Dairy

Troy DeGroff of Earth Fare reminded us that like most grocery stores, natural food stores have stepped up their coupon and sale offerings.  Grab the sale flyer before you start to shop.  Also, look for coupons given by the store and the food manufacturers.  You may end up adjusting your grocery list to save money – yeah!  Food companies, yes, the ones with healthier products,  also have coupons on their websites. Print them out while making your shopping list.  

When you shop, go around the perimeter of the store for fresh food.  In the produce section, your best buys are likely to be the locally farmed fruits and vegetables. Buy in season, buy extra and freeze it for off season use. Even when organic squeezes your budget, there are three foods that are must buys for your health: hormone and antibiotic-free/free-range meats, eggs and dairy.  When meat is on sale, buy in quantity and freeze for future use.  The health of your family depends on this.

Buy in bulk.  Healthy rice, nuts, beans and so much more are cheaper when you fill your own bag. 

Portion control!  Plate sizes have grown with our waistlines.  We do not need to eat so much.

Get back to basics and start cooking again. There are lots of recipes for fast, easy and delicious healthier meals.  Check out www.earthfare.com for some great ones. Also, go to our website, www.FamilyFoodExperts.com.  Believe me, I don’t like to spend much time in the kitchen and I can do this!  Ask your kids to help, especially with the dishes.  Make “throw together” meals a family habit.  Many hands make for light work!

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Did you know that cheese companies spray the surface of their cheese so they won’t stick to the packaging?  Guess you can understand why.  However, apparently, many use a gluten-based spray.  How many gluten-sensitive people know this?  For those diagnosed with Celiac this is a hidden problem.  We do know that Cabot Cheese uses a vegetable-based spray.  Better check with your favorite cheese manufacturer to see what they use.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Do you have a thermometer in your refrigerator? We all should. 40 degrees (F) is the correct temperature for preventing the multiplication of bacteria and other germs. The coolest inside area is the top. That’s where your dairy and produce should be kept. Dairy on top. That’s easy for milk. How many refrigs have you seen with produce and cheese drawers up there? The best way you can monitor your foods for proper coolness is to go buy a thermometer that can attach to the wall or be placed on a shelf. This way you can monitor the temperature, especially when your kids are opening and closing the doors a million times a day. Hey, they can monitor as well – good lesson for them. I suspect this thermometer will speak more loudly than you when you say, “Shut the door!”

… for the health of your familiy,
ellen

Did you know that probiotics are not automatically found in yogurt? The fact is that probiotics were initially used for animals. Here’s the story. Chuck Kesey, a dairy scientist with a couple degrees, started a dairy farm with his wife, Sue, sixty years ago. Location: Eugene, OR. They were in operation for ten years before Chuck’s brother, Ken Kesey (author) heard that his friend, Nancy, needed a job. He suggested that she go to Chuck and apply for the book-keeping position. When she began working there, she brought her grandmother’s yogurt recipe to Chuck for product consideration. The lightbulb went on when Chuck realized that the addition of probiotics could make a huge healthy difference to her yogurt. He knew that these forms of friendly bacteria were good for the cow’s gut, and asked himself, why wouldn’t they be good for humans as well? This was the beginning of the addition of probiotics to yogurts. Thank you Chuck for improving the health of so many. Thank you for producing a pure quality of yogurt, kefir, and many other dairy products that arm us with the immune building probiotics and proteins. This company is tops at making “honest food for people.” Listen to this archived show to learn more about the quality controlled production and health benefits of Nancy’s Yogurt.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Another reason children and adults should not eat foods made with High Fructose Corn Syrup – MERCURY!  On average Americans eats 12 teaspoons of this lab-made sweetener a day.  None should be consumed.  Everyone freaks over the issue of mercury in vaccinations and its unhealthy side effects.  Now you can freak over mercury in your food.  Reports say that mercury was found in about 50 percent of the high fructose corn syrup sampled.  Another study  found mercury in about 33 percent of the products tested with high fructose corn syrup listed as the first or second ingredient – meaning there is a significant amount in the product.  We are talking about food and beverages made by well-known name brands such as Kraft, Smucker’s, Quaker and Hershey.    In addition, it was reported that dairy products, dressings and condiments made with high fructose corn syrup had the greatest detection of mercury.    Yet another research study found mercury in nine of 20 samples.*  Bottom line:  there is enough evidence already that raises serious concern about the amount of mercury kids and adults are ingesting, daily.  High fructose corn syrup is in thousands of products sold in grocery stores.  Watch for it as a sweetener in sodas, fruit drinks, bread, cereal, bars, lunch meats, soups … in any product that has a sweet taste.  Bet you did not realize that bread and lunch meats are sweetened.  Read your labels and do NOT buy, serve or eat any containing high fructose corn syrup.

… for the health of your family,
ellen

Jane Bryant,  www.foodnavigator-usa.com, Jan, 28, 2009