Last week, as I made my discerning stroll through the grocery store (a Safeway, the only available option where I am right now) to look for my staple vegan items, I came across a brand I hadn’t seen before, and I was immediately intrigued. The label read “Eating Right,” and the packaging looked similar to Kashi, one of my favorites. I picked up the box of granola – I was in the cereal aisle – and looked it over. Although it seemed like it would be a comparable vegan product, it still had to stand up to my strict scrutiny. I arrived at the ingredients, and to my surprise and chagrin, the granola included milk. It seemed so odd that granola being advertised as health food would have a completely unnecessary and less-than-healthy ingredient such as milk.

After my initial shock wore off, my investigative instincts kicked in and I checked the manufacturer. The Eating Right brand is a division of Lucerne Foods, Safeway’s dairy subsidiary. Using the rapidly-growing health food trend to market the products, they are able to slip dairy and other ingredients into a diverse product catalogue. As many shoppers (like myself) are looking for healthier options in the store, a whole new arena of marketing is taking shape. Items boasting slogans such as "heart healthy" or "all natural" are becoming more and more ubiquitous. However, these clever marketing ploys can be very deceptive, so as always, consumers beware. The terms "organic," "cage-free," and a few others are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Light," "low fat," and similar words are not regulated, so really don't mean anything at all. There is a distinct difference between an organic product and a natural product. The organic item has been determined to be pesticide-free and raised or grown using organic practices. A so-called natural product simply has to contain no artificial ingredients, but can be full of non-artificial, yet far from organic, components. While it would be wonderful to see Safeway actually take steps to bring healthy, organic food into the store, it seems that they have just employed a clever campaign to sell private label products. Many stores are promoting in-store, private labels because it cuts out the middleman and allows for lower prices. These products are also sold exclusively at a particular store, which companies hope will create loyal customers who return for a particular item. As always, it is important to read labels carefully, even if they have clever names like Eating Right. Names can be very misleading, and not every company is committed to straightforward product information and honest packaging. As a vegan, some brands I have found to be healthy, mostly organic, and absolutely delicious are Kashi, Amy's Kitchen, and Newman's Own. Safeway also carries an O Organics brand of organic food. Further Reading:

• Supermarket Secrets
• The Future of Food