The United States just approved a temporary 90-day expansion allowing up to 300,000 metric tons—roughly 660 million pounds—of imported lean beef trimmings to enter under a lower tariff rate.

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These trimmings are typically blended with fattier domestic beef to make the ground beef sold in grocery stores, restaurants and fast-food chains.

And here’s the part most consumers don’t realize:

Beef is not required to carry a country-of-origin label.

Unlike many other foods, beef and ground beef are exempt from mandatory Country of Origin Labeling. A package does not necessarily have to tell you where the animal was born, raised or harvested.

This does not mean all imported beef is unsafe. Imported meat must come from countries with inspection systems USDA considers equivalent to ours, and shipments are presented to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service for reinspection.

But it does mean that transparency matters more than ever.

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What Does “Product of USA” Mean?

It now means the animal was born, raised and processed in the United States. The label is voluntary, so beef without it isn’t necessarily imported—you may just need to check the source.

What I look for when buying beef

🇺🇸 Product of USA — Born, raised and processed in the U.S.
🌱 USDA Organic — No added hormones, routine antibiotics or GMO feed.
🐄 100% grass-fed and grass-finished — Never switched to grain.
🔎 Clear sourcing — Traceable to a specific ranch or producer.

Is grocery-store ground beef always from one cow?

Usually not. Grocery-store ground beef often combines meat from multiple animals. For better traceability, ask your butcher to grind a whole chuck roast—or buy a larger cut and portion it yourself to save money.

Five better beef brands I trust

GET 20% OFF for Life + $15 OFF FIRST BOX

Cleaner, more transparent beef brands

• Wild Pastures: Pasture-raised meat from American family farms, with no routine antibiotics or added hormones.

• Force of Nature: Regeneratively raised, grass-fed and grass-finished beef with a strong focus on soil health and animal welfare.

• Niman Ranch: Raised by independent U.S. farmers without antibiotics or added hormones, with strict animal-care standards.

• Free Graze: Grass-fed, pasture-raised meat from farms focused on cleaner, more transparent raising practices.

• Thousand Hills: 100% grass-fed and grass-finished American beef—no grain, antibiotics or added hormones.

• White Oak Pastures: Regeneratively raised, grass-fed and grass-finished beef from a highly transparent, zero-waste family farm.

These brands make it much easier to know where your beef came from and how the animals were raised.

The bottom line

No need to panic or avoid beef—just check the source. Look for Product of USA, choose 100% grass-fed and grass-finished when possible, and support transparent ranchers who clearly explain how their cattle are raised.

GRASS FED & FINISHED USA MEAT

One of the questions I get asked over and over is:

“What oil should I actually be cooking with?”

If you’ve ever stood in the grocery store staring at 25 different bottles wondering whic…

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Their dishwasher soap uses plant-based enzymes to leave dishes sparkling clean—without the film or residue you don’t want your family eating from.

• Jen Smiley (always finding the BEST labels for ya!!!) xoxo

My kids go through a bag of this clean protein powder every month—easily! I even make this smoothie for their friends when they come over looking for a snack. It’s creamy, filling, and tastes like a strawberry-banana milkshake.

GET PROTEIN HERE

Watch how quickly I make the strawberry-banana smoothie my kids request constantly.

Strawberry-Banana Protein Smoothie

• 1 cup frozen strawberries and banana

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons yogurt

• ½ cup water, plus more as needed

• 2 scoops protein powder

Blend everything until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if needed to reach your preferred consistency.

What I love about this protein:

• 23 grams of complete protein

• 12 grams of grass-fed, pasture-raised collagen

• 5–6 grams of fiber

• All nine essential amino acids

• No added sugar—it’s sweetened with dates

Choose chocolate or vanilla—and get a free shaker cup and frother.

Grab Clean Protein HERE

Simply whip honey until it becomes light and fluffy, add instant coffee and hot water, then let the mixer work its magic. The result is a thick, creamy Honey Coffee Fluff that tastes like a special treat—without flavored syrups or artificial sweeteners.

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Notes:

• You must use instant coffee or instant espresso. Regular ground coffee will not work.

• Instant espresso will create a stronger coffee flavor.

• Feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste. If the coffee flavor is too strong, reduce both the instant coffee and hot water by the same amount. The coffee-to-water ratio should always remain 1:1.

• This is a concentrated coffee fluff, so it will taste very strong straight from the spoon. It is meant to be mixed into milk before drinking.

• The exact whipping time may vary depending on your mixer and honey. Keep whipping until it becomes light, thick and fluffy.

