When you witness a restaurant stuck in place, when nothing is operating in a timely manner, you wonder who’s in charge. Anyone? Having just barely survived such a situation, I think it’s important to go over what happened and why it all could have been avoided. First, the good news: The restaurant was packed. Now the more critical piece of info: Orders were taken, but then little else happened. It was odd that dinner salads arrived before appetizers which were ordered almost immediately upon being seated.

The waitress performance began at that point. Are the appetizers in process, we asked? A grimace, a murmured “yes,” and a quick exit. Probably been a good time to seek out the manager. The troops were getting restless. Everyone. Should the manager be visible and notice a table’s frustration or should the meal go from bad to worse before a managerial introduction?

Only two people of a party of six ordered meals that had accompanying salads. Tick, tock, more time elapsed. Some sweet water server kept appearing and doing his job, but the slow-mo process had the apps arrive after about an additional 35 minutes. Nothing complicated; nothing that takes time to get off the line. Again, should have tracked down the manager.

This is where restaurant dining gets confusing. Had the manager stepped out from the bar area and surveyed the dining room, he might have saved a lot of money that evening. Only when our dinners arrived–did I mention they were cold–that we had the table meet and greet. When we finally were able to locate the waitress and tell her that the food was inedible, did she say anything. “I’ll get the manager,” was her response.

We were tired, cranky, and hungry. OK, frustrated, too, but it was now too late to want to put ourselves through another round of ordering. Time to leave. The manager’s visit included the sentence, “You were one of about 70 complaints I received this evening.” Costly, disappointing performance. I believe there were steps that could have been taken to have prevented the complete meltdown.

Comping dinners is an easy solution. The restaurant lost a lot of money the other night and gave guests little reason to consider returning. Talking to the kitchen staff the next day, of course, has some value, but being a visible manager could have saved a lot of confusion.

Let me revisit an important restaurant mantra: It all starts and stops with training. Training at every level. The wait staff was ill-prepared to deal with the disappointed guests, and the restaurant itself was better at pouring water than anything else. Time to start at Square One and make the experience operational.

Way more than just the start of the summer season.

What happens when it goes; when a company decides to step up to the plate and eliminate HFCS?

Some people protest and say the product no longer tastes right. Some notice little difference. Where will you straddle? The company of most recent note is Hunt’s which just announced no more. No more HFCS! That’s big news for people who like their Hunt’s Ketchup. Perfect timing at the beginning of the summer grilling and picnic season.

This health-conscious approach and smart business decision is sure to be imitated by competitors at every price point. You won’t miss the HFCS; they replaced it with the natural sweetener: Sugar. As consumers we are becoming ever more vigilant in our search for fewer ingredients and natural solutions to items we learn have health-negative effects. It all starts with a perfect tomato; it’s not about a long list of ingredients.

As for HFCS–who needs it? We don’t!

Now there’s still another chewing gum innovation. Did you ever realize there could be so many options. How about a gum that doesn’t just combine flavors but changes flavor somewhere in the middle of its lifecycle. That would be the new Stride Shift. Maybe gum sales are at their peak as dieters learned a long time ago, that little chewing sensation action keeps you from eating the large snack!

Kraft, the company that has the Shift gum innovation, has applied a similar new flavor technology to the world of cough drops with its new Halls Refresh 2 in 1. You have the soothing lemon flavor your throat appreciates sprinkled with a a taste of raspberry to soften the power of a Halls!

Another fun snack approach and perfect for school lunch boxes and breaks between after-school activities comes from the Crispy Green people. The new Fruitzio flavors, Apricot and Peach easily mimic the real fruit taste. We’re talking about a good sized bag that has just 100 calories! Freeze-dried fruit tastes good without having the sugar problem and calories associated with dried fruits. These new packs taste like their counterpart fruits and are made with cane sugar, the new wonder sugar that is making headway in more products. I really like the peach pack and did I mention an additional plus: Gluten-Free.

This category of foods has just taken off. Expect explosive taste results!

The news, from California’s Loma Linda University’s Department of Nutrition with funding from the Tree Nut Council, is excellent: Grab a second handful, and you’ll be doing yourself a bigger favor. You’ll love the taste and at the same time you’ll see an improvement in heart-healthy benefits. None of the individuals in the study were taking cholesterol-lowering medicines but if they had high cholesterol, their numbers dropped.

