When is a Food “Worth It”?

on October 13, 2009
in All Posts

Sweetened coconut vs. unsweetened coconut – who’s the winner?

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To me, the winner is pretty obvious – SWEETENED coconut tastes so much better than unsweetened, especially on top of oatmeal!

 

Sweetened coconut is fluffy and delicious.  And sweet, of course!

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Unsweetened coconut is hard and bland tasting.  🙁

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I did a side-by-side taste test on my banana oatmeal to see which I really prefer.  And although I’d like to say the unsweetened kind is just as good, it’s not.  Sweet all the way! 🙂

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My lunchtime oatmeal contained:

 

  • 3/4 cup oatmeal
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup almond breeze
  • 1 sliced banana
  • Toppings: unsweet vs sweet coconut, almonds, and flax

 

When is a Treat Worth It?

 

I believe to live a balanced lifestyle, you have to decide which foods are “worth it.”  Some foods are only yummy in their full-fat, unadulterated glory!  Which is exactly why I almost never get FroYo and always get real ice cream.  🙂 And sweetened coconut is totally worth the extra calories and 6 grams of sugar! A little sugar never hurt anyone.  :) 

 

But I think that some treats just aren’t worth the wasted calories – store-bought cake, crappy Halloween candy, regular soda, etc.  I’d rather use my appetite to eat other more nutritious and yummy foods.  Plus, I tend to eat more of the “fake” stuff in an attempt to satisfy my taste buds (they aren’t fooled!).

 

A survey:  which of these foods do you prefer the “real” version of, and which do you not see as “worth it”?

 

  • Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
  • Regular coke or diet?
  • Sugar or artificial sweetener?
  • Butter or fake butter?
  • Real salad dressing or the light stuff?
  • Half and half or fake creamer?
  • Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum?

 

My answers:

 

  • Worth it – Ice cream
  • Not worth it – I drink diet coke over regular
  • Worth it – Sugar
  • Worth it – Butter
  • Worth it – Real Salad Dressing
  • Worth it – Half and Half
  • Not worth it – I chew artificially sweetened gum (I chew a lot of gum)

 

Obviously, I think the real version is usually better!  :)  Everything in moderation, right?!

{ 98 comments }

 

  • brittany meenach October 13, 2009, 12:26 pm

    I am having oatmeal for lunch too! Hmmm I think a little of the real stuff is way better then eating processed fake versions, that leave you wanting the real thing. Be happy, healthy and live and By live I mean enjoy a donut or cookie.

    • caitlin October 13, 2009, 12:27 pm

      i agree that the fake versions just leave you wanting more!!

  • Lindsey @ Sound Eats October 13, 2009, 12:28 pm

    Love this – I totally agree that everyone has their own things that are “worth it” to them. I know some people that crappy Halloween candy is worth it to them (esp. candy corn). For me, a lot of those things don’t really apply (vegan), but I know one thing is that if I’m going to have soda instead of sparkling water, it’s going to be the real deal. I hate artificially flavored crap – even Stevia. It has such a huge taste difference to me, and a lot of times the artificial sugars will give me headaches that are no where near worth it.

    Great post, friend. 🙂

  • Michelle October 13, 2009, 12:29 pm

    real butter–esp. organic, ice cream, sour cream–basically any dairy is totally worth it. I think that trick in life is to do things in moderation and I think that is where people fall off the bandwagon. Further, the whole FF/SF stuff I think traps people into eating more because 1. it DOESN’T taste like the real thing 2. people eat more because it isn’t ‘as bad’. Oh..and gravy..don’t skimp.

    Good post. ~M

  • jen trinque October 13, 2009, 12:30 pm

    I had oatmeal for lunch, too…no coconut on top (unless you count that my white cat, Coconut, was sitting on my lap when I ate it).

    I usually eat full fat ice cream. I don’t really use butter or fake butter much, but prefer real butter when I do. I’m totally NOT into artificial sweeteners! I always bake with real sugar or something like honey or agave nectar. Also not a soda drinker. I’d say real food is definitely worth it!

  • Megan @ Megzz Wins At Life October 13, 2009, 12:32 pm

    I don’t like gro-yo so I ALWAYS get ice cream.. I also don’t think store bought cakes are worth it.. BUT i have a HUGE sweet tooth.. SO i treat myself to regular candy every once ina while.. who my kidding.. everyone once in a while.. meaning once a week!! hehe

  • Jessica @ How Sweet It Is October 13, 2009, 12:33 pm

    Worth it: ice cream, butter, and creamer…the rest – def not worth it!

  • Sara October 13, 2009, 12:35 pm

    Not Worth it: I am fine with eating frozen yogurt
    Worth it: Regular coke. There lays my problem! I drink diet a good amount but I can’t give up the regular soda.
    Worth it – Sugar
    Worth it – Butter
    Not Worth It – I think I have become accustomed to the light stuff.
    Not Worth It – I have always used fake creamer so that works me for I guess 🙂
    Not Worth It – I have always chewed artificially sweetened gum.

    My weakness…gummy bears. That is my candy that a lot of times ends up being worth it.

    My problem is when I do go for the real fat stuff then I end up feeling guilty and I hate that feeling. I know I shouldn’t make myself feel that way but I try to stay away from it as much as possible.

