My Feingold Shopping Lists – 2009

35 Comments

1. thank you!

2. I notice apple juice and other fruit products that are on the "do not eat" lists for starting Feingold, is that because you have been on the program a while?

3. Yes, partly. We've been on the diet for almost 5 years. Apples and berries are stage 2. We actually stay mostly stage 1, but do allow apple juice at McDonald's every once in a while as a treat. My younger two react to anything apple, but my 9 year old can control himself a little better now.

4. I plan to start the diet tomorrow with my 9 yo daughter and almost 14 year old daughter. I homeschool all my kids (except the baby) and pso I can pay really close attention to them. My 9yo talks loudly, is very clumsy and has a hard time staying focused. It bothers her so much that she is like that and she keeps asking me why she is. I recently noticed that she is getting dark circles under her eyes and I feel that it is not related to sleep, so I did some research. The Feingold diet came up a few times and it just made sense to me. The only info I really have is a book I got from the library. The Feingold Cookbook for Hyperactive Children. I feel like I'm kind of winging it, but did do groceries this afternoon and it took a long time. I have a lot of questions. Do you have a site or a book you recommend?
   Thanks, Erika

5. Hi Erika. The only book that comes to mind is Jane Hersey's book, "Why Can't My Child Behave?" It gives the basics on what artificals are and what they can do to a child. I'd love to write a book one day as a guide on how to do the diet practically. I will be adding more to my blog as I have time. It's hard to do the diet on your own without having the shopping guide and info from them. They give you a lot of reading materials. It's definitely worth it though to try to avoid artificials if you just can't afford to join. Just harder to do, and you will almost definitely be missing something that could be throwing all your other hard work off.

   Sheri

6. Hi there,
   Your blog has really helped me. I bought some of the snacks on your list for my son who has mild autism and difficulty concentrating. He started Kindergarten this week and what a difference I have seen in him. He is a lot more calm and is actually writing in class. Normally he refuses to write and is very hyper. Do you have an update shopping list? I wish I could afford the entire Feingold set, but right now I can't. I am so thankful you put this on your blog. Thank you so much.
   I read you are having your baby. Any new baby yet?
   Hugs to you.

7. Hi Marielle. I'm so glad your son is improving! 🙂 Send me an e-mail at sheridavis27@comcast.net. I have something I can mail you. No baby yet! I'm due next week.

   Sheri

8. thank you so much for posting this list! My daughter is unofficially diagnosed ADHD and I am wanting to try this diet but had NO CLUE how to start. I really appreciate this!

9. Thanks for posting this. My son has not been diagnosed with anything but I want to start the diet before I have to get a diagnosis. I only learned about the diet today and am glad there are some resourses like your site about the diet. I would love to buy the kit and get the shopping guide but am going to hvae to wait until payday. I am a bit worried, though – I don't have any of the stores here that you shop at! Can you get the approved items at other grocery stores like Wal Mart, Target, or Kroger?

   Thanks again.

10. I am having a hard time starting the diet and can't really afford the feingold package right now. Any suggestions on complete meals? I found the sanck list helpful also thank you.

11. Hi Rachel. Yes, you can probably find these items at many big chain grocery stores. For Wal Mart and Target – they'd have to be the Super stores. The regular ones may have a limited selection. Kroger should have the same type things as Meijer, Dominick's, etc. that we have here. Once you find foods that you like, my latest love is ordering on Amazon! You can order in larger quantities and have it shipped to your door usually for free. BUT, you have to make sure it's something your kids like first. My condolences if you don't have a Whole Foods near you! 🙁 I LOVE Whole Foods! It's like Feingold heaven. You can still do the diet without it, but it's so nice to walk into a store and know most of the products are not loaded with junk. It's my kids' favorite place too. There are a lot more foods listed in the guide so you might not find it too difficult. Good luck!

    Sheri

12. Hi Allie. Have you seen my post called "Feingold Recipes?" That might help get you started, though a lot of the recipes are stage 2 because of the spices. But, it's a start in the right direction. Try to stick to whole foods instead of prepackaged foods. Chicken, beef, potatoes, rice, veggies, fruit (though only melons, lemon, limes, pears, and a few others will be considered stage 1). If you can do dairy, there's Annie's mac n cheese. Make some homemade chicken nuggets and freeze them. It all kind of depends on what your child likes. The thing that surprised me the most was that I learned that you can make just about anything that is out there at the grocery stores. Google recipes for your child's favorite foods. Yes, you will have to cook more, but it's so worth it. You can also contact Feingold and ask about financial assistance. Sometimes they have some available to those who cannot afford the program.

