When CLEAN means more chemicals

Did you know the laundry detergent All was invented by Monsanto? The same company that brought us Roundup and Agent Orange.

Their research team developed it in 1946 and sold it off a decade later.

You may scrutinize the ingredients in your food, but have you ever thought about the ingredients in your laundry detergent?

Many mainstream laundry detergents are made with petrochemicals, synthetic dyes, fragrances, optical brighteners, and other chemicals I don't want on my family's clothes and sheets.

And unlike food, cleaning product labels don't always tell you everything that's inside the bottle.

The word “fragrance,” for example, can stand in for dozens of unnamed chemicals that companies don't have to disclose.

I used to love the smell of fresh laundry. Then I found out where that smell actually comes from.

Most “fragrance” is water soluble, so on its own it would just rinse away. But brands use ingredients that help fragrance stick to fabric, which is why you can still smell it on your clothes long after they've been washed.

A University of Washington study measured what actually comes out of a dryer vent when scented detergent and dryer sheets are used. They found more than 25 volatile organic compounds, including hazardous air pollutants and cancer-causing chemicals.

And fragrance isn't the only thing to watch out for.

Those “whiter whites” aren't necessarily cleaner either. Optical brighteners don't remove yellowing. They leave a faint blue coating on the fabric that makes it appear brighter.

And think about how much contact we have with our laundry every day. Our clothes sit against our skin all day, and then we sleep on our sheets for 8 hours every night.

That's why I'm so picky about the laundry products I use in my home.

One brand I use and love is Truly Free Home.  

No formaldehyde, no 1,4-dioxane, no optical brighteners, no synthetic dyes. Plant-derived, enzyme-based formulas that break down what's actually causing the smell instead of masking it.

Their Mixed Laundry Bundle is enough for 100 loads:

• Laundry Wash
• Enzyme Stain Remover
• OxyBoost, a chlorine-free alternative to bleach
• Dryer Angel dryer sheets
• A laundry machine cleaner
• A stain stick

It comes in Signature Scent or Unscented, so pick whichever fits your family.

Get the Mixed Laundry Bundle here — up to 77% off + free shipping, for a limited time. No code needed, the discount applies through my link.

Xo,
Vani

P.S. No subscription required for this offer, and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee if it's not for you.

P.P.S. At Food Babe, we only promote products we love and use ourselves. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn a commission.

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If you buy Goldfish or Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies

If you’re buying Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, Goldfish, or Takis, you need to see this.

Consumer Reports tested 21 popular snacks and found 14 had concerning levels of at least one chemical contaminant.

They found:

PHTHALATES: Plastic chemicals that can leach into food through packaging and processing equipment. They are endocrine disruptors that have been linked to reproductive and developmental problems.

ACRYLAMIDE: A chemical that forms when starchy foods like potatoes and grains are cooked at high temperatures and is commonly found in processed foods like chips and crackers. It is considered a probable human carcinogen.

GLYCIDYL ESTERS: These contaminants can form during the high-temperature refining of seed oils. Once you eat them, they are almost entirely converted into glycidol, a probable human carcinogen.

This is why I choose fresh, whole foods as much as possible.

The more processed and packaged a food is, the more opportunities there are for chemicals like these to end up in it.

And think about how often foods like these show up when we're celebrating…

We grab bags of ultra-processed chips, crackers, and other packaged snacks for parties and get-togethers.

The next time you're having people over, you don't have to run to the store and load your table with ultra-processed snacks just because they're convenient.

You can make the foods you love with real ingredients instead.

I used to LOVE eating Bagel Bites growing up…

But have you looked at what’s in them?! There's no way I'm serving that junk to my kids or at a party.

So for Food Babe Feast, I decided to make my own Mini Pizza Bagel Bites completely from scratch. Even the bagels!

And don't let that scare you. There's no yeast and no waiting around for dough to rise.