  • Yasmin October 13, 2009, 12:37 pm

    So true. Me + my bf’s always say: “eat food that either tastes good or is good for you”

  • Nicci@NiftyEats October 13, 2009, 12:40 pm

    I love ice cream but I really do enjoy Froyo more. I also go with sweet coconut too!

  • Evan Thomas October 13, 2009, 12:42 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
    I think it’s a misconception that frozen yogurt is not creamy. Frozen yogurt is technically ice cream with probiotics, and I’ve had some made with a creamier base that is entirely amazing. I highly suggest Elan Brand

    Regular coke or diet?
    Neither for me, though when I didn’t eat all natural it was diet

    Sugar or artificial sweetener?
    Sugar these days

    Butter or fake butter?
    I never use butter. It kind of grosses me out. In recipes I use either peanut butter or canola oil

    Real salad dressing or the light stuff?
    I’m not a salad person, so I’d probably opt for the light stuff

    Half and half or fake creamer?
    Black coffee

    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum?
    Again, nothing artificial so probably the real stuff though it gives me bloating for running

  • Mary October 13, 2009, 12:42 pm

    I think they are all worth it save for the gum and the pop which I don’t use either of anyway! I tried the ff half and half and ended up using twice as much!! Like my mom says (or someone’s mom), just a little dab will do ya! Moderation for sure. Great post!

  • Runeatrepeat October 13, 2009, 12:43 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? I actually have always preferred frozen yogurt! Always will 🙂
    Regular coke or diet? Diet
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? Sugar – except when I’m drinking diet soda 🙂
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Real Salad dressing! Half and half or fake creamer? N/A
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Artificial

  • MelissaNibbles October 13, 2009, 12:43 pm

    A food is worth it when you look at it and decide you want to eat it. I don’t like putting restrictions on anything.

  • Brooke October 13, 2009, 12:45 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt?–duh, ice cream all the way!
    * Regular coke or diet?–diet..can’t live without my diet coke!

    * Sugar or artificial sweetener?–regular sugar
    * Butter or fake butter?–real butter
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff?–real dressing
    * Half and half or fake creamer?–half and half
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum?–no gum…can’t chew it too many tmj problems!

  • Kristine October 13, 2009, 12:45 pm

    1. not worth it – fro yo
    2. not worth it – diet coke
    3. worth it – Sugar
    4. worth it – butter
    5. worth it – real salad dressing
    6. neither!
    7. nor worth it – artificially flavored

  • Erin October 13, 2009, 12:46 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? – Either one, really. I mostly eat it for the toppings or the mix-ins anyway.

    * Regular coke or diet? – I very rarely drink soda. But when I do, I go for regular. I hate artificial sweeteners.
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? – Sugar all the way.
    * Butter or fake butter? – I prefer real butter
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? – We use homemade that is mostly oil and vinegar but we use regular Parmesan cheese in it so I guess I prefer real. But I don’t mind most light stuff, either.
    * Half and half or fake creamer? – I don’t drink coffee but if a recipe calls for half and half I use the real stuff.
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? – Gum gives me canker sores so I don’t chew it unless some offers me a piece.

  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels October 13, 2009, 12:51 pm

    Yes splurges here and there are the key! But I have to say I like unsweetened coconut. I never have artificial sweetener and rarely have pop (soda) or cream, this allows me to splurge in other ways like PIZZA!

  • Lauren October 13, 2009, 12:51 pm

    We were just talking about artificial sweeteners at work.
    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? I actually prefer fro-yo.
    Regular coke or diet? Diet. This is my weakness. I am tempted to see what cutting it out would do to my weight because even though it doesn’t have calories, I know the aspartame is probably not good for me.
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? Depends – I’ll go either way.
    Butter or fake butter? Real! I don’t consume enough for it to matter.
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Light stuff or homemade real dressing with EVOO 🙂
    Half and half or fake creamer? Neither…
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Artificial – I use it to quell my sugar cravings during the day!

  • Katie - Life Discombobulated October 13, 2009, 12:53 pm

    1. WORTH IT!!! — real ice cream tastes so much better and I’m satisfied with a smaller amount.
    2. Not worth it — I rarely drink any soda, but when I do, I stick to diet. I don’t like the real stuff anyway.
    3. Worth it! — Artificial sweeteners taste artificial.
    4. Worth it — especially when baking or cooking.
    5. Not worth it — I like the light stuff just as well.
    6. WORTH IT! — After reading the ingredients list on a fake creamer bottle, I’ll never use that stuff again. Plus, the real stuff tastes so much better!
    7. Not worth it — I think the non-sugared stuff tastes better and doesn’t leave a film or funny after taste in your mouth.

  • fitforfree October 13, 2009, 12:53 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? — froyo (makes my tummy happier! plus, I don’t think of them in the same category — I prefer the tart taste of yogurt to the overpowering sweetness of most ice cream)
    * Regular coke or diet? — regular – gave up diet years ago and it’s so rare that I drink it that I stick with regular 🙂
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? – SUGAR all the way! or agave 🙂
    * Butter or fake butter? Earth Balance — again with the tummy!
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? — REAL!!
    * Half and half or fake creamer? — soy creamer? 🙂
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? — either — don’t chew it enough to care.

