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Skip the Gluten

May 5

Posted by admin in gluten-free, health, lifestyle

In what has been an ongoing struggle for many people and food manufacturers, finding good tasting, gluten-free products has moved from the back of the store to a more visible, ever-growing presence. When you have a major flour manufacturer acknowledging they need to be in this space, you know you’re near the top of the Leader Board. King Arthur Flour now has a dedicated, gluten-free production facility with a broad base of product choices. They are aware of the growth in this market, and want to be in on the action.

With anticipated annual double-digit increases, G-F products are becoming mainstream. Why is this? Are we eating too many foods that cannot possibly agree with us? Are we better off returning to the unprocessed world of centuries ago?gfbakehouse

All good questions. Obviously individuals with Celiac Disease need to remove themselves far from products with gluten. Then there are all the other people who have digestive issues or have wheat allergies. As more people become aware of the ease of possibilities to be gluten-free or embrace a reduced gluten lifestyle, the numbers of subscribers to this food universe logically will continue to increase.

The downside risk of adjusting is minimal. Reading labels may be the most arduous task unless you move yourself to a market that clearly identifies its G-F products. It may surprise you how prevalent the glutens are as oat, barley, and rye accompany the wheat tree. These grains are far more prevalent in products than a quick shrug might indicate.

With the increase in products and the ability to eat foods that mimic their gluten cousins, changing over to more of a G-F existence may prove far easier than anticipated. Being aware makes shopping that less painful. Making the switch may accomplish the same digestive reward.

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May Food Holidays

Apr 30

Posted by admin in food universe

I love the concept that someone or some association has figured out a clever marketing strategy to create a food holiday: A one-month long celebration of a specific food. Those who worry a month is too long create single day celebrations. This month of May is no different, but there are days that are ingrained and deserve a special mention.

Here’s my list of May must dos:

–May 1 is the Kentucky Derby so host a derby event or at least proclaim this day as a Mint Julep extravaganza.

–May 5 translates lovingly as Cinco de Mayo, a regionally celebrated holiday in Mexico. This holiday needs little help from bloggers as most bars and many restaurants have figured out how to draw the crowds to this annual party. If you want to host a home version, you’ll find no shortage of guacamole recipes and grocery store enticements to make this a fun event.

–May 9 or the second Sunday in May gets the traditional Mother’s Day nod. This day should be devoted to the care and feeding of Mom instead of the image of aproned Mom slaving over a hot stove. Whether that is the norm of the American family anymore proves irrelevant as Mother’s Day has become a true celebration and a financial boost for many businesses.

–May 11 will prove to be a diet guru’s worst nightmare as it has been called Eat What You Want Day. Can’t even make this stuff up!

As for monthly festivities, here are a few to whet your appetite:

–National Barbecue Month (note how this month is spelled). If your weather hasn’t cooperated and your grilling has been minimal, this month should help you initiate your outdoor skills. Or view this as the time to eat barbecue. After all, at the end of the month, there is a mini food celebration: National Brisket Day. If you want to fire up an argument, ask a chef or BBQ owner for the brisket recipe!

–National Egg Month. Here’s an example of a food that has worked its way into daily routines and cooking schedules. Maybe it deserves a month of recognition for its across-the-board popularity unless health dictates otherwise. There’s always egg whites!

–National Hamburger Month. Maybe this year the hamburger will be celebrated as the food with the single biggest comeback or growth market. Have you not noticed how the basic burger has spawned a legion of restaurants dedicated to its renewed popularity? Name your city; you probably have a new burger spot. Why not?

If you’re on the festival lookout, this month kicks off some big ones including the 51st annual Artichoke Festiival (May 15-16) in Castroville, CA. The artichoke would not be a common globe at many dinner tables if this city hadn’t figured it out. As you’re roaming around, step over to The Giant Artichoke restaurant and discover all the recipes you never thought possible! BTW, if you go, you need to swing over to nearby Gilroy, home of the summertime Garlic Festival.poster_51

The following week focuses summer and one of the fastest growing beverage concepts, craft beers, with the celebration of American Craft Beer Week beginning May 17. Plenty of bars, restaurants, markets, and brewpubs will be in on this action. No shortage of promotions to entice.

So many foods, celebrations, and festivals make this an especially delicious food-centered month.

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The Big Day

Apr 22

Posted by admin in lifestyle, news

Although we have acknowledged the interest in an Earth Week focus, the single day, the 40th anniversary of Earth Day is today, April 22.ed2010logo_blue We have come a long way in many of our steps to save the planet, change the world, and adhere to smart environmental and ecological principles. Many businesses are in the mood to reward customers today so you’ll be surprised by the various promotions all over town, every town.

