You can be sure whenever an industry’s cash flow is threatened, the PR propagandists are going to working overtime, spinning faux concern to the public. This is most obvious in a recent press release riddled with confusing euphemisms entitled “School Partnerships”; a document regarding school district beverage vending policy. It’s wise to remember, however, that when the fox is watching the henhouse it is only a ruse. This great declaration of corporation concern was declared on August 17, 2005 has more holes than a collander.

This document paints childhood obesity as a big problem that should be addressed by promoting healthy lifestyles, a balanced diet and regular physical exercise. Who would disagree with such a self-evident statement?

Next is a list of associations exhorting the importance of a parental role in the execution of the above mentioned virtues. This responsibility, however, is everyone’s job. Alas their industry (which has long provided “refreshing and tasty soda") believes their products have a place in this healthy lifestyle as long as young soda drinkers are following a balanced diet and exercising frequently. It’s difficult to believe that the educated and smart youngster who maintains a balanced diet and works out regularly is really interested in wolfing down 24 ounces of colored sugar water. Their exact words were: “We believe our products have a place in a healthy lifestyle and these products are appropriate for young people who follow balanced diets and are physically active.” This statement appears ludicrous, when one considers that truly healthy lifestyles have no need or desire for drinks full of empty calories.

The document then addresses the importance of variety. They offer in this order ( which is not the order in which they are currently consumed) bottled water, 100% fruit juices, juice drinks, dairy based milk drink, sports drinks, teas and sodas. Notice sodas were mentioned last. I observed that reduced sugar juice drinks are not mentioned. Dole has made a light 50% less sugar berry blend with only 13 grams of sugar per 8 oz. serving size; Tropicana’s light offering has 30 grams. These prove that there are reasonable choices for flavored beverages. Unfortunately, the profit margin is higher on the sugary choices.

The beverage industry realizes that there is considerable discussion of sales of soft drinks in schools. They claim to recognize that at school children are not under direct supervision of a parent thus raising unique issues! This is an excuse, as there is nothing unique or new about not wanting our kids strung out on sugary sodas. They propose to solve this problem for us by adopting “responsible school vending policies” and working with school districts to provide a mix of products meeting needs of school administrators and parents. The beverage manufacturers concluded that a new-industry wide school beverage policy would enable them to better partner with parent and schools enhancing the role of community decision making over the sale of beverages in school. This seems to state that school administrators can’t possibly create a reasonable nutritional policy without help from the industry.

The industry-recommended policy goes on to make the following statements which strike me as a case of “too little, too late"! The beverage industry states that after having worked with parent and community leaders and school officials, they want to do more to help children make good lifestyle choices. Why would a soda pop tycoon be suddenly interested in improving their product choices to suit a healthier lifestyle? If you examine the document closely, it appears that they want greater control over available choices for younger children in the school environment and suggest that older children should have more beverage choices, in this case, more cola and soft drinks – which is quite contrary to what local school officials and community leaders want for their children. This represents the bulk of the ABA’s (American Beverage Association) response to groups adopting new policies regarding the availability of vending machine beverages. With the watered down version of soda control the industry presents perhaps their soda profits will be maintained. Effectively, the ABA is trying to “head them off at the pass", like in an old western. You can find this document at: http://www.ameribev.org/schools/vending_policy.asp

In the meantime, the industry is working to develop new types of beverages which will mollify their critics. As they continue to develop innovative beverages choices they will remain vigilant in forcing their policies upon local schools. Allow me to list their goals.

1. Provide only bottled water and 100% fruit juice to elementary schools
2. Provide nutritious and/or lower calorie beverages to middle school students, such as bottled water, 100% juice, sports drinks, no calorie soft drinks and low-cal juice drinks. No full- calorie soft drinks or full calorie juice drinks containing 5% or less of real juice will be provided until after school hours.
3. Provide a variety of beverage choices to high school students such as bottled 100% juice, sports drinks, juice drinks. No more than 50% of vending machines will be soft drinks.

This is The Strategic Alliance of Oakland consumer group [website, email] has to say about this PR fairy tale spun by the ABA:

“These guidelines are all about PR, not students health. The industry announced its new guidelines as political cover from much deserved criticism for their role in promoting unhealthy products . A growing movement of parents, school administrators and teacher demanding only healthy drinks to be sold in schools. This is a threat to the soda industry.”

“These guide lines are a distraction. Schools are supposed to teach children life skills. If children are being taught about health in school, and then being sold things that aren’t healthy there, it is not only a mixed message but also not in line with the mission of schools.”

What do you think about beverage policy in our schools? Leave comments here and get involved with your local consumer group or PTA.

