Think Products are Shrinking at the Supermarket?

17 06 2008

If you think you’re seeing smaller boxes in the supermarket, you right.  I saw an story on WLAJ tonight at 6 that said Kellogg is shrinking some of their boxes of cereal.  I did a quick google search and came to this USA Today article.  It’s not just cereal.  It’s pretty much everything.

Many major ice cream makers, hit by higher dairy costs, have shrunk their standard containers to 1.5 quarts from 1.75 quarts, about 1 cup less. The industry downsized from the traditional half-gallon (2 quarts) five years ago. In both cases, only the package shrank, not the price.

“Downsizing is nothing but a sneaky price increase,” says Edgar Dworsky, former Massachusetts assistant attorney general in the Consumer Protection Division, now editor of Mouseprint.org, a consumer website. “I’m waiting to open a carton of eggs and see only 11.”

Manufacturer’s say they are not trying to be sneaky.

We did not in any way try to hide this,” insists Tim Kahn, CEO of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, which also makes — and has shrunk — Edy’s. “The package-size change couldn’t be any more visible.” Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News

Bottled Water Return?

17 06 2008

The LSJ ran a story I first told you about a month ago.

The Michigan United Conservation Clubs said Tuesday that within a few years, sales of non-carbonated drinks will exceed soft drink sales.

Michigan’s bottle deposit law, passed by voters in 1976, imposes a dime deposit on soft drink, beer, malt beverage and wine cooler containers.

People return 97 percent of containers for which they pay a deposit. But they recycle only 20 percent of bottled water containers because no deposit is required. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Michigan, Politics

Taco Bell, Pizza Hut Restocking Tomatoes

17 06 2008

Not that I care too much….but come to think of it, how do you make pizza without tomatoes?

Tomatoes are coming back on the menus at Yum Brands’ restaurants, including Taco Bell.

The Louisville-based fast-food company says it’s starting to resupply its restaurants with tomatoes from areas that have been cleared of salmonella risk by federal health officials.

Yum is the parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W and Long John Silver’s restaurants.


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Categories : Food News

Airman Can’t Get Enough White Castle

17 06 2008

If I were in the military, there are a lot of things that I would ask for an extended leave for.  This isn’t one of them

Even the Air Force knows a good burger is hard to find.

Aaron Kay’s superior officer agreed to extend the serviceman’s leave by one week so he could be on hand for the opening of a new White Castle restaurant in Livingston County.

The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus of Howell reports Kay was scheduled to return Monday to his base in Okinawa, Japan, and learned about Tuesday’s planned opening in Genoa Township. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News

How Food Prices Affect Your Diet

16 06 2008

I’m sure you’ve gone to the grocery store and wondered how the hell you can eat healthy but not break the bank. That’s something I think about almost every time. When I first moved out on my own, my diet consisted of Mac ‘N Cheese (the blue box kind), frozen pizza, Hot Pockets, deep fried chicken strips, and grilled cheese. Needless to say, I put on a few pounds I’ve never really lost.

I first noticed the weight gain when my brother got me a free along ride at the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL.  My brother snapped a picture of me in a driving suit.  I couldn’t believe that was me.  By this point, I had already started learning to cook, but it was still the wrong thing.  I was recording Molto Mario and Everyday Italian pretty much everyday.  I thought I was doing good.  Pasta’s good for you, right?

After that weekend, I figured I better try to do more.  I cut Pepsi consumption in half.  That’s like trying to quit smoking for me.  I was good until recently only drinking two cans a day.  I know that sounds like a lot, but that’s down from six or more.  I started watching more Food Network shows.  I became a big fan of Bobby Flay and Racheal Ray.  Every Saturday and Sunday I check the schedule to see what every show is preparing those mornings and record something if it sounds good.  Between that and my girlfriend moving in, I’ve started eating a little bit better.  Not as good as I’d like to, but there are some vices I just can’t give up. Read the rest of this entry »


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Press Release – Lansing School District

16 06 2008

 The following is a press release from Lansing School District regarding the summer food service program for children….

The Lansing School District, in conjunction with other community organizations, announces the sponsorship of the Summer Food Service Program for Children. Free meals will be made available to children 18 years of age and under or persons over 18 who are determined by a state or local public educational agency to be mentally or physically handicapped. The meals will be provided without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. Meals will be provided at the sites listed below. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Food News, Lansing

Fat Boys Pizza & Subs

16 06 2008
  • 2040 Aurelius Rd.Fat Boys Pizza & Subs
  • Holt, MI 48842
  • (517) 699-2400
  • Website
  • Menu

After a long day at Michigan International Speedway for the Nascar Sprint Cup race, my girlfriend and I were exhausted and just needed food.  As I’ve mentioned many times before in this blog, I’m looking for that “gotta have it” local pizza.  Fat Boys may just be it.