It was not that many years ago when the concept of a reusable bag was left to a small part of our population. No more. You see people everywhere holding their bags for any type of shopping excursion. Some stores trade your smaller bags for their larger ones; smart marketing and advertising on their part as long as they don’t throw away the bags!

Target has a plastic bag promotion: They want you to turn in your plastic bags by submitting them to TerraCycle, and they’ll give you a coupon to use for one of their reusable bags. Following the lead of Whole Foods Markets and others, Target recently added recycling bins near the checkout area. That’s a boost to one-stop shopping and avoidance of extra mileage trips. Starbucks hopes this Earth Day helps people understand about bringing their own tumblers for coffee so the company can lessen its use of paper cups. They’ll reward you.

Numerous grocers, restaurants, and other merchants want to be heard during this day. Get out and celebrate and make changes in your everyday routines.

Our work has just begun. We’ve learned. We still have so much to learn. It’s our only Earth.

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The Money’s on Gluten-Free

Mar 12

Posted by admin in gluten-free

It’s obvious that more diners are changing their dining out habits; grocers figured this out a long time ago with their devoted aisles and freezer sections for GF foods. On the restaurant side, look at the increase in GF menus and the expansiveness of the selections. We have come a long way from grilled veggies. Each day the list expands as more diners are opting out of the grains and looking for satisfying and healthy GF meals.

One of the early restaurant leaders with a separate menu is P.F. Chang’s, and now they have taken a significant jump and added beef entrees  (Mongolian Beef, Pepper Steak, and Beef with Broccoli, to name a few) to their already extensive menu. A great dessert, the flourless chocolate dome, fits every diner’s taste.

Daily Grill, Bertucci’s , and Mon Ami Gabi are just a few of the big players in the sitdown market space. As for fast food, consider Burger King’s new menu outreach as part of its overall Positive Steps initiative that strives to meet the needs of all diners.

As for local places, they abound: Just ask, and if need be, teach. With the rise in GF bakeries, there are plenty of options to bring out a sweet smile.nycbakery

Grocers and restaurants know one simple fact: The way to get business is to have the foods customers need. Watch as this GF space continues to grow.

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Eating Healthy

Mar 2

Posted by admin in health, lifestyle

Something happened on the roll-up to the month of March. Maybe it was the unusual weather extremes that plagued all parts of the country. Maybe it was the bad economic news and the long list of woes affecting the general population. Whatever the exact cause, one fact is clear: All the healthy eating kick-off promotions that are normally part of the January lifestyle alerts went nowhere. February was a long month of a blur, and now look where we are.

Whole Foods has decided to take its healthy message up a notch. Not that this is the first time this year they have focused their staff and customers on strategies to improve their healthy lifestyle, but this time the emphasis is on the Whole Body section of the store (and online) withe the emphasis on edfucating customers with lectures and podcasts to promote healthy energy. The philosophy focuses on an energy boost with good nutrition and smart shopping. BTW, whatever Whole Foods has done recently has positively improved their bottom line: They are a healthier company.

Fresh Direct is making it easier for NY shoppers who are already time-stressed to get on the health bandwagon. The online grocer with its commitment to farm-fresh foods just introduced a free app that’s compatible with the iPhone and the iPod touch to let customers create new orders or modify current ones. New customers will love this incentive as they’ll receive a 15% savings on their first two orders by signing up with the company and then using the app. That works.

Wegmans continues to expand its healthy eating selections under the category of “Food You Feel Good About.” Sub-categories include meals under 500 calories. There are various commonsense tips and strategies (that are worth reminding us) such as fill up half your plate with fruit and vegetables.principle3_Large

Spring’s official start is still 3 weeks away and swimsuit parading is months from then. Take advantage of the promotions, shop smart and join the health brigade. No matter the grocer or the chain, the emphasis is the same: We can all take advantage of strategies to improve our shopping experience and improve our overall health.

The advice is readily available and free. Now it’s up to us to follow it and eat healthy.

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Food News: Wrap It

Feb 28

Posted by admin in coffee, gluten-free, news

It’s that time again; the time we look back and see all the stories we did not write about. Here are some of the highlights:

–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.food rules

–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!

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Snow and Chili

Feb 25

Posted by admin in food universe, news

What a perfect pair: Today, celebrate National Chili Day,and visit your favorite local spot and grab a bowl of hot goodness. We’re divided into camps of beans-no beans, meat-no meat, and the strangest one of all: Toppings-no toppings. No matter how you enjoy chili, Today’s the day.

A large number of restaurants have figured out a marketing plan for the day to help drive traffic inside. A free bowl of chili is the way to go! A Washington DC area spot, Hard Times Cafe, has the perfect enticement: Free Chili all day long! Your choice: Texas, Cincinnati, Veggie.

Hard to be a Washingtonian and not think of Ben’s Chili Bowl. No holiday necessary to pop in for their famous half smoke topped with chili or just a big bowl of the hot stuff. Tradition.ben's

If you’re in Cincinnati, a city that has its own food trend, Cincinnati Chili, then head over to one of the Gold Star Chili locations (in Cincinnati and in neighboring states) as they get ready to join the festivities. Cincinnati chili lovers have a sweet flavor profile in their ingredient mix and often just shout-out Chili 5-ways, the works.

Texas chili, on the other hand, skips the beans and adds the firepower with some form of chili pepper.

If you’re snowed in and under, then there are plenty of basic recipes worth making. Have your at-home celebration with a cold brewski and watch the 7,000 hours of the Olympics you taped! Make it your way.

Chili today; spring a’comin’.

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A Simple Food Cover

Feb 22

Posted by admin in food, news

As we all try to save money in any number of ways, we are always on the lookout for new products that might solve a simple problem. We consider plastic wraps wasteful and fear using them in the microwave (for good reason). We buy storage containers and then spend useless minutes searching for the accompanying lids, only to discover they do not fit as tightly on the second or third pass as they originally did. Aluminum foil is another expensive covering that increases environmental waste.

Worry no more. A new product, CoverMate Food Covers are just that: Covers. They may be the perfect solution to storage anxiety. That means they can fit tightly over a bowl, dish,  platter or whatever item is holding leftovers: No need to transfer food to another container. Besides their reusability, they also solve the microwave problem as they are microwave safe and have built-in vents that let steam escape during the reheating process.foodcover

To allay the greatest worry, they are BPA, latex, and PVC-free.

No more plastic wrap that promises to unroll easily and not stick to itself. These covers stretch-to-fit.

Food storage and food safety all in one simple marketing tool!

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The Power of Gluten-Free

Feb 15

Posted by admin in gluten-free

We know that gluten-free products are literally increasing exponentially. Grocers are devoting more shelf space to this important category, and chefs are becoming more knowledgeable how to help the customer who needs a gluten-free menu. Nor are all baked goods stuck in the freezer section as more bakeries are making inroads into this important space and supplying grocers with breads with a longer shelf life.

Of course, if your needs are most strict as with celiac disease, then your requirements are quite different from those who just have a preference.  Dining out can pose a greater challenge, but there’s major improvement without the hassles of just a few years ago.

On the corporate scale, look at companies such as General Mills which have heavily advertised, front of label, their gluten-free line. Rice Chex and Corn Chex, two of the company’s long-standing cereals, now boast their special G-F properties. That’s great news as these products are readily available, and it means you can continue to make the popular Chex Mix as long as you add G-F pretzels such as those by Glutino.

If you follow strict guidelines, then ask stores you regularly shop for their G-F list. Many, such as Trader Joe’s, have quite an extensive product line, and having a printout makes shopping much easier when you know in advance what they carry. Some stores do a fabulous job having label tags that draw your eye to a product that qualifies.

If you are better off without gluten, so-called gluten intolerant, you’ll notice an increase in the number of familiar, everyday products that now list the fact that they are G-F. Study the two labels in the accompanying image and note that the one on the right touts the fact it is Gluten-Free: An important marketing tool. With “Gluten-Free” on the ingredient list, they have expanded their marketing base. Whether they have always been free of gluten or not, there’s a true advantage, a potential new customer base, in spelling out that your product is G-F.

If you look at the ingredient breakdown, you’ll notice they now also identify themselves a having 0 mg of Cholesterol. (Even though they have always been listed as a zero fat product, they want the zero cholesterol specific spelled out, too). Another marketing wave?

The breadth of product choices makes shopping in this category significantly easier than it did even a year ago as G-F product launches continue to increase.

Welcome aboard.

lea & Perrins

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Food Rocks: A Television Feast

Feb 8

Posted by admin in beverages, food universe

So much Monday quarterbacking focuses on the plays, for some the memorable parts of the game.

Me: I focus on the food ads (or that memorable part of the game), and there were a few that have people still laughing.

The 3 big players: Coke, Denny’s, and Doritos.

The score: Denny’s will fill ‘em in on Tuesday, Grand Slam free day, but in the process am sure the PETA folks are lining up. Maybe a few too many chicken jokes or is that reality placement?

Coke and Doritos performed well throughout the game and came up with a few winners.

Should do a slap laugh at enlisting Betty White in a memorable Mars (Snickers) ad–get that energy bar! Whatta winner!snickers

Can’t leave out the brews. It was a close call whether the Clydesdale’s would make it, but thankfully the love bit was a winner.

If you wanna see the staying power of ads, check out Mo Rocca’s piece on CBS Sunday Morning. This will show you the power of an ad and give you a quick sociological understanding of our demographics.

No matter what your beef is or which team came out a winner in your play book, the food ads always win.

They just keep marching on.

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