BRUSH INSTEAD OF SPONGE: The cleaning industry seems determined to overflow us with convenient (throw-away) products. They are wasteful and an environmental nuisance. Among those undesirable cleaning accessories is the common sponge; it’s made out of cellulose and it is great housing for all kind of germs. Thus, I recommend using a brush or a washcloth — easily cleaned in a little hot water and bleach — for dish and pot washing instead of a sponge. Both do a better job than the sponge and will last much longer. For wiping down your counters, I suggest a 100% cotton waffle-weave washcloth which can be tossed in your regular wash. Here’s another cleaning tip: for loosening food dried onto counters or pots, simply cover the spots with a cloth soaked in really hot water and let sit for awhile.

ONION WISDOM: While onions may be odorous and unappealing to some, they contain anti-oxidants which fight cancer. One cup of chopped onions contains only 65 calories. Onions can liven up most cooked entrees and green onions are favored in salads. I discourage the use of onions in soup mixes or other dried food because these are high in sodium. To reduce the intensity of the onion, place it in your freezer for a half an hour before cutting it. Choose a smaller onion; larger onions need to have 2 outer layers removed and thrown away. To remove the smell of onions from your hands, rub your hands with lemon juice. You can buy a gadget at a hardware shop which resembles a comb with sharp steel prongs that will hold your onion in place while you slice it. Food processors will chop onions but not in uniform pieces; a Chinese cleaver will bring more satisfying results. Onions are very cheap and flavorful, making them a great bargain!

CARROTS: The food industry uses corn syrup to curb tartness in prepared foods. Home-cooked foods recipes, especially spaghetti, are notorious for having sugar as an ingredient. However, the nutritious carrot is also a sweetener. I grate carrots into homemade spaghetti sauce, chili and even minestrone soup. Cooked carrots expel large amounts of beta-carotene providing the body with vitamin A. If you wish to make an easy soup, try chicken broth with a few thin noodles and long thin shreds of carrot and chives. Carrots can also be easily camouflaged in meat loaf and muffins. Carrots are oft overlooked in recipes, but they truly deserve your attention.

Sometimes the good ol’ summertime is loaded with new hazards that you are exempt from during the other months of the year. In the summer, all food seems to spoil faster and bugs are more ravenous for your dry goods. I just disposed of a plastic tub containing oatmeal that I had left in a cupboard, forgotten. When I finally opened it, the tub was filled with insects. Attentive readers will note that I’ve already covered this subject in “Predators in the Pantry.” While insects in the kitchen are aggravating, they are a minor problem compared with current food borne illnesses.

Most people hears about food borne bacteria on major news but few ever expect to be the victim of improperly stored or contaminated foods. We rely on our foods being wholesome and edible and assume our government is going to protect us from getting sick. It’s a myth; few even know where e-coli comes from. E-coli can come from the intestine of cows, chickens, pigs or any animal we eat. It is also frequently found in ground-meat or animal feces that can be found on the skin of cantaloupe. Some 2,100 persons were hospitalized for illnesses caused by e-coli last year. There are steps you can take to protect yourself.Thoroughly cook produce before eating. Just before washing fresh salad, remove the outer leaves as a precaution. Once you get home after going grocery shopping, quickly put the food away and make certain your refrigerator is around 40 degrees (be careful not to set it too cold, as that will freeze your veggies). Remove the produce from plastic bags. If you must use them, then buy the ones with tiny holes. They are available in the food wrap section of your supermarket. Keep your deli meats and cheeses in their own compartment. Once opened, rewrap tightly as exposure to oxygen will bring faster deterioration to the product. Any stickiness or discoloration indicates spoilage and food should be immediately disposed of. Food is expensive and carelessness is just wasted dollars.

Your freezer can be your greatest ally in the fight against food spoilage if used properly. The two key secrets to freezing are proper wrapping and dating everything. Here’s a tip on freezing chicken: bags of boneless chicken are subject to freezer burn once the package is opened; you can prevent this by transfering the remaining chicken to smaller zip bags.

Be careful when having picnics! All the salads made with mayo like potato salad, deviled eggs and custard pie are potential food poisoning pals. We see the potato salad sitting on the picnic table for hours without refrigeration and it often will contain its share of uncooked ingredients. Substitute your potato salad with coleslaw (no egg dressing) or a pasta salad with balsamic vinegar dressing with sun-dry tomatos and olives. Because milk can sour quite rapidly, few picnickers bring it along. Instead of bringing soda, bring a gallon of ice tea chilled with a good supply of fruit flavored ice cubes. For extra big cubes make them in cupcake tins. For desert, bring fruit. Watermelon is an excellent choice but should be thoroughly scrubbed as soon as you bring it home. I may be asking you to break BBQ tradition but only because I am concerned about your health and safety.