Put a big tray of these out at a party and watch what happens. The kids go nuts for them... and so do the adults!

Watch me make them here and see how easy they are!

This is exactly the kind of FUN food I wanted in my new cookbook, Food Babe Feast. Recipes you actually get excited to serve when people come over, made without all the ultra-processed junk.

Food Babe Feast has more than 100 real food recipes for every party, birthday, holiday, cookout, and celebration.

Get your copy of Food Babe Feast here!

Xo,
Vani

P.S. If you’re not on Instagram, you can also watch me make the Mini Pizza Bagel Bites on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, or X.

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What my kids bring home from school...

Every year when my kids go back to school, I know they’re going to be exposed to a lot more germs — and inevitably bring some of them home.

I can’t control everything my kids are exposed to when they’re away from home, but I do everything I can to keep our home environment clean and healthy.

One thing I pay a lot of attention to is the air we’re breathing.

Indoor air can contain dust, pollen, pet dander, VOCs, and other tiny particles that we breathe in every day.

And because we spend so much time at home, I think the quality of the air we’re breathing really matters.

This is one of the reasons I run the Intellipure H1000 in our house.

Here's what it does, straight from Intellipure:

• Captures over 99.9% of airborne particles down to 0.3 microns
• Reduces seasonal allergy triggers like pollen and outdoor pollutants
• Helps remove pet dander, dust, and dust mites
• Dual H13 HEPA filters with a Honeycomb VOC backing to help reduce odors and VOCs
• Cleans up to 2,200 square feet in 30 minutes
• Filters only need replacing once a year

It’s also quiet enough to run while we sleep without bothering anyone.

For the next 48 hours, save 20% with code FOODBABE20.

Get 20% off Intellipure here →

Xo,
Vani

P.S. I’ve used Intellipure in my own home for years. If you’ve been wanting cleaner air in your home too, you can save 20% for the next 48 hours here.

P.P.S. At Food Babe, we only promote products we love to use. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn a commission.

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LAST DAY: Get 25% off Food Babe Feast!

Today is your LAST CHANCE to save 25% on Food Babe Feast at Barnes & Noble!

Use code PREORDER25 at checkout to get the discount.

(Make sure you sign in or join the free B&N Rewards program before entering the code)

Order 3 copies and you’ll get FREE shipping too, so you can get one for yourself and knock out a couple of holiday gifts at the same time.

And the timing couldn't be better because we're heading into the biggest cooking and entertaining season of the year.

Halloween parties, Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday get-togethers... and all the ultra-processed food that comes with them.

Food Babe Feast gives you more than 100 recipes made with real ingredients so you can still make the party food, holiday favorites, desserts, and special meals you love without all the junk.

It’s the kind of gift you and your loved ones will actually use all year long.

Get 25% off Food Babe Feast before the code expires!

The discount ends tonight at 11:59 PM!

Xo,
Vani

P.S. Don’t forget, this is a great chance to grab a few extra copies for holiday gifts while they’re 25% off. Order 3 or more and you’ll get FREE shipping too!

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One more day - 25% off my new cookbook!

I have some exciting news about my new cookbook!

Right now you can get 25% off Food Babe Feast at Barnes & Noble with code PREORDER25!

It’s RARE to see a discount this big on a brand-new cookbook, and I have no idea when you’ll be able to get it for 25% off again.

So if you’ve been wanting Food Babe Feast, now is the best time to snag it!

And since this discount is so good...

Get some of your holiday shopping done early...

Grab a copy for your mom, sister, best friend, or anyone who loves to cook and entertain. This would make such a fun holiday gift, and you can get all copies for 25% off right now.

Food Babe Feast has more than 100 real food recipes for every celebration, with a beautiful photo of every single recipe.

You’ll find everything from birthday cakes and party food to Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas cookies, cookouts, and so much more.

Use code PREORDER25 at Barnes & Noble to save 25%.
(Just sign in or join the free B&N Rewards program first.)