  • julia October 13, 2009, 12:54 pm

    Worth it – ice cream, but sometimes I prefer fro yo anyway
    Not worth it – diet
    Worth it – Sugar! (with the exception of diet coke of course)
    Worth it – Butter
    Worth it – Real salad dressing
    Worth it – Half and half (I usually just use milk in coffee though)
    Not worth it – artificially sweetened gum

  • Estela @ Weekly Bite October 13, 2009, 12:54 pm

    I all for the real stuff… except suger, soda, and gum… I go for the diet versions of that.

  • Stephanie October 13, 2009, 12:56 pm

    * Frozen yogurt any day, I love this stuff even more than ice cream (texture I think does it for me?)
    * Diet soda (can you say wasted calories, I lost 10lbs in college making the switch)
    * Sugar — or even better, agave
    * Butter — I REFUSE to use fake butter. ever. period.
    * No pref actually with salad dressing?
    * Don’t use creamer ever
    * Sugar free gum, per my dentist who already makes a living off me haha

  • Leah @ L4L October 13, 2009, 12:57 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? — Soy or Coconut Ice Cream only
    Regular coke or diet? — Real soda, just the natural sugar kind. No aspartame or HFCS please.
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? — Real please. Though I prefer agave.
    Butter or fake butter? — Real please!
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? — Home-made real stuff! 😀
    Half and half or fake creamer? — Flavored Soy Creamer
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? — I usually get artifically sweetened bc it is the easiest to find but I prefer real.

    Obviously, I am lactose intolerant with all my soy substitutions. 😉

  • Emily @ My Chubby Confessions October 13, 2009, 12:58 pm

    Your oatmeal look delish. I wish my tummy could handle it. It’s too heavy!!

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? It depends on the flavor!! I like them both!! Right now I have tart honey fro-yo and pumpkin ice cream in my freezer!

    Regular coke or diet? Diet – regular coke is to sweet.

    Sugar or artificial sweetener? – Agave for sure. Would this be considered “fake” sweetener?

    Butter or fake butter? I don’t eat it much so I normally just get whatever is on sale whether it be fake or real.

    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? I like the light stuff. I can’t taste the difference.

    Half and half or fake creamer? I prefer to use milk (for coffee) and yogurt (for cooking). So I guess that would classify it as fake creamer?

    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? sugar-free. I chew it too often and I agree that it’s not worth the extra calories.

  • Alyson October 13, 2009, 1:01 pm

    Wooo great one!

    – Ice cream or frozen yogurt?: Not worth it.. Tho I’d choose frozen yogurt regardless because I love soft serve, with lots of fun toppings of course!
    – Regular coke or diet? Not worth it.. like diet better anyway 🙂
    – Sugar or artificial sweetener? Depends (cop out!)
    – Butter or fake butter? – Worth it!
    – Real salad dressing or the light stuff? – Not worth it. Good light stuff is just as good anyway.
    – Half and half or fake creamer? Not worth it
    – Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum?- Not worth it.

  • Susan October 13, 2009, 1:01 pm

    Ha, I actually prefer the unsweetened coconut!

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Froyo- but only if it’s FRESH. The soft serve sugary kind doesn’t do it for me.
    Regular coke or diet? Neither, don’t like soda.
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? 50/50 Stevia half the time – the real things the other half 🙂
    Butter or fake butter? Earth balance at home, but butter when out dining or at someone else’s place.
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? REAL! Although, nothing beats just plain balsamic or lemon juice.
    Half and half or fake creamer? Neither, prefer almond milk or soy.
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? This has got to be artificial. I chew so much, my teeth would have fallen out by now if it was real 😛

    Overall though, I think the number one thing that deserves a splurge is peanut butter!! I just can’t do the lighter versions of that!

  • April October 13, 2009, 1:04 pm

    •Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Neither
    •Regular coke or diet? Water
    •Sugar or artificial sweetener? stevia
    •Butter or fake butter? neither
    •Real salad dressing or the light stuff? red wine vinegar
    •Half and half or fake creamer? almond milk
    •Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? neither

    Yep, that’s why I sport a 6 pack!

  • meghann October 13, 2009, 1:05 pm

    * Frozen Yogurt – Well I guess the real answer is soft serve in general whether it be ice cream of fro yo. I prefer soft serve to the hard stuff any day. I also prefer tart yogurt above anything else.
    * Neither. Regular coke isn’t worth it and I would rather drink my own piss before drinking diet coke. Yuck.
    * Sugar all the way!
    * I can’t taste the difference and honestly never use either.
    * Real salad dressing. A little bit goes along way. I dip my fork in teh dressing then the salad.
    * Neither. Can’t tell you I have actually ever used half & half or fake creamer.
    *I’m chewing artificially sweetened gum right now actually. I actually prefer the way the fake stuff tastes. lol

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Eat October 13, 2009, 1:06 pm

    Of all the things you mentioned, I don’t use any of them! I recently decided to go completely animal free so that eliminates a lot of stuff. The rest is by personal preference.

    I kicked my gum habit a few months back! I drink black coffee, ha ha. And I don’t even have sugar in my house at all 😉

    Sometimes I have a diet soda I guess, but I recently quit those again. And when I do use salad dressings I still go for light since I can’t do many of the creamy ones anyway. Most of the time though, I just use hummus instead.

