Frugal Shopping Is Here to Stay
July 17, 2010

The vast majority of consumers (92%) have changed their shopping behavior in the last two years, with 89% indicating they've become more resourceful and 84% stating they are more precise when they shop, according to "The 2010 American Pantry Study: The New Rules of the Shopping Game" released earlier this week by Deloitte and Harrison Group.

Although new approaches are generally based on spending less, 65% don't feel like they're sacrificing much. In fact, segments accounting for about 80% of shoppers actually consider the changes they've made the source of emotional and practical rewards so they have little intention of returning to their old ways, according to researchers.

Many have turned to private labels, with three in four (75%) indicating that they're more open to trying them vs. two years ago. Eighty-five percent have found several store brands that are just as good as national brands.

"We continue to witness consumers creating a whole new rule book and skill set for shopping that's based on value, not boasting of brands," said Pat Conroy, vice chairman of Deloitte's consumer product practice leader in the U.S., in a statement. "Our analysis concludes that personal gratification and a desire to feel smart about what consumers are putting in their shopping carts are trumping brand satisfaction, and that price-consciousness, value-orientation and bargain-hunting will remain prevalent for years to come."

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Silent Sodium in our Favorite Eats
July 17, 2010

Salt has received a bad rap in recent years. And rightly so - it has been linked to everything from rising blood-pressure levels to cancer.

Like many things in life, though - think about alcohol, sugar and high-carb foods such as bread and pasta - it has received a bad reputation through over-consumption.

In fact, salt, like water, is absolutely essential to our health. Without enough salt, we can suffer deep fatigue, dehydration, hyperthyroidism and even death.

Salt, both natural and common salt, is a preservative and flavor-enhancer in foods. But why do nine out of ten Americans consume far beyond the recommended intake of sodium every day? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the culprit is processed and restaurant foods- even those foods that don't necessarily taste salty!

General U.S. dietary guidelines suggest that adults consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily, but this applies to fewer than one third of Americans. The rest, a whopping 70 percent of the population -middle aged, elderly, or African-American- should consume less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. The CDC calculates that if everyone followed these guidelines there would be as many as 120,000 fewer cases of heart disease and up to 66,000 fewer strokes each year.

So, where is the sodium coming from? Most all of our food contributes to daily sodium intake, but a whopping 77 percent comes from processed and restaurant foods while only about 10 percent comes from the shaker. A recent CDC update names five foods that seem to be staples in the American diet as contributing the most sodium.

Yeast breads: this basically means bread! Whether it's what you use to make a sandwich, dip in soups, or enjoy alongside a meal, bread is contributing to a huge amount of our sodium intake!

Chicken and mixed chicken dinners. Have you ever made chicken at home and added a nice amount of salt? Restaurants and prepackaged chicken meals contain salt as well, between the various sauces, seasonings and the side dishes, these chicken meals contain much more sodium than you could imagine adding at home.

Pizza. What is it about pizza that makes it on this list? The dough! Pizza dough is in essence a yeast bread, and to get that super savory, make you want to come back for more taste, pizza you eat out or do not cook from scratch contains a hefty amount of sodium.

Pasta Dishes. For the same reasons as mixed chicken dinners and pizza, consumers are getting their fare share of sodium in pasta dishes.

Cold cuts: That's right, deli meats are contributing significantly to our daily sodium intake. If possible, choose the low or no-sodium counterpart to your favorite deli meat- you can add salt at home if you need to, in comparison it will be much less than the full salt version.

What's the best way to cut down on your sodium intake? Supermarket Guru has some tips! Cook more at home, choose fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables- with no added sodium (check the ingredients). Your taste buds will acclimate soon enough and you will learn to prefer foods that are less salty. When using canned vegetables or beans- that may contain salt as a preservative, rinse well with water to remove as much salt as possible. Cut back on processed foods; read and compare labels. Consider eating out a treat!

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Food dyes pose risks to consumers
July 17, 2010

Have you ever wonder when you look at brightly colored breakfast cereals and fruit drinks how these items can be real food? They don't look real because they're loaded with artificial food dyes - dyes that can be harmful to your health.

