I would trade a cow for these magic beans. Seriously. “Coffee Joulies” are a new invention that are stainless steel “beans” that keep your coffee at the perfect temperature for several hours. Hours. [More]
food
Walmart Tests Out Its Own Version Of Fresh Direct
By 4.28.11
Walmart is testing out “Walmart to Go,” an online grocery delivery service similar to Fresh Direct. As the nation’s hugest grocer, Walmart brings some big guns to the table, the most important of which is the price gun. [More]
Is Sugar Killing Us?
By 4.25.11
Is a packet of sugar a sweet dose of death? A big article in the New York Times Magazine recently explored how sugar might be a secret scourge destroying our health. And for the purposes of this discussion, there is no distinction between regular sugar and HFCS – for these researchers it’s all toxic. Why? [More]
SnackWell's Ups Snack Pack Calorie Count From 100 To 150
By 4.22.11
SnackWell’s, the nonfat low-cal line of snack food introduced in 1992 but hasn’t advertised in the past five years, is increasing the size of some of its new snack-packs higher than the previously holy 100 calorie level. Some new varieties, like the “fudge drizzled caramel popcorn” are 130 calories. Pouches of Fudge Crème Brownie Bites tip the scales at 150 calories. A benchmark has been breached, people. [More]
Lawsuit: Campbell's "Regular" And "25% Less Sodium" Tomato Soup Both Contain 480mg Of Sodium
By 4.18.11
Here’s a trick question: How much sodium does Campbell’s “25% less sodium” tomato soup contain compared to regular Campbell’s tomato soup? Would you believe that both contain 480 mg? And that the first one costs more? Four NJ housewives couldn’t, and a federal judge has ruled that their lawsuit against Campbell’s over what they call misleading labels can proceed. [More]
Make A Grilled Cheese Sandwich In A Toaster
By 4.14.11
It is possible to make a grilled cheese sandwich using just a toaster and not fill it with cheese goo. All you have to do, says the kitchn, is just put the toaster on its side. Place the cheese on top of the bread, slide it in, and the force of gravity keeps it on the bread. Paradigm shift! [More]
Chicago Schools Sack The Sack Lunch
By 4.12.11
Citing health factors, some Chicago schools have stopped allowing kids to bring lunches and some snacks from home unless they have medical orders that bar them from eating in the cafeteria. [More]
2nd Man Dies From Eating Salmonella Contaminated Pastries
By 4.11.11
A second man has died after eating pastries from the DeFusco’s bakery in Rhode Island, the result of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 66 and hospitalized 23, reports The Providence Journal. [More]
Concept Of Emerald Nuts Breakfast Pouches Fry Robots' Circuits
By 4.11.11
Emerald Nuts have a series of new ads pitching their pouches of breakfast nuts as more “human” than a traditional breakfast bar. To convey this message, “Cubebot,” “Mombot” and “Commuterbot” disdainfully decline the nut blends offered by their human counterparts, preferring instead to force a breakfast bar through their wood-chipper-like mouth-grinders. Pretty high concept for pre-packaged trail mix! [More]
It's Bacon Flavored Air!
By 3.31.11
If you find yourself skipping your kid’s birthday party and turning down intimacy time with your beloved to attend Denny’s Baconalias, you may need Bacon Air. It’s like Nicorette for bacon addicts. It’s a small inhaler of bacon-flavored air so you can get your porcine fix without those nasty side effects like cholesterol or heart attacks. And also like Nicorette it can simply be used for times when it’s not easy to smoke (bacon), like inside a New York bar, onboard transatlantic flights, or at the gym. Since launching this week it appears supplies are already sold out. Clearly this is a market whose needs had previously gone unmet. [More]
Ben Popken On NPR Talking About Shrinking Food, Higher Prices
By 3.31.11
I got to verbally joust with the wielders of the Grocery Shrink Ray yesterday on NPR on the Diane Rehm show. Scott Faber vice president, the Grocery Manufacturers Association talked about how food makers have to pass on their rising costs somehow and I agreed, but took issue with deceptively designed packages and the misleading marketing practices. Just be upfront about it! [More]
Study: HFCS Leads To Much More Weight Gain In Rats Than Sugar
By 3.28.11
A study from Princeton published in the February issue of the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior (PDF) shows that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), used as a cheap sweetener in everything from Coke to Progresso soup, is not the same as table sugar, namely for the way that it makes you gain 48% more weight. [More]
Psychologists: Comfort Food Is Bad For Your Body But Good For Your Soul
By 3.28.11
High-calorie foods such as meatloaf, macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes can be harmful to your diet and overall health, but psychologists suggest they can partially counteract negative effects by making eaters feel better. [More]
How To Game The Salad Bar At Whole Foods
By 3.25.11
Is your salad bar ripping you off? The New York Times Magazine investigated and found that ingredients at the salad bar, like cucumber, were 70% more expensive at the salad bar than if you had bought them from elsewhere in the store. So how do you get the best deal when you’re forking lettuce down your gullet? For one, go for the baby spinach and mesclun to get the best value, ladle on the cost-effective sun-dried tomatoes and go nuts on the toppings. These little guys will take a far bigger premium from your wallet off the shelf than from the lettuce trough. [More]
Barilla Redesigns Pasta Package To Let Consumers Know That Pasta Package Is About To Be Redesigned
By 3.24.11
The redesign of a familiar package is apparently a frightening and confusing time for consumers. That’s why Barilla was kind enough to redesign its whole-grain pasta package in order to let us know that the package is about to be redesigned. [More]
Woman Sues Starbucks For Allegedly Throwing Tea At Her And Shouting "Catch"
By 3.21.11
Starbucks is accusing a woman of fraud after she sued them for allegedly sliding a cup of hot tea across the counter that burnt her belly, reports the New York Post. They say they have a doc who says she had a rash and skin infection, and that’s what caused the marks. According to her complaint, the barista shouted at her, “Catch the cup.” Good thing it wasn’t a trenta. [More]
Store Bulk Grain With Free Frosting Buckets From Your Grocery Bakery
By 3.21.11
So you’re a savvy shopper and you’re saving by buying food in bulk and cooking a lot of your own meals. But how do you store all that food, especially grain? Your wallet isn’t the only one who likes a big stash of wheat, so do mice and other critters. To solve this problem, Laura over at the Heavenly Homemakers blog likes to hit up the bakery department of her local groceries and ask for their empty 5-gallon buckets of frosting. [More]
Pepsi Throwback Becomes Permanent
By 3.17.11
Pepsi “Throwback,” a version made with real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, will has been upgraded from “limited time” to “permanent,” the sodamaker announced on its Facebook wall. No more driving down to Mexico or waiting for Passover to snatch some up. You can now enjoy the all-natural sugary pick-me-up beverage as an occasional treat and compliment to your favorite nutritious meals and snacks all year-round. [More]
