As a consumer, it’s shocking to find out 100% all natural products can be chock full of GMOs.
I used to eat a lot of Lean Cuisine frozen meals back in the day. I was right out of college and wanted quick, easy and calorie controlled dinners I could have after work, which would take zero effort after my long days as a management consultant. All my girlfriends were doing it, we’d share with each other which new flavors were the best and talk about how low the calorie count was. I’d pop that sucker right into the microwave, in it’s plastic wrapping and bowl and have (what I thought at the time) a decent ready to eat meal that was healthy and “lean”.
Oh boy those were the days! This was a time period in my life where I was easily fooled by deceptive marketing I saw in persuasive, too-good-to-be-true messaging in commercials and on packages. I knew basically nothing about real food, GMOs, or chemically processed ingredients and I was sick.
Some say ignorance is bliss, considering all the alarming information there is to know about food these days and products to watch out for. But let me ask you, do you call living with chronic illnesses (asthma, allergies, endometriosis, and eczema) and being on several prescription drugs in your 20’s, bliss?
No, no one would.
That’s why when I saw the recent commercial for the new Lean Cuisine meals called “honestly good” with the words “100% all natural” slapped on the package, I had to investigate. These meals promise all whole foods with whole grains, but when you look at the ingredient list, they have ingredients from the top 4 genetically engineered crops (corn, canola, soy and sugar beets). How can they call this product natural? Are they truly sourcing natural ingredients that aren’t developed in a laboratory? Well, I wanted to find out, so I called the headquarters.
Watch the video below to find out what happens. You’ll be shocked at the information and website the customer service agent directs me to learn about GMOs.
Please note: I received permission to record this call from the Lean Cuisine Headquarters. I have the video on file if anyone requests.
The customer service representative confirmed that there is a 70-80% likelihood that any and all Lean Cuisine products (including this Honestly Good line) contain GMOs and could not guarantee their product labeled 100% natural is free of GMOs. They also directed me to a website that was created by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) that is funded by Big Food, and Biotech companies like Monsanto. These are the same companies giving millions and millions of dollars to stop GMO labeling. This makes me wonder how many customer service representatives are instructed by their employers (BIG food companies) to spread this mass misinformation campaign to consumers. It’s absolutely atrocious.
As you can see below, the entire list of ingredients for each flavor has suspected GMOs – but for some reason (you can thank the FDA for the lack of regulation) they are allowed to put not just “all natural “– but “100% all natural” on the label.
Lean Cuisine sources their ingredients “domestically when possible.” It’s startling to see how many potential GMO ingredients there are in their new product line.
The proof is on the label.
How are companies getting away with labeling an entire product line 100% all natural and still using GMOs?! Well, they are not exactly getting away with this. Even though the FDA does not have a strict definition around what natural means, these companies are being sued left and right because they are misleading the consumer with false advertising and claims.
Since the FDA is asleep at the wheel, any lawyers out there want to take this on?
Labeling a product 100% all natural and not being able to verify it (see video above), is extremely unfair to the consumer. This is fraudulent and irresponsible marketing that Lean Cuisine and parent company Nestle need to be held accountable for.
How long do you think it will be before Nestle/Lean Cuisine joins the ranks of General Mills (Nature Valley GranolaBars), Conagra (Wesson Oil), Pepsi (Naked Juice), Frito-Lay (Tostitos and Sun Chips), Kashi (Cereal), Barbara’s Bakery (Cereal), Pepperidge Farm (Gold Fish), etc? All of these companies have been or being sued for mislabeling their products as “all natural” when really their products contain synthetic material or GMOs.
Contact Lean Cuisine and tell them what you think at 1-800-993-8625 or facebook message them.
GMOs are not found in nature! The DNA has been altered in a laboratory.
GMOs increases the use of toxic chemicals in our environment, kill bees and are linked to cancer, allergies and autoimmune disorders in animal studies.
To avoid GMOs, choose products with the USDA Organic Certified and Non-GMO Project Verified labels and remember, 100% natural does not equal GMO free. Review the product list above and see the items listed in red, if the product is conventional or marked natural, it likely contains GMOs. One of the most unsuspecting ingredients is “sugar” that comes from GMO sugar beets (unless listed as cane sugar) and “natural flavor” that usually starts with a base of GMO corn (and can also contain beaver anal secretions – ewwww!). Also, hidden GMOs can be found in any meat product that is labeled “all natural” because it is likely raised with GMO feed. Here’s a full list of common GMO ingredients.
