So Many Choices

Back in the year 2010, I was a baby baking newbie trying to muddle through building a baby registry. And let me tell you – making a decision on what to diaper Tripp with was a daunting task in and of itself. Did you know there are ten different brands of disposable diapers available to choose from at Target alone?

Fast forward to the present, I am now faced with making decisions on what to feed not only my husband and myself, but also our three rapidly growing children. The plethora of choices doesn’t end when you step out of the diaper aisle and into the grocery section of the store. As consumers today, we have more choices than we can shake a stick at. So, ya know – A LOT of choices!

So Many Choices

Take beef, for example. While I am more knowledgeable about this staple in my family’s diet than I was about diapers, the choices at the beef counter can still leave one feeling overwhelmed and quite possibly confused. The package labeling not only includes the brand name (i.e. Certified Angus Beef, Chairman’s Reserve, etc.) , but may also include terms such as grain-fed, grass-finished, naturally raised, or certified organic.

So, what’s the difference?

Simply put, those terms denote the different techniques used in growing beef. The pinnable table below (adapted from Today’s Beef Choices) takes a more in depth look at each option individually.

Regardless of production method, brand name, or any other label jargon – all beef is safe and nutritious. So, at the beef counter the decision really comes down to whether you prefer grain-finished, grass-finished, naturally raised, or certified organic beef.

But, how can you be sure of which option you prefer?

When I make any purchasing decisions about products for my family (like when I decided to diaper Tripp with Pampers and feed my family grain-fed beef), I:

• Go to the source. I read package labeling and go directly to the producer’s webpage for further information about the product.
• Carefully consider my options. After I have done my homework, I ask myself: Was there a standout among my choices, was I drawn to one option more than the rest? Which option fits my budget? Have any of my close, trusted friends or family had first-hand experience with any of the options? If yes, what do they recommend?
• Use trial and error. Once I have made a decision, I try the product. If it is effective and I like it then I keep buying it, if not I go back to careful consideration and try out the next option.

When I made the diapering decision, I visited each of the different brand’s websites, read up on my options, asked my sister-in-law and close friends what they had used, and decided to try Huggies. However, they just didn’t fit Tripp very well. After several outfit changes, I made the decision to give Pampers a go and had a much better experience. The decision to feed my family grain-fed beef was much easier because I had grown up raising and consuming grain-fed beef. I already knew it was safe and nutritious, had knowledge of the production method, and LOVED the flavor.

The beauty of it all.

The beauty of being overwhelmed by so many choices is having so many choices. As a consumer, and a mom, I am beyond grateful to have options. I have already changed my diapering strategy from Huggies to Pampers to cloth, and should I choose to stray from grain-finished beef (which I do not know why I would, since I love it SO much!), I know I would have several other safe, wholesome, and nutritious options to choose from.