Food dyes, used in thousands of food products, pose risks of cancer, hyperactivity in children, and allergies and should be banned, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy organization.

The three most widely used dyes - Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 - are contaminated with known carcinogens, says the center. Another dye, Red 3, has been acknowledged for years by the Food and Drug Administration to be a carcinogen, but is still in the food supply.??Consumers eating more and more food dyes

Every year, manufacturers dump about 15 million pounds of eight synthetic dyes into foods in America. Per capita consumption of dyes has increased five-times since 1955, due in part to brightly colored breakfast cereals, fruit drinks, and candies designed to appeal to children.

Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 have been known for years to cause allergic reactions in some people. The center says that while these reactions aren't common, they can be serious and provide reason enough to ban those dyes. In addition, studies have demonstrated that dyes cause hyperactivity in children.

However, cancer is the biggest concern, according to the center. In 1985, the acting commissioner of the FDA said that Red 3, one of the lesser-used dyes, "has clearly been shown to induce cancer" and was "of greatest public health concern." Each year about 200,000 pounds of Red 3 are poured into such foods as Betty Crocker's Fruit Roll-Ups and ConAgra's Kid Cuisine frozen meals. Since 1985, more than five million pounds of the dye have been used.

Tests on lab animals of Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 showed signs of causing cancer, says the center. Yellow 5 also caused mutations, an indication of possible carcinogenicity, in six of 11 tests.

New report describes risks

In addition, FDA tests show that the three most-widely used dyes - Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 - are tainted with low levels of cancer-causing compounds, including benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl in Yellow 5, according to the center's report "Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks."

FDA's regulations mandate a stricter standard of safety for color additives than other food additives, saying that there must be "convincing evidence that establishes with reasonable certainty that no harm will result from the intended use of the color additive." The standard of "convincing evidence" doesn't apply to preservatives, emulsifiers, and other additives.

Center calls for ban on food dyes

The center charges that the FDA isn't enforcing the law. It has sent a letter to the FDA urging the agency to ban all dyes because the scientific studies don't provide convincing evidence of safety, but do provide significant evidence of harm.

Many natural colorings are available to replace dyes, the center says. They include beet juice, beta-carotene, blueberry juice concentrate, carrot juice, grape skin extract, paprika, purple sweet potato or corn, red cabbage, and turmeric.

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Summer Fun and Food Allergies
July 17, 2010

We all know that summertime means barbeques, picnics and tons of parties and fun, but this can be a very difficult time for allergy sufferers. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), over 12 million Americans struggle with food allergies that can ruin the summer fun, by causing problems ranging from the mild (itchy bumps and stomachaches) to the severe and life-threatening (swelling of the throat and difficulty breathing). Supermarket Guru wants everybody to have a great problem-free summer and party season and that is certainly achievable with a little preparation.

To be food allergy savvy at you next picnic, whether you are party planning or have food allergies yourself, ACAAI has put together the following tips for keeping food allergies off the menu:
� Consider condiment packs - Instead of large containers of condiments, use individual-sized packets of ketchup, mustard, relish and mayonnaise. These condiment packs will prevent cross contamination that can occur when sharing large containers.
� Pack foods separately - When preparing for a get-together away from home, pack allergic and non-allergic foods in separate containers.
� Use a plastic tablecloth - In addition to dressing up your barbecue or picnic, a tablecloth prevents guests from coming in contact with any allergy-causing food particles left on the table from previous meals.
� Provide a serving utensil for each food item - Separate utensils help reduce cross contamination between dishes. And be sure you have enough plates, cups, napkins and utensils so no one will have to share.
� Carry medications - If you or a loved one has had allergic reactions to food in the past, be sure to have emergency medications on hand just in case unrecognized food allergens are hiding in picnic treats.
� Serve allergic guests first - Grill foods for guests with allergies first, or cook the items on a fresh piece of aluminum foil. Also, allow guests with allergies to dig into the food first, before cross-contamination of items can occur.
� Remember the wipes - For get-togethers in forest preserves and other natural areas, soap and water might be tough to come by, so come prepared with disinfecting wipes and gel. Cleaning hands and faces after eating helps reduce the likelihood of allergy-causing food particles being passed during play.
� Check cell phone coverage - If your picnic or barbecue is away from home, be sure you can get a cell phone signal in the area to call 911 if someone has a severe allergic reaction.