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• Mount Hagen

• Four Sigmatic Focus

• Anthony’s Organic

• Fabula

• Danger Coffee

• Café Altura

• Blue Bottle

• Thrive Market

You’ve probably seen GOODLES sitting in the pasta aisle with some very impressive claims:

• 14 grams of protein

• 7 grams of fiber

• 21 nutrients

It sounds like a healthier mac and cheese—but this is exactly why I always tell you to turn the box over.

The numbers on the front are marketing. The ingredients on the back tell you what you’re actually eating.

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GOODLES is still a highly formulated boxed pasta made with nonorganic wheat flour, a processed dairy mixture and additives such as dipotassium phosphate.

What I don’t love

Nonorganic wheat flour: MOST are grown using conventional pesticides, including glyphosate.

Conventional dairy: The cheese mixture contains several milk-derived ingredients, but the label doesn’t say that the dairy is organic or comes from grass-fed cows.

Conventional milk makes you inflammed - choose organic and grass-fed to notice a difference in your body.

Dipotassium phosphate: a phosphate additive commonly used to regulate acidity, stabilize dairy ingredients and improve texture. It is permitted for use in food; however, it is another sign that this is a formulated product rather than a simple bowl of pasta and cheese. Additives is what makes America INFLAMMED!

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Don’t let protein numbers choose your food

A product doesn’t automatically become “healthy” because a company adds protein, fiber, prebiotics and supplemental nutrients.

Sometimes the simplest pasta—with only one or two recognizable ingredients—is the better choice.

Your free pasta swap

Look for a rice noodle made with only:

Rice + water

That’s it. No gums, “natural flavors,” protein isolates, or a long list of added nutrients required.

Use it with your favorite clean sauce, ground beef, chicken or shrimp to create a complete meal.

PAID SUBSCRIBERS: My complete clean-pasta list

Below, I’m sharing:

• My favorite hearts-of-palm pasta

• The brown-rice pasta I buy

• A grain-free cassava pasta

• What to look for on every pasta label

• My simple clean mac-and-cheese recipe

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My answer: It’s better than conventional soda—but I wouldn’t consider it an everyday gut-health drink.

OLIPOP contains less sugar than regular soda and does provide legitimate prebiotic fiber. However, that concentrated fiber—combined with carbonation—can leave sensitive people feeling bloated, gassy or uncomfortable.

Is the stevia really natural?

OLIPOP uses purified stevia leaf extract, not simply crushed stevia leaves.

Commercial stevia typically undergoes extraction, filtration, and purification with chemicals that leach into the product — and your gut. However, I could not verify the claim that OLIPOP’s stevia undergoes exactly “35 steps” or is bleached and deodorized with dangerous chemicals. Most are — why would this be any different?!

My verdict

✅ Better than conventional soda
✅ Lower in sugar
✅ Contains real prebiotic fiber

But:

⚠️ May increase gas and bloating
⚠️ Could aggravate IBS, SIBO or reflux
⚠️ Contains natural flavors and processed stevia extract
⚠️ Isn’t necessary for a healthy microbiome

If you enjoy OLIPOP occasionally and feel great afterward, fine. If it leaves you bloated, your body has already given you the answer.

What to drink and eat instead

For everyday hydration, choose:

• Filtered water with minerals or electrolytes

Many conventional cleaners contain strong fragrances, dyes, solvents and other ingredients that can irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Some also release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into the air inside your home.

According to the EPA, cleaning products can affect indoor air quality, and VOC levels are often higher indoors than outdoors.

This doesn’t mean using one conventional cleaner is going to “poison” you. It means that if I can reduce unnecessary chemical and fragrance exposure without sacrificing a clean home, I’m going to do it.

And the best part? You don’t need 12 different products.

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Simplify everything

Branch Basics can replace nearly every conventional product shown in the original graphic.

Its Concentrate can be diluted differently to create:

• An all-purpose cleaning spray

• A streak-free glass cleaner

• Handwashing dish soap

• Foaming hand wash

• Bathroom cleaner

• Floor and mop solution

Then add the Branch Basics Laundry Detergent, Dishwasher Tablets and a set of 100% wool dryer balls, and you’ve replaced almost the entire cleaning aisle.

Shop My Cleaner Home Swaps

What should you use on your floors?

You do not need a heavily fragranced Swiffer solution.

For most tile, vinyl and laminate floors, Branch Basics recommends approximately ½–1 teaspoon of Concentrate per 2 cups of water. You can use that mixture in a spray mop or mop bucket.

