Small Snacks, Big Problems: The Issue with American Snacking Today

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Lately, we have snacks on our minds here at PrimaFoodie. One reason is that school is here, so we're thinking of nutrient-packed ways to keep the kiddos satiated and healthy throughout the day. (Stay tuned for our PrimaFoodie-approved Snack Guide, which is coming soon!) Another reason is one that haunts us: Snacking in the US has become an issue that is hurting our health. 

One of the significant issues with snacking today is how it has slowly replaced quality, nutritious meals for many Americans. In late 2023, the nonprofit PLOS Global Health published a study stating that American adults averaged 400 to 500-worth of calories in snacks per day. That is a meal's worth of calories consumed just in snacks alone—and so many of these snacks are eaten on-the-go, in the car, or at a desk or in front of the TV.

What's most alarming about this fact is the nutritional value of what people are snacking on. A snack is generally considered to be a food eaten between main meals. Research shows that snacking can positively impact a person's metabolic health—that is, if the snacks are healthy and unprocessed, like an apple. But these days, most Americans are choosing snacks that are anything but healthy. In fact, they’re potentially harmful. As the PLOS study and other research shows, the chewy, salty, crunchy snacks Americans are grabbing are ultra-processed and nutritionally lacking. Market research generally shows the most common snacks to be cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, cheese and yogurt, nuts, and chocolate. Not all of these foods are bad when they’re made of whole ingredients. However, this fact changes when they contain conventional additives, such as food coloring, sugars, seed oils, and other highly processed additives. 

Unhealthy snacking can have grave impacts. The CDC states that more than 100 million and nearly 15 million child have obesity. There's concern that these numbers will continue to rise, with a giant culprit being unhealthy snacking. Studies show there are various reasons behind snacking, from hunger to boredom to emotional reasons, and unhealthy snacking can often be habitual for adults and kids. What's additionally concerning is how food companies market unhealthy snacks to kids, thus influencing their eating decisions. "The food and beverage industry spends almost $14 billion per year on advertising in the US, more than 80 percent of which promotes fast food, sugary drinks, candy, and other unhealthy snacks," writes researchers at harvard.

In truth, this all just scratches the surface of just how large of an issue unhealthy snacking is in America and how targeted we are as consumers by giant corporations—which is why it’s on our minds. There’s a giant need for a shift towards healthier snack options. We'll continue to offer you more research and our PrimaFoodie-approved whole-food snacks, but as we always say, the best way to stay healthy is to stay informed: Read labels, consider a company's motivation, reach for whole foods, and cook nutritious meals at home when possible.


 
 

5 Foods that Surprisingly Have Artificial Dyes

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Too many foods on market shelves and in our grocery delivery baskets are filled with artificial food dyes—and we don't even realize it. Take Red 40, the most used food coloring: The Department of Agriculture estimates more than 36,000 foods sold in the U.S. contain this dye. This is disturbing, not only because research links this and other food colorings to serious health implications (particularly in children), but also because there is no law requiring companies to disclose how much food dye they add to a product. So, our children are munching on snacks with sickening amounts of harmful chemicals.

This issue is on our minds. We believe it's on yours, too. When we dived deep into the impact of food dyes with Dr. Tanya Dempsey in 2022, our story exploded in popularity and remains one of our most popular. Over the last decades, immense movements on the individual, state, and federal levels have been attempting to thwart the use of food dyes. In early 2024, California introduced Bill 2316, which would protect children from six artificial dyes by banning them from foods served in public schools during school hours. This state has been bullish on the anti-dye front, as a 2021 report found synthetic food dyes potentially contribute to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children "and that children vary in their sensitivity to synthetic food dyes." Thankfully, other states are doing their parts, as well.

 
 

The advocacy for ridding food dyes from foods is out there, which is heartening. Still, these chemicals are permeating the food aisles often in ways that go by the most discerning eyes. As we've continued to dig into this topic, we've been utterly shocked by how food dyes are in the most unsuspecting foods. It's evident that Twin Pops have a rainbow of dyes, but a salmon salad? Must a salmon salad have Red. No. 40 and 3 and Yellow No. 5 and 6? We say no.

We also say no to all these other foods, which often contain cryptic food colorings we would never have suspected. So the next time you pick up one of the below, read the ingredients label closely (as we always suggest).

Consider this another cautionary list to keep you on your food-additive-aware toes.