With these eight tips from ACAAI you're sure to be enjoying the summer fun regardless of food allergies.

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Ordering Wine in Restaurants
July 10, 2010

Ordering wine at a restaurant can sometimes be a little intimidating, but with this list of helpful questions answered by the Wine Market Council, you'll be perusing the wine list with confidence and ordering with ease.

I'm at a loss when it comes to choosing a wine in a restaurant. Do you have any suggestions for wading through a wine list?

After you have decided what you will have to eat, consider the lightness or heaviness of the dish and the sauce. Keep in mind the following food and wine matching guidelines:

Match light wines with light foods (this can either be a light white wine or a light red wine)

Try a wine with just a touch of sweetness (called off-dry wine) with savory foods that have a bit of sweetness to them

If a food is acidic try a wine that is high in acid for balance

Bitter foods will accentuate bitterness in a wine so try a wine that is not overly tannic with bitter foods

More tannic wines will balance astringent foods.

If the wine list is organized by varietal, decide if you want to order red, white, or ros� to help cut down on your choices. If the wine list is progressive (wines are listed in order from lightest to fullest-bodied) you can then choose your wine by matching the lightness/heaviness of your food with body style of the wine.

Why is wine in a restaurant more expensive than if I bought it at a retail store?

Many restaurants charge two to three times their cost for a bottle of wine. Some restaurants use a sliding scale: they will mark up a less expensive bottle of wine more than they will a more expensive one. There are also business-related reasons for the mark up: the cost of storing the wine, training qualified wine staff and wait staff, and the cost of replacing broken stemware. Some restaurants may also allow you to bring your own bottle of wine and charge a corkage fee. Many restaurants will also offer you a free sample of the house wine or a special wine they've chosen, and most restaurants will offer wines by the glass in a broad range of prices. Trying different wines by the glass can prove an inexpensive way to discover new wines you like.

At a restaurant what are you supposed to do when the server hands you the cork?

You don't need to sniff the cork if you don't want to. But by squeezing the bottom end of the cork, a little of the wine can be sniffed to be sure it smells like wine and does not have a moldy odor of tainted cork. The real proof, though, is in the smell and taste of the wine itself - let your own good taste be your guide.

When is it OK to send a bottle of wine back in a restaurant?

Only when the bottle of wine is truly bad; that is "corked" or oxidized. A wine is not considered bad if you simply don't like it. If the wine is corked it will have an unpleasant corky or moldy taste. If it is oxidized (air has gotten by the cork), it will have an off taste or aroma reminiscent of sherry. If you think the wine is bad, inform your server; they should take it back.

Is there specific etiquette I should follow when a bottle of wine is brought to my table in a restaurant?

Here are the typical steps the server may go through when serving a bottle of wine, and how you may wish to respond:

1) They show the bottle, label showing, to the person who ordered the wine. This is just to make sure they brought you the correct bottle of wine. Check the wine label to make sure it is what you ordered.
2) They open the bottle and may hand you the cork or place it on the table. If they hand you the cork, you have no obligation to sniff it. If you do, you are simply making sure that the bottom of the cork, where the wine has been in contact, does not smell moldy (like wet cardboard). But you may politely decline when offered the cork and look forward to tasting the wine.
3) The server will then pour 1/3 of a glass of wine for you to taste. This is your chance to determine if the wine is bad or not. It rarely will be bad. You can swirl the wine to release the aroma if you like, smell it and taste it.

When I am asked by the wine steward to taste a wine I've chosen at a restaurant, what am I supposed to look for?

