Why we don't know what we're eating anymore (and what to do about it)

The labels on our supermarket shelves are getting longer and longer, the names of ingredients more and more obscure... and our trust more and more fragile. Between "natural flavours" that aren't really natural, "prepared in Switzerland" that doesn't guarantee the origin of the products, and long lists of additives, it's hard to know what we're really putting on our plates.

It's against this backdrop that Honest Cuisine is establishing itself as a major trend: more transparent, simpler, more honest cooking. It's a way of giving meaning back to what we eat, based on raw ingredients, clear preparation methods and unpretentious communication.

But what does this promise really mean? Is it a revolution or just a new buzzword? And above all, as a consumer, how do you know who to trust?

In this article, we'll help you make sense of it all:

• by explaining the real reasons behind this trend,
• by giving you the keys to recognizing good practices,
• and by showing, in all transparency, how we deal with these issues every day in our kitchens.

Are you ready to eat better without being fooled? Here we go.

1. What the food industry doesn't tell you about your ready meals

We'd like to believe that a ready meal sold in a supermarket contains what it advertises on the packaging, no more, no less. In reality, things are often more complicated than that. Behind a label such as " prepared in Switzerland " sometimes lies a far less flattering reality: ingredients from the four corners of the world, assembled locally... without the customer really being aware of it.

Labels, or the art of confusing the issue

The list of ingredients is supposed to inform us, but it can quickly become a real labyrinth: modified starch, textured vegetable proteins, "natural" flavors, flavor enhancers... Technical or vague terms that often mask an ultra-processed reality.

And therein lies the rub: the industry sometimes uses complex formulations to avoid displaying unappealing ingredients, or to give its products a more natural image. As a result, many people think they're making a healthy choice... when in fact they're consuming a dish that's a far cry from a home-cooked meal.

Words to watch out for

Here are a few concrete examples to keep in mind:

• "Prepared in Switzerland": the product has been assembled in Switzerland, but the ingredients may come from elsewhere.
• " Natural flavouring": does not guarantee the quality or identifiable origin of the flavouring.
• " Home-made": often misused, according to a study by the Fédération Romande des Consommateurs.

A telling example: industrial lasagne vs. our homemade version

Rather than a long speech, let's make a concrete comparison of two lasagnes available in Switzerland: a low-priced industrial lasagne and our own.

🧊 Bolognese lasagne Prix Garantie - Coop

A long list of ingredients, with several opaque or processed elements:

• Pork (10%)
• Lactic proteins
• Vegetable fibers (citrus)
• Modified corn starch (E 1422)
• Unspecified flavors
• Cheese with no origin indicated

➡️ Composition difficult to decipher, very little information on the origin of ingredients. A typical example of a dish with little transparency.

🍽️ Lasagne à la bolognaise - home-made version

Here's the exact composition of our dish, with percentages and origins:

➡️ No additives, no preservatives, and total transparency on the origin and proportion of ingredients.

Both dishes are the same on paper... but one tells you everything, the other almost nothing. That's the spirit of Honest Cuisine.

2. Honest Cuisine in Switzerland: a real trend or just marketing?

With slogans such as "100% natural", "preservative-free" and "prepared with love", we have to wonder whether Honest Cuisine is a real revolution... or just a new marketing argument.

📈 What the figures say

Swiss consumers are paying more and more attention to what they eat. According to Bio Suisse, organic products accounted for 11.2% of the food market in 2023, up from 9.3% in 2019 - a steady increase.(Source)

An FRC survey also reveals that almost 60% of consumers no longer trust claims on packaging. What people want are facts, not vague formulas.

🔍 What distinguishes truly transparent approaches

• Clearly listed ingredients (no vague terms like "spices").
• Geographical origin of ingredients indicated.
• Main proportions specified.
• Absence of superfluous additives or preservatives.

🔧 And what about us?

Our approach is based on :

• A complete composition, with percentages and origins displayed.
• Raw, natural, unprocessed ingredients.
• A willingness to include more organic or local ingredients whenever possible.

🎖️ Official recognition: the "Fait Maison" label

We are proud to bear the Swiss "Fait Maison" label, an official certification guaranteeing that our dishes are prepared on site from raw, unprocessed ingredients (with a few very limited exceptions). This label, recognized throughout the French-speaking part of Switzerland, is an additional mark of confidence for consumers. It's not something to be obtained lightly - and for us, it's a way of making visible a commitment that we already apply on a daily basis.

3. Eating more honestly: concrete solutions for consumers

You don't have to be an expert in nutrition or food to make better choices. Here are a few simple reflexes that are accessible to everyone.

