When I first saw Goldfish crackers in the shape of Disney Princesses and Mickey Mouse – I lost my mind.
Over the last few years, I’ve thrown myself into researching how Big Food companies lure children in, coaxing them with targeted marketing (like Disney characters on packages!) into craving processed foods from a very early age. This begins in the first year of life and accelerates as they get older! This is why it makes me so angry to see products like this.
With products like this, the industry is putting young children on the processed food bandwagon so that it only seems natural to them to eat food from a box, bag, or jar. Sadly, this has helped create generations of children who are hooked on ultra-processed packaged foods, and who end up being “picky eaters” later in life.
4 Reasons Why I Don’t Buy Goldfish Crackers For My Kids:
1) Goldfish are primarily made from refined wheat flour that is not organic.
This is a very unhealthy flour to consume. Enriched wheat flour is milled discarding all the essential nutrients the original grain contained. The heat that’s generated to crush the grain into flour destroys any vitamin or mineral normally found in the the grain, leaving a white powdery product devoid of any life. It’s essentially DEAD FOOD. So they “enrich” it back by adding in synthetic vitamins and minerals. In addition, the FDA has approved dozens of chemicals for manufacturers to use to help with the smell, appearance, and shelf life of flour. (1)
Bottom line: It is very heavily processed and not real food.
Conventional wheat crops in America are commonly sprayed with glyphosate (Roundup weed killer) as a drying agent before harvest, which is ending up in finished products on the shelf. This weed killer is not used on organic wheat crops. In 2016, an independent food safety laboratory tested popular American food products for residues of glyphosate (Roundup) and they specifically found it in Goldfish Crackers. In three samples of Goldfish tested, they detected 18.40 ppb glyphosate in Goldfish Crackers Original, 8.02 ppb in Goldfish Crackers Colors, and 24.58 ppb in Goldfish Crackers Whole Grain. (2)
While it’s been awhile since Goldfish have been tested for glyphosate, Pepperidge Farm hasn’t addressed whether they would do anything to remedy this. Do Goldfish still contain weed killer residues? That’s not a gamble I’m willing to make. I don’t feel safe feeding my child a food known to be contaminated with Roundup, a chemical strongly linked to cancer. It’s safer to choose products made with organic whole grain wheat or other organic ingredients.
2) Goldfish are made with Soybean Oil and Canola Oil, both from GMO crops.
These refined oils go through an insane amount of processing with chemical solvents, steamers, neutralizers, de-waxers, bleach and deodorizers before they end up in our food. These seed oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids which are known to promote inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation leads to many diseases, increasing the risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. (1) The soybean and canola oil in Goldfish are derived from GMO crops, as it says so right on the label. These crops are also commonly contaminated with Roundup weed killer.
3) Goldfish contain hidden MSG in the form of autolyzed yeast extract.
Pepperidge Farm adds Autolyzed Yeast Extract to engineer Goldfish Crackers to taste irresistible and memorable so your kids can’t stop eating them. This helps get your kids hooked on processed food. MSG is also linked to obesity because it causes food to taste better than it should, increasing addictive eating habits. (1) In fact, MSG is often used in animal studies to make rats obese. I don’t want my children eating Goldfish with a flavor-enhancer designed to hijack their taste buds. This is one the Terrible 10 ingredients in children’s food that I write about in my new book, Food Babe Family.
4) The cheese in Goldfish is not organic, and likely comes from factory farms where the cows are given antibiotics and hormones.
It’s very important to choose products made with organic dairy to avoid consuming potential residues of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, and other drugs often given to animals on factory farms. (3) When you buy Goldfish crackers, you are supporting the industrial BIG FOOD complex of crap food.
Looking for healthy snacks to feed your kids instead of Goldfish? I’ve got you covered!
I filmed a 20-minute video on all the healthy snacks I keep in my pantry and to-go bag for when we are heading out the door. I also take these snacks everywhere we travel!
To watch the video, pre-order my new book Food Babe Family and enter your receipt number here.
The bonus video and snack guide will get emailed to you today. This bonus video is only going to be available for a very limited time, so make sure to get your order in now.
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Please share this post to spread the truth about Goldfish to your friends and family!
Goldfish are a snack that almost every child in America eats. Parents buy them by the carton full at Costco. Preschools and daycares serve them. Everyone deserves to know the truth.
Isn’t it time we all refuse to buy junk food designed to be addictive that has no nutritional value for our kids?
Xo,
Vani
P.S. My new cookbook, Food Babe Family, includes a recipe for Homemade Goldfish Crackers, and other delicious snacks and treats for kids that are made with REAL FOOD! When you pre-order your copy, I’ll send my healthy kids snacks video to your inbox today.