After the wine steward or server pours you a taste of wine, it is your chance to determine if the wine is bad or not. It rarely will be bad. You can swirl the wine to release the aroma, smell it and taste it to make this determination. Or, you can simply taste it without any fanfare. If it would make you feel more comfortable and you are confident the wine is fine, you can pass on tasting the wine and prompt the server to serve it.

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Dispelling the Gulf Seafood Myths
July 10, 2010

Just as Americans are getting the message that a diet rich in seafood will lead to healthier lives, it appears that the media is undermining the messages with their own "fish tales" of unsafe seafood from the impact of the BP oil spill on the fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.

Reports from major news agencies including CNN are stating that 40 percent of fish harvested in the continental 48 states come from the Gulf of Mexico, where the spill occurred. This is not true and in fact only 2 percent of the seafood that Americans consume comes from the Gulf and only 17 percent of the seafood Americans eat is domestic!

According to new data from a continuing survey conducted by the University of Minnesota, Americans are very concerned about the oil spill's potential impact on the safety of Gulf seafood. When asked how the oil spill will affect their consumption of seafood, 54 percent report some impact, with 44 percent of that group saying they will only eat seafood that they know it does not come from the Gulf of Mexico, and another 31 percent say they will eat less seafood regardless of where it comes from.

Here are some simple facts:

� Seafood from the Gulf of Mexico is safe and healthy because the waters surrounding the spill are closed to fishing. Officials have tested thousands of samples from the rest of the Gulf and have found no contamination. In fact officials are testing more seafood than in the past and haven't had to reject a single fish for contamination.
� Check out Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch website or app to help determine which fish are best to eat. Monterey Bay even has a few pocket guides that you can bring when shopping. The program rates fish on a range of issues including the status of the wild stock, the management of farmed fish, and bycatch issues.
� When shopping be sure to check the label for country of origin- certain countries are known to have lax fishing policies. Supermarket Guru recommends you ask your fish monger or print out a list of Monterey Bay's 'best choices' in seafood when shopping.
� Research the current status of safe fishing choices and the progress in the Gulf at these sites - National Fisheries Institute, Seafood Watch, FishWatch, and the Food & Drug Administration .
� Daily updates regarding the ongoing commercial seafood harvest are also available by calling the toll-free Florida Seafood Hotline at 1-800-357-4273 or by visiting www.FL-Seafood.com or www.louisianaseafoodnews.com.

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Planting technique greases the wheels of olive oil production
July 10, 2010

The USA is the world's third-largest consumer of olive oil, but a paltry 1% of the silky liquid so beloved by Rachael Ray and a host of chefs is produced here. An entrepreneurial band of olive ranchers wants to change that - using what some in the industry term an "outlandish" growing method borrowed from Spain.

The planting technique, called super-high-density planting, or SHD, means that this year, the United States is set to surpass France in the production of extra virgin olive oil, says Patricia Darragh of the California Olive Oil Council in Berkeley, Calif. The upset comes because the new method of growing the prized fruit is sweeping California's olive orchards, lowering costs and leading farmers who have grown wheat, corn and alfalfa to instead plant olives.

"It's the quintessential example of a disruptive technology," says Adam Englehardt of California Olive Ranch, which planted the first super-high-density orchard in the USA in 1999.

Still labor-intensive

Traditionally, olives required hand harvesting, though the romantic image of gangs of workers heading out to the orchards with ladders to pick the crop is mostly long gone. Today, even low-tech harvesting is done with tarps on the ground while laborers beat the trees with sticks or, more often, mechanical harvesters that shake the branches, says Bob Bauer, president of the North American Olive Oil Association in Neptune, N.J.

But even those techniques have made American olive oil too expensive to compete with oil from countries where either production is heavily subsidized, such as the European Union, or there is ready access to cheap labor, says Dan Flynn, director of the University of California-Davis Olive Center. Some mechanization has come to harvest, but it was still labor intensive.

Spain, Italy, Turkey and Morocco account for the lion's share of production, according to the International Olive Council.

