What do you think?
Rate this book
Eat This, Not That!
Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide
Much like the waistlines of America, the aisles of your grocery store are straining under the weight of too much food. There are more than 40,000 products lining the shelves of your local supermarket, and with every product comes a whole new host of inflated label claims: “zero trans fat!” “Cholesterol free!” “Good source of 9 vitamins and minerals!” The problem is these claims are just as bogus as the hyped-up foods they’re trying to sell. That’s where Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide comes in. It’s your best weapon against the food industry’s effort to obfuscate the truth about the food it’s selling. Building on the popular approach of the Eat This, Not That! book series, co-authors Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goudling have scoured the aisles of the supermarkets of America, and in so doing they’ve discovered that two seemingly similar packages can house foods with vastly different nutritional profiles. They’ve also folded in all-new material that will help you pick the most nutrient-packed produce; the leanest, tastiest cuts of meat; and the least contaminated seafood at the fish counter. In this book you’ll also find:
319 pages, Paperback
First published December 23, 2008
52 people are currently reading
695 people want to read
About the author
David Zinczenko
131 books64 followersDavid Zinczenko is an American publisher, author, and businessman. Previously, he was the executive vice president and general manager of Men's Health, Women's Health, Prevention and Rodale Books, the editorial director of Men's Fitness and the nutrition and wellness editor at ABC News.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
May 12, 2022
Review originally published May 2009
If you’re like me, grocery shopping is a chore, and something that has to be done, not something you want to do. My go-to guide for grocery shopping is a book called Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide by the editor of Men’s Health magazine, David Zinczenko.
This is the 3rd in a series of Eat This Not That books. It’s a great tool to use when you’re trying to make healthy food choices while grocery shopping without spending a ton of time reading every food label.
The first chapter talks about the basics of the supermarket. Rule number one when going to the supermarket is to work the edges. Generally the healthiest foods are found along the wall; the dairy, produce, meats, and seafood are found there.
Another rule is to look high and low. Did you know that since the 80’s, supermarkets have been charging a “slotting fee” to food companies to have their products shown at the best possible place on the shelves, which would be eye level for most or kid’s eye-level for candy and cereal, while the healthier tends to be towards the top and bottom?
Also in this chapter, it lists 11 secrets the food industry doesn’t want you to know. One of these secrets is that legally, some of your food can contain certain amounts of maggots, rodent hairs, or insect fragments. For example, canned tomatoes can contain up to 5 fly eggs or 2 maggots per 500 grams, kind of an appetite killer!
Also listed are the 20 worst packaged foods in America; it first says what the worst is then says what to eat instead. If you’re a candy eater, the worst candy listed is a Twix and what to eat instead is the 100 Grand, with less calories, sugars, and fat.
Especially helpful is the produce aisle chapter; it tells you all about the produce, what its peak season is, how to store it, and what the payoff of eating this item is. It tells you what the top 10 herbs and spices are and a salad bar survival guide; it breaks down all the things found at the salad bar and how they impact your salad.
If you’re wondering if it’s worth paying extra to buy organic, it lets you know what foods are worth it and what is not. Did you know that just one glass of milk a day can decrease your chance of colorectal cancer by 15 percent, and dairy products may reduce the risk of insulin resistance syndrome, which is a precursor to diabetes? All this information can be found in the refrigerator chapter.
The section in the book that I use most often are the pages that give you brand name products that you will find in the supermarket, and which are better choices to eat, known as the “eat this not that” section. You’d be surprised to find out that some things that you think are healthy actually aren’t and it tells you the equivalent of what would be a better, healthier option.
One of the chapters towards the end of the book is all about drinks. Diet soda may not actually be good to drink if you’re on a diet, not all tea and fortified drinks are good for you, and if you’re a beer or wine drinker, you can see the better options for those. As in previous chapters, it lists the worst beverages you can get in the supermarket.
The other titles of this series are: Eat This Not That: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution and Eat This Not That for Kids, which, whether you have kids or not, or they’re older, this is a great book to check out. These books do the work for you and help you make better food choices for your family!
Find these books and other titles within our catalog.
If you’re like me, grocery shopping is a chore, and something that has to be done, not something you want to do. My go-to guide for grocery shopping is a book called Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide by the editor of Men’s Health magazine, David Zinczenko.
This is the 3rd in a series of Eat This Not That books. It’s a great tool to use when you’re trying to make healthy food choices while grocery shopping without spending a ton of time reading every food label.
The first chapter talks about the basics of the supermarket. Rule number one when going to the supermarket is to work the edges. Generally the healthiest foods are found along the wall; the dairy, produce, meats, and seafood are found there.