    Great topic to post about! 🙂

  • Gloria October 13, 2009, 1:06 pm

    Not worth it – I always choose froyo because I like the light, tart taste.
    Not worth it – No soda at all.
    Worth it – Artificial sugar tastes like chemicals and raw sugar, agave, and maple syrup rock
    Not worth it – Never liked butter, but I’ll use Earth Balance on rare occasions
    Not worth it – Salad dressing? What’s that? Hummus and salsa all the way 😉
    Worth it – Coffee just isn’t the same without a little bit of cream
    Not worth it – It’s insane how much gum I chew

    You know what’s really disgusting? Those fake peanut butters that take out all the *healthy* fat – Nuts are WORTH IT! The occasional dark beer over light is also totally worth it 😉

  • Nobel4Lit October 13, 2009, 1:10 pm

    My answers

    Worth it – I can’t have either due to dairy intolerance, but I actually prefer frozen yogurt because ice cream makes my throat itch!
    Not worth it – I prefer regular because my stomach doesn’t tolerate artificial sugars too well… I just have very little
    Worth it – Sugar (for reasons above)
    Worth it – Butter, but fake butter is also good
    Worth it – Real Salad Dressing, but fake is also good
    Worth it – Fake creamers, for dairy intolerance issues, but I rarely drink coffee, so this is not an issue
    Not worth it – I chew artificially sweetened gum because it is more widely available than sugary gum, but the fear of cavaties = bleh… however, see my note about artificial sugars

    So as you can see, I actually have grown to like many of the “lighter” options out there.

  • Samantha October 13, 2009, 1:18 pm

    I totally agree with all your “worth it” choices. I actually prefer artificially sweetened gum and soda. The real stuff is too sweet for me (probably has something to do with the high fructose corn syrup).

  • Allison (Balance in Bites) October 13, 2009, 1:18 pm

    Real butter, for sure – yucky trans fats margarine isn’t good for anyone! Although in baking, I usually substitute half of the butter or oil the recipe calls for with unsweetened applesauce. It actually is the perfect substitute – people rarely can taste the difference.

    Obviously if you’re trying to butter toast or saute some buttered carrots, you’re not going to want to use applesauce =P

    As for regular/diet soda… I try not to drink either, and opt for soda water or seltzer water instead. But if I had to pick, I’d take a diet soda over regular.

  • brandi October 13, 2009, 1:21 pm

    that’s funny – I love unsweetened coconut! The kind I get is never hard; definitely not as sweet, but good.

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? I love both and am happy with either, if it’s good.

    Regular coke or diet? diet

    Sugar or artificial sweetener? sugar or other natural sweetener

    Butter or fake butter? butter

    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? real dressing; homemade is even better

    Half and half or fake creamer? half and half, but i usually use skim.

    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? I don’t chew much, but it’s usually sugar free gum, I guess.

  • Amy October 13, 2009, 1:25 pm

    I love this idea 🙂

    •Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Fro-yo– I love the “Edy’s yogurt blends”– which I think counts somewhere in the middle??
    •Regular coke or diet? DIET!!
    •Sugar or artificial sweetener? Sugar is definitely worth it 🙂
    •Butter or fake butter? Butter
    •Real salad dressing or the light stuff? real salad dressing, definitely! This is one I can tell the biggest difference with!
    •Half and half or fake creamer? mmm… fake creamer… ’tis the season for delicious fall-y coffee mate flavors!
    •Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? artificial

  • Diana October 13, 2009, 1:26 pm

    * Worth it – Ice cream
    * Not worth it – I don’t drink soda at all!
    * Worth it – Sugar
    * Worth it – Butter
    * Worth it – Real Salad Dressing
    * Worth it – Half and Half
    * Not worth it – Artificially sweetened gum

    Pretty much the same as you 🙂

  • haya October 13, 2009, 1:28 pm

    i am totally going to have to try out sweetened coconut! don’t think i’ve ever bought that.

    i find that artificially sweetened gums give me tummy problems if i chew for too long 🙁 i’ve just stopped chewing gum all together. it is really hard to find gum with real sugar in it! (esp one that isn’t bubble gum)

  • Tay October 13, 2009, 1:29 pm

    Great topic!! I totally used to get ALL diet stuff all the time (FF cheese, the lightest soy milk you could buy, low fat Better n’ PB…). Then I realized how much better tasting and the more natural ingredients real products have. In your survey:

    If I buy it in the cartons – ice cream. Froyo in the cartons just seems weird. But if I go out – froyo all the way! Just because I like the taste better of selve server soft froyo.

    Soda = not worth it. No way jose!

    Sugar? Sometimes.

    Butter? Depends – I use oil when I can and just never really use butter for anything!

    Salad dressing – Real! Although there are a good few ones that naturally “light” and not labeled as so!

    Creamer? I love the flavored creamers! But half & half is less processed…

    Gum? not worth it. SF gum all the way! Less cavities! 😉

  • Jane October 13, 2009, 1:39 pm

    Thank you for answering my question with a whole post, Caitlin! 🙂 I appreciate it. You rule!