But a growing technique first developed in Spain in the early 1990s may change that. Historically, olives have been grown at about 70 to 100 trees per acre. But at a recent conference coordinated by the Davis Olive Center, more than 100 growers from across California gathered to learn about SHD production. It involves planting olives in tightly packed rows, on average 670 an acre, on trellis systems much like grapes, Flynn says. As the trees grow, they're pruned and trimmed so the row forms one long, continuous bush or hedgerow. When the olives are ripe, rolling machines, called over-the-row harvesters, envelop the hedgerow, beating the fruit off with inch-thick rods. "It's kind of like beating the trees with a baseball bat about 60 times a second," says Matt Lohse of Carriere Family Farms in Glenn, Calif.

The SHD trees produce less than traditional ones, but with more trees per acre, the yield is about the same, he says. The SHD trees also begin producing within three years, compared with five to 10 years for traditionally grown olive trees. And they're cheaper.

"For me to handpick, it's $500 a ton. Now I've got a $40,000 harvesting machine that makes it $50 per ton. It allows me to compete," Englehardt says.

That price shift could allow the United States to become a player in what historically has been a Mediterranean commodity - especially here at home. Almost all the new type of orchards are in California, though there are a few growers experimenting with it in Texas, Arizona and Georgia.

Mechanization also allows the olives to be pressed and the oil bottled quickly - the key to high-quality olive oil, says Darragh. "Olive oil is effectively a fruit juice, and you don't want it older than two years."

An alternative to other crops

Today there are about 200,000 acres of super-high-density olive orchards, sometimes called hedgerow planting, worldwide, says Davis' Flynn. Half of those are in Spain. But Portugal, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Morocco and Tunisia also are switching to this kind of planting. There were about 17,000 acres of SHD olives in California as of 2009, where they make up about two-thirds of olive orchards for oil, he says.

The technique also makes olives a viable alternative to other, more water-hungry crops, says Samuel Nevis, president of Butte Basin Management Co. in Marysville, Calif., which manages farms and ranches in California. "We've converted alfalfa, corn and wheat to olives," he says.

Spain, which invented the technique, is paying attention. Lluis Perez-Grau of the Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology in Spain says he attended the conference to see what American farmers are doing with the technique.

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Organic Eggs: More Expensive, But No Healthier
July 10, 2010

This year, like every year, has been a busy one for America's chickens. What the birds lack in smarts they make up in work ethic, laying about 78 billion eggs annually (or 6.5 billion dozen), supplying a $7 billion industry. GM should be doing so well.

Like any other workers, hens turn out economy products, premium products and luxury products - known as factory eggs, cage-free eggs and organic eggs - and consumers pay accordingly. A recent survey conducted in one random city - Athens, Ga. - found factory eggs going for $1.69 per dozen, cage-free for $2.99 to $3.59, and organic for $3.99 to a whopping $5.38.

But it's worth it to pay more because you're getting a healthier product, right? Wrong. Most of the time, according to a just-released study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the eggs are indistinguishable. When there is a difference, it's often the factory eggs that are safer. (See photos of chefs preparing meals in the fields where the food is grown.)

The study, led by food technologist Deana Jones, was not designed to explore the question of which egg-laying conditions are best for the hens themselves - simply because there is no question. Factory hens are confined in what are known as battery cages, which leave them crowded and all but immobilized, reduced to little more than egg laying machines. Free-range and organic chickens have different degrees of freedom to move and are raised on varying levels of higher quality feed. There's no question what kind of life the birds prefer.

What Jones and her colleagues wanted to learn about is whether a happy hen in fact produces a better product. To do that, they relied principally on something known as the Haugh unit - a highly specialized egg-quality metric developed by food technologist Raymond Haugh in 1937. The white of an egg is where all of its protein is found; it's made of both thin albumen - the watery fluid that runs farthest from the yolk when the egg is cracked into a cold pan - and the thick albumen, the more-viscous fluid that stays closer to the middle. The greater the amount of thick albumen, the more nutritious the egg. (See a TIME special on figuring out food labels.)