Another rule is to look high and low. Did you know that since the 80’s, supermarkets have been charging a “slotting fee” to food companies to have their products shown at the best possible place on the shelves, which would be eye level for most or kid’s eye-level for candy and cereal, while the healthier tends to be towards the top and bottom?
Also in this chapter, it lists 11 secrets the food industry doesn’t want you to know. One of these secrets is that legally, some of your food can contain certain amounts of maggots, rodent hairs, or insect fragments. For example, canned tomatoes can contain up to 5 fly eggs or 2 maggots per 500 grams, kind of an appetite killer!
Also listed are the 20 worst packaged foods in America; it first says what the worst is then says what to eat instead. If you’re a candy eater, the worst candy listed is a Twix and what to eat instead is the 100 Grand, with less calories, sugars, and fat.
Especially helpful is the produce aisle chapter; it tells you all about the produce, what its peak season is, how to store it, and what the payoff of eating this item is. It tells you what the top 10 herbs and spices are and a salad bar survival guide; it breaks down all the things found at the salad bar and how they impact your salad.
If you’re wondering if it’s worth paying extra to buy organic, it lets you know what foods are worth it and what is not. Did you know that just one glass of milk a day can decrease your chance of colorectal cancer by 15 percent, and dairy products may reduce the risk of insulin resistance syndrome, which is a precursor to diabetes? All this information can be found in the refrigerator chapter.
The section in the book that I use most often are the pages that give you brand name products that you will find in the supermarket, and which are better choices to eat, known as the “eat this not that” section. You’d be surprised to find out that some things that you think are healthy actually aren’t and it tells you the equivalent of what would be a better, healthier option.
One of the chapters towards the end of the book is all about drinks. Diet soda may not actually be good to drink if you’re on a diet, not all tea and fortified drinks are good for you, and if you’re a beer or wine drinker, you can see the better options for those. As in previous chapters, it lists the worst beverages you can get in the supermarket.
The other titles of this series are: Eat This Not That: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution and Eat This Not That for Kids, which, whether you have kids or not, or they’re older, this is a great book to check out. These books do the work for you and help you make better food choices for your family!
Find these books and other titles within our catalog.
March 30, 2009
I love, Love, LOVE this book! If you know me, don't be surprised if you get a copy of this from me at some point. The purpose of the book is to uncover the marketing ploys that make you think you're eating healthy food when it's just an excuse to charge you more. This book speaks to me for so many reasons... Allow me to name a few:
I've been lucky enough to travel to foreign countries. Each time I would feel like I only needed to eat half of what I'm used to in order to be satisfied. I've had a sneaking suspicion it was because the food I was eating back home was not as healthy and nutritious as in these other countries.
Ever since I became a mom, I've taken providing nutritious food to my family very seriously.
The obesity epidemic scares me to no end nowadays. (Perhaps this can be attributed to becoming a mom as well.)
This book makes simple comparisons between everyday foods and gives advice on what not to eat and what to substitute in its place. Examples from the back of the book:
* A cup of Quacker 100% Natural Granola Oats, Honey, and Raisins contains more calories than 8 chicken wings
* Choosing Rice Krispies Treats over Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars will cut your sugar and calorie intake nearly in half (With this switch, you could lose a pound every 7 weeks!)
* Regular bacon is actually better for you than turkey bacon
While some "don'ts" break my heart (What!? No Oreos!? at 160 calories, 7g fat, 14g sugar), they give equivalents that taste good (Late July Organic Dark Chocolate Sandwich Cookies at 150 calories, 6g fat, 9g sugar, 2g fiber). They don't judge your sinful ways, but they help you make better choices. Another example... BAD: Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip at 300 calories and 19g fat... GOOD: Breyers All Natural Mint Chocolate Chip at 150 calories and 8g fat.
The first part of the book is readable -- about 10-20 pages of important information and research. The rest of the book (300+ pages) is meant to be used as a reference. The chapters are broken out logical sections (snacks, pantry, meat, etc.) for quick reference.
I've been lucky enough to travel to foreign countries. Each time I would feel like I only needed to eat half of what I'm used to in order to be satisfied. I've had a sneaking suspicion it was because the food I was eating back home was not as healthy and nutritious as in these other countries.
Ever since I became a mom, I've taken providing nutritious food to my family very seriously.
The obesity epidemic scares me to no end nowadays. (Perhaps this can be attributed to becoming a mom as well.)
This book makes simple comparisons between everyday foods and gives advice on what not to eat and what to substitute in its place. Examples from the back of the book:
* A cup of Quacker 100% Natural Granola Oats, Honey, and Raisins contains more calories than 8 chicken wings
* Choosing Rice Krispies Treats over Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars will cut your sugar and calorie intake nearly in half (With this switch, you could lose a pound every 7 weeks!)
