SAFE!, Products that are known to be safe from unwanted extras

[InterNutter]

Most fresh produce in Australia, at least, is as safe as you can get. Washing generally gets rid of chemicals on fresh produce, and our meats are hormone free. Anywhere else, you absolutely *must* read the effing lable.

If all else *really* fails, grow your own. That way you *know*.

Yes, this does mean making things from scratch for a while. It can take as long as a month for your sufferers to detoxify. I can tell you from personal experience that that month is labor intensive and slightly painful [ie. "WHYYYYY can't we get [insert fast food here]?" repeatedly at maximum volume]. But it *is* worth it. You'll notice significant changes in behaviour after the first week.

And, to make things worse, some triggers include *gluten*, which means unleavened or gluten-free bread products, dishes over rice and, if you're concerned about your meat products, going vegetarian.

Fortunately, there's some vegetarians already here, so anyone who's lost can ask rude questions.

That said, I *have* found some products in my neck of the woods that are safe, at least for my FSK. As a generic rule, things that are safe for a FSK are also 'safe enough' for ADD or hyperactive kids.

Snackage:

Freedom Foods put out some lovely chemical-free biscuits[cookies] and fruit strips that are marketed for dieters. "100 Healthy Calories" is emblazoned over about 20% of the packaging. They're also low GI.

Paradise have a brand of crackers called "Veri Deli" that contain all-natural ingredients [the only number is Antioxidant 306] and have so far proven to be very more-ish (IMG:style_emoticons/Nighty/crawler.gif)

"Very Premium Waterthins™" put out classic cheddar cheese twists that I've found to be a good snack.

Both "Hip Hop" and "Be Natural" have chemical-free muesli bars, though the latter tend to disintegrate in the hands of the very young.

I've found that the 'no-frills' brands of poppas[tetra-pack juices] are the ones with the least chemicals, so that's a budget bonus for you!

If your sufferer insists on cordial, look for "Extra Juicy"[spelled with an umlaut over the U to make a nice smilie face on the lable] cordials. They have a nice variety, and their preservative evaporates into harmlessness. Once opened, you have to keep it in the fridge, but that's a very small price to pay.

As far as pre-packaged meals are concerned... I avoid them. Too many of them contain the mysterious ingredient "Flavour" which is a gamble. You have a 50% chance of encountering the mystery additive that sets your sufferer off. Instead, purchase pre-packaged ingredients that are fast on the 'heat and eat' scale for those lazy cooking nights.

Microwave-in-the-bag mixed veggies. Crumbed fish... if you bake them, rather than fry them, you lower the cholesterol levels significantly. I tend to avoid the crumbed chicken entirely. They all contain 'flavour enhancers'... aka MSG. Most simmer sauces and marinades are OK, though it's safe to double-check every time you purchase them. The food industry regularly changes its formulae, so a watchful eye is best.

Of the confirmed triggers I have for FSKs: Preservatives 211 and 282, Food Acid 296, and all colours from 170 up. I prefer to avoid preservatives altogether, since they do send my kids off the deep end.

Condiments are trouble, since almost all sauces contain something agley. Minimise, rather than eliminate them, and you should have a minimum of worries. If that's not an option, you may have to make condiments at home, since they are a major factor in everyday eating.

Most of the foods I've mentioned are available at the average Woolworths in Australia. Feel free to share your finds with all of us.

[Meredith]

The best way of finding "safe" foods here (the States don't have the no Frankenfoods resolutions that much of Europe has, for example) is to shop fresh produce, not the pre-packaged "convenience" stuff but FRESH, to buy as close to the original as possible (whole potatoes instead of packaged flakes, for example, or bulk fructose instead of boxed). A lot of the pre-made vegetarian stuff is either owned by companies like Phillip Morris (I kid you not) or it is high in sodium. That said, there ARE a lot of good choices in the fake meats if you want "meat analog" and not all involve Gluten. So many people have wheat and corn sensitivities and never know it, thinking they're just having trouble losing weight or with a sinus infection.

