7 Secrets to Hosting a GMO Free Thanksgiving

Author: Lani Jacobs-Banner

7 Secrets to Hosting a GMO Free Thanksgiving

October is non-GMO month, and we are excited to be a 2015 retail participant! Genetically modified foods pose a very real risk to human health and the environment, and they are in the vast majority of products available at conventional grocery stores, so educating consumers about how to avoid GMOs is vital. Check out this blog post on the things you should know about GMOs, and why you might consider avoiding them in your Thanksgiving feast.

Inspire conversation and show gratitude for your guests and our shared world by serving a GMO-free Thanksgiving feast. While it takes a bit of forethought and label reading, the secrets offered below can help you prepare a Thanksgiving meal that honors the planet and promotes human health.

Make your feast from scratch

When you cook from scratch, you can choose to use foods that are as close to how they are found in nature as possible, instead of relying on food manufacturers to look out for your best interests. In addition to filling your home with the delicious smells of Thanksgiving, making your feast from scratch using whole/natural foods also increases the nutrient content and decreases the risk of inadvertently using GMOs. Read on to see how GMOs sneak into processed foods – from salad dressings to desserts!

Know which foods are high risk and which labels indicate the absence of GMOs

Even when making food from scratch, there are a handful of crops grown in the US that are very likely to be genetically modified. Ninety three percent of the canola, 92% of the corn, 94% of the cottonseed, 60% of the Hawaiian papaya, 94% of the soybeans, 98% of the sugar beets, and about 11% of the summer squash grown in the US are genetically modified. If any of these whole/natural foods or their derivatives are included in your holiday menu, make sure you choose GMO-free versions.

There are two ways to ensure you are not choosing a genetically modified food. Because the use of GMOs is not allowed in organic agriculture, choosing organic versions of high-risk ingredients is the best option. Even when purchasing processed foods like premade broth or sausage, you can be assured that products labeled “100% organic,” those that carry the USDA organic label, or are labeled “made with organic ingredients” are free from GMOs. Not only are organic foods free of GMOs, they are also grown in a way that encourages environmental stewardship and humane treatment of animals. When organic is out of reach or unavailable, products that carry the Non-GMO Project Verified seal are the other GMO-free option.

Choose organic vegetables and corn

If your Thanksgiving meal includes zucchini or yellow crookneck squash, or if you make cornbread stuffing, be sure you choose GMO-free varieties. GMO versions of these foods sold in the US do not require any labeling. The only way to be sure you are not inadvertently using a GMO zucchini or yellow summer squash is to purchase organic. And look for organic or non-GMO Project Verified cornmeal, too.

Use cane sugar or organic sugar for homemade desserts

Ninety eight percent of US sugar beet plantings are GM varieties, and about 55% of sugar in the US is made from beets.[1] The only way to ensure you are not using sugar from GMO sugar beets is to choose cane sugar (which does not have an approved GM variety currently under cultivation), certified organic sugar, or Non-GMO Project Verified options.

Make your own salad dressing

Vegetable oil found in most commercial salad dressing is frequently from soy, corn, canola, or cottonseed, some of the most common GMO crops in the US. An easy olive oil and vinegar salad dressing like our Basic Vinaigrette is a great way to avoid one hidden source of GMOs on your dinner table. Margarine is another hidden source of these GMO vegetable oils, so choose organic butter instead.

Choose organic meat and dairy

By definition, organic animal products come from animals that have been fed certified organic feed. Certified organic feed is free of GMOs, so organic animals have not consumed GMO crops. This is important because the vast majority of two of the largest GMO crops in the US, corn and soy, go directly to feed animals. Our organic and non-GMO turkeys are only available for a short time and are a great option for your GMO-free holiday table.

Dairy cows are a big consumer of animal feed in the US, and with a large majority of that feed coming from GMO crops, including GMO alfalfa, choosing organic butter and other dairy products is vital to eliminating GMOs from your table.

Support mandatory labeling of GMOs

Make it easier to plan future GMO-free holiday gatherings, and support the health of the planet and next generation by supporting mandatory labeling of GMOs and GMO-containing foods. Find out what is happening in your state through the Right to Know- GMO website. The source of the ingredients in our food shouldn’t be a secret!

For more information about GMOs take a look at these articles.

With these tips and our delicious GMO free Thanksgiving recipes, you can serve a meal that is sure to show your guests how grateful you are for each of them, their health, and the health of the planet.

Now we would like to hear from you. What is your favorite tip to keep your table GMO-free? If you are not hosting, how can you promote a GMO-free thanksgiving away from home? Let us know by leaving a comment below.