A home a few extra precautions will keep your grocery bill lower and your food safer to eat. Return food back to the refrigerator after using, especially milk. Train family members to use clean utensils when removing mayo, mustard and pickles from the jar. When you bring home a quart of fresh mayo, divide it into two jars. Pint jars are easily acquired. Once you fill them, seal and label the container. It will stay fresher than leaving it in one jar. Never keep gourmet herb infused oil in the cupboard.

Everyday foods that Americans usually think of as benign can be pulled by the FDA, so it is up to the consumer to be smart with new products before assuming that they are safe. A current example is the recent recall of a Stone Cold Creamery’s “Cake Batter” flavor, a product that had dry cake mix added to pasteurized sweet cream. Dry cake mix is not considered a ready to eat product. Whatever happened to just strawberries or chocolate? Let’s not even think about the ingredients of other products served in commercial eateries.

According to statistics, 1 out of every 4 Americans comes in contact with food borne diseases each year. You should take precautions to exclude yourself from this statistic. One can find several excellent websites on the subject by simply typing “FOOD BORNE DISEASES” in a search engine. You will find current statistics on each food borne disease. They are quite educational, unlike your evening news.

You can easily extend your family food budget while shrinking that ever-protruding waistline. You will kick yourself for paying $4.00 for a carton of soup at your local deli take-out when you realize that it is possible to make a gallon of the best soup for much less. Ah, but you are too busy to make soup. You might be surprised to find that the actual prep time for making a soup from scratch can be under 10 minutes, and after that the low setting of your stove burner can take over. It’s the long slow simmer that creates the broth that’s to die for. Salt should be used with absolute stinginess.

What? You just discovered a whole aisle of soup mixes? Then frankly you don’t need my advice. But hey, wait a minute! Maybe you do because each and every one of those soups still requires a cooking pot, some water and 3x your daily needed salt quota. I understand that Lipton’s chicken soup was around in the 40’s but during that time handy chicken bones were hard to find. Many who lived in that decade didn’t even have refrigerators, since food was chilled in iceboxes. Keeping raw chicken was difficult. However, today, chicken bones like wings and thighs are cheap and easy to freeze. Refrigeration is an accepted joy for cooking.

So are you going to free yourself from the soup Nazis of the local delis or will you simply remain a hostage of their intimidation? I am not asking you to go home and cook Chicken Divan or Beef Wellington. It’s just soup, not some elaborate dish. Make it and for the next month you’ll have the elixir of divine providence; an absolute liquid gold that no one has access to but you. You will be amazed, even husbands and children will be willing to share your treasure. Compliments will fall like a pleasant snow.

You may not know this but today’s statistics on salt use are alarming. Salt seems to be everywhere. Some 30% of American adults have hypertension and another 30% of them have pre-hypertension (meaning they have all usual symptoms of hypertension but don’t have it yet) to come. 90 % of the general public will eventually get hypertension if they manage to live up to 75 years. Why? Because our commercially prepared foods are so dangerous to those with high blood pressure but few are aware of the existing danger.

To start your new soup religion, buy proper bones: beef, ham, turkey, or chicken bones. Should chicken bones be unavailable, turkey wings make incredible broth. Start with an 8 quart pot. Place washed bones in pot. Cover the bones with water. Some bones like ham and beef may require 2-3 hours of gentle cooking. Add a little salt and assorted vegetables such as carrots, celery, onions. Any firm vegetables will do since after cooking they are discarded. Herbs such as marjoram, oregano and parsley are excellent flavor boosters. Growing herbs is easy and once herbs are grown their plants can last for life. If you add parsley, add it later in the process. I also add a small amount of soy sauce instead of salt, as it is much easier to control. Cutting the salt is a key benefit of making your own soup. Do not under any circumstance add fresh water after it has cooked because you will lose that elixir you have been waiting to achieve. Once you have finished the cooking and corrected the seasoning, you should have a good dozen cartons of soup starters from which you can go to cream soups, all vegetable or just a pick-me-up cup of broth from your microwave. Sometimes this is all the tummy needs on a stressful day. Soup is a good appetite slower or something to start out with before the big meals arrive.

Foods like chili and minestrone are small adventures in cooking. While Pillsbury advertises that nothing says “Lovin’” like something from the oven, I beg to differ with that argument. Something you cared for enough to make with fresh basic ingredients and few selected seasonings can be that one great comfort food. Making soup isn’t hard – it requires only your desire and application to make such a something that will be the envy of those still dining out of microwaved Styrofoam cups. So are you ready to displace the soup Nazi in your neighborhood? There’s a big soup kettle (with your name on it) waiting for you at Macy’s.

