Food Babe Family - Header

Like a Kid in a Candy Shop…

Good Morning! I’m all packed and ready to go to Expo West, one of the largest organic & natural food shows. I leave in a few hours for the airport – I can’t wait to get on that plane so I can just zone out and R-E-L-A-X a bit before all the organic and natural food craziness I am about to experience begins.

There’s been a lot of recent news on the use of artificial coloring in processed foods and the determinital health consequences of consuming it. You know I am a “NO FAKE COLOR” kinda girl. I don’t let the food industry
fool me with their dirty tricks. Yes – I gave up Runts, Skittles, Starbursts, M&Ms, you name it, years ago.  I haven’t touched something with coloring in it for quite sometime.  (Yes, dear cousin – I didn’t eat your BRIGHT red velvet cake at your wedding last year either. I’m so sorry.)  Just knowing about what this stuff does to you and where it comes from (petroleum, carcinogens) is enough for me to find alternatives.

IMG 0719

If you haven’t read about it yet, Nestle is officially eliminating all it’s artificial coloring from their products in the U.K. (not here yet… sadly).  And the same Caramel Coloring they put in soda, which goes in those Sugar Babies to color them “brown” is again studied & proven to be linked to cancer….Now do see why I won’t buy Laffy Taffy and Now and Laters at the checkout stand? (Those have every artificial color under the sun + caramel coloring – A DOUBLE WHAMMY!)

So…. what happens when I am out traveling and I see all those little shops and newsstands peddling snickers and sour patch kids? What if I’m feeling like I want some candy for old times sake?  Well… all I have to do is reach into my stash of travel candy…. I don’t leave home without.  My friends have a running joke about how I always carry candy with me. It’s kinda funny, because sometimes it just gets old in purse. I normally don’t “crave” candy – but not having the option to have some while traveling drives me bonkers! This is why I stash away a few little baggies of my favorite FREE from artificial coloring and preservative candy….

Check my stash for this trip:

IMG 0714

READER QUESTION: So how do you get your candy fix?

For a comprehensive guide on what food coloring can do to you and your body – click here.

Read up and stay color freeeeeee!

See you on the flip side!

XOXO,

Food Babe

Food Babe Family - Book
Food Babe Grocery Guide

Sign Up For Updates

And Get A FREE Healthy Grocery Guide Sent To You Now!

Find out what to buy and where at the top grocery stores near you

Posts may contain affiliate, sponsorship and/or partnership links for products Food Babe has approved and researched herself. If you purchase a product through an affiliate, sponsorship or partnership link, your cost will be the same (or at a discount if a special code is offered) and Food Babe will benefit from the purchase. Your support is crucial because it helps fund this blog and helps us continue to spread the word. Thank you.

30 responses to “Like a Kid in a Candy Shop…

  1. Those Pandas are my favorite! Although that Green and Black white chocolate looks like they may give the Pandas a run for their money. I need to find me some of that. Safe travels!

  2. I LOVE golden berries! I never crave candy, and am not a candy or even chocolate person, but I do love Swedish Fish every once and a while (even though I know they’re bad 🙁 Do you know of any candy that resembles Swedish Fish in a healthy way? Thanks so much for this post! This helps me out a lot as my son (4-yr-old) likes candy a lot, which is one of the reasons I never buy it.

  3. Can you get all of those items at Earthfare? I have seen panda at trader joes.

    1. The alligator gummies and sesame candy are available at HHM… the rest is available at EF. Enjoy!

  4. I typically don’t like white chocolate because I’m pretty hardcore about the extra extra dark stuff. However, you finally talked me into trying the green & black white chocolate for the first time yesterday and it was so FREAKIN’ good!!! Put it in the fridge to take it to extreme levels of awesomeness! 🙂

      1. I live in Texas and always keep my Green & Black in the fridge!

      2. ….mmmmm wish I had some in the fridge right now. Jealous!

  5. I’m looking forward to my trip in April to Coachella. I will definitely bring those golden berries and other dried fruits that can last in the 90 – 100 degree heat. Any other suggestions? Chocolate is definitely out!

    1. Yes – I’ll be posting more ideas, especially after discovering all the new products at Expo West. Have a great trip!

  6. My #1 candy fix is Green and Black 85% chocolate. I also like cacoa nibs. I guess you can tell I’m a chocoholic!!

  7. I ate those sesame candies while watching Sesame Street. I felt it was so appropriate when I was 3, LOL. I still think they are delicious.

    1. I don’t think I’ll ever give up my passion for loving candy no matter how old I get!

    1. Good question – I know it’s not GMO, which is good enough for me, since is this a rare occasional treat. Also, the product does not contain gelatin or artificial sugars – which I like. Regardless, I hate that food companies can put “natural flavor” in so many products and you really have no way to know what it means. I’ve even tried calling companies to get to the bottom of that, and it’s near impossible for them to disclose the exact details!

    1. Yes – they should be available at whole foods, however, I haven’t been to a WF lately. I included links to them in the post on Amazon if you can’t find them. HHM – Healthy Home Market, and EF – Earth Fare.

  8. Thanks for the suggestions! I love Green & Black – I buy their dark chocolate with cherries…I wonder how that rates?

    Oh, and I used to have an alligator as a pet too! 🙂

    1. So cool! What happened? Did you give it away? Mine died, and I’m still upset about it years later. I’ll never keep a pet like that in captivity ever again – I learned my lesson. I loved that little guy.

  9. I looked up the alligator gummies on amazon to buy and it said they have canola oil in them – isn’t that a GMO?

  10. Try Nuts.com they have alot of organic candy, like hard candy, jelly beans, lolli pops and gummy bears. According to the ingredients they use things like tumeric for coloring if needed. I’ve ordered snacks like banana chips and mango slices. Whole family loves it.

  11. Thanks, since I found your site a few weeks ago, i cant stop looking at it. I am thankful for your suggestions on kids snacks… always looking for those organic healthy ones my 5 year will eat!

  12. You enter reason for actuality a excellent website owner. The web page reloading velocity can be amazing. Apparently you are carrying out any distinctive technique. Additionally, The actual articles are masterpiece. you must have done a excellent pastime on this matter!

  13. I want to start by saying that I love Foodbabe.com and I have learned a lot from these posts! The frustration with the ingredients in our food has been building up inside me and I am getting to the point where I am taking better control of what I eat. I want to share my disappointment and anger that I have today with the prenatal vitamins I just purchased. My husband and I are starting to try to get pregnant so I wanted to begin these vitamins before we conceive so that the baby has them from day one. My OB/GYN ordered a Rx for the prenatal vitamins a few months ago with a company in FL, I called the company last week to finally put the order in and asked the representative on the phone if they had artificial coloring in them. I even specifically asked if it had Red #40… the woman who seemed she knew the products very well assured me that the vitamin has no colors added (including no artificial) – and that the vitamin was a brown color that was the natural color from the iron. I took one when I received it (I was really tired from work) and then the next day looked at the ingredients on the box. My jaw dropped when the ingredients list included D&C Red #33, FD&C Red #40, and FD&C Blue #1. I am calling them today to return them and mad that now I have to waste precious time finding a healthy prenatal vitamin to take. The ingredients are on their website but it wasn’t until I was on the phone ordering it that I new which of the many ones they carry that the Rx was for. The rep could have easily looked it up on their site if she wasn’t sure. I shouldn’t have trusted the rep’s word and should have just called back to order after checking the website myself. Live and Learn but I am still angry. I would love a recommendation for a natural, organic, artificial color free prenatal vitamin / company if you have one. Thank you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

food babe with grocery cart - footer image