  • Jenna October 13, 2009, 1:44 pm

    everything in moderation! that is right!
    jenna

  • Simone @ P:T October 13, 2009, 1:46 pm

    I love having oats for other meals besides breakfast. It’s so hearty and just down right perfect! 😉

    I am like you in that I prefer artificial gum, real butter, real sugar and diet soda, but I also like the fake salad dressing and froyo. Actually, I prefer froyo to real ice cream…something about the way it comes out of the machine and swirls. Plus, there is more room for rainbow sprinkles that way! 🙂

  • Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) October 13, 2009, 1:47 pm

    I’m with you all the way Caitlin! Great post. 🙂

  • Lindsay October 13, 2009, 1:50 pm

    Ice cream – Worth it
    Regular coke or diet? Diet
    Sugar – Worth it most of the time
    Butter – Worth it
    Real salad dressing – Worth it
    Half and half or fake creamer? Fake
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Artificially sweetened

  • grace b October 13, 2009, 1:51 pm

    Real for all of it. You can tell if it is fake and artificial tasting.

    And unless it is Swedish Fish then it just ain’t worth it! 🙂

  • Sheri October 13, 2009, 1:52 pm

    The oatmeal looks amazing!! I have to try this.

    I agree with you on all counts except the soda which I don’t drink. I generally opt for the real thing, in moderation, over the fake which never satifies and often leads me to overindulge.

    Great post!

  • maggie October 13, 2009, 2:08 pm

    Frozen Yogurt or Ice cream- Fro-yo!
    Regular coke or diet? Green tea!
    Sugar – Palm Sugar!
    Butter – Coconut butter is better!
    Lite or Real salad dressing – Olive oil + lemon, I eat alot of salad.
    Half and half or fake creamer? Neither, coconut milk!!
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Artificially sweetened or green tea mints.

    I guess my answers are a bit off the topic but oh well. 🙂
    Maggie

    MYBREAKFASTBLOG.COM

  • Marina October 13, 2009, 2:10 pm

    I rarely indulge in something, like cookies, cake, chocolate, stuff like that. But when I do, I wanted to be the best. Real home made cookies (or some store bought wonder), cake from the best pastry shop in town. I also think some stuff is healthier then it’s “healthy” versions. Like butter. I mean, margarine is… hydrogenated oil. It sounds awful, how good can it be for you anyway

  • Julie @savvyeats October 13, 2009, 2:11 pm

    Worth It– love ice cream. Though I have recently discovered a love for soft-serve fro yo!
    Not worth It– If I have soda at all, I go with diet.
    Worth It (usually)–A little bit of sugar goes a long way!
    Toss-Up– It used to be I would say fake butter, but using a little bit of real butter can make food better 🙂
    Worth It — I’d rather dip my fork in real dressing to get a little taste than eat a bunch of the fake stuff.
    Not worth it–fake creamer most of the time
    Neither — I’m not a fan of gum!

  • Anne October 13, 2009, 2:14 pm

    London is veggie heaven. The RedVeg (seriously good vegetarian and vegan fastfood, especially the mushroomburger; http://www.redveg.com), Food for Thought, Beatroot, Mildred’s: just a few examples of excellent veggie restaurants. In the rest of England it’s really not difficult to eat vegetarian either (I guess because there are quite a few Indian people/hindu’s in England?).

  • Jenn Eats Nutritiously Now October 13, 2009, 2:22 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? I actually like frozen yogurt.
    Regular coke or diet? I almost never drink regular soda, and try to stay away from the diet kind, but sometimes I’m just too tempted.
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? I’ll use what the recipe calls for. If it’s a Hungry Girl recipe, she usually calls for Splenda, and I’ll use it.
    Butter or fake butter? Smart Balance is my fav!
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Depends. Usually I like the real stuff.
    Half and half or fake creamer? Don’t drink coffee so I don’t use either one.
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Sugar-free. The sugary kind gives me a bad taste in my mouth.

  • Barbara October 13, 2009, 2:23 pm

    You are going to love London! Seriously if you’re clever enough and do just a tiny bit of research you can find some reasonably priced vegetarian options out there that can taste divine.

    As far as the more remote places goes… there’s usually alway a well stocked store nearby anyway. I do suggest you bring some things with you though. Almond butter (in packets) and other tidbits that can be carried around. That way you’ll be able to enjoy the holidays more because you won’t be concerned about whether there’ll be a vegetarian option available the next time you’ll be hungry. Although I have to say, knock on wood, I never had any troubles finding good vegetarian food in the UK.

  • Ally October 13, 2009, 2:28 pm

    I actually prefer fro yo to ice cream–I know, weird! Real honest to goodness ice cream actually makes me sick, so, I stick to the lower fat kind and I actually like it better. I use fake butter on my toast, but, real butter when cooking, etc.

  • Lauren October 13, 2009, 2:29 pm

    Soda is not worth it at all. I have never tried unsweetened coconut actually. I had no idea there was even a difference!

  • Shelly October 13, 2009, 2:32 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt?- Both! I really like frozen greek yogurt when I can find it, and the “tart” plain yogurt flavor at a local froyo place. However, nothing beats vanilla haagen daz. 🙂
    * Regular coke or diet?- neither- I’d rather have coffee or tea.
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener?- I usually use honey or agave- so sugar wins on a technicality. I try to stay away from the white stuff though.
    * Butter or fake butter?- Butter!!
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff?- I generally make my own- olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, and parmesan…I guess you’d call that “real.”
    * Half and half or fake creamer?- skim milk, but I’d rather do half and half than the fake creamer- it tastes gross to me.
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum?- I’d actually go with the artificially sweetened gum b/c it is better for your teeth.

