1. If your munchkin has a temporary blue stain in his mouth and around his lips after eating something try not to include this in his/her daily diet!

2. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has a list of dyes found in food you might want to limit or avoid (you can also report chemical sensitivities to food dyes in your child here to)

3. Look for foods that use natural dyes/colorants such as: beet, carotenes, annatto or capsanthin (a paprika extract).

4. Avoiding the word “flavored”. Strawberry flavored milk doesn't have any strawberries in it, nor do many cereals that claim to. I recently read the list of ingredients in a frozen cookie mix and read “chocolate flavored chips”. Many fruit flavored yogurts and ice creams don’t have real fruits, it is the dyes that give them the fruit color.

5. When in doubt, buy organic (look for the green and white USDA’s Organic certification label)

6. Foods that contain dyes, in general, are better avoided. But dont stress if you want to have a Coke every now and then or want to treat yourself or your kids to some M&M’s... just dont make it a daily routine.

Why are dyes bad for our children and us? Read the Non-Toxic Munchkin's A,B,C's on food dyes