5 Unexpected Foods That Contain Artificial Food Coloring

PrimaFoodie Ingredient Spotlight: Potassium Bromate

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Additives in food are as ubiquitous as they are nebulous. In our PrimaFoodie Ingredients Spotlight, we investigate common food additives to discover their origin, use, and purpose. Because just because something is edible doesn’t mean it’s healthy—or necessary.

What Is Potassium Bromate?

Potassium bromate is a white crystal chemical food additive. As its name suggests, it is a bromate of potassium—a bromate is a salt or ester of bromic acid that contains an ion that works as an oxidizer. 

Why Is Potassium Bromate Used?

Widely used in the baking industry, potassium bromate catches the eyes of mass manufacturers for its ability to enhance the texture of bread and other baked goods. Its oxidizing qualities cause the bread—and cakes, rolls, muffins, and other goods—to rise and feel fluffy.  

Historical accounts show that veterinarians used potassium bromate to treat animals with epilepsy, dating back to the 19th century.  

Where Is It Found?

This additive has genuinely been everywhere for decades. As mentioned, manufacturers have been adding it to mass-produced and packaged bread items, including:

  • Pizza dough

  • Bread

  • Dinner and sandwich rolls

  • Donuts, muffins, and other pastries

  • English muffins

  • Pretzels

  • Crackers

  • Cookies

What are the risks of potassium bromate?

California has been warning its residents about potassium bromate for years. In April 2023, the state's Assembly Committee on Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials approved a bill to ban potassium bromate in foods, along with four other chemicals. The state underscores its concern with studies, some of which date back decades, that show the chemical additive to be potentially toxic and carcinogenic.

Furthermore, the Environmental Working Group states that concerns around potassium bromate are widespread in other countries. The EWG says, "In 1999, the International Agency for Research on Cancer determined that potassium bromate is a possible human carcinogen. It is not allowed for use or is banned as a food additive in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, and the European Union."

Additionally, research also shows potassium bromate to be harmful when inhaled. 

The PrimaFoodie Take

California's bill to ban potassium bromate will go into effect in 2027. Until then, the state requires all manufacturers to post a warning label on their packaging when it includes the additive, which is part of the Proposition 65 food safety initiative.

Considering the research and banning of this additive, we avoid potassium bromate. Read your labels. If a bread or other product contains it, choose an alternative. Doing so supports our health and lowers the demand for this unnecessary and toxic additive. 

3 Food Values We Live By

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Eating well is complex. It is a subjective journey informed by culture, familial history, and dietary needs. What one person deems a healthy, balanced diet may radically differ from someone else's choices. 

In considering this nuance, one thing stands factual no matter where we come from or how we eat: Our food choices directly impact our health and well-being. Too many people, particularly those of us in America, are steeped in a society that normalizes eating ultra-processed foods filled with sugars, hydrogenated oils, colorings, and other chemical additives. It can be hard to see how harmful these edible substances are because they physically surround us—in our schools, markets, restaurants, offices, places of entertainment, and more. Supermarket shelves overflow with products wrapped in packaging covered with untruthful yet alluring marketing words such as "natural" and "healthy." Mass food producers hire lobbyists to push legislative agendas that work for company profits and against our well-being. 

Foods that are cancer-causing, endocrine-disrupting, and soil-toxifying have no business in our grocery markets. Many people deny that ultra-processed food is detrimental, which is understandable because our society has us believe otherwise. But we must peel back these layers, piece by piece, to continue to see the need to be vigilant about our food. We have more control over our health than we often allow ourselves to see—and it starts with how and what we eat.

As we continue to build this community around nourishing ourselves and building a better food system, we never want to proselytize or judge anyone's choices. Nutrition is personal. It's more than following a strict plan, measuring intake, or counting carbs or calories. Nourishing ourselves well includes enjoying our food, feeling good about our choices and food sources, and taking care of our bodies in ways beyond vitamins and minerals.

Staying atop of all this can be overwhelming. We know. This is why we believe it's helpful (and freeing) to follow pillars—or values—that act as guides. When we identify the things that are most important to our food choices and health, it allows us the capacity to take better care of ourselves. Values also help us continue to advocate for a better food system. 

We often hear things from readers and the general public, such as: What are the best ways to eat healthier? Where do I start? How do I make better choices? The following three pillars is where we always start:


#1: Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods

We live by this value: Rid ultra-processed foods from your diet. These include foods made of substances extracted from foods containing additives, colorings, preservatives, and fillers. Common examples of highly processed or ultra-processed foods include soda, package snacks (crackers and cookies), chips, fast food, mass-produced bread, and frozen meals.  