    Sheri

13. Hi Sheri,

    Thank you so much for posting this list. My son is 4 years old and has been diagnosed with ADHD (currently attending behavioral therapy). He is very impulsive, aggressive, lack of focus and is having a hard time at his Montessori school. I will like to start the fengold diet, but I just can't afford it at this time. Do you have any information about stage 1 of the program and also any books that I can probably use to help me get started. I truly appreciate any help. My husband and I are having a really hard time with our son. Thank you.

14. Hi Sheri,

    I've ordered the Feingold program and am waiting for it to arrive. We started the diet unofficially four days ago. I've already seen a difference in my 8 year old daughter who has been showing signs of ADHD for years now. My 5 year old son is also showing calmer behavior. Thank you for sharing the food lists and your favorites to give me a starting point. Is it common in the beginning to show improvement but then have days that are off? I am so hopeful this is the answer to our prayers with our daughter's behaviors.

15. I notice so much sugar on your lists, I thought sugar was a no-no

16. Sugar is allowed on the FG diet. Is it healthy? Uh, no. 🙂 FG eliminates the artificials and preservatives so that you are eating real food. Sugar is a real food. It will definitely cause health problems, especially in larger quantities, but in the real world, and with kids, it's hard to avoid. Our kids are going to go to parties and want desserts occassionally, and FG helps you identify foods that do not contain the harsh chemicals that can really cause some damage and unwanted behaviors. My kids don't react to sugar the way they do to dyes. That doesn't mean sugar is good for them. FG is a great starting point for parents to start thinking about what's going into their child's body. From there, many parents take it a step further and start looking at their overall health and what further steps they can take to eat healthier. It's all about balance, moderation, and common sense.

17. Also, there is another shopping list that is dated March, 2012 that has a few newer items on it.

18. i thought I saw a Walmart list at one point, was i dreaming?? not that i like Walmart…but it's cheaper 😉

19. Yes, I just saw it on my new shopping list dated March, 2012. Here's the link.
    http://www.allnaturalmomof4.com/2012/03/feingold-shopping-lists.html

20. I love your blog, however I am struggling with the shopping. If berries are not approved then hhow is it that they could ea berry snacks. Maybe I am misunderstanding something? My son loves the fruit berry snacks but we eliminated them due to only having flavors such as raspberry, strawberry etc?

21. Feingold has two stages. In stage 1 you remove all the fruits like berries, apples, grapes, etc. After the initial 6 weeks, you can add back in the stage 1 fruits and watch for a reaction. If no reaction, you can add these back into your child's diet cautiously. Stage 2 fruits can have a build up effect so you don't want to go overboard with them. We do stage 2 on occasion, and I do them all the time, as does my toddler. So that is why you will see both stage 1 and stage 2 items on my shopping list. I don't list them out if they are st 1 or 2. On my other blog for my recipes, I do. http://www.feingoldrecipes.blogspot.com. I also list out st 1 or 2 on my Facebook page – All Natural Mom. Yes, all Feingold acceptable fruit snacks out there will be stage 2. Hope that helps.

22. I am lost and I mean no disrespect… usually said before disrespect! Lol! But there are so many processed foods on this list… I was drawn in by the title of your blog… I'm pescatarian working on vegetarian… utlimate goal being mostly raw vegan… new to this and feeling unbelievably fantastic!!! Looking for every site I can get my hands on in this vein since I need all the help I can get… also interested in and practicing sustainable living… maybe shoot me an email at ebonywaters@hotmail.com! Thanks!

23. Hi Ebony! This is my shopping list for processed foods. We certainly don't eat only processed food, and we don't eat everything on this list all the time either. Everything in moderation. I don't list out fruits and veggies and meats b/c those things are obviously all natural. It's the processed foods that we use Feingold for, to know whether they consist of real food or man-made chemicals. With kids, it's hard to stay away from processed foods and to find the time to make all your food from scratch. It's also hard with having school lunches where you need to send in a lunch hours ahead of time. My kids eat better when they are at home or when we homeschooled. Eating unprocessed foods is definitely my goal as well, and is a healthy way to eat. I make a lot of what my kids eat, partly also because my kids have allergies and we are GFCF. But, without having a live in chef, with 4 kids, it's hard to keep up without using some processed foods. And, with kids, you're dealing with the what will they actually eat factor. I would love to do a raw diet as well, but living in the midwest it's hard to get a lot of good fresh fruits and veggies all year round. My kids also have digestive issues and issues with salycilates so that becomes an issue as well. Superfood Cuisine by Julie Morris is a great cookbook that is mostly raw vegan. I would love to do a vegetarian diet one day too but doing Feingold stage 1, plus GFCF is about all we can handle right now. Pulling meats would eliminate more than half of our menu unfortunately. But we make sure it's at least grass fed beef and organic chicken. Would love to know what good sites you have come across that helped you make the decision to change your diet. Good luck. Hope that answers your questions.