If you know someone who’s buying “natural” products or perhaps eating Lean Cuisine or other frozen meals, share this video and information with them. We all need to spread the truth.
XOXO,
Food Babe
UPDATE: Shortly after this post went live, Lean Cuisine posted an announcement on their facebook page to a community of 500,000 fans confirming they use GMOs. Furthermore, they did not show up at the Natural Products Expo East trade show where they were previously supposed to showcase their new product. I went to their booth to ask questions and the booth was empty! Make em’ run #FoodBabeArmy! Make em’ run! We are winning!
Thank you Vani!
You are welcome Lynn.
Thank you!
welcome – anytime 😉
You ROCK!!! What a terrific expose. It’s time for manufacturers to STOP calling their products that contain GMOs all natural. Well done.
Thanks Beth… It’s crazy that companies as large as Nestle and brands as big as Lean Cuisine can get away with this mass disinformation campaign! Something has to be done.
Love it…need to get my mom to stop eating these
Thanks for your interesting posts and great website! I love what you’re doing! I buy a lot of Costco organic products. They taste good, and as far as I know they’re truly organic. But I’m always curious how/where the foods are grown and manufactured. Would you ever consider doing an investigation into an organic Costco food product? I’m especially curious about their frozen organic fruit but also the ground beef, chicken, and tomato sauce/paste.
It’s on the list Astaire 🙂
Oh-sorry! I will look!
Love what you’re doing!!
Just curious, though, about laws regarding recording telephone conversations…I wasn’t able to listen/watch the entire video right now, and so maybe you address that to the camera, or on the phone with the manufacturer later in the video.
I didn’t know brown sugar was GMO !!!! Because i use brown sugar every morning on my coffee and tea instead of white sugar.
I never eat lean cuisine but I am really confused ” Brown sugar is in red ” on the ingredient list but i look at the GMO list you provided , it’s not on the list.
Brown sugar is a combination of processed white sugar from GM sugar beet and colored/flavored with GE caramel.
Chef Alain
Ask the manufacturer if they use cane sugar. Traditional cane sugar is non GMO but beet sugars are a gmo-risk. Dominoe is a big brand in brown sugar and they use only cane sugars.
Thx for the info
and the beat goes on…
it seems well-nigh impossible to find real food in the USA…
i really am sickened by this all, and am grateful to live here in Thailand,
which is much better (although not out of the woods by any measure)-
at least most of our food doesn’t come from a box or “big food”
(w/exception of CP- Charoen Popkhand, which controls much meat, poultry, fish & dairy)
Great video about important information. There are currently no standards for listing “All Natural” on food labels. This is basically just a marketing ploy and really has no concrete truth related to natural foods!
Question about Kashi cereal I found and bought. With all the GMO panic going on, me included, I found a few, not all, Kashi cereals that says on the box NON GMO PROJECT CERTIFIED. Are they safe to eat? I have no trust in these companies anymore. Please advise and thanks.
Non-GMO Project Verified label means it’s free of GMOs up to .9% threshold. However, the product could still have several processed ingredients, pesticides and other toxins. I don’t trust Kashi, because they have been sued before and owned by Kellogg’s who is giving millions to stop GMO labeling.
what are we supposed to do about these people or who ever responsible for adding poison to our foods legally ???? this is something i have not understood for 20 years who is responsible and who is gonna pay for these crimes and when ????
I agree that these companies need to have honest labeling, or even better, to stop using GMO ingredients in their products. I don’t think that will ever happen, at least not completely. And we’ll never be able to trust them. The only viable solution I can see is for people to stop using these products. We need to make our own food. If you truly don’t have time to cook, then join (or create!) a co-op with friends, family, or neighbors to cook fresh meals for each other. It doesn’t have to be expensive. We just need to start doing this stuff for ourselves.
Also Nestle’s CEO Peter Brabeck stated that water is not a Human Right.
FDA has not put any controls on the word Natural…it is understood that if it does not say organic then there is gmo in the food. That is why I eat organic…
I thought even organic could have GMO?
Hi Smith – Organic food cannot contain GMOs
Krista – even though their status says that GMOs are not supposed to be including willingly, you cannot dismiss the possibility of cross-contamination. Even the Organic Food Association admits that much.