Diluted white vinegar is another inexpensive option, but it isn’t appropriate for every surface. Avoid vinegar on marble, travertine and other natural stone. Use caution on hardwood, unsealed grout and specialty floor finishes.

Always follow your flooring manufacturer’s care instructions—and never mix vinegar with bleach.

Cleaning and disinfecting are not the same

For ordinary dirt, grease, fingerprints, and daily messes, a cleaner like Branch Basics is usually what you need.

Disinfecting is different. It means killing germs remaining on a surface, and you generally do not need to disinfect every inch of your home every day.

When someone is sick or you’re cleaning an area contaminated by raw meat, I use Force of Nature. It creates hypochlorous acid and is EPA-registered to sanitize and disinfect hard, nonporous surfaces when used according to its directions.

Other clean brands I trust for paid subscribers below:

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I ran into Target this morning to grab a polo shirt for my son, and the bread aisle caught my attention.

Every time I talk about bread, the internet goes insane. People share, comment, and immediately ask:

“Okay, but what bread SHOULD I buy?”

So I checked.

And don’t be mad at the messenger—be mad at the food industry. 😂

TARGET DOES NOT CARRY A SINGLE BREAD I WOULD BUY.

Not. One.

❌ Seed oils
❌ Added sugars
❌ Enriched flour
❌ Dough conditioners + unnecessary additives

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The lesson? Stop reading the front of the package. Flip it over.

So what bread DO you buy?

These are the ones I look for becuase of simple gluten free ingredients:

Order BREAD HERE

And if you’re thinking, “Jen, I don’t have time to stand in the grocery store Googling ingredients…”

Neither do I.

That’s why I created the Read the Labels app. Scan the barcode and know what you’re buying before it lands in your cart.

SCAN YOUR FOOD!

Android Users

What aisle should I tackle next? Cereal, tortillas, yogurt or crackers? 👇 Write me back.

xoxo - Jen Smiley

But the BON CHARGE Red Light Face Mask is one I actually use because it requires almost no effort.

I wear it for 10 minutes while answering emails, lying in bed, or winding down for the night.

Get 20% OFF Here using code: JEN20

It uses targeted red light and near-infrared light to support healthier-looking skin and help improve the appearance of:

• Fine lines and wrinkles

• Uneven tone and texture

• Dullness and overall radiance

BON CHARGE reports that:

• 98% of users reported a more even-looking skin tone

• 96% reported glowing skin

• 84% saw results within four weeks

IT IS SO EASY to use — It’s flexible, rechargeable, cordless, and completely hands-free. There’s no downtime and no complicated routine—just consistent use.

Use code JEN20 for 20% off sitewide

Get the BON CHARGE Mask HERE

If you’ve been curious about trying red light therapy at home, this is the one I’ve been using—and this is a great time to get it for less.

xoxo,

Jen Smiley

I’ve been working behind the scenes on my new 5 Ingredients or Less cookbook, and I couldn’t wait until September to share a little taste with you!

Every recipe is being created with the same goal: fewer ingredients, cleaner swaps and food your entire family will actually want to eat. The complete cookbook should be ready in September, and paid subscribers will be the first to access it online!

Today, you’re getting an exclusive sneak peek: my ridiculously easy, rich and fudgy five-ingredient chocolate pie. It tastes like an indulgent dessert—without the sugar overload, processed crust or endless list of additives.

Paid subscribers, keep reading for the recipe!

Why This Swap Works

Most chocolate pies are made with:

❌ Refined sugar
❌ Highly processed crusts
❌ Unnecessary additives

This one is:

✔ Rich and satisfying from real ingredients
✔ Completely no-bake
✔ Made with only five ingredients

Jen Tip

The quality of your dark chocolate makes all the difference. Choose one with a rich cacao flavor and a clean ingredient list—cheap chocolate can leave the entire pie tasting flat.

Consider this your first official taste of the cookbook! I cannot wait to share the full collection with you in September.

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This may be my new favorite high-protein breakfast! It’s crispy around the edges, warm and creamy inside, naturally gluten-free and surprisingly filling. The best part? You can customize it with whatever you have in the refrigerator—or make it sweet with clean hazelnut butter and fruit.

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Paid subscribers, keep reading for the ridiculously easy recipe + SWAPS!

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The problem? Once I stopped regular pest control, I started seeing more roaches in my kitchen. 😩 So I went on a mission to find a cleaner option.

That’s how I found Zero Bugs.

