Dear Food Manufacters

Dear Food Manufacturers,

I had the time to go grocery shopping without children. Yes I actually enjoy going to the grocery store, seeing the new products (and bogus health claims), pricing out cheap healthy foods, and watching what people buy. I can be there for hours, but I had a 2 hour limit (per my husband). Today I chose Acme as my food shopping victim. I had my list in hand, which I made from my 10 day menu, so I was ready to rock and roll. First the produce section. Lots of items are on my list for great seasonal dishes like spaghetti squash, zucchini chips, baked apples, and cabbage slaw. Produce done. Next aisle I pass, the meats. Shrimp and a whole chicken today. That chicken can stretch all week, a roast on Sunday with root vegetables and baked apples, chicken fajitas the next day and whole grain pasta bows with asparagus in a sharp locatelli cheese sauce the next. Left overs after that I doubt but if so Ellie Kriegers yummy chicken salad wraps! Next aisle is the organic section. Bunny crackers are the girls favorite but can we get some fiber in these? Seriously, all the products, not just the organic ones, only have about 8% the Daily Value for Fiber. I'd love to see 4 grams of fiber and at least 15 grams of whole grains per serving for pretzels, crackers, snack cookies, granola bars and Gold Fish. Oh if only! Maybe we would be a little bit healthy, full of whole grains and feeling a bit fuller. I just don't understand why the food manufacturers aren't all on board with this? It only decreases your chances of developing diabetes, some cancers, high blood pressure, and obesity. Oh and another request, can you put all of these things in vending machines too? Thanks.

P.S. Tricked my family with a blueberry cheesecake recipe. Rarely do I bake cheesecakes, but wanted to test a new recipe. My husband is a self-professed cheesecake addict and had 3 LARGE pieces tonight. Should I tell him it is made from mostly blueberries, whole grain graham crackers, fat free cream cheese and non fat cottage cheese? Nope!

Cheers,

The Dieting Dietitian