Let’s look at the much maligned Macadamia or similarly, the Pistachio. Both are popular in the Atkins diet universe, but often denigrated as nuts you should avoid. Maybe not; these tree nuts do the same cholesterol and triglyceride lowering as their faithful companions.

What about the lowly peanut that is banished from most pre-school lunch boxes and many school cafeteria but certainly not at the ballpark. As long as you are not allergic, you can benefit from ingesting peanuts for their positive heart healthy ways.

Before you finish a container of nuts, remember that a little more than 2 ounces were given to subjects in this study and that amount lowered cholesterol levels by over 5%. Another takeaway is that the results did not apply to individuals who were considered obese. The nuts did not do the trick! Nor did a smaller helping of nuts lower cholesterol as much as grabbing that second handful!

Of course, we can overdo the nut-eating scenario, but we can help our hearts by not cutting them out of our diets! You’ll be surprised how many nuts are in two ounces! Get out the measuring cup and do your heart a favor!

Definite news to digest.

–Coffee. I am always on the lookout for the latest positive news about coffee and its potential health benefits. A meta analysis was conducted by researchers at Harvard’s School of Public Health examining over 700,000 people who are coffee drinkers. They found that having more than six, yes, six 8-oz cups of coffee daily, did not boost the likelihood of getting colon cancer. They found the same effect from soda drinking, but we need to think about the sugar-laden drinks as causing other problems such as obesity. Now the tea drinkers did not receive as big a boost in the clean health department. The jury is still a little unclear on this one. Coffee and soda drinks did not yield an increase in colon cancer.

–Dark chocolate. As readers of this blog know, I have a special warm spot for news about dark chocolate. Today’s report from Johns Hopkins University finds that a compound in dark chocolate may protect the brain after a stroke by shielding the nerves from further damage. Researchers hope that this particular property may someday be used to protect people against strokes. So a simple translation means eat and enjoy dark chocolate while at the same time you are insulating yourself from the dangers of getting a stroke. We’ve recognized the heart healthy chocolate benefits so this further validates additional benefit from a little sweet.

–Vitamin D. So much has been written about the vitamins lately and Vitamin D was last year’s attention-grabbing darling as so many people were all of a sudden diagnosed with a D deficiency. Could it be that we are so dedicated to our sunscreen regimen that the sun has no chance to give us its beneficial D attributes? Now that millions have been told to take Vitamin D, this particular study from the Cleveland Clinic says the optimal time to take this vitamin is with your biggest meal of the day. Figure out that simple calculation and pop your D to protect yourself. It will make a major difference.

Keep in mind that this week, May 9-15, is Food Allergy Awareness Week.

Nothing complex about any of these reports, but they are all simple information solutions to improve our overall health.

Settle in with a hot brew and a piece of wonderful dark chocolate, and don’t forget to include your D with whatever meal has the most calories. We can enjoy ourselves and impact our health.

It doesn’t take too long to scan thru my archives to see how I feel about chocolate. Yes, I enjoy chocolate, especially dark chocolate, for its taste and its health benefits. I know plenty of people who have a mini square as a dessert and are good to go. They are not solving issues of depression; rather treating themselves to a taste they enjoy and appreciate. The mini-square bars have had their own revolution of late as consumer check-out lanes at markets are often filled with the little bites of pleasure. Hey, they don’t cost that much. It’s a simple, satisfying reward. After all, we are the grab-and- go society and what could be better at instant gratification than the mini!

Now the depression issue. Which came first the chicken or the egg? If you’re depressed, a little bite of chocolate or many such bites may help. Assume you are doing something more medically sound for the depression anyway so this is just a mini stop. If you are not depressed, doubt how chocolate could cause it. Wait, maybe if you take in too much chocolate, you’ll gain weight and then become depressed. Apples and oranges.

Different issues. Go for the little square. It won’t hurt.

The company has designed a novel strategy to help people pick up more bottles of water than any of a long list of sugared drinks. They established the Nestle Pure Life Pledge with the hopes of eliminating a billion, that’s a B, calories from American family diets during this year. The mathematical formula works like this: If 10,000 families of three replace a typical 12 oz. sugared beverage a person a day with a bottle of water in a year they will have saved 50,000 calories! Whew, those numbers are staggering!