Instead of traditional neurotoxic pesticides, their ZBGuard uses soybean oil as its main active ingredient and kills bugs by breaking down their protective waxy coating so they dehydrate and die.

✔️ No pyrethroids

✔️ No organophosphates

✔️ No neonicotinoids

✔️ EPA 25(b) minimum-risk pesticide

THIS is the kind of swap I get excited about—effective pest control without routinely spraying conventional neurotoxic pesticides around our homes, kids and pets.

non toxic pest control HERE

I’ve been testing and filming recipes for my upcoming cookbook, ACTUALLY CLEAN - 5 Ingredients or Less, and I wanted to share one today. ❤️

This stir fry has become one of my go-to meals…

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I wanted to share a little something with you today.

I just had my annual BroadBand Light (BBL) treatment. I do it once a year to help fade sun spots, even out my skin tone, and su…

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But...being the label reader that I am, I go many steps further.

Probably farther than most people want to go. 😂 And honestly, you don’t have to...because I do it for you.

Anyway, I searched around Vegas and found quite a few clean options. The only problem? Getting around Vegas kind of sucks. 🤣

I found a handful of places inside my hotel (Fontainebleau—the newest hotel on the Strip), but I decided to spend the $10 on a quick cab ride to Caesars because I found a place serving a clean matcha latte and eggs with avocado. Totally worth it.

When I got there, I realized there was another clean spot nearby too...I’ll share that one in a minute.

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Here’s what I mean when I say I look deeper than just “seed oil-free.”

The first thing that caught my eye on the menu?

Housemade syrups. Housemade lemonade.

WHAT?! 🤯. They even have a frozen frose made with just tequila - maybe I should pause writing this and go order one?! ha

Most coffee shops use Monin or another commercial syrup loaded with preservatives, artificial flavors, and ingredients I’d rather skip.

When I see housemade syrup, that’s a huge green flag. Sure, in a perfect world I’d love to see coconut sugar or monk fruit as the sweetener, but at the very least it’s a good sign they’re making it themselves instead of pumping in processed syrups with artificial colors and preservatives.

Then I noticed they serve Siete chips.

Again...someone behind that kitchen actually cares.

And I am HERE for it.

Next, I looked at the milk options.

I saw oat milk, but I didn’t even bother asking what brand because I personally avoid oats. They tend to bloat me, and they’re naturally higher in omega-6 fats than I’d like.

Then I spotted something that literally made me smile...

Elmhurst Vanilla Pistachio Milk. (see the organic maple syrup…another positive sign and a great sweetener option in any drink)

I was floored. Honestly, that ingredient alone made the taxi ride worth it.

I was so excited to have clean milk with ceremonial-grade matcha. I skipped the sweetener, but if you’re new to matcha, a little drizzle of honey would definitely help mellow out that earthy flavor. 😂

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Another thing I loved? They use organic espresso, which usually tells me the owners have put real thought into the rest of the menu too.

Cafe Lola has really revamped its menu over the past year. They’ve added seed oil-free cooking oils, housemade syrups, housemade sourdough, organic ingredients, and thoughtful swaps throughout the menu. You can tell someone actually cares about ingredient quality—not just marketing.

If you’re headed to Vegas...

Here are a few more places worth checking out:

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I heard here in California that kids are going back to school at the end of the month. How?! 😳. I am so not ready for summer to end.

Since I can not stop time, ha - I figured I’d send out one of my favorite back-to-school snack reminders—especially because they’re 20% OFF this week only.

My kids (and I) love the beef sticks and the lemon merigue superfood bar. It is something you can feel good about giving your kids and they will snack less - real food keeps them fuller longer, true story!

get School Snacks at 20% OFF

If you need grab-and-go snacks for lunchboxes, sports practices, road trips, or those crazy afternoons when everyone is starving, these are the ones I keep stocked:

• Paleovalley Meat Sticks – protein-packed, made with real ingredients, and my boys actually eat them.
• Paleovalley Superfood Bars – perfect when you need something quick without the junk that’s in most snack bars.

20% OFF SNACKS

If you’ve been meaning to stock up, this is the week to do it!

xoxo,

Jen Smiley

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It’s big, calm, and unlike any city I’ve ever been to. Staying more than three days gives you a real feel for Japanese culture and their ways.

Instead of giving you a giant list of attractions, I thought I’d share what actually stood out to me—and what I’d book again.

The meal I still think about...

Oddly enough, it wasn’t the Michelin-star sushi.

It was ramen.

One of our favorite lunches was AFURI. There are several locations around Tokyo, and if you’re looking for a casual lunch, I’d absolutely go - there are many locations!