  • Catie October 13, 2009, 2:34 pm

    Ice cream is worth it just a smaller porportion
    Sugar is again worth it just porportion control
    Real Butter!
    I would rather go with the the light or if that’s not an option then a small amount
    And real gum… honestly I don’t even think about it. I just want mint.

  • Lee October 13, 2009, 2:36 pm

    Totally agree with the coconut.

    • Ice cream of froyo – I actually prefer the taste of froyo. I’m weird.
    • Regular or diet soda – diet
    • Sugar or artificial sweetners – sugar, too much fake stuff hurts my tummy. (I am aware that this completely contradicts my diet soda answer)
    • Butter or fake butter – butter
    • Real salad dressing or light – it depends. Some light salad dressing tastes good (Newman’s Own, Ken’s) but I’m okay with real.

    The last two I have no opinion on as I don’t drink coffee nor do I chew gum.

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) October 13, 2009, 2:37 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Both are equally good to me
    * Regular coke or diet? Don’t usually drink either, and can’t tell the difference, so probably diet.
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? I would never eat artificial sweetener … sugar all the way!
    * Butter or fake butter? Butter, but margarine is okay
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? light is fine
    * Half and half or fake creamer? I don’t use either
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? both are good, but I tried to avoid aspertame, so I guess sugary

  • Gabriela October 13, 2009, 2:40 pm

    *Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Worth it- but I love froyo too, so it depends what I’m in the mood for.
    *Regular coke or diet?- Diet
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? Stevia! But I’d rather have a delicious real sugar dessert than a so-so artificially sweetened one.
    Butter or fake butter? Real, but I usually use olive oil instead.
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Oil and vinegar
    Half and half or fake creamer? Half and half, for sure.
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Artificially sweetened- I chew way too much!

  • Serena October 13, 2009, 2:48 pm

    Ice cream vs fro yo? It depends on what kind of fro yo – so many kinds have a zillion more ingredients than ice cream. I love breyers – milk, cream, eggs, sugar. fro yo = fake ingredient, fake ingredient, fake ingredient. even the tart kind!

  • Ellen October 13, 2009, 2:59 pm

    Great post today! I’ve been pondering the same thing since I started trying to get my Tasti-D-Lite froyo habit under control.

    * Ice cream: not worth it (If I’m eating my favorite froyo from 16 Handles)
    * Regular coke: not worth it–too sugary!
    * Sugar: worth it!
    * Butter: worth it! (especially when baking something other people will be eating)
    * Real salad dressing: worth it–I only need a drizzle!
    * Half and half: worth it
    * Real sugary gum: not worth it!

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
    * Regular coke or diet?
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener?
    * Butter or fake butter?
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff?
    * Half and half or fake creamer?
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum?
    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
    * Regular coke or diet?
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener?
    * Butter or fake butter?
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff?
    * Half and half or fake creamer?
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum?

    (http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/)

  • Ellen October 13, 2009, 2:59 pm

    Oops, didn’t meant to copy/paste the original post–sorry!

  • skinnyrunner October 13, 2009, 3:02 pm

    great post about whats worth it and not. although i LOVE frozen yogurt, I never have regular coke. guess its all subjective, huh.

  • megan October 13, 2009, 3:12 pm

    * Ice cream: not worth it – I love frozen yogurt just as much
    * Regular coke: not worth it–too sugary!
    * Sugar: depends on what it’s in.
    * Butter: worth it – except when I make popcorn…then it’s spray butter 🙂
    * Real salad dressing: not worth it – I use the light stuff
    * Half and half: not worth it. I don’t use it enough to care, but I really can’t tell the difference. Don’t really drink coffee though.
    * Real sugary gum: not worth it – mainly because of cavities 🙂

  • Rachel S October 13, 2009, 3:15 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? I love froyo and soft serve, but I like real ice cream too. it’s a toss up!
    Regular coke or diet? neither! i don’t like to drink calories, and the aspartame in diet soda isn’t worth it either
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? real sugar!
    Butter or fake butter? real butter..only use margarine if it’s the only option i have
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? not much of a salad dressing person so i can’t really say…if i do use dressing of any kind it’s only a tiny amount
    Half and half or fake creamer? don’t drink coffee but if I did I’d use half and half
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? artificial

  • Ana October 13, 2009, 3:21 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? fro-yo=:(; i like pinkberry or ice cream!
    Regular coke or diet? i actually like the taste of diet better but artifical stuff kinda freaks me out
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? sugar!
    Butter or fake butter? olive oil, unless i’m baking and the i’ll use butter
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? neither!
    Half and half or fake creamer? half and half if i’m drinking flavored coffee, and flavored fake crap if its unflavored dark roast
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? don’t chew it!

  • Julie October 13, 2009, 3:31 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice cream, but I do like froyo!
    Regular coke or diet? So not worth either
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? Sugar
    Butter or fake butter? Butter
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Neither!
    Half and half or fake creamer? Half and half
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Neither

  • Brynne October 13, 2009, 3:33 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? I actually do prefer frozen yogurt!
    Regular coke or diet? Same here – I don’t like regular soda and the calories aren’t worth it.
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? In baking, sugar, in my coffee, stevia.
    Butter or fake butter? In baking real is totally worth it, nn toast or a bagel, fake tastes the same to me.
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Light – I don’t like wasting calories on dressing that won’t fill me up!
    Half and half or fake creamer? Half and half is so worth it!
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Artificial – I chew soo much gum!