The company will make a $5 donation (up to $50,000) to the Healthy Kids Challenge for each family that signs up and participates! We could add to that challenge and create an additional challenge to see if more families participate than anticipated. Will the company increase its donation? That should be fun to watch!

This is a contest we can all enjoy. Sign up. Take the pledge and quench your thirst in a more natural, less caloric, way.

One word he continually uses is “processed foods.” He’s amazed at how little students know about fresh foods and even what some of those foods look like. In his tour of schools and work with students and families, he continues to see the processed pattern of consumption. Or the simple translation: No one knows for sure what is in those foods as opposed to eating from scratch cooking. Yes, it is a daunting task to ask lunch personnel to make food for 1,000 individuals from scratch on a daily basis, but he is unwavering in his mission. He believes this strategy will save lives and reduce early, young deaths from causes linked to obesity.

His website has become a menu and recipe haven. No longer can anyone say they have no idea how to prepare an item. He even has guidelines for school personnel and administrators to get on the program. Maybe it’s not a revolution per se, but a reality check. One that can save literally thousands of lives. His goal is quite simple: Fresh, tasty, and nutritious foods.

Judging by the number of individuals (over 200, 000 to date) who have signed his petition for healthy foods in the schools, Oliver’s mission is making history.

It’s time.

Let’s start with a universal favorite: National Grilled Cheese Month. It’s up to you to select the cheese and decide if low-fat, part skim is the way to make this a special, regular meal. Add a tomato and you’ve upped the health quotient. If you think your creation is unique, then consider the National Grilled Cheese Invitational near the end of the month in LA. Seriously, I do not make up these items! Check out the rules. A food, a contest: What a team.

For the non-meat eaters, this is a great month to tout the wares. It’s National Soyfoods Month. The Soyfoods Association has a list of products to make shopping easier and a full cadre of recipes to help you put soy into your diet. Do not ignore the health benefits of the no-cholesterol food that protects against a number of diseases and helps increase mental acuity. Important to remember!

If a month of celebration is too much, how about a week such as the second week of the month as National Egg Salad Week, logically the week after Easter when you have all those extra eggs on hand.

Ok, if you can only take it a day at a time, here are a few days that focus on a single food group:

–April 2, National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day

–April 12, National Licorice Day

–April 26, National Pretzel Day

I haven’t even mentioned items like National Healthy Kids (and National Healthy Schools) Days. That feels too much like the cause of our entire obesity problem. If we reserve a single day in April to focus on this topic, then we may have identified the core of the issue! Healthy eating habits and exercise for kids do not benefit from a single focus day. They need a 365-day orientation.

With the newly passed health bill, the mystery of a calorie count will be removed form a guessing game. Calorie postings are part of the new program. Panera Bread announced sometime ago that it would be posting calories. In New York City, calorie posts have been required from businesses that had multiple locations (Starbucks, for one). Under the new law, any chain with at least 20 outlets will need to post. We can be certain that this type of in your-face information will have a positive outcome; at least it will make people think twice about some dishes that are the equivalent of a whole day’s calorie requirements!

The other food topic receiving increased attention is salt. More companies are taking a stand and reducing the sodium count of their products. The snacks owned by Pepsi (Frito-Lay, for example) will come under the reduced sodium count during the gradual reduction over the next five years. it would be grand if they considered reducing calorie counts in these same foods at the same time. Kraft (Oreos, for example) has a similar plan in the works. Both of these companies, both industry leaders, plan gradual changes so that consumers do not balk at the taste differences.

As a nation we are suffering from obesity and its many dangerous end results. At the same time, we cry out that regulation from any front is bad. This time our health as a nation depends on assistance from multiple sources if necessary.

We are out of control.

It’s intriguing to think of the concept:

His goal is to create lifestyle changes that reverse the devastating health statistics surrounding early death and severe obesity.  Without giving too much away, let me say his welcome did not resemble a cuddly, warm, open-arm reception. He was laughed at, viewed as a threat, and generally undermined, if that’s possible to do to the the delightfully entertaining Oliver. The kitchen staff at the first elementary school scoffed at what they considered an intruder; after all they had been there for decades doing the same thing. When they showed him how they make mashed potatoes, with potato pearls, he struggled to hold his composure.