* Regular bacon is actually better for you than turkey bacon
While some "don'ts" break my heart (What!? No Oreos!? at 160 calories, 7g fat, 14g sugar), they give equivalents that taste good (Late July Organic Dark Chocolate Sandwich Cookies at 150 calories, 6g fat, 9g sugar, 2g fiber). They don't judge your sinful ways, but they help you make better choices. Another example... BAD: Haagen-Dazs Mint Chip at 300 calories and 19g fat... GOOD: Breyers All Natural Mint Chocolate Chip at 150 calories and 8g fat.
The first part of the book is readable -- about 10-20 pages of important information and research. The rest of the book (300+ pages) is meant to be used as a reference. The chapters are broken out logical sections (snacks, pantry, meat, etc.) for quick reference.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2009
I love this book series. I own this one and the fast food guide. Not everything suggested in this book is healthy, just healthier. Basically, these books aren't necessarily about eating healthy because some things will just NEVER be healthy, but it helps you make the BETTER choice. For instance, in the supermarket guide for cereals they have a section for grain cereals and one for sweet cereals. They mention that sweet cereals aren't ideal for everyday, but IF you're going to eat it, "this what you should eat". That's basically what the whole series is about... making the better choice. After cutting the extra calories/sugar/etc AND WORKING OUT I see how this book can be helpful
April 14, 2009
This sort of book may be what the average American stuck in a food rut needs! My husband is a somewhat picky eater, and what he likes, he LIKES. This book may be just what we need to help us stick to our habitual meals, and just make small changes over time to help us eat more healthy.
To those people giving this book low ratings because a doughnut is still a doughnut and still bad for you... You must not give the reader of this book much credit. Of *course* people know that doughnuts are still bad for them, and that magically changing brands of doughnuts won't be a miracle weight loss cure. But there are many people out there who are in serious ruts, and need gradual help to overcome their food habits. As Zinczenko says in the book...suggesting spinach instead of chips for a snack just isn't going to work with most people...the spirit is willing to diet, but the flesh is weak. Slowly changing over your existing food habits into more healthy options of the *same foods* will more easily assist the average person into adopting healthier habits at a pace they can tolerate. It's not just kids who sometimes have to be tricked into eating healthy food...sometimes adults too can benefit from slowly tricking themselves into eating better and better without even realizing it.
That, to me, was the point of this book, and why I want to buy my own copy for reference.
To those people giving this book low ratings because a doughnut is still a doughnut and still bad for you... You must not give the reader of this book much credit. Of *course* people know that doughnuts are still bad for them, and that magically changing brands of doughnuts won't be a miracle weight loss cure. But there are many people out there who are in serious ruts, and need gradual help to overcome their food habits. As Zinczenko says in the book...suggesting spinach instead of chips for a snack just isn't going to work with most people...the spirit is willing to diet, but the flesh is weak. Slowly changing over your existing food habits into more healthy options of the *same foods* will more easily assist the average person into adopting healthier habits at a pace they can tolerate. It's not just kids who sometimes have to be tricked into eating healthy food...sometimes adults too can benefit from slowly tricking themselves into eating better and better without even realizing it.
That, to me, was the point of this book, and why I want to buy my own copy for reference.
April 3, 2014
The second book I've read in this series. Interesting, but I won't remember all this info at the store. (Granted, I could just read the labels.) Makes you think about what you buy.
November 15, 2014
An easy guide to buying healthy food at the store. Because healthy food can be expensive, I liked the many money-saving tips. The book is more focused on the foods than the nutritional science behind their recommendations, but there are plenty of short tips and explanations. It’s packed with photos of food, so read on an empty stomach at your peril!
I skipped through a few of the sections, such as many snacks, candy, frozen meals, and energy drinks, since I rarely if ever consume those. The book recommends against eating most of these things regularly, but points out the healthier, lesser-of-two-evils options if you must indulge.
The book’s very helpful for decoding marketing labels and ingredients to help you recognize what’s healthy. The general advice: the simpler the food and the fewer the ingredients, the better. Choose natural over artificial ingredients.
Notes
Save money by buying canned, store-brand fruits and vegetables. Watch out for added sugar and sodium.
For canned meat and fish, choose packed in water, not oil.
Steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
Avoid pickles; they come from nutritionally weak cucumbers and are packed with sodium.
Food recommendations
Fish: chunk light tuna, shrimp, wild (not farmed) salmon, tilapia, catfish
Dairy: reduced fat or skim milk, yogurt, and cheese
Apples: Red Delicious
Bread: whole grain pita, whole wheat, rye. Look for more fiber than sugar, and few ingredients.
