Quite likely the easiest way to assess your nutritional intake is also the one you’re most likely to skip: Reading the labels. They’re there for a reason but most people don’t think twice; they might gaze at the fancy art on the box or just see the words “Whole Grain!” and add it to the cart. Unfortunately, doing so probably means the actual value of the food in your grocery basket is significantly lower than you think. In this quick article I’ll cover a few simple steps you can put into practice to, at the very least, learn more about what you’re buying and eating.

Fitness legend Jack LaLanne once said (and has since repeated an infinite number of times), “If it comes from a box, don’t eat it.” While that’s not necessarily bad advice, we have to accept that it isn’t really practical for most people who are trying to juggle fitness along with a family, work and dozens of other hobbies and responsibilities. So, the best we can do is become mindful of what we’re buying. The easiest way is to simply read the list of ingredients in our packaged foods and avoid those that have certain things included.

Now, this topic could go on for volumes (and if you scan your local bookstore you’ll see that it does), so this is going to be a very, very introductory course. A basic rundown of how labels work and a couple of things you may want to steer clear of.

First, something that you may be surprised to find most people don’t know, is how ingredients are listed. The contents aren’t just added however the manufacturer decides looks best, but instead are listed in the order of which they are most prominent. This, then, becomes our first clue. If, for example, you see “Sugar” come before “Whole wheat,” you’re likely looking at something more akin to candy than healthy fare. Especially if you’re a breakfast cereal eater this is particularly important to pay attention to because some of the best “sounding” brands are often the worst offenders.

Reading these ingredients also gives you the insight as to how skewed a product’s advertising might be. Take a look at different breads, for example. Anyone will tell you that wheat bread is healthier than white bread, and manufacturers love to play up their “quality wheat bread”, but is it really any better? Depends on what you see listed on the label. If you look at the labels on many wheat bread bags you’ll notice bleached flour, sugar or even water as the main component; these are hardly better, if at all, than their normal white bread counterparts. Contrast this to other higher-end brands and you’ll see actual quality ingredients like “Stone Ground Whole Wheat,” or “Whole Wheat Flour,” leading the pack, and ingredients like “sugar” much further down the list.

Further, and applicable to all types of foods, you can quickly just scan the ingredients for certain trigger words that, at least in my house, cause whatever the product is to go right back where it came from on the store shelf. These include “Modified food starch,” “High fructose corn syrup,” and the biggest offender that we’ll talk about a little more, “Hydrogenated oil.”

The latter is best known as “Trans fat.” You’ll find it in cereals, peanut butters and even some “energy” bars. The stuff is everywhere, and it’s no good for you, so make sure you’re on the look-out for it. It can be listed as “hydrogenated oil” or “partially hydrogenated.” There are often ways around this ingredient—such as using an organic or natural peanut butter instead of the JIF, Skippy or Peter Pan you’re used to—it may just take looking at other brands you aren’t as familiar with, or maybe even a quick trip to a different store.

Looks can most definitely be deceiving, so make sure you’re reading your labels and taking into account what’s actually included in the products you’re buying, not just considering how healthy it appears on the box.