His goal is simple: Effect the lives of the community and bring about healthy changes. He’s working with families and introducing them to foods that are not processed, deep-fried, and come out of the freezer section. Challenges are in every corner, for the students who are asked to choose between a home-cooked chicken lunch v. a slice of pizza–you know who wins! The lunch ladies, as he calls them, can barely hide their resentment and disgust. They admit that they said he could try to set up his school guidelines as he has done in the UK, but they emit skepticism.

Enough of this first episode. Recognize that he is tackling the very issues First Lady Michelle Obama has so eloquently addressed. His goal is to have schools, administrations, families and in general, the US think about the food that goes into our bodies. In this blog we’ve talked plenty about nutrition and childhood obesity; let’s hope that Jamie’s Kitchen becomes a model for how we can change the nutritional guidelines of school lunch programs and help families learn how to shop for foods that are not laden with lines of ingredients.

As they say, check your local listings for upcoming episodes.

As an aside, maybe the biggest irony of the show was the commercial for a fast food restaurant that talks about giving you more for less. They obviously never received the Jamie Oliver memo!

Food labels: The FDA has had a busy week with the various recalls and its announcement that it will be spending more time scrutinizing those so-called healthy food labels. We often grab food with a banner notation indicating its healthy properties. The FDA wants proof that these claims are accurate and not just marketing strategies. They promise to get tough on misleading labels. Time to understand a label and not just give it a quick once-over: Watch for saturated fat and sugar.

In other health news:

–Chocolate: A Harvard study says enjoying a few pieces of dark chocolate daily may lessen the possibility of certain types of strokes.

–Potassium-rich foods: Also related to issues of preventing strokes, foods that are high in potassium (potatoes, bananas, avocados, and leafy greens, for example) helped lower the risk for stroke and coronary heart disease. Sounds like a reminder to eat fruits and vegetables.

–Metal cans and BPA: Several environmental and scientific groups have called for the immediate banning of metal cans for their various health risks. Tests indicate higher BPA levels than originally expected and fears of overall exposure has heightened attention to this issue.

–Dieting. An Israeli study found that weight-loss diets, whether Mediterranean, low-fat, or low-carb, help reverse atherosclerosis. The probable benefit of these diets comes from reduced blood pressure. Great news. The type of diet is not as critical as the fact that one diets!

–Lessen salt intake. Now that’s a shocker! A government study found that billions of health dollars could be saved if salt intake could be reduced by 10 %. They are trying to get the food industry to understand the overall implications and get them to hold back on salting up foods. When dining in we can get a tighter grip on the shaker.

–Milk allergies. A simple blood test may determine if young children are allergic to all milk products or if they can tolerate heated milk. Knowing the severity of the allergy would make it easier in determining the safest foods. The test is not yet available, but it is definitely one to watch.

As with most weeks, it is fun to end on a good news coffee note. Several studies presented at the recent American Heart Association conference found good news in the coffee department! Coffee drinkers had a lower risk of getting heart rhythm problems. Another study found no link between coffee intake and atherosclerosis. The third significant study found that women who consume multiple cups of coffee daily had a lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes!

Healthy coffee or coffee health: Works for me.

So many of these month-long holidays have special promotions built around their celebrations. So many choices; these are just a taste of what’s in store. Check the linked websites for ways to participate.

–National Frozen Food Month. OK, I admit this is an odd one as we spend so much time talking fresh, just-picked, and farm-ready, but there are plenty of consumers who feel unfulfilled with a partially full freezer! The big news here is that both the organic and gluten-free markets have increased their frozen offerings so we are not in total wilderness space!  Check out the chance to win a prize in the Easy Home Meals section.

–National Nutrition Month. The American Dietetic Association uses this month to spread the word on nutrition education and information to help individuals make informed choices whether dining in or out. They also stress the importance of developing solid eating habits and participating in physical activities.

–National Peanut Month. The Southern Peanut Growers is hosting a recipe contest for foodservice employees, “PB&J My Way.” Here’s your chance to submit your favorite twist on the traditional. They are also donating a jar (up to 4,000 jars) of peanut butter to Feeding America for each recipe submitted. Be creative and help feed those less fortunate. That’s a double win. Plenty of great recipes on the site.