  • Ellen October 13, 2009, 3:36 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Either- I don’t discriminate! To me, they’re totally different. Gelato wins though, have to say.

    Regular coke or diet? Neither. No HFCS or aspartame for me.

    Sugar or artificial sweetener? Natural sweeteners (stevia, honey, etc.) but otherwise sugar.

    Butter or fake butter? Most definitely the real thing, preferably organic, cultured butter.

    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Definitely the real stuff, but not the bottled stuff. Use good olive or other unprocessed oils and a nice vinegar. Yum.

    Half and half or fake creamer? Black for me.

    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Artificially sweetened I guess, but I just try to avoid it altogether.

    I love the coconut comparison, but as good as the sweetened stuff is, I don’t like that it’s all treated with Propylene Glycol. I’ve never seen sweetened without it, but if you have I would love to know the brand!

  • on the rocks October 13, 2009, 3:48 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice cream is def worth it.
    * Regular coke or diet? Not worth it. I prefer diet.
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? I’ll do artificial.
    * Butter or fake butter? I like fake butter!
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Worth it. Plus, you usually only need 1 tbsp!
    * Half and half or fake creamer? fake
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? artifical

  • Beth @ DiningAndDishing October 13, 2009, 4:08 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice cream!!
    * Regular coke or diet? I always drink diet
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? sugar all the way
    * Butter or fake butter? butter is better!
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? real
    * Half and half or fake creamer? half and half
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? artifical – i chew it all day!

    fun game :O)

  • Graze With Me October 13, 2009, 4:09 pm

    I think the real thing is ALWAYS worth it with one exception, I don’t drink pop. Diet or regular – it makes me break out. That and I don’t consume artificial sweeteners and stay away from HFCS.

    But if you take away my half and half for my coffee??? Watch out!

  • Catherine October 13, 2009, 4:34 pm

    For those who love creamy, real salad dressing: You should really try Bolthouse Farms salad dressing. It’s yogurt-based, less additives, and about half the calories than the real stuff. But it tastes incredible! You can find it with the salad dressings that need refrigeration, which is usually in produce.

  • becky October 13, 2009, 4:38 pm

    Worth It: 2 REAL oreos versus a 100 calorie pack of those disgusting crisps that don’t even moderately taste like oreos.

    • Caitlin October 13, 2009, 4:41 pm

      truth, sister! truth.

  • Courtney October 13, 2009, 4:52 pm

    Real butter is worth it!!! And real milk in the coffee instead of weird flavored creamers.

    Courtney
    Adventures in Tri-ing

  • Kate October 13, 2009, 5:06 pm

    Oh, i SO agree. Which is why I tend towards real junk on the whole. Not over the top, but not too many diet products either. If you don’t want real junk, eat fruit!

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? ICE CREAM
    Regular coke or diet? DIET
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? SUGAR
    Butter or fake butter? DEPENDS
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? I don’t do salad dressing.
    Half and half or fake creamer? Half & Half (but I use skim milk in my coffee, usually)
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Articially sweetened

    What else? A little bit of (real) butter is SO worth it for pop corn. REAL chocolate beats lower fat/lower sugar alternative treats any day.

  • Becka @Studio222 Photography October 13, 2009, 5:43 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? (Either, depending on where they are from!)
    Regular coke or diet? (Diet! No use wasting these calories.)
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? (Artificial in drinks, sugar in baked goods)
    Butter or fake butter? (Fake. Vegan substitute for me!)
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? (I really just pick dressings that I like)
    Half and half or fake creamer? (Fake creamer, better flavors!)
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? (They make real sugar gum?)

  • Liz October 13, 2009, 5:56 pm

    •Ice cream or frozen yogurt: If I am going to go for it I want the full fat (with toppings), so-good-you-make-yummy-noises ice cream. I don’t treat myself to it often to justify the swap.
    •Regular coke or diet: No soda for this girl.
    •Sugar or artificial sweetener: I always use regular sugar when I bake. I usually don’t use it otherwise. My coffee and tea is usually naked.
    •Butter or fake butter: Again, I use the real deal when I bake. Fake butter doesn’t bother me for everyday things. I use it on toast or english muffins all the time.
    •Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Not worth it. I always go for the lighter version.
    •Half and half or fake creamer: Fake is fine with me.
    •Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum: I chew so much gum that I always go sugar-free.

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) October 13, 2009, 6:02 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Neither. I don’t eat it much any more. If I do I want the real thing.

    Regular coke or diet? I stopped because the real isn’t worth it and the diet bothers my stomach.

    Sugar or artificial sweetener? I use agave if I need sweetners.

    Butter or fake butter? Butter! So worth it when I need it.

    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? I make my own with olive oil and vinegar and some dijon. I don’t like the light stuff and the regular isn’t worth it.

    Half and half or fake creamer? Fake! But I like the flavors more than the creamer. Just a slight bit and some almond milk.

    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Neither…regular is too sweet and artifical bothers my stomach.

  • Katie @ Food.Home.Fitness.For Her. October 13, 2009, 6:34 pm

    This might sound funny, but I actually prefer Fro-Yo and Diet Pepsi to the regular stuff…I’m not a big ice cream lover though…cookies is more my sweet treat!! And fake or diet cookies won’t do!! You definately need butter and sugar for those :).