24. Hi!
    I'm from Finland and I have noticed that we eat here (Skandinavia) quite differently than you guys.
    My children's menu for one day:
    Morning: oat or rye borriage( only water and oats) and frozen berries like cranberries, strawberries or blue berries (all are picked by myself in last summer)

    Lunch: boiled potatoes and organic chicken (from owen), a glass of water or milk.

    snack: a banana and slice of rye bread with a spoonfull real organic butter

    Dinner: Fish soup (carrots, potatoes, onions and some herbs, pepper, butter and salt boiled in hot milk), a glass of milk or water.

    Evening snack: a class of milk and rye bread with cheese and slice of organic ham.

    And this is very common day meal here:).
    I give nowdays only at fridays some good 70% chocolate for "candy day".
    After I reduced all artificial sugars and also normal sugar for minimum. I noticed a change for my children. Also I give them Eye q tablets.
    Also I do all food by myself so it means no nuggets, ready meatballs etc. at all. All bread are rich in fiber etc.
    -Anna-

    • Now that is what an all natural diet is! Not pre-packaged. Just because it says organic on the cellophan wrapper doesn't mean it's all natural. That to me is comical.

    • Anonymous: If you read the comment I left on 9/9/12, I explain the fact that, yes, this is not truly "natural" eating. This is a Feingold shopping list. Are you saying that you never eat any prepackaged foods? This list just helps people make better choices with the prepackaged foods that are out there. All things in moderation. Feingold has proven to be helpful for kids with ADHD and that is why I list my lists – to help families who are dealing with ADHD. It's a baby step in the right direction. Once people get on the FG diet, they almost certainly start eating much cleaner and back to the basics and eat fewer and fewer processed foods. Do you have kids? Do you think they'd be happy going to go to a party and break out the veggies? Would they even eat them? Give moms a break. We are not only feeding our kids processed foods. Why would I need to list fruits and veggies on this list? It's kind of a given.

25. Hi, I'm wondering if the Feingold approved peanut butter is still the regular Jif or the Natural now. I still use the 2010 book you sent me and I'm wondering if they changed the peanut butter. Thanks for all your help. We love the Feingold diet.

26. You're welcome. 🙂 I don't see the Natural in the shopping guide yet. I'll see in Januray if they've added it to the 2013 guide. I was wondering that too. I am going to email them directly though and see. I have a new site I've just started. It's at http://www.theallnaturaldiet.blogspot.com. I will post there when I hear back from JIF.

27. HA! I have to laugh, this lis is anything but natural! All pre-packaged. Feed your kids fresh fruits and vegetables! Come on people!

28. Hi – We are just starting on the FG diet and noticed some items on your shopping list that is not in my food guide. I am wondering if I am overlooking them or if you know that they are FG acceptable. Some of the items are: Natural Doritos, Sun Chips, Tostitos, Rold Gold pretzels, Lays potato chips. Your help would be appreciated. The more snack items I can look for on sale, will certainly help keep my grocery budget in check! Thanks – Julie

29. Lay's recently stopped filling out forms so you won't find any of their products in the new shopping guide but they were approved for years. Their ingredients haven't changed and members haven't noticed any reactions to them, so we continue to use them. It's up to you if you want to use them or not. I'm not sure if all of these are Lay's products or not but it looks like they are b/c I know at one time all of those were approved.

30. Thanks for checking on the Jif, I like your new site! How much is the Feingold program and do you have to pay every year to get the new book?

31. It's $85, or $69 for the PDF version. Yes, you have to renew every year. To renew, it's $54 and $49 or so for the PDF. Ya know, I just got my 2013 guide and they still only list JIF creamy, not the Natural. I don't know why. If I ask I guarantee I won't get an answer or it will be, "Why don't you submit it to PIC?"

32. unless you are dealing tieh the Feingold Association of the US you are not getting the" Official" diet…regarding food questions..PIC (Product Information Committee) is the go to for product questions. They have all the paperwork from manufactures…As Feingold mother since 1973 I can assure you their information is current (manufacturers change ingredients often). There are other lists available, I can't comment on their accuracy.

    Annette Miller, Past President, Feingold Association of the US

33. Pingback: 3-Day Trial of the Feingold Diet | All Natural Mom