Click here and enter PREORDER25 to get 25% off!

The discount code expires Friday, so don't miss out!

Xo,
Vani

P.S, Know someone who would love Food Babe Feast? Grab an extra copy for a holiday gift while you can save 25%!

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25% off my new book - for two days only!

If you’ve been planning to get my new cookbook, NOW is the time to pre-order it.

Barnes & Noble is offering 25% off pre-orders for just 2 days — and your pre-order means so much more than just buying a book early.

USE code "PREORDER25" at checkout.

Pre-orders are incredibly important for authors. They help show bookstores there’s real demand for a book BEFORE it even hits shelves. They build momentum for launch week and can help a book reach so many more people.

And I want Food Babe Feast to reach as many families as possible.

I spent YEARS creating and testing these recipes because I wanted to prove something:

We don't need artificial dyes, preservatives, refined oils, and ultra-processed junk to celebrate.

We can still have the birthday cake.
The holiday cookies.
The party dips.
The comfort food.
The FUN.

More than 100 real-food recipes for every celebration without sacrificing the JOY.

So if you were thinking about getting Food Babe Feast, this is the day to do it.

Save 25% AND help give this book a huge start before it even launches.

PRE-ORDER FOOD BABE FEAST NOW at Barnes & Noble.

Thank you so much for your support!

Xo,

Vani 

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Test your pans before you cook dinner tonight

A few years ago I threw out every piece of conventional cookware in my kitchen and never looked back.

If you still have non-stick pans you've never tested, or pots you grabbed without thinking too hard about what they're made of — take a few minutes to do these three simple tests.

You can run them right now, in your own kitchen, with things you already have.

Test 1: The magnet test

Stick the magnet to the bottom of your stainless steel pot or pan.

If it grabs on firmly, that's good news. It means higher iron content and lower nickel, so it's less likely to leach metal into your food.

If it barely holds or slides right off, that pan likely has more nickel in it. Nickel leaches over time, and it leaches faster when you're cooking anything acidic. Tomato sauce. Lemon. Vinegar. Wine.

Most people assume a magnet not sticking means nothing. It's telling you what the pan is made of.

Test 2: The scratch test

Run your fingernail lightly across the surface of any non-stick pan.

You're looking for scratches, flaking, or peeling.

Here's the part that matters: even tiny imperfections let PFAS into your food while you cook. Not just heavily damaged pans. Any break in that coating.

If your non-stick pan is scratched even slightly, it's done. Toss it.

Test 3: The acid test

This one takes 20 minutes and it's the most revealing.

Simmer tomato sauce, or any acidic food, in the pan for about 20 minutes. Pour it into a bowl. Taste it, then look at the pan.

Metallic or bitter taste means metal is leaching into your food.

Discoloration in the pan means surface corrosion or a chemical reaction.

Run this one on aluminum, unlined copper, or any pan where you don't actually know what metal you're cooking on.

So what do you do with the results?

Pass all 3? Keep cooking. You're fine.

Fail one? Replace that piece. You don't have to gut your entire kitchen this week. Start with whatever failed, then work through the rest over time.

When you replace something, look for stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel, or true ceramic (not ceramic-coated, which is a different thing entirely).

I use 360 Cookware at home. Here's why:

✓ Made in the USA with surgical-grade stainless steel
✓ Zero PFAS, PTFE, or aluminum touching your food
✓ Lifetime warranty (mine still look brand new after years!)

It passes the magnet test. That's the whole point.

Right now, you can save 25% OFF their pots & pans with code FOODBABE. 

Shop 360 Cookware here →

Go run the tests. Then tell me what you found.

Xo,
Vani

P.S. At Food Babe, we only promote products we love to use. If you buy a product we link to, we may earn a commission.

P.P.S. Want the full breakdown, including the 5 toxins to avoid and the red flags to watch for at the store? Grab the free Toxic Cookware Exposed guide here.

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