I love Organix’s latest campaign.
“I pledge to eat and feed my family only real ingredients I can recognise or spell.
I signed the pledge. I am sick of food ingredients that only a chemist can understand. I do not want food technology – I want REAL FOOD!
Organix was founded in 1992 by Lizzie Vann. After a childhood rife with asthma and eczema, she learned as an adult about the link between food and health (cut out those nasty additives for a start!).
As well as making tasty organic food for children, Organix also educates carers about how to make real food, and campaigns for nutritious food in hospitals, schools and nurseries.
Awarded an MBE in 2000 for services to children’s food, Lizzie Vann was also a founding member of Food for Life, the multi-charity programme transforming school meals one meal at a time.
Food for Life’s manageable targets: 70% unprocessed, 50% local and 30% organic.
Lizzie Vann says: “A growing infant is not a miniature version of an adult. Their key body systems…are in a state of fast development for most of their early childhood. During this dynamic time, it is essential that the environment in which they grow is free of toxins, and the foods they are fed are pure and offer quality nutrition.”
If I were emperor for the day, I would command the food industry to stop being reckless with our children’s health.
I would ban the use of cheap, empty, risky, filler ingredients which make huge profits for manufacturers but are ruining our children’s health.
I would decree food manufacturing magnates be force-fed the junk they peddle to children. From henceforth, the only food they would be allowed to sell would be stacked with nutritious goodness, with no toxic nasties.
Please do sign the No Junk pledge.
PS The pic at the start of the blog is of my granddaughter and a healthy chocolate cake…recipe next week!
Real Food Lover 
So informative – and I love the no junk pledge!
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Thanks, Roz. The only way changes come about are through the public campaigning and the food industry responding…Let us make our voices heard!
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Real Food Lover,
I recently discovered your blog through a link a friend sent me under good recommendation. I’m always looking out for information about organic/sustainable/real food, it’s hard to find trustworthy, consice and interesting information online, but you’ve managed to do just that! Just wanted to say thanks. I’ve passed on the link too.
Phoebe
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Phoebe, thank you so much. I really appreciate you taking the trouble to comment and give me (positive!) feedback. Thanks for passing on link to pledge too.
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That’s a step in the right direction. Sorry it wasn’t around when were little, we were too busy to make all our own food all the time. Good to have as a fall back.
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Hi Paul – that is funny. Yes, it is true, I was making home food, too. I only ever used shop-brought jars of apple puree! And I was working from home…
But you know that healthy snack moment? Might have been handy to have something rather than say the over-sweet Farley’s rusk et al!
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I’m all for eating healthily and not feeding our children with junk, but the blame shouldn’t be at the door of the food producers alone. Children old enough use their pocket money to treat themselves to some of these junk foods we are referring to. With all the preaching and education, they fall on deaf ears. With gentle persuasion, may be we shall succeed. On the other hand, parents don’t help by not cooking fresh!
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Yes, it seems so simple! I’m persuaded and will sign up. It’s great to have companies like Organix making it a bit easier to give kids healthy foods – snacks like apple rice cakes etc have changed the world of snacks and made healthy snacks more mainstream
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Hi Ingrid Rose – that is interesting about Organix helping making healthy snacks more mainstream. Yup, trailblazer.
O, I want to live in a world where the junk food manufacturers have to be certified and the healthy ones are mainstream…
Thanks for taking pledge! Elisabeth
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Organix are a permanent feature of our ‘snack strategy’ for the kids! We like them exactly because they aren’t full of rubbish.
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Thanks, Thomas, for your comment.
Yes, I wish Organix had been around when my kids were little.
Good to have snacks that are a sanctuary from disease-causing junk!
Elisabeth
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I just want food in my food, is that so difficult and demanding? There is a place for snacks in one’s life – and there are so many packs of sultanas (..also can be processed..), and bananas you can rely on.
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