Famed food journalist Michael Pollan says to "eat food" rather than highly processed concoctions. "These days this is easier said than done, especially when seventeen thousand new products show up in the supermarket each year, all vying for your food dollar," Pollan writes. "Today much of the challenge of eating well comes down to choosing real food and avoiding these industrial novelties." So, to follow Pollan, avoid ultra-processed foods and eat true, whole foods. 

And if you second-guess yourself about what real food is, listen to your instincts. A food is likely ultra-processed if it comes in a package of some sort, has an unnatural texture or color, and/or has a long ingredients list. Marion Nestle recently pointed out that research shows most people do know the processing levels of foods. So again, listen to your gut.

#2: Eat Local

Eating produce and meat from your region means consuming foods with higher nutrition (compared to store-bought items sourced from far away) and a lower carbon footprint. Local foods are also tastier and always in season. Shop at your local farmers' markets for your meals and snacks whenever possible. In doing this, you'll be eating real whole foods—and the benefits are endless. 

#3: Enjoy Your Food

How we eat, as well as with whom, is as important as what we eat. Research shows that we make over 200 food decisions daily. When we overlook these choices or act on autopilot, we miss out on the pleasure of eating. We also tend to overeat or eat less healthily.  

Pay attention. Create rituals around your meals. Enjoy cooking. Take your time. Make eating a memorable and happy event. Whether eating alone or with a crowd, plate your food, sit down, turn off distractions, and indulge in every bite. This will bring your mind to what you're eating. When joy, pleasure, and nutrition intersect, we're more likely to stick to eating habits that nourish us.

Again, eating well is personal. Only you know what's best for your body. Aim to educate yourself about the foods and what's in them. Support local farmers, eat mindfully, up your vegetable intake, avoid ultra-processed goods, and always stay hydrated with ample water. These pillars will allow you to nourish your body and mind best–no matter what that looks like for you.

The 4 Healthy Kitchen Essentials to Always Keep Stocked—According to a Functional Nutritionist

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As a functional nutritionist, Alanna DeSalvo knows a thing or two about cooking healthy, nutrient-dense meals at home. Yet still, DeSalvo admits it’s not always easy. “Everything is so busy nowadays,” DeSalvo tells us. “It's hard for me to even prep meals at times.” Therefore, DeSalvo believes in setting up her clients for cooking success—i.e. making it easy to create simple, clean meals without copious ingredients or time. The place to start is stocking clean pantry and freezer staples.

We asked DeSalvo where to start. Here she walks us through the kitchen staples she always keeps on hand and why. Because when you have ingredients to work with, you’re more likely to get in the kitchen—which she says is most important. “One of my main beliefs is that cooking is nutrition and action,” DeSalvo adds. “The more you can get into your kitchen, even just throwing something easy together with what you have in the pantry or the freezer, it can make a difference in your health and how you feel at the end of the day.”


4 Pantry and Freezer Staples to Keep on Hand

Healthy Fats

From oils to nuts to ghee, DeSalvo believes in keeping healthy fats on hand for cooking, as well as for adding nutrients to salads and other dishes. She recommends having two to three clean oils on hand, her favorites being olive oil, avocado oil, and ghee. Be mindful of how you’re using them, she says, as different oils have varying smoke points. She also recommends nuts and nut butter, which are a great “healthy fat and that helps keep blood sugar stable.”

Clean Easy Proteins

This included sustainable canned or frozen fish, organic jerky, and beans. “These are all ideal for putting together a nourishing meal quickly,” she says. Look for options that you can keep in your pantry or the freezer.


“Pantry Vegetables”

Fresh is always ideal when it comes to produce but sometimes it’s not an option. For this reason, DeSalvo recommends stocking what she calls “pantry vegetables”—things like jarred or canned olives, artichokes, capers (which she says are high in antioxidants), and tomatoes. “If your fridge is empty, you can pull these from your cabinet and just add this to a meal for extra antioxidants and nutrients.”


Healthy Sauces and Spices

Part of what makes food good for us is the pleasure factor. So a quick meal doesn’t need to lack flavor and interest. DeSalvo says to keep clean sauces and spices on hand to add to a dish. This includes a quick stir fry sauce, teriyaki sauces, a good quality tomato sauce, fresh dried herbs, and spices. “Not only do they add lots of flavors, which is important to enjoying a meal, but also herbs and spices have a lot of antioxidant properties. Even a pinch of freshly cracked black pepper can boost the nutrient density of your meal.”

