A primer on building your food budget

Rising food costs have obsessed consumers in these post-Covid times. While signs have emerged that costs have leveled off, they likely won’t fall any time soon, so everyone needs to work on budgeting for their food needs. If you haven’t done this, a good place to start is with this primer The New York Times ran recently entitled 9 Tips to Stretch Your Food Budget.

Among the tips are changes in lifestyle — eat less meat, snacking less and avoid wasting food. But there are also ways to save money, like using coupons and knowing your grocery store and how to find the cheaper offerings in a. given food category.

Coupons these days are largely digital, be sure to have the shopping app for every store you shop at to get their best deals. Also, check out national couponing sites. These tend to have coupons for major brands, which I tend to avoid because they’re usually the most expensive, but you can get occasional deals.

My goal is to only buy sale/coupon items every time I shop, and to save at least 30% off full prices overall. You can see an example of one of my recent receipts here with all the discounts noted.

July 3, 2024 0

The quest for a new non-sugar sweetener goes on, with some bad news, some good

Finding a non-sugar sweetener for food and beverages, one without it’s own unwanted side-effects, has been the holy grail of food processors for as long as I’ve written about the food business (40 years). A new possibility, brazzein, is getting some positive attention now.

Another, Xylitol, long used in sugar-free candies and elsewhere, is getting negative attention, however.

“A new study linking the low-calorie sugar substitute xylitol to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke,” reports The New York Times.

“For the new study, the researchers measured the levels of xylitol in blood plasma samples of over 3,000 participants who had fasted overnight. They found that people with the highest xylitol levels had roughly double the risk of heart attack, stroke or death within the next three years compared to people with the lowest levels,” the Times reports.

Xylitol, also known as sugar alcohol, has never been something I could eat much of without becoming bloated and…well, you know. So this study isn’t worrying me so much.

But I am interested to read a company has received permission to use brazzein, a sweet protein produced through fermentation, reports The Food Institute.

Continue reading →

June 24, 2024 0

A reminder to check ahead when eating out

Restaurant menus are notoriously filled with high-salt, high-fat, high-sugar offerings. If you’re trying to lower your consumption of those that evil threesome, you need to do your research before eating out. That’s why we have an entire page of this blog devoted to eating away from home.

*Halibut on a carrot puree at a restaurant in Milwaukee which is, sadly, no longer there. What was the salt content? We asked for it without salt added.*

Are people doing their research? A recent study by foodservice supplier US Foods shows a large chunk of the population is checking menus before going out, for a variety of reasons.

The study found 83% of people eating out review menus from home before going to a restaurant, and of those, 50% decide what they’ll order before setting foot in the restaurant.

Also encouraging, from a health standpoint, 58% say nutritional value information impacts their ordering, although here portion size and calorie content seems to be the major concern.

More people need to be checking salt content, it’s the most dangerous in most restaurant options.

US Foods gathered this data by surveying 1,003 people last September, reflecting the demographic makeup of the general American population.

May 14, 2024 0

More good news on olive oil, it can deter dementia

Olive oil should be a go-to good fat for any heart patient. Plus it can taste great, I use it not only on salads but on grilled veggies and a host of other dishes, just check my recipe page.

And now there’s more good news, a study has found it can cut the risk of developing dementia.

According to a report in Everydayhealth.com:

*Olive oil we brought back from Italy in 2017.*

“Scientists examined data collected over almost three decades on about 93,000 middle-aged adults. At the start of the study, participants were 56 years old on average and had no history of cardiovascular disease, a major risk factor for dementia.

“Every four years, participants completed dietary questionnaires detailing what foods they typically ate and indicating how often they consumed olive oil: no more than once a month; up to 4.5 grams (g), or 1 teaspoon (tsp) daily; between 4.5 and 7 g (1.5 tsp) daily; or more than 7 g daily.

“Compared with people who rarely if ever consumed olive oil, those who got at least 7 g a day were 28 percent less likely to die of dementia-related causes by the end of the study, according to results published in JAMA Network Open.

