I think I've figured out why people in this country are so unhealthy

[LeftyMom]

I'm trying to figure up the value of my kid's meal on one of these online nutrition calculators (just for my own amusement, he's rediculously healthy) and while it lists a million frozen, prepared and canned foods for every diet imaginable, there's no broccoli on there. Do people not eat veggies anymore? :wtf:

[WindRavenX]

1. I LOVE raw baby carrots

(even if they have sugar. Oh well, it's a good source of fiber and water and it's yummu) :9

I'm going to say kids eat less veggies today than even when I was a kid 15 years ago when I was 6 and in the 80's.

[Schema Thing]

26. In my best Colbert: So you liberals DO eat babies then?

[u4ic]

2. Have you tried

www.fitday.com ? I found them to cover most foods.

[LeftyMom]

3. Thanks

The calculator I was using was run by some health insurance company. It also annoyed me by filing soy milk under dairy. :grr:

I'll try that one, thanks!

[xmas74]

4. I was ready to second fitday.

It shows a one cup serving of brocoli as having 90 calories.


It's a good source to go to for figuring out daily calories, serving sizes, etc.

[Lady Effingbroke]

5. No.

I am a cashier in a grocery store, and it is unbelievable how much crap people buy.

Chips, frozen dinners, candy (sugary crap like fruit roll-ups, etc.), and soft drinks by the case (often they will have one cart full of food and another cart stacked with cases of soft drinks).

Their only concession to healthy eating is perhaps a small bunch of bananas and/or 5 apples for a buck. :shrug:

This is not true of all of the customers who shop at the store where I work; however it is true of the majority.

[LeftyMom]

6. The thing that amazes me

Is how little non-processed food can be found in regular grocery stores these days, especially the ones in working class neighborhoods. I went to get a bag of potatoes earlier today and there was a big display of Eagle Brand just add butter boxed desserts for children. Who the hell buys that? :scared:

[Gormy Cuss]

7. What on earth is a 'just add butter' dessert?

Thanks for the reminder of why I avoid regular groceries like Safeway. There is so much crap mixed in with the real food that I never browse -- I go in for the items I have on my list and leave.

[LeftyMom]

11. Yeah, I was floored by that too

They were like these but there were kid-themed ones like cookie pizza too. http://www.eaglebrandkits.com/home.asp Looked :puke:

[Lady Effingbroke]

9. People who shop where I work.

The store where I work is definitely for working-class folks. Often half of my customers on any given day are on some type of assistance; either WIC or Lone Star (the debit card that replaced food stamps in Texas).

Generally, the healthier stuff is found around the perimeter of a store (produce, meat, and dairy). 90% of aisle space is nothin' but junk (canned veggies excepted).

[u4ic]

10. I even see that

at the organic grocery stores...people buying caseloads of 'natural soda'.

I bought one (can, not case) once. Had HFCS in it. x(

[Lady Effingbroke]

12. It is almost impossible to buy food that doesn't contain HFCS.

At least where I live.

[LeftyMom]

16. I saw canned tomatoes with HFCS the other day

Can't imagine why tomatoes need added sweetning at all. :shrug:

[Lady Effingbroke]

17. Two words:

Big Corn.

[u4ic]

23. In Canada,

we don't have it in everything like in the US. Once in a while I see it, but then again, I rarely buy processed foods.

Our pop don't contain HCFS. The one I mentioned above was manufactured in the US. I was amazed it was in a health food store and notified the manager. It's probably too good of a seller for them to discontinue it.

As always, buyer beware, even from health food stores.

[Gormy Cuss]

21. You'd think there would be more awareness among their buyers

I was floored when I try to buy root beer at Whole Foods last year. All of the brands had HFCS. Now they are carrying some sodas with old fashioned cane sugar and one with honey. I don't expect soda to be health food but real sugar is a big step up from the HFCS stuff.

[Redstone]

8. People rely on the goddamn internet TOO MUCH these days.

Ninety seconds with just about any cookbook would have given you the answer.

Redstone

[LeftyMom]

14. Most of my cookbooks are still boxed up from moving

Anyhow, how can I bitch about the great evil that is the Standard American Diet that way? :shrug:

[eyesroll]

15. I have about 25 cookbooks and none of them have nutrition calculators.

A few of them have calories/fiber/fat/etc. for whole recipes, but none talk raw ingredients.

[Redstone]

20. You have 25 cookbooks, and not the Better Homes and Gardens

New Cookbook with the red plaid cover?

I thought EVERYONE had that.

Redstone

[eyesroll]

27. I had the kids' version, growing up.

I've got a lot of Culinaria, everything Alton Brown's ever done, some specialty (Moosewood, bread, sushi, etc.) and a few massive primers, but not that one.

[bertha katzenengel]

13. Of course they eat veggies. Fries with ketchup - there are two vegs right

there! Hey, the FDA said ketchup was a vegetable!

[flvegan]

18. "Nutrition calculator?"

Surely you jest. The vast majority of these "calculators" are little more than the joke of nutrition that they promote.

[LeftyMom]

19. I figured that out

Soy milk was filed under dairy. :eyes:

[flvegan]

24. Well

a webmaster's dipshittedness aside, it's simple lunacy to look to any website like that for food "value" considering that so many of them have so little to offer, and are devoid of any expertise.

Any website, any website at all that suggests the intake of meat for health reasons is seriously showing it's lack of knowledge. Same with dairy. Sooner folks wake up, the better.

[LeftyMom]

25. Well, I just wanted the totals

I wasn't checking to see what they thought of LeftyKid's diet. :shrug:

[flvegan]

28. And now

obviously, you know. Well, you knew and were reminded, I'll bet.

Unlike LK, they...are full of shit.

[LeftyMom]

29. Pretty much.

BTW, I measured him last night and he's an inch taller again. I knew his pants looked short. :eyes:

[flvegan]

32. Ahh...

the second generation of proof is afoot...

At this rate, in comparison, he should be benching 600 before he's legally able to drink.

[no name no slogan]

22. no

never. only fruit. which I kill by hand. Daily.

[NMDemDist2]

31. ROFL

:rofl:

[AccessGranted]

30. What Are Veggies?

Sometimes I'm surprised I'm still alive, but I am and healthy.

[NMMNG]

33. Of course they do

High fructose CORN syrup is in just about everything nowadays. And if that's not in a food, you're sure to find partially hydrogenated VEGETABLE oil.

See, people are eating veggies. :rofl: ;-)

[SeattleGirl]

34. I love veggies!

In fact, if I am a bad girl, and don't eat any for a couple of days, my body starts screaming at me: "I WANT MY VEGGIES!!!!"

[tjwmason]

35. I can't abide broccoli

except as part of broccoli and stilton soup - but do I eat real vegetables, and plenty of them, but I'm in a minority here in Britain as well.

The government has been pushing the idea of 5 portions of fruit or vegetables per day for quite some time - it's now finding its way onto supermarket marketing - but a vast number of people still don't let it sink into their thick heads. :banghead: