Category Archives: Food

I’ve always loved food. And after learning how to be a pretty good cook, I thought, how cool would it be to work with food everyday. So for most of my adult life, I’ve been working in the food industry in one form or fashion. It’s this experience that lead me to write my book, FAT PROFITS. Now while FAT PROFITS tells the story about a corrupt food company, I can honestly say that company does not exist. That said, I’ve seen some disturbing trends in the food industry over the past 20 years, and I’m passionate about trying to improve the quality of the food we eat. After all, if the old adage “you are what you eat” is true, these days we can’t even pronounce each other’s name. If that doesn’t make sense to you, start reading some ingredient labels. I guarantee if you’re eating like most Americans, they read more like a lab experiment than something that’s truly good for you. Please, do yourself a favor and check your labels out.

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Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie: Made From Scratch?

A closer look at Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie ingredients tells a different story!

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Although Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie claims to be prepared from scratch, a closer look at its ingredients tells a different story!I grew up eating frozen Chicken Pot Pie. As a child of a working mom in the 70’s and 80’s, Swanson Chicken Pot Pies were one of her go-to solutions for getting a meal on the table after a long day of work.

While I’m not exactly sure what was in those Swanson Chicken Pot Pies, my jaw dropped when I saw a recent advertisement by Marie Callender.

Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie TV Commercial

Here’s a full script of Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie advertisement:

Marie believes that her chicken pot pie gives you the perfect recipe for catching up with family. So she takes the time to prepare a golden flaky crust made from scratch and mixes crisp vegetables with all white meat and bakes it to perfection. Because Marie Callender knows that making the perfect dinner isn’t as easy as pie, but finding someone to enjoy it sure is. Marie Callender’s—It’s time to savor! And now there’s even more to savor with family sized pot pies.

 

What so wrong with this ad?

The line that really gets under my skin is:

“So she takes the time to prepare golden flaky crust made from scratch.” (more…)

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Quaker Breakfast Flats … A Healthy Breakfast or a Breakfast Cookie?

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Breakfast can be one of the hardest meals of the day, especially if you’re not a morning person. Yes, that “not a morning person” comment needs a big arrow pointing at me. 🙂 So marketing healthy, convenient breakfast foods is literally a goldmine for food companies. But are most of these products really healthy? Let’s take a closer look at one of the newest “healthy” breakfast products on the block—Quaker Breakfast Flats.

Quaker Breakfast Flats market themselves as wholesome and full of real ingredients. But are they healthy, or really a cookie in disguise?

 

Honestly, these are one of those products I want to love. They’re available in three varieties (Cranberry Almond, Banana Honey Nut, and Golden Raisin Cinnamon), and they sound delicious and healthy. (more…)

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7 Simple Steps For A Healthier Super Bowl Sunday

PLUS over a dozen recipe ideas to get you started!

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It’s that time of year again. Super Bowl time. And with the constant hype about the game, the commercials, and the parties that surround this mega event, it’s easy to become a bit jaded if you’re trying to eat healthy. After all, the Super Bowl is reported to be the second-largest day for food consumption in the United States, right after Thanksgiving.

7 Simple Steps For A Healthier Super Bowl Sunday

But rather than getting all grumbly about things, I think you can still have a great Super Bowl Sunday. How? Here are my 7 Simple Steps For a Healthier Super Bowl Sunday! (more…)

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Leggo My Eggo?

Why we should shelve most ready-made waffles for good!

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Leggo My Eggo! I think more than any other commercial of my youth, those three little words were burned into my memory. Why? I’m not exactly sure. Perhaps it’s that two of the three words are totally made up. Or maybe it’s because the ad’s underlying premise of a father taking food from his son caught my attention. 😕

What's in your waffle? Is it healthy? Unfortunately it's probably not!

But what should we think of this whole fuss over a frozen waffle? Is this waffle worth fighting over? No—especially not in a good way.

What’s in Eggo Waffles?

In fact, after looking at what’s in an Eggo Waffle, I think that’s one battle I’d gladly lose. Why? Here’s a quick run-down of what’s in the top-selling Eggo Homestyle waffles: (more…)

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Is Organic Food Better For You?

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Organic foods are growing like gangbusters, but are they really better for you? Is organic worth the higher cost? There are certainly plenty of opinions on both sides of this debate. In fact, people can get pretty vocal on this topic with responses ranging from some swearing by organic to others calling it a huge scam. What’s the truth? Here’s my take on this hot topic.

Is organic the right choice for you, or is it a complete sham?

So What Does Organic Really Mean?

To really answer the question “is organic food better for you,” I think it’s best to start at the very beginning. That means understanding what the term organic really means when it comes to food. (more…)