Tips for Sourcing the Best Pantry and Freezer Staples

Not every pantry staple is a healthy one. To ensure you’re stocking your shelves healthily, DeSalvo recommends following these guidelines:

  • Always read the ingredients label. “Look for whole food ingredients. If you see something that you wouldn’t put in the recipe yourself, look for one that is more aligned with what you would make in your kitchen.”

  • Beware of hidden sugars. “They're hidden in everything, including sauces and nut butters,” says DeSalvo. Read the labels and opt for options without added sugars. 

  • Aim for organic. “At least, as much as possible,” she adds. 

  • Understand your packaging. BPAs and other toxins in canned food packaging are still ubiquitous. “When your food is sitting in that for a long time and the BPAs leach to your food, that can mess with hormones and create inflammation,” DeSalvo warns. Look for packaging that is non-BPA or—even better—in a box. 


 
 

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Heirloom Foods

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People line up for these tomatoes at the farmers’ market. Devotees follow a purveyor of these beans on Instagram. Heads turn for these radishes in the produce aisle. What’s the commonality of these foods? They’re heirlooms.

Heirloom foods have been around for centuries, but they seemed to have captured more widespread attention in more recent years. One reason is that heirloom varieties are the antidote to all that’s commercial, genetically modified, and mass-produced (more on that below). Another is that there’s an enigmatic quality to heirloom foods—which has us compelled to demystify what they are. 

Heirloom Foods 101

In the simplest terms, an heirloom variety is a type of food—be it a vegetable, fruit, legume, flower, or grain—from seeds that have been repeatedly openly pollinated for a period of time and never crossbred nor modified. “Open pollination” means the natural occurrence of pollination that happens by wind, insect, bird, or another totally organic means. As for the “period of time,” experts vary over this with some stating that heirloom seeds need be at least five decades old and others claiming the seeds should be from years prior to World War II.

The descriptor “heirloom” pulls from the fact that these seeds have been honored and shared throughout time, often being passed from generation to generation within communities or families. This explains the often nostalgic, protected, proud aura that surrounds these varieties.

The Definition Debate

While the above all stands true, a uniform, legal definition for what makes a food heirloom does not exist—which makes these foods subject to debate. Unlike the specific guidelines that mandate what constitutes “organic,” heirloom foods are subject to the producer from which they’re offered. The word is used casually and often interchangeably with “heritage,” which more so describes poultry and meats that come from an original breed of animal with a long history. 

Benefits and Appeal 

To eat an heirloom tomato is to know, at first bite, the reasons for its appeal. The vibrant, juicy, robust flavor is electric compared to widespread varieties—conventional and organic. The same for a batch of heirloom cranberry beans: Creamy and velvety, they’re in a different league than their canned peers. Flavor is the power and appeal of heirloom varieties. They’re unparalleled.

While research is limited, some farmers and food experts believe heritage foods have greater nutrient densities due to their purity. This belief is bolstered by studies that the nutritional values of many crops today—conventional and organic—are significantly declining due to the effects of mass production and toxic chemical use.

Heirloom varieties also present a beacon of truth in a food system that puts profits over purpose and health. They tend to come from independent farms, (it’s rarer to find mass-scale farms growing heirlooms), which means purchasing them is an act of supporting small and local food businesses. 

And we have to say, there’s a romance to heirloom foods. Maintaining the integrity of an heirloom variety requires a specific set of attention that often leads to yields that are much smaller than those of other varieties. This evokes a greater appreciation and invitation to slow down: When you’re eating an heirloom tomato, for example, you’re eating a story and it needs to be savored.

Sourcing Tips

Not all heirloom varieties are certified organic. This is why when sourcing heirloom varieties, it’s important to get to know your farmer or purveyor to ask them questions about the conditions in which they grow their foods. You’re likely to find the widest variety of local heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and legumes at your local farmers’ market. Scope them out and ask about the heritage of the seed, the growing conditions, and what makes that particular heirloom variety special. You’ll likely end up learning a ton about nutrients, flavors, and farming history.  

A few excellent resources on heirloom foods include:

Edible Memory by Jennifer A. Jordan

Sustainable America

Rare Seeds

Rancho Gordo

Seed Savers

Heirloom Seeds by Amna Fadel