A healthy lunch spot & sushi by the pound

While I try to avoid generalities, one I do use is that the less processed food is, the healthier it likely is as well.

That’s why sushi has become an even larger part of my diet than it was before my two stents were put in to unclog my arteries.

Nutritionists do raise a red flag about eating a lot of white rice, but sushi can be found with brown rice and there’s also sashimi which is sushi’s rice-less cousin. But sushi can get expensive.

So I was excited to try a Chicago sushi lunch spot that sells sushi by the pound ($1.25 an ounce) rather than the piece. Grain & Sea is a very neat-looking spot with an almost limitless sushi buffet.

You walk the food line, taking whichever you want and have it all weighed at the end of the line.

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September 5, 2025 0

Use by dates have different meanings for different people

A new study finds that Americans have different ideas what “Use by” dates on food products mean.

Some see them as indications of deteriorating quality while others think they indicate the safety of consuming the food involved, found The International Food Information Council (IFIC) in a study released this June.

“When survey takers were asked what “Best by,” “Best if used by,” and “Use by” dates mean to them, 48% of survey takers say the date labeling indicates when a product begins to lose quality.

“Another 29% believe the dates signal when the food is no longer safe to eat, while 17% think they indicate when the product should be discarded. Just 5% say they do not know the purpose of date labeling on food packaging,” the IFIC says in a PowerPoint presentation it issued on the survey.

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June 6, 2025 0

Was it fiber or taste that propelled Olipop and Poppi?

Are Americans so worried about their stomach health that they’re willing to spend more than three-quarters of a billion dollars a year on gut-health-promoting sodas?

That might be too simple an explanation for the rapid growth of competitors Olipop and Poppi, according to a fascinating analyst in the Food Institute site by Dr. James Richardson is the founder of Premium Growth Solutions,rt a strategic planning consultancy for early-stage consumer packaged goods brands.

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May 29, 2025 0

A real-life deadliest catch — canned tuna recall

Frozen ahi tuna from Costco. — *I’ve never eaten canned tuna, thankfully. I much prefer tuna steaks like these*.

A major canned tuna recall is underway. The product may cause deadly botulism, reports the Associated Press. Botulism can bring on difficult in breathing, paralysis and, ultimately, death.

“Tri-Union Seafoods of El Segundo, California, last week recalled certain lots of tuna sold under the Genova, Van Camp’s, H-E-B and Trader Joe’s brand names, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“The company said that lids on the “easy open” cans may have a manufacturing defect that could cause the products to leak or to become contaminated with the bacteria that causes botulism.

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February 12, 2025 0

Another Chicago-area fast-food salad option

Regular readers of my blog know that McDonald’s salads, without the high-salt dressings, were a mainstay of my lunch diet over the years. But in 2023, those salads disappeared from McDonald’s menus. victim of Pandemic-related menu changes.

I’ve been searching for a quick-salad alternative ever since, trying Wendy’s and a chain called Zupas among others. I’m adding another option now, a salad at Chicago-area chain Buona Beef, its Tuscan Harvest Chicken salad.

Priced at $11.19, the salad has a nice mix of chicken, cranberries, apples, spinach and romaine lettuce. Eat at a Buona’s and it comes in a real bowl, not a plastic container, a civilizing touch absent at other outlets.

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February 11, 2025 0

Eating healthy on restaurant week, sort of

Chicago is in the midst of its annual restaurant week, a time when local restaurants offer specially priced menus to draw people in on cold winter days and nights. It’s a good time to try new places but can you find healthy offerings? Well, sort of.

Restaurant food is notoriously high in salt, fat and sugar. So you need to be picky, and also know you’ll likely go off your healthy menu more than once.

My wife and I so far have gone to two restaurants, Pescadero, a suburban seafood place; and Big Jones, a Cajun restaurant in Chicago. We also plan a trip to L Woods, another suburban spot, since we live in the suburbs.

Seafood dishes tend to be healthier per se, assuming they aren’t loaded with sauces heavy in fat and salt.

I opted for the oysters to start my Pescadero meal, they’re served raw, so aren’t mucked up with salt or fat. I had the octopus for my main course. It was grilled and wonderfully tasty, if you love octopus as I do.

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February 5, 2025 0

Time for some healthy Super Bowl snacks

Grilling our swordfish steaks. — Grilled swordfish steaks could be a hearty Easter dinner choice. Or try this recipe from the Times..

Super Bowl Sunday isn’t just about football and new TV ads. It’s also about snacking, big time. But most American snacks are not heart healthy, so I’ve tried over the years of doing this blog to give you some healthy, and tasty, alternatives. Just click this link to review all my Super Bowl-related posts.

To get into specifics, how about swordfish steaks for your main course of the day? Use a salt-free spice rub to give them great flavor.If weather allows, grill them outside to spare your house a fishy smell afterwards.

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February 4, 2025 0

Private label food sales continue to grow

U.S. private label food sales rose $9 billion to a total of $271 billion in 2024, reports the Private Label Manufacturers’ Association, a processors’ trade group. Interestingly, some of the biggest expansion in the category is coming from nontraditional food retailers like Walmart and Target, reports The Food Institute, a food news site.

Walmart recently introduced Bettergoods, a premium private label line offering plant-based alternatives and specialty items, for example, the Institute reports.

“Dollar General revealed plans to bolster its arsenal of more than 3,200 consumable private label products with roughly 100 new offerings under its Clover Valley brand. Additions include honey mustard, blue cheese, and Thousand Island salad dressings; apple cinnamon fruit and grain bars; and eight flavors of ice creams,” the Food Institute story also relates.

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January 31, 2025 0

Shame on you Boar’s Head

*My dad loved Boar’s Head cold cuts. Glad he can’t see what’s happened to the brand lately.*

Boar’s Head cold cuts were always my dad’s favorite. He was old-school when it came to food — he believed in the promise major brands made in those days, namely that they sold superior products. He would tell anyone who would listen at family parties that Boar’s Head was the best.

So I’m glad he’s not around today to see how the mighty have fallen. Not only did Boar’s Head have a major recall last year after a listeria outbreak was linked to products from a factory it runs in Virginia. But now a new report details sanitation issues at several other Boar’s Head plants, reports The Patch and other sources.

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January 22, 2025 0

Listeria outbreak kills two, sends 33 to hospital

Subway's spicy Italian, avoid it like a salt plague! — *A fan of cold cuts? Check what you bought, Boar’s Head has a major recall underway.*

A major recall of deli meats has accounted for two deaths and put 33 people in hospitals, reports Patch.com. Products involved are from the Boar’s Head brand, with cases of people being sickened by the products reported in 13 states as of late July.

“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” health officials said in a news release. “This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported, as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak,” Patch reports.

Boar’s Head already is facing at least one lawsuit. The recalled meats are thought o be causing listeria in people who eat them.

“The company last week announced a recall of several types of deli meats, including all liverwurst products, as well as some types of ham, salami and bologna.

“The recall includes 207,528 pounds of products that were shipped to retail locations nationwide. See the full list of recalled products,” Patch reports.

July 30, 2024 0

Tag: food

A healthy lunch spot & sushi by the pound

Use by dates have different meanings for different people

Was it fiber or taste that propelled Olipop and Poppi?

A real-life deadliest catch — canned tuna recall

Another Chicago-area fast-food salad option

Eating healthy on restaurant week, sort of

Time for some healthy Super Bowl snacks

Private label food sales continue to grow

Shame on you Boar’s Head

Listeria outbreak kills two, sends 33 to hospital

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