INSIDE STAINS: Have you purchased a stove with double-glass on the oven door? After a period of time, an ugly brown stain may appear inside the oven door. You don’t have to be content with a brown stain clouding the inside glass: obtain a stencil such as slim leaves or flowers. When stove is completely cold, paint a design over the discolored.

INSTANT PIE: Roll out about 6 big circles of dough that are slightly larger than a small pie tin or an extra big muffin tin. Drape each circle over the bottom of the pan. Create fluting at top with a fork or your fingers. Bake for about 9 minutes. Cool and freeze. Cut and slice about 4 cups of peaches, nectarines and ripe plum. Place in a saucepot with light sugar. Boil for about 4-5 minutes. Cool, then gradually sprinkle 1 tsp of guar gum, stir well and freeze in a long container (for aid quick thawing). At any moment’s notice, you’re ready to scoop up a fresh pie for guests. Keep some whip cream handy!

FRITTATA: Making a frittata is a great way to use up those summer squashes, peppers and green vegetables. Cut your surplus produce up into bite size pieces. Steam or sauté them long enough to reach your desired consistency. Grate a cup of your favorite cheddar cheese (like sharp cheddar) into a long baking dish, then season the vegetables and add them as well. Work in enough eggs to moisten the mixture. Bake for about 35 minutes at moderate temperature or 350 degrees. Put aside some grated cheese to add when the frittata is nearly finished for a golden top.

Most recently, I watched a commercial during a TV show in which the mother was carrying the new white bread that now contains whole grain. Not to worry, bring on the white bread and all those products which contain a single grain of nutrition. The cereal department is notorious for pawning off sugared cereal as a saint at the breakfast table. On the other hand wihout cereal commericals who would pay for TV programs.

However, they are no more than highly processed grains whose primary nutritional value lies somewhere in factory disposal and to a few pathetic vitamins are added for pure propaganda purpose. Little wonder that these children are hungry before the morning is over and mom’s wallet is likewise empty. Will their lunch make up the loss caused by a empty calorie breakfast. Apparently, our fast food indsutry has invaded the school cafeteria and those lunches had been blessed by the Food Pope and the local school board.

Note: the state of Connecticut passed a bill prohibiting sale of junk foods but was then vetoed by the governor of that state who just wasn’t ready for her state to take this revoluntionary step towards healthier eating.

Beverage sales depend highly on blessing of the FOOD POPE. Popular ads for Sunny Delight tout its vitamin C content forget to mention the sugar content or the artificial coloring. Many common juice drink labels lead you to believe they are the healthier choice. They lead you to believe they contain lots of real juice while they may actually contain only 15% real juice. Therefore, reading their labels is the only realistic way to know what you are buying. Buying frozen juices also require careful reading; most are simply sweetened by corn syrup. Other labels will say: “Contains no added sugars”. However, this product content will include sugars from fruits like apples, pears and white grapes. While fruitose may slightly easier to absorb by the body. its still sugar and needs to be dispensed with some caution.

There is a virtual warehouse full of instant ready-to-eat food. While not all come with the blessing of Food Pope, it certainly is anointed with the goddess of convenience. The most common item that comes to mind are those plastic cups filled with petrified peas and a day’s supply salt (including mono-sodium glutamate) calling themselves instant-soup. Our food choices seem to be those products that we see highly advertised by famous actors or some cartoon characters . All soup products are excessively high salt, yet we will never see a warning that this product could in all probablity cause one to have a stroke.

Deception is the key player in this grocery-buying head game and sadly enough we are the poorest players in this food for life buying responsibility. I challenge you, for just one week, to make a list of what you ate and the reason you purchased it, and whether you read the label that came with the item. It’s an eaters challenge.

Just remember, food is sold not to win nutritional awards but for profit at no matter what cost. A few lies and few deceptions are on what the food industry is built. Never expect what is shown on the cover to be inside the box. As you pass by the dinners-in-a-box just remember you still need to buy the hamburger meat, go home and cook. Or how about a box that promises the entire dinner in convenient boxes. But what you see is not always what you get. Technology and your busy schedule go hand and hand. If the picture on the box looks good they are hardly concerned whether you came back for second box of a dinner from despartion.

Up until the late 1950’s, the helpless housewife syndrome had never even existed. We ate balanced meals at same dinner table. These new boxes and packages are no more than clever cardboard replicas of real food we once cooked at home because our family’s health had greater value. While I am advocating that we go back to the 50’s I think we would have a longer and better life if we simply spent a little time thinking about food instead of buying it. We hardly need a blessing from the Food Pope beucase our groceries come directly from the earth and farm. Our productive and happier lifestyles will speak for themselves.