[Ishling]

I don't know how many other supermarkets do this, but generally if you chat to the friendly deli staff they can tell you what's in their prepackaged stuff such as their ham and sausages. I know that ours has a little book with all the ingredients in it, and whether or not the food has been genetically modified.

[InterNutter]

AFAIK, if you're really hyper-sensitive in the US - or suspect you are - find an organic market and give them your undying loyalty.

Alas, in my area, there doesn't seem to be any organic markets about. I wash everything I don't peel. Sigh.

I shall keep searching though. Demand's bound to increase after the latest scare-news about insecticides in soft-skinned fruits.

My friendly deli staff aren't paid enough to know what's in the stuff they're selling. Asking adds an unwanted half-hour to shopping time. Augh! Plus it's even money that the manager has no clue either. Feh.

If I want deli-style sliced meats, I get a safe roast, cook it, slice it, and seal it in vacu-pack in the freezer for when it's needed.

And on that note - if you're going to go chemical free, get a big freezer and a vacuum packing system. We have one of those deelies that use plastic bags... leading to the phrase 'flat-pack food'.

Good news for me, though - the deli section at Woolworths has started stocking preservative-free sausages. Hotdog-inna-bun just got one step easier.

[Ishling]

Love the Pratchett reference, 'Nutter. And that sucks...are there any IGAs where you live? Because that's what I work for, and AFAIK we're required to know what's in all our food...maybe it's just mine that does this, though...

[Meredith]

The States is moving more and more towards making manufacturers tell all the dirty details of what's in food; right now there ARE ingredient lists but there's "fancy language" like "Natural flavorings" or "other flavorings" that covers everything from meat broth to MSG. The best bet, if you live in the states, is either pony up and buy organic which IS needlessly expensive, or buy whole foods (or Whole Foods, which is a store). Whole foods are things that are "unadulterated" like a head of spinach rather than a can of it, or the makings for soup rather than a packet.

[InterNutter]

Addendum on the "Extra Juicy" cordials [umlaut and all] Turns out that the pineapple in the pine/lime cordial sets off both my FSKs. Yeehah.

See what I mean about pineapple? I have no idea what is in it that sets them off, but it's there and apparently survives the cordial making process.

[Alas, I cracked the original bottle, so we have to drink it quick. Sigh. I foresee lots of silly nights]

As with all things Food Sensitive: Your mileage may vary. Proceed with caution.

[InterNutter]

Addendum to the above addendum: Turns out my FSK's are sensitive to the lime, not the pineapple. Though pineapple *juice* may yet be a factor. Further bulletins as necessary.

Further in the adventures of the Umlauted 'Extra Juicy' cordial... the umlaut has been vanishing off the shelves in what I assumed at the time was a blatant attempt at the market share. The non-umlaut version contained enough preservatives to set your average Pharaoh for time immemorial.

Then I discovered that both versions were put out by the same company.

Conclusion: They were phasing out the preservative-free umlaut cordial.

One quick google search later, I had their address and phone number. Turns out I was right. And why, you may ask, were they changing from a breath of fresh air to the usual stodgy party line?

The Marketing department got too many complaints from people who could not follow the directions on the lables. It clearly stated on both sides of the bottle to keep the cordial refrigerated after opening. Apparently this was too complicated for Mr and Mrs Average Thicko and they complained when their cordial went manky.

I suggested an alternate marketing campaign, but the nice lady said that the Marketing department had to get enough complaints about the switch to preservatives.

Therefore I invite everyone in Australia who can read this to send a politely-worded nastygram to the following address:

P&N Beverages Australia Pty Ltd
Customer Services Dept
PO Box 54
Condel Park NSW 2200

From there it will be forwarded to the Marketing Idiots who made the bad decision in the first place. Deluge them. Please do. Convince them there's more sensible people out there than the fucktards who can't be bothered reading a lable.

[InterNutter]

New addendum:

Extra Juicy now has a "cordial concentrate" that makes ten litres per teeny bottle [100 mils of concentrate makes one litre of cordial]. This cordial has NO PRESERVATIVES. It does, alas, contain artificial sweetners, so YMMV.

I'll be testing it on my kids this weekend. Wish me luck.