Deli meat: fresh roasted turkey (from deli), Hillshire Deli Select turkey
Cheese: mozzarella, Pepper Jack, goat, Swiss, feta, ricotta
Accents: salsa, pesto, cranberry sauce, hummus, guacamole
Spreads: Smart Balance Omega Spread, whipped butter. Butter is better than margarine, because margarine usually contains trans fat.
Peanut butter: should have 2 ingredients max: peanuts and salt
Fruit spreads: fruit should be 1st ingredient; no corn syrup
Pasta sauce: low sugar and fat
Pizza: Margherita, many vegetables, thin crust
I skipped through a few of the sections, such as many snacks, candy, frozen meals, and energy drinks, since I rarely if ever consume those. The book recommends against eating most of these things regularly, but points out the healthier, lesser-of-two-evils options if you must indulge.
The book’s very helpful for decoding marketing labels and ingredients to help you recognize what’s healthy. The general advice: the simpler the food and the fewer the ingredients, the better. Choose natural over artificial ingredients.
Notes
Save money by buying canned, store-brand fruits and vegetables. Watch out for added sugar and sodium.
For canned meat and fish, choose packed in water, not oil.
Steam vegetables instead of boiling them.
Avoid pickles; they come from nutritionally weak cucumbers and are packed with sodium.
Food recommendations
Fish: chunk light tuna, shrimp, wild (not farmed) salmon, tilapia, catfish
Dairy: reduced fat or skim milk, yogurt, and cheese
Apples: Red Delicious
Bread: whole grain pita, whole wheat, rye. Look for more fiber than sugar, and few ingredients.
Deli meat: fresh roasted turkey (from deli), Hillshire Deli Select turkey
Cheese: mozzarella, Pepper Jack, goat, Swiss, feta, ricotta
Accents: salsa, pesto, cranberry sauce, hummus, guacamole
Spreads: Smart Balance Omega Spread, whipped butter. Butter is better than margarine, because margarine usually contains trans fat.
Peanut butter: should have 2 ingredients max: peanuts and salt
Fruit spreads: fruit should be 1st ingredient; no corn syrup
Pasta sauce: low sugar and fat
Pizza: Margherita, many vegetables, thin crust
March 24, 2009
The most helpful of these books, for me. I admit I was happiest when I saw something I dislike in the "Not That" column and stuff I love in the "Eat This" column. It's easy for me to compare calories, but the book shows others reasons why things may be less healthy, such as amount of sugars, or lack of fiber. Some of the Not That things weren't necessarily bad for you, just empty calories, which I kind of don't find bad enough to warrant this, if my husband wants to eat 190 calories of Eggo waffles, it's not hurting anything.
The foods are, for the most part, paired up well for swaps, two caramel flavored ice creams, for example, or two vegetarian lasagnas. Orville Redenbacher's Movie Theater Butter Microwave popcorn has less calories, fat, trans fat, and even sodium than PopSecret's Movie Theater Butter Microwave Popcorn. Easy swap! But there was still the occasional "swap corned beef hash for some chicken in a can" silliness, or "switch a pizza pocket for a spinach feta pocket" where I would definitely argue that they aren't the same or fill the same craving. In the same vein, some of the results were surprising (I'm killing myself over not being able to find it in the book right now, but there was something where the diet version was much MUCH worse than the non-diet version of the EXACT same product, brand and all.) and I was glad to have the book to help me, but some of the comparisons were DUH. Really? Vegetables are healthier than meat? Alfredos are usually worse than marinaras? A Honeybun is worse than an oatbar? (not real examples from the book).
All together, I made a great list of things to check out from the grocery store next shopping trip, and I have an awareness of some particularly bad things that I will keep with me after I return the book to the library.
The foods are, for the most part, paired up well for swaps, two caramel flavored ice creams, for example, or two vegetarian lasagnas. Orville Redenbacher's Movie Theater Butter Microwave popcorn has less calories, fat, trans fat, and even sodium than PopSecret's Movie Theater Butter Microwave Popcorn. Easy swap! But there was still the occasional "swap corned beef hash for some chicken in a can" silliness, or "switch a pizza pocket for a spinach feta pocket" where I would definitely argue that they aren't the same or fill the same craving. In the same vein, some of the results were surprising (I'm killing myself over not being able to find it in the book right now, but there was something where the diet version was much MUCH worse than the non-diet version of the EXACT same product, brand and all.) and I was glad to have the book to help me, but some of the comparisons were DUH. Really? Vegetables are healthier than meat? Alfredos are usually worse than marinaras? A Honeybun is worse than an oatbar? (not real examples from the book).
All together, I made a great list of things to check out from the grocery store next shopping trip, and I have an awareness of some particularly bad things that I will keep with me after I return the book to the library.