Sorry! Chef Alain
I don’t know why you are surprised that something from Con Ag is toxic.
The word “natural” is unregulated, and utterly meaningless
Hi Vani,
Thank you for all that you do. I was wondering if most of the rice in the US is GMO? We eat a lot of rice at our house. We buy germinated rice.
Thanks,
Monica
Nothing new here. Not shocked or upset. It is expected but this has to be the all time best ever most excellent piece I’ve come across to simply and powerfully make a point. I will definitely be sharing this with everyone I know. Great work! Thanks.
Thanks, Vani!
Now, if we could just sha-er, wake up consumers and convince them that eating out of a box is not a good thing. I feel so much better after switching to as organic as I can, fresh foods. Yes, that means cooking more and eating out less, but (as my doctor has told me) getting involved with your food is good for your head, heart, and health!
Rock on, FoodBabe… rock on. 🙂
Vani–this is very eye-opening. You are awesome. Just a comment, though, that the CSR answering the phone is probably earning min. wage and only can answer so much–I think maybe moving up the chain a bit–public relations, advertising–those conversations about ‘truth in labeling’ are sure to be interesting! Watching your video, I felt perhaps the woman on the other end was ‘unarmed’ and just trying to make a living, not really ‘invested’ in the product or its ingredients. Thank you so much–one less item to think about at the grocery store for lunches, that’s for sure!
Yeah – it’s totally not her fault that Lean Cuisine is misleading their consumers. But, she is spewing off information given to her by her public relations department. I’m not sure how much more valuable information I could have gotten from someone “higher up”. If she didn’t have the answers, I would have definitely asked to speak or connected with someone else in the company. (And for the record – this was the second time I called – the first time was a couple of weeks ago and not recorded… a friend convinced me to record it, so there is full transparency.)
Simply put, our Government is failing every single one of us and they could care less. Grow your own (as much as you can), stay clear of any and all processed food (as much as you can) and keep fighting the good fight.
THanks Vani. Ever since my wife and I found your site about a year ago, we have implemented alot of what we have found on Foodbabe.com……and we feel SO much better and healthier.
P.S. – the kale taco recipe is our favorite
Great job FoodBabe!! I nearly fell off my chair laughing when she was choked up and couldn’t answer why they label their products “natural.”
Great work, Thanks
Omgosh.. I just totally had the giggles while she stumbled around and tried to say it the “right way”….. so as not to look so terrible, awful, bad. HA! That was so hilarious! And yeah……….. Not ALL of us eat that GMO crap,thankyouverymuch! smh! Thank you so much for what you do!!! You are a rockstar!
Love you!!!! keep up the excellent work.
Nicely done, I got my hands on some organic apples. Hard to come by in affordable bulk. Making applesauce for winter. Sugar free. Yum.
Most (or all) apples are sprayed with tetracycline or streptomycin because they are susceptible to a bacteria called fire blight. They are allowed to do this and call their apples (and pears) organic because of an agreement between the growers and the National Organic Standards Board. This agreement expires in 2014 and they will probably agree to an extension at that time. I don’t know where you can find “organic” apples and pears. Anyone on this website should familiarize himself with organicconsumers.org.
Not sure there is such a product as organic apples or pears since they are sprayed with antibiotics early in their growth. An agreement between the growers and the National Organic Standards Board is responsible for this situation. Agreement expires in 2014 and a new agreement will probably be signed for an extended period of time. Please see organicconsumers.org.
Another sham company and marketing campaign; Vani, I wish you would interview the CEO or one of the top officials of this company and really put it to them!
You are awesome!
Hi Foodbabe,
I’m sure you know that the “all natural” labeling on US products has no defined or regulated meaning. Perhaps a campaign to remove this label or to define it would be a good use of your time. It’s difficult to fight back against a perceived meaning, which of course “all natural” gives the consumer.
Thanks a ton for this valuable info! I wonder what the scene in India is with GMP’s and the like. Would you be able to throw some light on that Vani? Appreciate your fine efforts in helping people discove a healthy lifestyle! Stay blessed:)
Good job!
Totally Backpedaling!!!! hahahahaha Good Job Food Babe!