Continue reading →

May 7, 2024 0

The lobster trucks come to Chicago’s suburbs — and Cousins is the winner

Food trucks have been hot for years but in my Chicago suburb, Evanston, early restrictions limited them largely to one Mexican food truck that shows up at all the the local festivals, and which always seemed a bit overpriced to me.

But that changed dramatically in recent weeks when not one, but two food trucks featuring classic East Coast lobster rolls came to town. Full disclosure, I love lobster. My wife and I honeymooned in Maine back in 2007, primarily for the lobster, which we had several times a day at the rock bottom prices it sells for there.

Yet, getting lobster in the Midwest can be of a hit or miss proposition. The ubiquitous Red Lobster, for example, has the blandest lobster I ever tasted. We never go there. More likely, we buy our own and boil or grill it at home.

So I was really excited to see two lobster trucks posting on Facebook about their planned stops here in Evanston. Neither was cheap, $25 from Happy Lobster, $23 for a lobster roll from Cousins, but I tried them both and a clear winner emerged — Cousins Maine Lobster.

The other, Happy Lobster, didn’t really serve a traditional Maine lobster roll. It used a hamburger bun-type bun. A real lobster roll uses a hot dog bun-like split roll, toasted. Anyone from New England, or anyone who grew up in New York and went to Nedick’s knows what those are.

You can see the difference in the photos below:

Cousins also had just the right hint of mayo, although that too is a departure from traditional rolls which can have lobster meat swimming in mayo.

The staff at Cousins also was much friendly. Setting up in a local microbrewery parking lot, they were giving out shirts, hats and other freebies and talking to people as they walked up.

Happy Lobster’s truck parked at a local hospital during lunchtime and, although it encouraged online ordering ahead, did not have my order ready when I showed up on time. Several of its customers were forced to stand around in the rain waiting for their orders.

Is lobster heart-healthy? It is high in cholesterol content, once thought to be harmful, but thinking has changed on that. It also is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which these days are considered heart-healthy.

So if you see a Cousin’s truck coming to your town, give it a try, I highly recommend it.

May 1, 2024 0

Britain seeks to cut salt intake but substituting may not be the best answer

Britain has been much more active that the United States in acknowledging, and trying to curb, the daily intake of salt. But this report on FoodNavigator.com notes what I see as a disturbing trend there.

Rather than eliminate sodium completely from food items, the article touches on the substitution of potassium chloride for sodium chloride by food processors.

I’ve tried so-called potassium salt. It tasted a bit different. But that’s not the major issue. The danger is that too much potassium can have its own dire consequences.

“If you have too much potassium in your body, your kidneys may not be able to remove all of it, and it can build up in your blood. Too much potassium in your blood can damage your heart, make you feel palpitations and even cause a heart attack. You can’t always tell when your potassium levels are high,” notes the Cleveland Clinic.

The Food Navigator article notes Britain has cut salt consumption and seen positive health results for its population. But my advice for individuals would be simply cut salt, don’t use a substitute that could cause you more harm than good.

April 2, 2024 0

Low-salt Easter turkeys are scarce in 2024

One of the most popular posts on my blog this time of year deals with making turkey for Easter dinner to cut down on your salt intake at the holiday table. You can read it by clicking Low-salt Easter dinner: how to enjoy the holiday meal.

Sarra Lee reduced sodium oven roasted turkey — *Beware self-basting turkeys, they are loaded with salt. Always read the nutrition label before buying.*

In the post-Covid food retailing environment, however, finding a fresh, low-sodium turkey has been tough. Two mainline supermarkets I went to had only one turkey brand, Jennie-O or Butterball, in freezer and refrigerated cases crammed with high-salt hams. Those turkeys come with self-basting fluids that are loaded with salt.

I finally turned to Whole Foods which thankfully had fresh turkeys, although even those had more salt, 125 mg a serving, than truly fresh turkeys which have about 75 mgs per serving. And I had to pay up, around $3 a pound, for the fresh turkey.

Another issue, stores are no longer carrying low-fat turkey gravy. During and after Covid, supermarkets cut the number of products they carried to simplify their supply chain management, and to increase profits. Low-salt, low-fat and low-sugar items suffered as a result.