The store is located in a shopping center on Aurelius Road in Holt.  They do delivery, but I drove by the store one other time and it looked like there were tables, so we deiced to go to the shop with plans on eating there.  I was wrong about that.  There’s a counter with some bar stools that we probably could have eaten at, but I’m assuming those are used more for lunch.  My girlfriend isn’t much of a meat eater, so we pretty much always get a cheese pizza, so there’s not too much of a reason to look at the menu.  We ordered a large cheese then sat down and read a copy of the LSJ that was sitting on the counter while we waited.  The guy that took our order said it would be about ten minutes, but I don’t even think it took that long. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Holt, Local Flavor, Pizza, Restaurant, Reviews

The Beach Bar

16 06 2008
  • 3509 Ocean BeachThe Beach Bar
  • Clarklake, MI 49234
  • (517) 529-4211
  • Website
  • Menu

The Beach Bar is one of those places that is really off the beaten path.  We left Michigan International Speedway after the Craftsman Truck Series race hungry and needing a place to eat.  The Beach Bar is one of the suggested places on MISpeedway.com, so I found a website and was impressed (again, I reiterate, restaurant owners, YOU NEED A WEBSITE if you want to be found).  We left the track and the GPS took us back into Brooklyn to Clarklake Road.  After winding through the Irish Hills and down what seemed like some country roads, we came upon Clark Lake.  My companions in the truck with me were starting to wonder if we were going the wrong way until we hit the lake which is a beautfiful site.  All of a sudden, I looked to the right and there was this big building right across from the docks.  I was almost expecting a little hole in the wall, but this was a big, nice looking building.  I was also somewhat expecting it to be packed since we were still fairly close to MIS.

When you walk in, there’s a little area for carry-outs.  I think it’s pretty safe to assume they do a pretty good carry-out business with the lake across the street.  People come in for food, but want to sit on their boats.  You go through that room and enter the bar.  The hostess station is almost in the middle of the room and it took us a while to notice it.  I almost suggested just grabbing a station when my buddy saw the hostess.  We were shown to a table in the non-smoking section near the back of the restaurant.  the space is divided by a game room area with the smoking section in the front of the space near the bar. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Bar, Clarklake, Local Flavor, Pub, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, Sports Bar

Theio’s Restaurant

16 06 2008
  • 2650 E. Michigan Ave.Theio's
  • Lansing, MI 48912
  • (517) 487-3955
  • No Known Website
  • Menu

I love 24-hour restaurants.  My dad and a buddy of mine came to town for the NASCAR races at Michigan International Speedway.  My buddy had to work until 5:00 (CST) back home in Illinois, so they got a pretty late start to the three and half hour drive.  After getting a little lost getting to my place, they were both pretty hungry.  It was after 10:00 (EST now) and neither had eaten dinner.  I figured the choices were either fast food or a diner.  So, of course, I chose the diner.

I had drove by Theio’s a few times, but never stopped.  I knew at some point it would make a great late night stop.  We drove through downtown East Lansing first to see if there was a pizza-by-the slice place, but when we couldn’t find one, we headed back down Michigan.  It looked like there were a lot of cars in the parking lot, but most of them must have been at the bar next door.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : 24-Hour Diner, Burgers, Lansing, Local Flavor, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

BWL Chili Cook-Off

13 06 2008

I made it to MIS this morning for some interviews and got home before one o’clock, so I was abBWL Chili Cook-Offle to get a quick nap in and not be too worn out to make it downtown for the BWL Chili Cook-Off.  I picked my girlfriend up from work and we headed to the Lansing Center for her dinner break.  I was exepcting them to move it inside because of the rain, but by the time we got to Michigan and Cedar, it was pretty obvious things were still outside.  We found on-street parking then got in line to get our wristbands and get inside.

Our plan of attack was simple.  Start at the end and work our way down booth-by-booth.  That worked for about five minutes.  You could tell which ones were really good because of the lines.  We skipped over a few thinking we’d come back later. 

Let me back track a little bit here and say this is a great event.  I was complaining on the way downtown that Lansing doesn’t get a lot of concerts like our old hometown gets.  She was quick to point out that what Lansing lacks in concerts they make up for in community events.  A few weeks ago, we took advantage of the Be a Tourist In Your Own Town and tonight’s Chili Cook-Off was better than we could have imagined.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Cook offs, Food News

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