It is hard to fight the big food companies especially when the government does nothing to prevent the deceptions that they spew at the American people. The food industry is designed to keep people unhealthy while they pocket billions of dollars. It is all about the money. It really is up to the consumer to be aware of these deceptions and make the correct choices concerning what they eat but it is hard to do so when we are being misinformed. Thank you for your enlightening articles they are not only informative but help consumers to navigate their way through the many food labeling discrepancies out there.
I see sn ad for AT&T, on your post. They sre usually funding or investing in the causes I care about. Credo Monile is a better choice. Investigate AT&T to make sure they aren’t finding what you are fighting against.
Just another reminder not to eat processed foods or anything in plastic wrapping.Period.
I cook all my food….The one time I thought I could get some shredded cabbage at the sushi store…I looked at the ingredients cause the cabbage tasted sweet…Yes, the label said that it had added sugar to the cabbage but the label also said that there was GMO poducts in the sauce. Thank God, I live in Paris, France where we do have GMO labeling on food products to protect the consumer. I learned my lesson…DO not eat from a Fast food sushi place……
Thanks for this post. We cut out processed food a long time ago, but it’s good to see that everyone was blissfully ignorant at point or another. Hopefully I can pass on this respect for our food to my kids, but they will one day leave the house and I ((shudder)) to think of what they will eat then.
Just got the enclosed today, its Christmas…and I hope you keep sticking your “Clause” in corporate America’s food policy and giving us these wonderful gifts. Blessings.
Thank you so much for all the work you do!
Thank you for this insight. I am definitely feeling a bit overwhelmed because I am not sure what to buy and what not to buy, if I am giving my family cancer every time I go shopping. The best I can do is to keep trying. I wrote down the top 4 GMO crops you listed in this video as well as “USDA Certified Organic” and “Non-GMO Project Verified”. I shop at Sprouts, Trader Joes, Vons, and Costco. Hopefully I will be able to find these labels on several food items my family likes to eat.
You are my hero! Thank you for all of the work you do to expose this garbage for what it is. Garbage.
Thank you so much for being a positive and rational voice for healthy organic non-gmo food! 🙂
It’s absolutely pathetic what the FDA allows food companies to put on their labels! The average consumer is sucked in by the words “natural” or “wholesome” because one would naturally envision something fresh off a farm and healthy for you. I wish there were more regulations in place, but I don’t see that happening any time soon unfortunately! As an RD it is especially frustrating because patients think they are making good choices by choosing these “natural” foods. I am constantly encouraging people to investigate their food choices because it’s worth all the extra effort. I am extremely passionate about educating people but it is also taxing because there is so much fraud occurring in the nation’s food supply, sometimes you feel like you can’t keep up!
Thanks Vani 🙂
Thankyou so much for your information and dedication. I have got to the point where I so look forward to the emails I receive from Foodbabe. Do keep up the good work.It seems that big food companies can print what they like and the FDA (what a joke) is in bed with them.All these lies under the guise of truth in advertising are somewhat laughable but more so just plain frightening, Terrosists can just sit back while we poison ourselves to death.. by the way I am still laughing at the Beaver Butt thing Thanks once again for sending me these informative emails sincerely George P
Thank you Vani!!! This is an awesome way to spread awareness! And not only do they contain GMO’s, they most likely use meat that has been treated with antibiotics and hormones… which is also not 100% natural and can cause many illnesses. Thank you for all you do!!!
Wow! Thanks again Vani for exposing yet another company that outright lies to customers! The words “All Natural” need to be regulated!
All natural? anything but , needs to say ORGANIC and that may be a lie , Spread the website to your family and friends ,Especially friends with health issues and kids . Let the PTA moms have a voice in this FOOD FIGHT …. NO GMO…..
wow.just wow. thank you!
Thank you for ALL you do.
love you Vani – Food Babe!!!
Kathy P
Vancouver, USA
pretty much any and all food MANUFACTURED in amerika is crap, so you are what you eat
yourhealthisyouronlyrealwealth.com
gringo sheeples are ya’ll really waking up, lean cuisine, get real
Vani, you are awesome! I can’t wait to hear the company’s reaction to this. please keep us posted. XO
just came across this article about new legislature changing labeling laws … the above 100% claim would fall in this category … http://consumerist.com/2013/09/19/new-law-would-modernize-nutrition-labels-clarify-terms-like-healthy-natural/
i saw this LC crap in Kroger’s organic/natural food section in the freezer and was surprised. i knew there had to be something up with it. thanks for the report !!