April 24, 2012
When I mentioned to a friend that I was reading Eat This, Not That! she said, "That sounds like a bossy book!" She's right, but I quite like the bossy title. The whole package is excellent: design, layout, size and content. I checked the book out from the library, but have since bought a copy to keep: it is a great reference guide for shopping and eating. I am an inveterate food label-reader, so am familiar with a lot of the sneaky tricks of the food industry, but the authors provide tons of information I didn't know. Some of it is jaw-dropping. Despite the bossy title, they share their extensively researched information in a fun and lively way, not at all preachy. I particularly like how they use comparisons to drive home facts: a cup of Quaker Lowfat Granola with Raisins cereal - a "good for you food" - contains 27 grams of sugar, or more than a packet of Peanut M&Ms. Whoa.They also don't tell you NOT to eat packaged or processed foods (although they do maintain throughout the book that eating whole and natural foods is the best practice) but they tell you which ones to avoid and which make better alternatives. The book is small and compact, making it a convenient size to carry with you to the supermarket so you can refer to it as you shop. Important to know information presented in a fun, friendly, easily digestible ;-) format.
February 1, 2022
I just finished reading "Eat This Not That for Kids" and now I'm confused because this book seemed to contradict some of what was in the other book, and so it loses a point for that. Otherwise, it was the same detailed analysis as before. But now I'm not sure which to believe. I don't think that the discrepancies were due to the differences in kids' vs adult nutritional needs, either, because they were based on sugars, fats, and sodium.
In "Eat This Not That for Kids," grits were listed as better than cream of wheat. But here, they were both listed as bad, which I found confusing after the glowing write-up on grits before. In the kids' book, Skippy peanut butter was listed as better than Jif, but here they were both listed as bad in contrast to "Peanut Butter & Co." Before, Sun Chips were listed as bad because they had a bigger serving even if they were more healthy per chip. But here Sun Chips were listed as good.
In trying to decipher this, my youngest child asked me what the publication dates for the two books were, to see which was the most up to date. It was a very reasonable question; unfortunately, both showed copyright dates of 2008.
Things I learned in this book: Regular salami is better than hard salami. Smart Balance, Whipped Butters, and Country Crock trans-free were better than various margarines. I didn't know Uncle Ben sold an instant brown rice, better than other instant rice. (Wonder if they still do?) Rice a Roni was not very good, except for the Whole Grain Classico. Nature's Own was pretty good, except in buns. Classico was still a preferred pasta sauce. Hamburger Helpers were bad, as were most Chicken Helpers, apart from the one with fried rice (which somewhat surprises me.) Triscuits and Goldfish crackers were better than Ritz and Cheez-Its.
I have to say something about the dairy comments, which only have me confused. I suppose I am wary because once before, some years ago, I'd been told that butter was actually healthier than margarine, but when I made the switch, two members of the family ended up with high cholesterol, which we were able to lower by switching back.
This book said that those who eat 3 servings of dairy foods/day were 60% less likely to be overweight. I wonder about the causation with that correlation, though. Does eating more dairy help people to stay thin, or is it the thin people who feel more confident eating that much dairy? The reason I'm concerned is because the Weight Watchers app counts dairy, even low-fat dairy very costly in points, and basically, I found that I could not lose weight and still have dairy.
In addition, this book said that dairy products help kept one from becoming insulin resistant, helped prevent some cancers, and that those who consume skim or low-fat milk absorb more of the vitamins and nutrients. A pharmacist once told me that wasn't true with Vitamin D and skim milk. He said that just because the producers added Vitamin D to skim milk didn't mean that our bodies actually got it, because it's fat soluble and needs the fat for us to absorb it.
This book also said that cholesterol levels of men didn't change after 3 weeks of eating full-fat cheese. Like the rest of these studies mentioned, I wished they'd provided enough details for us to find the study to see if it has held up to peer review, or if there have been other contradicting studies with better data.
The book called skim milk satisfying or filling, but I don't find it to be so, which was perhaps why I couldn't lose any weight while consuming it.
So, although there are definitely helpful ideas in this book, I don't trust all of them, and some of it just leaves me confused.
One reviewer didn't like the outdated language of this book in labeling foods as "good" or "bad" or even "evil." I am familiar with the Weight Watchers tendency to do away with those words, encouraging people to plan for their treats and save up for them rather than exclude them entirely. It's probably a better long-term plan that makes occasional allowances. They don't want people to feel badly about things they've scheduled into their food budget.
Perhaps other modern versions of weight management systems agree.
Personally, I don't really care what people label the foods. I could understand someone calling a food "evil" if the manufacturer were trying to sneak extra calories, fat, and sodium into them to tempt us into buying them more. That sounds underhanded, perhaps even evil - but perhaps not, too, if the nutrition labels are applied and accurate. Then it's up to us to be smart. I think it's more interesting to me to note the differences in foods rather than paying too much attention to the labels.
