A sharp-eyed reader left me a comment recently that broke my heart, and more importantly will impact my heart-health — Mrs Dash sodium-free marinades are no longer being made. A quick check of the Mrs Dash site confirms the sad news but offers no explanation. Mrs. Dash’s teriyaki marinade had provided a way for me ..read more

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 ..read more

Tasty but not healthy, go figure. Americans generally know that food high in sugar and fat are unhealthy for them, but knowing that and changing their behavior are two different things, reports a new analysis from the online data collection site YouGov.com. “Nearly four in five US consumers (79%) say foods high in sugar are unhealthy, followed by high in saturated or trans fats (74%), and high in calories but low in nutrients (71%). Deep-fried (70%), fast food (68%), and salty snacks (68%) are also rated as unhealthy by a majority of respondents,” the site reports. So why eat it all? “Data ind ..read more

The Fourth of July usually means grilling lots of meat on a grill or two (or four like I have in my outdoor kitchen) but don’t forget your vegetarian family members or friends — here’s a great stuffed zucchini boat you can make on the grill as well. It already has two colors for the 4th, kudos if you can find a way to add something blue — maybe the plates you serve it on? Any regular reader of my blog knows I love zucchini and regularly post recipes from famous chefs like Giada D. Follow this link for a page of past posts with zucchini recipes. Our tilapia, zucchini and corn dinner. Another zu ..read more

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. give ..read more

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 ..read more

The term prebiotics has been part of the yogurt landscape for years but now prebiotic sodas are getting some attention. But there are obstacles that may keep more brands from moving into the category, notes a recent report. To define, first, a prebiotic is “a nondigestible food ingredient that promotes the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines,” according to a Google definition. That usually means fiber and, sure enough, prebiotic sodas have fiber in them. “Prebiotic sodas have become a phenomenon, even if their ingredients remain a mystery to most consumers.&nbs ..read more

The good news is that inflation, and the increases seen in food prices the past three years, are moderating. The bad news, those food prices are still 20% higher overall than they were three years ago. Everything you buy should be a deal or a sale, check this receipt of mine to see the savings. Grocery prices were unchanged in May compared with April, according to Consumer Price Index information released for May recently. “Wednesday’s report indicated that consumers are beginning to get some relief from the price spikes of the past three years. Grocery costs were unchanged, on average, from A ..read more

The arrival of new weight-loss drugs like Ozempic is shaking up the food business, sometimes in unexpected ways. After report on top of report predicting declining sales of US junk food, one food processor, Nestle, has decided to embrace the new drugs by introducing a new food line to appeal to those taking them. A Nestle PR photo of what one offering in its new line will look like. “Vital Pursuit, a brand of line of frozen foods with significant protein and fiber content, is  ‘intended to be a companion for GLP-1 weight loss medication users and consumers focused on weight management in ..read more

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 ..read more