The season of charcoal smells and checkered tablecloths has begun.  It's a great time to get together with family and friends to share laughs and delicious food.  However, there may be an uninvited guest at your picnic or BBQ - GMOs.  Unfortunately, almost everything on our typical plate is likely to have some GM ingredients, from the ketchup to the bun.  Sometimes these GMOs are disguised and, unfortunately, often overlooked.

Adding to the discreet infiltration of GMOs is the fact that meat, dairy, and eggs - even though not genetically modified themselves - are produced using GMOs.  Corn and soy make up the majority of animal feed in the US.  With 88% of corn and 93% of soy in the US grown genetically modified, our farm animals are raised on GMOs.  Animals, like humans, are deeply impacted by the quality of their diets. One study showed that pigs fed an entirely GMO diet suffered from severe stomach inflammation when compared to pigs given non-GMO feed.  Their GMO-fed bodies are then turned into food for us.

So before you head off to your Fourth of July picnics and BBQs, review the picnic items below for likely GM ingredients and tasty non-GMO alternatives.  Then share the knowledge.  While the topic of GMOs has hit the mainstream, not everyone knows all the facts or understands the destruction GMOs are causing to our planet and our bodies.  So use this season of gathering as an opportunity to talk to your loved ones about GMOs.

GMO Picnic Items (and Better Options)

Buns - High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cottonseed Fiber, Vegetable Oil (Soybean And/Or Cottonseed Oils), Distilled Vinegar (often derived from corn), Mono and diglyceride (often derived from soybean, cottonseed, corn, canola), Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate (stearic acid maybe from soy), DATEM (usually derived from soy or canola oil), Maltodextrin (maybe from corn), Corn Starch, Soy Lecithin, Soy Flour

Non-GMO/organic option: Rudi's Bakery, Berlin Natural Bakery, Ener-G Foods, Silver Hills Sprouted Bakery, local bakery

Veggie Burger (meat-free) - Textured Vegetable Protein (Soy Protein Concentrate), Corn Oil, Canola Oil, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (Corn Gluten, Soy Protein), Dextrose, Soy Protein Isolate, Natural And Artificial Flavors From Non-Meat Sources, Maltodextrin, Soy Sauce, Soy Lecithin

Non-GMO/organic option: Sunshine Burgers (also wheat-free and vegan!), Hilary's Eat Well Burgers (also gluten-free and vegan!), Amy's Veggie Burgers (also vegan options)

Meat Burger - Cows Fed Corn and Soy Silage

Non-GMO/organic option: Cows raised on an actual farm, allowed to graze, and fed roughage.  Applegate Organic Beef and Turkey Burgers, Organic Prairie Organic Burgers (Organic Valley), check out your local farmers market

Hot Dog - Mechanically Separated Turkey (fed GMOs), Mechanically Separated Chicken (fed GMOs), Pork (fed GMOs), Corn Syrup, Flavor

Non-GMO/organic option: Applegate Organic Beef and Pork Hot Dogs, Organic Prairie Organic Hot Dogs (Organic Valley), check out your local farmers market

Veggie Hot Dog (meat-free) - Corn Syrup Solids, Methylcellulose (sometimes from corn), Dextrose, Egg Whites, Natural Flavors, Sugar, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (Corn Protein, Soy Protein), Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Soy Protein Isolate, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Soybeans, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (Corn Gluten, Soy Protein), Soybean Oil, Citric Acid

Non-GMO/organic option: Field Roast Frankfurters

Ketchup - Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup

Non-GMO/organic option: Annie’s Organic Ketchup

Mustard - Distilled Vinegar, Natural Flavors

Non-GMO/organic option: Annie’s Organic Yellow Mustard, Eden’s Organic Yellow Mustard

Pickle Relish - Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavors, Polysorbate 80

Non-GMO/organic option: Bubbie’s Pure Kosher Dill Relish (no sugar), Woodstock Organic Sweet Relish

Mayonnaise – Soybean Oil, Whole Eggs And Egg Yolks, Vinegar, Sugar, Natural Flavors

Non-GMO/organic option: Woodstock Mayonnaise, Earth Balance Mindfulmayo

Processed Cheese – Milk (cows fed GMOs), Whey, Milk Protein Concentrate, Milkfat, Lactic Acid, Artificial Color, Enzymes

Non-GMO/organic option: Organic Valley cheese, Rumiano Family Cheese, any organic cheese

Chips - Soybean oil and/or Canola oil; Corn if corn chips; possibly Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Maltodextrin, and many more depending on chip flavor

Non-GMO/organic option: Kettle Brand Chips, Boulder Canyon Chips

Soda - High Fructose Corn Syrup, Caramel Color, Sugar, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor

Non-GMO/organic option: DRY Soda, Reed's Ginger Brew, SANS All Natural Soda

Sweet Corn - GM varieties entered the market last year

buy organic

You can always buy other brands that you like too.  Just look for the Non-GMO Project or USDA Organic labels to stay away from GMOs.