If none of these month-long celebrations excite you, pick a day, and you’ll find a food to celebrate. Try March 7, National Cereal Day or wait til the 14th to celebrate the Potato Chip. There’s at least a food a day and an organization happy to give you celebratory ideas.

I need to conclude with a strange one: Caffeine Awareness Month. I personally believe each sip heightens your awareness and that a month-long promotional program devoted to making the public aware of how their lives are quite possibly negatively affected by use and misuse of caffeine is a whole other discussion. If you need to watch the caffeine, this is your month to learn strategies.

Think you know how that plays out in my universe!

–Taxing junk food. The discussion goes on as it does with the soda tax. Some new studies indicate that people would pay attention if there were an additional charge placed on this “select” group of items. If that’d be the case, then we might have scored a victory in the obesity battle. At least a first round offensive.

–Memory loss. Now I’ve got your attention! Even though the study was funded by Welch’s Grape Juice, it bears watching. Findings from the British Journal of Nutrition say that Concord grape juice may help individuals with early memory changes. This is not the first such study, or I doubt the last, linking the benefits derived from grape products. If it works with wine, why not the basic grape juice beverage?

–Prices rising. Some grocery stores have decided enough with the reduced prices and multiple offers to get you in the door. They are increasing prices where they can. This is in response to some hopeful signs that companies are noting in terms of inflation numbers. One of the big problems will remain: Will national brands continue to suffer at the expense of in-house labels? Maybe we are just different consumers now, and the stores need to acknowledge that.

–Gluten-Free. The newest entrant in the gluten-free flour aisle is none other than King Arthur Flour, one of the oldest companies selling whole wheat flour. Do you need many more signals how strong and growing the G-F market is? When the big guys get in the space, someone has clearly done his homework. The market definitely expects to see more products. The company’s line includes multi-purpose flour, and seven mixes including chocolate cake.

–Food Rules. Michael Pollan owns the space of for elevating our food knowledge and thinking. His latest book, Food Rules, is literally a thumb-thru guide of quirky observations (”It’s not food if it arrived through the window of your car”) and logical comments (”Buy your snacks at the farmers’ market). His thought-provoking comments should  help us select better foods and eat healthier. We’re talking a fast read and a fun purchase for you and those you love. You will have lots to think about and most likely make some lifestyle adjustments.

–Tomatoes. Now is the time to start your seeds. The Florida crop, as the markets can easily attest, has been hard hit. Prices are high and selection is unimpressive. Think spring.

–Coffee. Always a little news to perk you up. Coffee’s benefits are in line to help lessen diabetes (assuming you do not add a cup of sugar to each consumed cup). This latest study focused on Native Americans and uncovered a significantly lower risk of developing diabetes from those drinking multiple cups of coffee.

That’s the way I like to end a week!

Now our world has been turned upside down. First with dishwasher soap. It was not that long ago that the reports came out saying it is possible to add too much. We are actually better off adding less and running the unit on a regular cycle rather than many of the quick wash options so many of the new energy star machines tout. OK, we got that one.

Then it was recently uncovered that we are adding too much detergent to our washing machines, and they cannot run effectively and clothes suffer. Wait, they’re not cleaner? Nope. They’re falling apart sooner and quickly lose their luster.

Is this not all counter intuitive? Add soap; get clean results. Yes, but not with a heavy hand.

Maybe the culprit in the washing machine part of the experiment is the new lineup of heavy duty soaps: 2X and even 3X as strong. Most people seem unable to lessen their detergent amount even though the product clearly states its double strength properties. We seem to ignore the lines on the caps that indicate how much we should add and often add what we did before the 2X universe. Those are not suggestions, but guidelines that came about after testing loads of wash!

The Method folks have a solution-no capfuls but a spray-on pump. Check it out with one of the site’s coupons, and you be the judge.

What’s the solution: Simple enough mathematics: Decrease detergent amount; increase cleanliness.

Yes, counter-intuitive, but effective.

Many higher-end establishments do not add the customary large-group 18-20% tip in the hopes that the serving staff will excel that expectation and earn what the diner/host believes is an appropriate amount. Those places are often right, and servers benefit from the customer doing the math. After all, good service deserves recognition, which in this case amounts to an appropriate monetary tip. There’s the rub: The definition of appropriate can vary considerably.