🔎 1. Read a label... really

• The first ingredients count the most: they represent the majority of the product. Example: a soup whose first 3 ingredients are "water, modified starch, palm oil" is a long way from the home recipe!
• Beware of vague names: "spices", "flavourings", "cheese"... prefer products with details ("black pepper", "natural thyme flavouring", "Parmesan PDO").
• Additives to the naked eye: E-codes, or long-winded ingredients such as "flavor enhancer", "stabilizer", "xanthan gum" are good indicators of the degree of processing.

🛒 2. Choose the right players

Turn to brands or artisans who don't just use slogans. Some questions to ask yourself:

• Do I understand the list of ingredients without Googling?
• Are the geographical origins clearly indicated?
• Can I access ingredient percentages?

If the answer to these three questions is "yes", you're probably dealing with a serious player. If not, don't trust them.

📱 3. Use the right tools

There are several handy apps in Switzerland to help decode what we eat:

• FoodRepo: highly reliable and neutral Swiss database, with detailed nutritional factsheets.
• Open Food Facts: a collaborative database that lets you scan a product and analyze its composition, comparing it with other similar products.
• Yuka: useful for quickly spotting controversial additives, but should be used with caution (it sometimes penalizes healthy products with a score based on unbalanced macros).
• CodeCheck: an interesting alternative offering health/environment cross-analyses.

💡 4. When you don't have time to cook

Eating "honestly" doesn't mean doing everything yourself. There are increasingly reliable options for eating better without spending three hours at the stove:

• Locally committed caterers who communicate their recipes clearly.
• Dishes available for delivery or in-store, with a clear composition, no additives and real transparency on ingredients.
• Offers like ours, with home-cooked, jarred or vacuum-packed dishes, and detailed product sheets down to the percentage of each ingredient.

The aim is not to be perfect, but to make better choices, one meal at a time.

4. Why everyone can't (and won't) make Honest Cuisine

💸 Raw ingredients cost more

Preparing a dish with fresh vegetables, PDO cheese and Swiss meat is obviously more expensive than using industrial bases. And in a highly competitive market, price often remains the number one criterion for many brands.

This can be seen in the ready-to-eat food aisle: more often than not, the cheapest products are also the least transparent. Adding additives, preservatives or low-end ingredients keeps costs down... but not quality.

⏱️ Transparency takes work

Displaying the origin of each ingredient, updating product data sheets, making a coherent and verifiable statement... all this takes time. It's a commitment, not an announcement. And it sometimes means giving up certain ingredients or suppliers to stay true to one's principles.

📦 Ultra-processing, a tempting convenience

Additives, ready-to-use powders and ready-made sauces make life easier in the kitchen. Less labor, more consistency, longer shelf life... hard to resist when you're looking for profitability. But the downside is that you sacrifice taste, digestibility and, above all, consumer confidence.

Choosing Honest Cuisine means going against the grain. But it also responds to a fundamental expectation: to be able to eat with a clear conscience, without having to translate a label to understand one's plate.

Conclusion: Better eating without being fooled

Honest Cuisine is not a marketing concept. It's a way of getting back to basics: clear ingredients, readable dishes, and a cuisine that doesn't try to hide what it does.

Of course, not everyone can be perfect. But we can do better, gradually, with common sense and honesty. And if the big brands are taking small steps forward, it's often thanks to pressure - gentle, but determined - from consumers.

📌 In short, 3 reflexes to adopt:

• Read ingredient lists: the first 3 already set the tone.
• Avoid vague slogans: "authentic", "homemade", "prepared with passion"... they don't mean a thing if they're not explained.
• Trust those who tell you exactly what they put in their dishes - with a straight face.

Because eating better isn't necessarily more complicated. It's all about making conscious choices, and putting your trust in the right people.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

🧐 What exactly is Honest Cuisine?

It's a culinary approach that values total transparency regarding ingredients, their origin and preparation. No additives, no vague formulas, just common sense, taste and clear information for the consumer.

📋 How do you spot a truly "clean" ready meal?

Start by reading the first 3 ingredients: they set the tone. Next, avoid vague formulations ("spices", "flavorings") and look for the geographical origin of the products. The fewer ultra-processed ingredients, the better.

🚫 Are all additives bad?

No. Some (like vitamin C or sunflower lecithin) are harmless. But others are used solely to improve texture or shelf life, to the detriment of naturalness. The idea is not to shun them all, but to understand their role.

🏷️ Is a dish "prepared in Switzerland" necessarily of good quality?

Not necessarily. It simply means that the ingredients were assembled in Switzerland. The ingredients may come from elsewhere, sometimes without precision, and the level of processing may remain high.

🍽️ Is Honest Cuisine compatible with an active lifestyle?

Yes, today there are healthy and practical alternatives: homemade dishes in jars, committed caterers, certified restaurants. The important thing is to choose players who communicate clearly about their products.