"The Haugh unit factors together the weight of the egg and the thickness of the albumen layer at the center," says Jones. And that number, she found in her study, is not affected a whit by how any hen is raised. "We found no meaningful differences at all," she says. "We sampled eggs from a number of stores and kept getting the same results over and over. For shoppers, the decision comes down to your ethical and moral choices."

That, at least, is all that's involved when it comes to egg nutrition. But what about about safety? Don't organic eggs have the edge in terms of antibiotics and other contaminants? Surprisingly, the USDA has not devoted a great deal of study to the antibiotic question, mostly because the drugs are used sparingly in the egg-laying industry-at least compared to the cattle industry, in which even healthy animals are kept dosed to prevent infections. (See pictures of what makes you eat more food.)

"There's just very little research I've seen on this," says USDA immunologist and microbiologist Peter Holt. "Hens are not routinely treated with antibiotics, though they may be if they're sick." In those cases, the eggs the birds produce lose their organic designation temporarily, until the drugs have cleared their systems.

The bigger problem comes with the environmental contaminants, and here the factory eggs have the edge. Research in both the U.S. and the European Union, for example, has shown that free range chickens have higher levels of PCBs, simply because they get out more and can peck almost anywhere. "There was a study in California of a free range or organic farm with a wood processing facility nearby," says Holt. "The chickens there had 100 times the PCB level of battery cage chickens." A Brazilian study found something similar with DDT, even though the pesticide, which is very slow to degrade, hadn't been used in the area in nine years. "You really have to know the history of the land before you can be sure it's safe," Holt says.(Comment on this story.)

A final mistake health conscious consumers make - though it didn't take the new USDA study to reveal it - is believing that the color of an egg makes a difference and that brown shells are somehow better than white ones. They're not. Color is determined entirely by the breed of chicken laying it, and the fact that brown eggs often cost a little more has nothing to do with quality. "It simply takes more feed to get a brown shell species to lay," says Jones. "You're paying that additional production cost." As in any other industry, when the workers get a raise - even if it's chickenfeed - you'll see it on the price tag.

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Obesity Rates Jump in 28 States
July 3, 2010

Americans are continuing to get fat, with obesity rates nudging upwards in 28 states over the past year, a new report shows.

"More than two-thirds of states now have adult obesity rates above 25 percent," Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America's Health, said during a Tuesday news conference. "Back in 1991, not that long ago, not a single state had an obesity rate above 20 percent. There's been a dramatic change in a relatively short period."

"Obesity is one of the biggest public health crises in the country," Levi added. "Rising rates of obesity over past decades is one of the major factors behind skyrocketing health care costs in the U.S., one-quarter of which are related to obesity."

Mississippi weighed in for the sixth year in a row as the fattest state, with 33.8 percent of its adults obese, while Alabama and Tennessee tied for second (31.6 percent).

The other top 10, also concentrated in the south, were West Virginia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Arkansas, South Carolina and Michigan tying with North Carolina for 10th place (29.4 percent).

Michigan was the only state in the top 11 not in the South, an anomaly perhaps explained by the state's economy.

"Michigan certainly has been very hard hit, not just in the recent recession, but in the last decade or so," Levi explained.

And, as the report also shows, income is a major driver of the obesity epidemic. More than 35 percent of adults bringing in less than $15,000 a year were obese, vs. only 24.5 percent in the over-$50,000 income bracket.

The healthiest states in terms of weight were congregated in the Northeast and West.

Colorado (19.1 percent) came in first, followed by Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, Montana and New Jersey. The District of Columbia was the only region to experience a decline in obesity rates.

In addition to geographic and economic differences, this year's report also focused on racial and ethnic disparities, finding that blacks and Latinos bear the brunt of the obesity problem. Blacks and Latinos outweighed whites in at least 40 states plus D.C.
"Just over 30 percent of African-Americans and nearly 40 percent of Latino children are overweight versus 29 percent of white children," Angela Glover Blackwell, founder and chief executive officer of PolicyLink, said during the teleconference.

As with adults, this puts them at higher risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease.