Let’s step back a moment. Tipping should be the customer’s decision and not merely an expectation. Slovenly service which often involves favoring one table over another or more simply stated, not working each table uniformly, often leads to an end-of-the-meal debate among the guests. There are those who tip, no matter what. They often tip the same amount in the belief that the wait staff needs and depends on the tip. That’s true.

It’s the guest who takes out his angst on the server for not getting his food to the table expeditiously or even correctly that often makes restaurants rethink the need to include a tip in the bill. Stories abound about angry diners who are harassed by wait staff for not leaving a tip and then they create their own tirade explaining away their reasoning. It often translates loudly in the dining room with words such as I ordered a hot breakfast, not cold eggs…

The tip dilemma will not end here, but diners need to remember that they are being served, waited on, and not all fault rests with the person who brings the food to the table.

Remember the economy and the work force and consider your decision accordingly.

It is about the service.

Of course, you could sneak out of the house and buy something and say you always planned the day this way or you could just sit back and relax and soak in all the good vibes that this day brings.

First some newsy foods to consider:

–In honor of the sweetness of the day, consider some of the newest PEEPS such as the Marshmallow “I Luv U” or Mike and Ike’s Valentine Medley, a blend of colorful fruit flavors. Both good last minute choices to create a cheerful sweet bowl of love.

–Bring a new melon home. Have you tried the wonderfully ripe yellow honey dew? Most packages are marked “ready to eat,” and they are absolutely right. A little squirt of fresh lime, and you have sweet ecstasy in the bowl.

–Tomatoes. Yes, I know tomatoes in the dead or dread of winter are seldom worth buying, but their health benefits are not deniable. A good one has a true red, love color. If you want to take advantage of their healthy pluses such as their cardiovascular properties or lessening the likelihood of prostate cancer or several other cancers,  now is the time to think tomato products such as tomato or tortilla soup as an easy canned solution until summer. Even a wonderful pizza topped with a great tomato sauce will do the trick. Or, think about your vegetable garden and the bounty of tomato bliss you can plant.

–Tea. So much has been written about the benefits of tea, especially green tea, and here’s one to ponder: weight management. Yes, the studies are still in the early stages but there seems to be a pattern to the research on compounds from tea and their benefits for weight control. You can tap off the great day with a cup of tea and hope you are on the right beverage track for weight management.

When in doubt, grab a sparkler and dark chocolate, and you have a match made for perfection.

Have a sweet, wonderful day.

We’ve noticed an increase in Mediterranean-type dishes whether you call them tapas, mezzes, or street food, the small plate revolution is thriving. Look at how many Indian restaurants, which have thrived well with lunch hour buffets, are now changing their menu to include common, Indian snacks, street food. The concept clearly has legs and crosses all dining borders.

California Pizza Kitchen has even figured out how to join the trend. They just introduced the Small Cravings menu with affordable ($4-7) pricing and a full range of menu options including dips, and the trend I see taking over menus: The Wedge. The company wants to fill the (small) plate and create a little buzz so they also have a new wine craving menu of half glasses for $5 and less.

Small plates and happy hours: Two trends that seem to have large, happy followings throughout the country.

Let’s just put a little squeeze on that to match the other time-starved notion: One-handed food on the go.

If it’s just a splash of a condiment, Heinz believes they have the solution: The new Dip & Squeeze Ketchup container. This should help them win over restaurants that do brand wavering! You can peel back the lid to dip or tear it off to squeeze: Double usage possibilities without excess packaging. A green approach to eat-and-go! BTW, the company is increasing its available sizes for the sugar, non high fructose corn syrup bottles.

Keep your eye on the prize: You’ll enjoy dining out more at this more affordable and fun price point!

All good news.

Sales of Greek yogurt can certainly attest to popularity. How many ever had Greek yogurt before Chobani emerged on the scene? OK, maybe once or twice as an accompaniment at a restaurant or as a mezze choice. Now it is a visible player on the shelves of grocers, quick service lunch counters, and big box retailers. The company has managed to take us from a limited world of yogurt understanding to one where they dominate in the small bowl category! Plenty of branded competition across the board even in the Greek section of the numerous yogurt displays.

I also think yogurt wins such an accolade because it is the leader in the one-handed food approach to life. We text, SMS, read, email, and eat all simultaneously. Oh, yeah, we drive under those conditions, too.

So many choices. So many brands and styles.

I’ll take blueberry.