Shop carefully this Easter, always read nutrition labels and enjoy a peaceful Sunday dinner.

March 27, 2024 0

You can cook like Julia Child, at least when it comes to salad dressing

Cooking icon Julia Child was a hero of mine when I was a kid. Her PBS shows kindled my love of cooking, and of experimenting when I cook.

But I’ve never attempted her recipes, even though I’ve owned some of her books over the years. They all seemed more complicated than I could handle.

Another Standard Market Grill salad offering. — *Top your salad with a little piece of Julia Child’s food legacy.*

If you’ve felt the same way, take heart. I found one of her recipes you and I can easily make, and enjoy, since it seems relatively heart-healthy too.

It’s in this piece, Julia Child’s Timeless Vinaigrette Helped Me Fall in Love with Salad on Eatingwell.com.

Start with these ingredients:

2 tablespoons wine vinegar or a combination of vinegar and lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and/or salad oil, such as grapeseed oil
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallot or scallions and/or ¼ teaspoon dried herbs, such as tarragon or basil
Big pinch of freshly ground pepper

I’d omit the salt and stick with olive oil. But even if you use the salt, it’s still a relatively small amount given the amount of dressing you’re creating.

Continue reading →

February 13, 2024 0

A failed try at touting “healthier” game-day snacks; try mine instead

The weight-tracking app LoseIt recently sent me this article in its e-newsletter, 7 Popular Super Bowl Snacks and RDs’ Healthier Alternatives. (RD stands for registered dietitian.)

The concept is a good one, leave behind high-fat, high-salt munchies for others that are less damaging to your health.

These mini cups are low in fat and salt and sugar-free. Fill them with salt-free treats for Super Bowl munching.

Try filling mini-puff pastry for Super Bowl snakes.

But the items included largely left me shrugging my shoulders. Things like Jalapeño Cream Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Poppers never made my Super Bowl table.

The list has a Southwest tilt to it, again not what I usually eat for game watching. The turkey sliders are probably the only item of the seven listed that I would try.

So I’d say this list doesn’t cross the goal line for a touchdown. Much better are some of my past pieces:

Low-salt, Low-fat recipes for Super Bowl

Super Bowl Low-salt, low-fat party menu — try swordfish steaks as a main course

Super Bowl Treats — Puff pastry shells with salasa, mushroom, tomato combo

Super Bowl Party dishes — try fat-free twice-baked potatoes

Salt-free potato chips for Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl Treats — Puff pastry shells with salasa, mushroom, tomato combo

February 10, 2024 1

Cheese recall promoted by listeria spreads to salad kits

A listeria-related recall that started with cheese products has spread to salad kits including those cheeses, various media report.

“Salad products sold at Walmart, Costco and Winco were recalled Thursday amid a nationwide outbreak of listeria that has sickened at least 26 people and left two people dead,” reports Patch.com

“Ready Pac Foods voluntarily recalled a limited number of casesof four salad kits as a result of an expanded recall by Rizo-López Foods, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. The kits contain cheese that could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause serious — and sometimes deadly — infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and people with weak immune systems. Additionally, a listeria infection can cause women to miscarry or lead to stillbirths,” the report says.

Some of the recalled products are sold at Costco, Walmart and Cinco. Products sold at Trader Joe’s also ahve been impacted.

To read more details in the Food and drug Administration recall announcement, simply click here.

February 9, 2024 1

Tag: food

A primer on building your food budget

The quest for a new non-sugar sweetener goes on, with some bad news, some good

A reminder to check ahead when eating out

More good news on olive oil, it can deter dementia

The lobster trucks come to Chicago’s suburbs — and Cousins is the winner

Britain seeks to cut salt intake but substituting may not be the best answer

Low-salt Easter turkeys are scarce in 2024

You can cook like Julia Child, at least when it comes to salad dressing

A failed try at touting “healthier” game-day snacks; try mine instead

Cheese recall promoted by listeria spreads to salad kits

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