I would also say (slight plug for Weight Watchers here) that the WW app allows one to scan the barcodes while you're in the grocery store and to let the app do the comparison for you, whittling it down to one number. It's simpler and more inclusive of a broader array of foods than are in this book. The downside is that the grocery store's wifi isn't always functional.
Another reviewer listed this summary, which I thought was pretty good:
Food recommendations
Fish: chunk light tuna, shrimp, wild (not farmed) salmon, tilapia, catfish
Dairy: reduced fat or skim milk, yogurt, and cheese
Apples: Red Delicious
Bread: whole grain pita, whole wheat, rye. Look for more fiber than sugar, and few ingredients.
Deli meat: fresh roasted turkey (from deli), Hillshire Deli Select turkey
Cheese: mozzarella, Pepper Jack, goat, Swiss, feta, ricotta
Accents: salsa, pesto, cranberry sauce, hummus, guacamole
Spreads: Smart Balance Omega Spread, whipped butter. Butter is better than margarine, because margarine usually contains trans fat.
Peanut butter: should have 2 ingredients max: peanuts and salt
Fruit spreads: fruit should be 1st ingredient; no corn syrup
Pasta sauce: low sugar and fat
Pizza: Margherita, many vegetables, thin crust
In "Eat This Not That for Kids," grits were listed as better than cream of wheat. But here, they were both listed as bad, which I found confusing after the glowing write-up on grits before. In the kids' book, Skippy peanut butter was listed as better than Jif, but here they were both listed as bad in contrast to "Peanut Butter & Co." Before, Sun Chips were listed as bad because they had a bigger serving even if they were more healthy per chip. But here Sun Chips were listed as good.
In trying to decipher this, my youngest child asked me what the publication dates for the two books were, to see which was the most up to date. It was a very reasonable question; unfortunately, both showed copyright dates of 2008.
Things I learned in this book: Regular salami is better than hard salami. Smart Balance, Whipped Butters, and Country Crock trans-free were better than various margarines. I didn't know Uncle Ben sold an instant brown rice, better than other instant rice. (Wonder if they still do?) Rice a Roni was not very good, except for the Whole Grain Classico. Nature's Own was pretty good, except in buns. Classico was still a preferred pasta sauce. Hamburger Helpers were bad, as were most Chicken Helpers, apart from the one with fried rice (which somewhat surprises me.) Triscuits and Goldfish crackers were better than Ritz and Cheez-Its.
I have to say something about the dairy comments, which only have me confused. I suppose I am wary because once before, some years ago, I'd been told that butter was actually healthier than margarine, but when I made the switch, two members of the family ended up with high cholesterol, which we were able to lower by switching back.
This book said that those who eat 3 servings of dairy foods/day were 60% less likely to be overweight. I wonder about the causation with that correlation, though. Does eating more dairy help people to stay thin, or is it the thin people who feel more confident eating that much dairy? The reason I'm concerned is because the Weight Watchers app counts dairy, even low-fat dairy very costly in points, and basically, I found that I could not lose weight and still have dairy.
In addition, this book said that dairy products help kept one from becoming insulin resistant, helped prevent some cancers, and that those who consume skim or low-fat milk absorb more of the vitamins and nutrients. A pharmacist once told me that wasn't true with Vitamin D and skim milk. He said that just because the producers added Vitamin D to skim milk didn't mean that our bodies actually got it, because it's fat soluble and needs the fat for us to absorb it.
This book also said that cholesterol levels of men didn't change after 3 weeks of eating full-fat cheese. Like the rest of these studies mentioned, I wished they'd provided enough details for us to find the study to see if it has held up to peer review, or if there have been other contradicting studies with better data.
The book called skim milk satisfying or filling, but I don't find it to be so, which was perhaps why I couldn't lose any weight while consuming it.
So, although there are definitely helpful ideas in this book, I don't trust all of them, and some of it just leaves me confused.
One reviewer didn't like the outdated language of this book in labeling foods as "good" or "bad" or even "evil." I am familiar with the Weight Watchers tendency to do away with those words, encouraging people to plan for their treats and save up for them rather than exclude them entirely. It's probably a better long-term plan that makes occasional allowances. They don't want people to feel badly about things they've scheduled into their food budget.
Perhaps other modern versions of weight management systems agree.
Personally, I don't really care what people label the foods. I could understand someone calling a food "evil" if the manufacturer were trying to sneak extra calories, fat, and sodium into them to tempt us into buying them more. That sounds underhanded, perhaps even evil - but perhaps not, too, if the nutrition labels are applied and accurate. Then it's up to us to be smart. I think it's more interesting to me to note the differences in foods rather than paying too much attention to the labels.
