“You can't kiss me now Benjamin,” whispered Chloe, “…my Mummy's watching.”And so it begins. At the tender age of three, my little girl is starting to hide things from me. And we're not just talking crayons in the washing machine, but her very first romance! I thought I had a few more years' grace, but maybe not. Some of my favourite moments are my after-school chats with Chloe we cuddle up on the sofa and she tells Anabelle and me about her day. I thought we were getting the full scoop, but now I'm not so sure.Little does Benjamin know, Chloe isn't allowed to date. Obviously not, she's three. But from the very first time the lovely husband saw her on ultrasound at least from the first time that we knew she was a girl he had made his mind up. “Well she's not dating anyone till she's 30.” Oh dear. I see trouble ahead.It would help of course that if whilst raising kids, everything else in life remained simple. But the truth is it's not, especially and here comes my tenuous link to nutrition when it comes to food. From the time our babies are born, mums and dads everywhere obsess about their food. How much are they getting? Is it enough? And the desperate will it help them sleep through the night? Once weaned, food for kids becomes an exhausting battle between what you want your kids to eat, and what they actually will eat.It's clear that after the junk-food high of the last three decades, parents are finally getting a lot more savvy when it comes to food. We're doing our best to put together healthy meals and snacks and food manufacturers are tripping over themselves to provide us with kid-friendly options. Even Kellogg's have an antioxidant-rich version of their Pop Tarts blueberry flavour. You can't get more healthy than blueberries, right?Here's the problem. In their quest to appeal to well-intentioned parents while also maximising their profits, the ethics of many major food manufacturers have slipped. Products that we assume to be healthy are in fact pumped full of artificial flavours and colours, and regularly devoid of any real nutritional value. For example, blueberry products (bagels, Pop Tarts, cereals and granola bars) sometimes lack real blueberries entirely. This is demonstrated brilliantly by Brasscheck TV's fascinating expose: http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/1014.html.The video isn't long, so if you have a few moments to go online I urge you to do so. It begins with a shocking example of some “blueberry” bagels, that don't actually contain any real blueberries at all. The “blueberries” are in fact “blueberry bits”, made from get ready for this sugar, corn cereal, modified food starch, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, artificial flavour, cellulose gum, salt, blue#2, red#40, green#3 and blue#1. Hardly the healthy breakfast you had in mind.In this instance, manufacturers are relying on you assuming that anything with blueberries in it must be healthy. Blueberries are often referred to as “power-houses” of nutrients as they are so rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help to neutralise toxins in the body, boost the immune system and prevent premature aging. But obviously only real blueberries have these benefits. In contrast, blueberry bits are only going to give you a sugar rush and a headache.The answer of course is to read labels carefully. Beware as even supposedly “healthy” brands such as Fibre One, fall into the deceptive bracket. Unless you see blueberries on the ingredient list, they are not in the box, no matter how many pictures of them there are. Some brands even go so far as to include a very few real blueberries (so they can have them on their ingredient list) and then boost their numbers with fake counterparts.Our challenge in Bermuda is that whilst we know fresh blueberries are good for us, they can be super-expensive. Also, even if you are willing to pay $7 or $8 for one box, you'll often find that some of them are mouldy. Keep an eye out for deals (Supermart and A1 often have cheap, fresh berries) but make sure the berries are firm when you buy them. If they have gone a little squishy the ones in the middle will be covered in mould. A much cheaper option is to buy frozen blueberries. These are much more economical and mould-free. Defrost them overnight and add to cereal or yoghurt in the morning. Stir them into apple sauce or fruit salad for kids.But, however you choose to get your berries, it's time to get really label-savvy. As customers get smarter, manufacturers are stepping up their game and if you don't want them to outwit you at the check-out you have to shop wisely. Watch the video!The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda[AT]gmail.com