Racial/ethnic differences are closely intertwined with economic inequalities.

"The link between poverty, race and obesity is undeniable," Glover Blackwell said. "For example, Mississippi, the poorest state in nation with an African-American population of more than 37 percent, has the highest obesity rate of any state and highest proportion of obese children."

Poor and minority neighborhoods lack safe streets and parks in which to exercise and many are also so-called "food deserts."

"Twenty-three million African-Americans do not have access to a grocery store within a mile of where they live, and only 8 percent of African-Americans live in a census tract with a grocery store," Glover Blackwell said.

A poll on childhood obesity included in this year's report found that 16.4 percent of children aged 10 to 17 are obese and 18.2 percent are overweight. Although the rates are troubling, the trend may have stabilized, the report said.

But the issue is at least getting on the radar, with 80 percent of Americans saying they believe "childhood obesity is a significant and growing challenge for the country."

Some glimmers of hope have also appeared on the horizon, including "three major developments at the federal level," Dr. James Marks, senior vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said during the teleconference. "This includes First Lady Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' program; health care legislation that includes support for obesity-related projects; and many states and communities have mandated nutritional standards for school meals and snacks as well as foods sold in schools."

"In the last few years, promising programs and policies have increased exponentially, but our response as a nation has yet to fully match magnitude of problem," Levi said.

The report was co-authored by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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4th of July Hot Dog Tips
July 3, 2010

Happy Birthday America! And what better way to celebrate than to serve up one of Americas favorite foods... so get ready to fire up the grill and cook some hot dogs!


Below you'll find fool proof cooking tips and delicious recipe suggestions that will ensure your hot dogs, whatever style you choose, are true crowd pleasers.

Quick Cooking Tips

Hot Dogs can be grilled, steamed, boiled, micro-waved, or baked

If you are grilling your dogs make sure to control the heat to a medium or medium low heat, charcoal is best.

Use tongs to handle the franks as they cook instead of a fork. This way you won't pierce holes in the franks allowing for the delicious juices to remain inside- this is sure to satisfy your guests!

Chili Dogs- great to make with the kids!

Ingredients:

Hot Dogs 

2 � cup Corn Meal

1 � cup Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

� tsp Salt

1 tbsp Sugar

1 � cup Buttermilk

1 cup Water

1 egg

Directions:

1. Skewer the franks- leaving at least an inch of the skewer for easily handling

2. Mix all of the ingredients until smooth. Use a cake pan or bowl that will allow for easy dipping 

3. Dip skewered franks in the batter

4. Deep fry until golden brown (canola oil works best)

5. Enjoy!

Kebab Dogs

This is another fun recipe for kids and also a great way to include vegetables

Ingredients:

Hot Dogs (cut into bite size chunks)

Bell Peppers- you choose your favorite colors! 

Red Onion

Or Your Favorite Vegetables

Directions:

Lightly brush the cut veggies in olive oil- and skewer, alternating the franks and veggies! Grill until veggies are tender and franks are cooked

Dip in mustard, ketchup, bbq sauce or your favorite condiment

Enjoy!

And if you still need more suggestions... Take a look at the list below, and why not set up a condiment bar so your guests can choose the toppings of their choice and celebrate some of America's cities and tastes while taking a trip on a hot dog bun!
There's no going wrong here... they choose it... and are sure to be satisfied!!

Chicago Dogs: Yellow mustard, dark green relish, chopped raw onions, tomato slices, celery salt and a poppy seed bun

Carolina Dogs: steamed with sauerkraut or coleslaw

Kansas City Dogs: sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese on a sesame seed bun.

New York City Dogs: boiled with grilled onions and deli mustard

Coney Island Dogs: boiled and topped with a spicy meat chili.

Tex-Mex Dogs: topped with salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, and chopped jalapenos.

Boston Dogs: boiled, then grilled topped with mustard and relish in a potato bun or lobster roll
To make it easier on the chef- choose one method of cooking (grilling, steaming, or boiling) and stick to it!

Posted by Clay Kohut at 12:00 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print