I would also say (slight plug for Weight Watchers here) that the WW app allows one to scan the barcodes while you're in the grocery store and to let the app do the comparison for you, whittling it down to one number. It's simpler and more inclusive of a broader array of foods than are in this book. The downside is that the grocery store's wifi isn't always functional.
Another reviewer listed this summary, which I thought was pretty good:
Food recommendations
Fish: chunk light tuna, shrimp, wild (not farmed) salmon, tilapia, catfish
Dairy: reduced fat or skim milk, yogurt, and cheese
Apples: Red Delicious
Bread: whole grain pita, whole wheat, rye. Look for more fiber than sugar, and few ingredients.
Deli meat: fresh roasted turkey (from deli), Hillshire Deli Select turkey
Cheese: mozzarella, Pepper Jack, goat, Swiss, feta, ricotta
Accents: salsa, pesto, cranberry sauce, hummus, guacamole
Spreads: Smart Balance Omega Spread, whipped butter. Butter is better than margarine, because margarine usually contains trans fat.
Peanut butter: should have 2 ingredients max: peanuts and salt
Fruit spreads: fruit should be 1st ingredient; no corn syrup
Pasta sauce: low sugar and fat
Pizza: Margherita, many vegetables, thin crust
February 20, 2015
For fear of only thumbing through and looking at the fun facts and pictures, I vowed myself to read this book cover to cover. I will never grocery shop the same again! I thought I did a good job at looking at the nutrition and ingredient labels, until I read this book. I'm not that huge on always buying organic, but I've always wanted to buy food items with very little or no preservatives (although sometimes organic and no preservatives go hand in hand). When you read the labels on some high-processed food items like soda or poptarts it seems like those items aren't even food at all. This book motivated me into thinking of food as fuel, and not just empty calories to feed my cravings. I especially loved the produce section and learning what items and spices contain what type of nutrient for your body. What a fun book!
May 8, 2009
This fab little book is a must for everyone, whether you are trying to lose weight or just eat healthier. Not only does it give great tasting, healthier substitutions for all your favorite food items, it is jam-packed with shopping tips, great advice and money saving schemes.
Learn the tricks supermarkets use to make you buy certain items. Find out which veggies and fruits are in season and how to store them to get the best and freshest taste. Discover what to look for on food labels and what to avoid. Get info on how to pick the best and tastiest meat cuts and determine what those weird items on the ingredients list really are.
The easy-to-use book features pictures, detailed break downs of the calorie, fat and sodium content on colour coded tags that correspond to the healthier options making shopping a breeze.
Learn the tricks supermarkets use to make you buy certain items. Find out which veggies and fruits are in season and how to store them to get the best and freshest taste. Discover what to look for on food labels and what to avoid. Get info on how to pick the best and tastiest meat cuts and determine what those weird items on the ingredients list really are.
The easy-to-use book features pictures, detailed break downs of the calorie, fat and sodium content on colour coded tags that correspond to the healthier options making shopping a breeze.
July 21, 2009
This is a great book. I love how it compares all kinds of everyday items that I would pick up at a grocery store. But, I also love how it has recipes at the back so you can make some entrees at home without losing the taste of the restaurant dish that they are emulating. I didn't end up trying the recipes (time factor before the book was due at the library)...but the idea is great. The only thing is that there is SO much information, that you really have to buy a copy for yourself if you are going to be able to remember more than a dozen "better" choices. Some brands are on the "eat this" side for some products but the "not this" side for others (depending upon nutritional values for each individual item). So, there is no possible way to remember it all. If you really want to use this as a guide...just go buy it and save yourself the library overdue fines.
April 22, 2010
Love this book! It's chock full of information to help brave the supermarket aisles. The photographs are wonderful, featuring different types of food under the "Eat This Not That" banner. The amount of sugars and sodium in our food is astounding and this book brings to light the amounts of those elements in hundreds of foods that we put into our bodies everyday.
This is not a health food or a diet
book, but instead a guide to help us live healthier. If we follow only half the recommendations, our diet would be 50% healthier.
The only reason I gave this book 4 instead of 5 stars is that is isn't longer.
This is not a health food or a diet
book, but instead a guide to help us live healthier. If we follow only half the recommendations, our diet would be 50% healthier.
The only reason I gave this book 4 instead of 5 stars is that is isn't longer.
November 22, 2013
It is not my aim to lose weight. It is my aim to eat healthy and when organic is not an option, I find this book (as well as the others in the series) VERY helpful. It answers questions of "this or that?" quite easily as well as "Okay, so use this coupon or toss it?". We enjoy this colorful alternative now and then to our norm: standing in the aisle, leaning on the grocery cart and avidly reading labels.