  • Rachel October 13, 2009, 7:12 pm

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Ice cream all the way, but gelato is quite good!
    * Regular coke or diet? Neither, except if they’re with some rum – then I’d go diet.
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? SUGAR
    * Butter or fake butter? BUTTAHH
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? Real…on the side
    * Half and half or fake creamer? Neither- I like 2% milk, or black if it’s real good coofie
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Neither – can’t chew gum because of a jaw injury. Was just a habit anyways. When I did though, it would be artificial, low cal fa shizzle.

    Interesting, I just realized that for “real” it’s just sugar and butter basically, all the rest I don’t really enjoy, whether real or fake.

  • angieinatlanta October 13, 2009, 7:44 pm

    Awesome post! I’m a big fan of the “real thing” so I appreciate this post.

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? ICE CREAM
    * Regular coke or diet? Diet Crack, although I try to avoid either
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? Sugar
    * Butter or fake butter? Real Butt-ah!
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? The light “stuff” but I don’t use dressing very often…
    * Half and half or fake creamer? Neither; I’m a hardcore coffee girl like that
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Neither

  • Nicole October 13, 2009, 7:59 pm

    I love the REAL stuff…just in moderation :).

    Ice cream or frozen? Both actually
    Regular or diet coke? Diet
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? Splenda
    Butter or fake butter? butter
    Real salad dressing or light? real dressing on the side
    Half and half or fake? half and half if I’m in the mood but mostly I drink mine black
    Real sugar gum or artificially sweetened? artificially sweetened because the other is too gritty..

  • Morgan October 13, 2009, 8:54 pm

    Both! I love regular ice cream, but it doesn’t sit so great with my belly. Fro yo sits better with me
    No soda for me!
    I’ll take the real stuff anyday! I don’t eat too much artificial sweeteners
    Generally butter, but I like Smart Balance b/c it was made at Brandeis, my alma mader
    I don’t really use salad dressing. Either lemon juice or balsamic for me!
    I use milk, but would choose half and half over the other stuff any day!
    Artificial. I don’t think I’ve ever had real gum

  • Meghan@traveleatlove October 13, 2009, 9:16 pm

    No soda, gum, or salad dressing for me. I love real ice cream, butter, cheese, and skim or soy milk for coffee.
    Cheese is DEFINITELY one thing I do not skimp on. Nothing compares to a real triple cream brie!

  • Emily (Emily Eats and Exercises) October 13, 2009, 9:26 pm

    A great topic. Some of those I just skip all together: soda, creamer. I definitely think sugar is worth it, though I try to limit my intake. I don’t use light salad dressing, but I might just use balsalmic instead of dressing.
    I actually LOVE fro yo (especially JP Licks) I don’t think I’ve had real ice cream in 10 years!

  • Brittany October 13, 2009, 10:08 pm

    -Ice cream or frozen yogurt? worth it-ice cream all the way
    -Regular coke or diet? not worth it- diet soda for me, actually tastes better, guess I’m used to it
    -Sugar or artificial sweetener? not worth it- I love my truvia just as much as sugar
    -Butter or fake butter? not worth it- I’ll take the fake stuf
    -Real salad dressing or the light stuff? I’m a vegetarian who doesn’t eat salad. yea…
    -Half and half or fake creamer? Neither, not something I consume
    -Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Not worth it- artificial stuff

  • maria October 13, 2009, 10:25 pm

    Love the “worth it” vs. “not worth it” concept. I do this in my head without thinking too much about it. For me milk is a “not worth it” because lower fat milk has just as good a taste to me for fewer calories. For my husband milk is a totally “worth it” food since he grew up drinking whole milk.

  • BroccoliHut October 13, 2009, 11:25 pm

    Must agree–sweetened coconut is SO MUCH better than unsweetened. Good idea to mix ’em.

  • Rose October 14, 2009, 11:25 am

    * Ice cream or frozen yogurt? – I really like Fro Yo – but not if I have to buy it from a grocery store.
    * Regular coke or diet? – I’m allergic to aspartame so most artificial sweeteners are out for me.
    * Sugar or artificial sweetener? – Sugar is so worth it
    * Butter or fake butter? – Believe it or not, I don’t care for the taste of real butter
    * Real salad dressing or the light stuff? – I light the real stuff.
    * Half and half or fake creamer? – Um. . . skim milk? LOL
    * Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? – as for this, you won’t find a gum out there anymore that doesn’t contain aspartame. Even Big Red and Juicy Fruit have the fake stuff. I’ll stick with my Glee Gum I get from Whole Foods and Sun Harvest.

  • Lindsay October 14, 2009, 2:31 pm

    Ice cream or frozen yogurt? Both taste equally great to me
    Regular coke or diet? Reg for a “coke”, diet for a mixed drink
    Sugar or artificial sweetener? Sugar
    Butter or fake butter? Butter 100%
    Real salad dressing or the light stuff? real
    Half and half or fake creamer? Traditional half and half… Fat free cream is an oxymoron
    Real sugary gum or artificially sweetened gum? Real

    in conclusion i’ve realized that I just minimize my use and maximize the real… Life is too short to be fake!

  • DeAnna October 16, 2009, 4:14 pm

    I’m not trying to judge or anything because my diet is nowhere near perfect but I think you should really consider looking into the dangers of what diet soda is doing to you. I think if you knew how terrible fake sugar was you would stop drinking it. Aspartame…google it.

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