The broth was so tasty, the ingredients were simple, and it didn’t leave us feeling like we needed a nap afterward. We actually liked it so much that if we were back in Tokyo tomorrow, we’d definitely go again. (SO CHEAP, TOO). Get the lemon beer on draft!

The fanciest dinner...

We had dinner at Sushi m, an omakase experience that was beautifully executed and definitely worth trying if you appreciate sushi. The chef prepares each course right in front of you, and it’s more of an experience than simply dinner.

Would I recommend it?

Yes.

Would I tell someone it’s the best meal of the trip?

Honestly...probably not.

My favorite meal wasn’t at a restaurant.

One of the highlights of Tokyo was spending time with our exchange student, Fumika, and her two boys.

We went to their home for a takoyaki party, and it ended up being one of my favorite memories from the entire trip.

Our boys spoke no Japanese. Her boys spoke almost no English.

Yet somehow they laughed, played, cooked together, and became friends almost instantly.

Sometimes the best travel experiences don’t happen in restaurants or museums—they happen around someone’s dinner table.

My biggest surprise

Before we went, I assumed the packaged food would automatically be cleaner than ours because America’s food is so terrible.

NOT!

I found plenty of soy, wheat, and additives once I started reading labels. Japan regulates food differently than we do, but not with many more regulations.

What did feel different was the culture around food. People weren’t snacking or eating while walking. Portions were more reasonable than in the US, and meals felt more intentional. They also eat fish, fermented foods, and rice at pretty much every meal.

That was the biggest difference I noticed.

Next up...Osaka, which might have been my favorite stop of the entire trip. If you’re just here to follow along on our trip, I hope this gave you a few ideas.

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But if you’re actually planning a trip to Japan, I’ve included my FULL TOKYO PLAN below for paid subscribers. It’s the exact plan we used, along with my notes on what I’d keep, what I’d skip, where we stayed, every restaurant we booked, and the little things I wish someone had told me before we landed.

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I’ve probably been asked this question more than any other since we got home.

My answer?....yes, a million trillion percent!

We’ve taken our boys to Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, and Spain, and every trip has been special in its own way. But Japan felt different. It wasn’t just another beautiful place to visit—it was a completely different way of living.

The first thing that caught me off guard had nothing to do with the food or the temples.

It was the people - the kindest humans on earth!

Everywhere we went, people took pride in what they were doing. Taxi drivers wore white gloves. Hotel employees walked us to the door, bowed, and stood there waving until we were out of sight (this happens ALLL over!) Even the person directing traffic at the airport looked like they genuinely loved their job.

It wasn’t over-the-top. It just felt...normal but foreign to Americans.

That same respect showed up everywhere else, too. They lined up on escalators, waiting in any line… very, very, very organized.

People spoke quietly on trains. Public bathrooms were spotless (plus there is a “privacy” button that plays waterfall music so that people don’t hear you peeing, genius).

Streets were unbelievably clean, even though there were very few public trash cans. Everyone seemed to understand that public space belonged to all, so they treated it accordingly. (it is a part of their religion)

I also laughed because by the third day I realized I had packed all the wrong clothes.

Most people wore simple colors—black, white, navy, gray. Very little flashy jewelry. Very little makeup. Nothing that screamed, “Look at me.”

Meanwhile, there I was in bright dresses. 😂 with my toenails painted orange. Go with nude and muted colors!

The food was another surprise! (and very very cheap!)

Luxury hotels were priced similarly to luxury hotels here, but everyday life was much more affordable than I expected. We had incredible lunches for our family that often cost around $40, and Uber rides were surprisingly inexpensive

This is a receipt from our dinner - family of four plus my husband had two beers. Incredible rates!!!

People have also asked if it was too much for the boys.

Not at all.

In fact, I think this was the perfect age. They appreciated the culture, handled all the walking, and came home with a much bigger perspective on how differently people live around the world.

Looking back, I don’t think my favorite memories were the famous landmarks.

They were the little moments.

Watching our boys become friends with kids who spoke almost no English

Walking through neighborhoods where everyone seemed to care for the space around them.

Seeing what life looks like when respect is woven into everyday routines.

Those are the things I’ll remember long after I forget the names of the temples we visited.

Over the next few days, I’m going to share our favorite hotels, every restaurant I’d recommend, what I’d skip next time, exactly what I’d pack differently, and, because so many of you have asked, I’ll also be putting together our complete Japan itinerary for paid subscribers.

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xoxo- Jen Smiley