March 16, 2014
I thought it was just going to be a quick look through, but there was some detailed, good information at the beginning of each chapter. I realized those Marie Callender chicken pot pies I've been depending on for "homemade" meals when I don't have the time are one of the most calorie filled items I could get at the grocery store. I'm going to have to be more conscious about those kinds of items I buy at the store.
January 20, 2014
I think this book is helpful. It lets you know what to eat, especially if you eat out a lot. I was hoping it would be more from the perspective of actual foods to cook in your kitchen as opposed to eating out and decoding menus.
March 29, 2021
The 5 stars is for the original publishing. I had this book way back when and loved it, and I lost my copy. Fast forward to 2021, I ordered another. Much to my disappointment, they redid the book and took out a LOT. I then tracked down an original copy and compared them. The original was so much better. They have a section for sandwich building, showing all kinds of bread, cheeses, deli meat, veggies, condiments. They completely cut that out of the new one. Guides for herbs and spices, salad bars, the perfect refrigerator, all types of protein sources, etc. Gone. It opened me up to new things, like different veggies, meat, and herbs. It even was responsible for me finding one of my favorite cheeses (Humboldt Fog’s Purple Haze). All of that is gone in the new version. I don’t get it. It all pertains to the supermarket, and it taught me a lot about food, I’m not sure what made them get rid of it. Do yourself a favor, if you get this book try and find a copy that doesn’t have ‘all new’ at the top. Don’t fix something that’s not broken, especially just for the sake of change.
October 21, 2017
A book much like the Standard American Diet (SAD)- some nutrients with a lot of junk. While there are some good nuggets of information, this is throughly old school nutrition with very little understanding of hormonal/endocrine system and evolutionary adaption.
For example, high sugar is rightly noted is bad, but without any insight as it why. It also omits to mention that many of the simple, refined, and complex carbs are sugar. This all grain products and fruits.
Fails to mention the harm from processed seed oils. Confused about harmful oxidized fats such as Canola oil and good saturated animal fats, and fats overall.
Fails to mention critical impact of the microbiome on nutrient extraction, satiety, intestinal permeability, immune system and hormones.
Skip this junk.
For example, high sugar is rightly noted is bad, but without any insight as it why. It also omits to mention that many of the simple, refined, and complex carbs are sugar. This all grain products and fruits.
Fails to mention the harm from processed seed oils. Confused about harmful oxidized fats such as Canola oil and good saturated animal fats, and fats overall.
Fails to mention critical impact of the microbiome on nutrient extraction, satiety, intestinal permeability, immune system and hormones.
Skip this junk.
July 11, 2017
I checked this book out from the cardio rehab program that my husband is currently participating in. As I learn more about what is in my food, I continue to be surprised. Why does one type of rice have almost 30% of my salt intake for the day in a serving when the package sitting next to it has no salt? I have recently become an avid reader of food labels. This book helped me by making me think about several ways to read the label. I did not read it to diet or loose weight, but rather to improve my knowledge about what is really in my food as I work to decrease sugar and salt. I enjoyed it so much that I bought my own copy.
May 25, 2021
I found this book interesting and helpful (I admit I didn't read every word!). Most revealing to me is that items that claim to be "all natural" or "healthy" aren't necessarily so! Also helpful was the reminder that the shorter the list of ingredients on an item, the better it is for you. And if you can't even pronounce some of the words on the ingredients' list, you probably shouldn't be putting it in your body!
June 28, 2017
SO much to learn about food, the food industry and grocery stores. A must read for anyone that appreciates good food, cooking, and restaurants. Eye-opening, surprising, and had me running back and forth to the fridge to check out what it is that I bought, and what I should be changing to. Cannot highly recommend enough!!
September 22, 2022
And the moral of the story is t read the labels on food very carefully.
Not only does this book offer guidance on what to look for in a prepared food, it has pictures showing foods from better to worse to illustrate "Eat this, not that."
Not only does this book offer guidance on what to look for in a prepared food, it has pictures showing foods from better to worse to illustrate "Eat this, not that."
September 2, 2017
Entertaining and helpful! I'll be buying this volume soon.
January 11, 2018
This book was so amazing, I learned sooooo much from it.
June 26, 2018
This is a quick look at the "healthy" parts of a supermarket. You can lose weight just by making healthier choices. Filled with color photos and name brand comparisons. Quick read.
February 7, 2020
Los americanos son los reyes de la comida ultraprocesada. Este libro te enseña a distinguir entre todas las opciones de cada categoría cuales son las menos perniciosas para la salud
Read
April 29, 2021June 2009, Hema P, NonFiction
May 11, 2021
Healthy info. about how you should eat and tricks on saving calories on the packaged stuff that you make when you can’t use fresh foods. Good info.
May 7, 2024
Interesting read. Glad I read this book.
June 7, 2025
Although this is an older book, it did give me some great ideas!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews