Wendy's New Natural-Cut Sea Salt Fries

Wendy's is going to launch a new natural-cut fries with sea salt, which I think is frankly a move in the right direction. I'm sure there will probably still be something troubling about it, like the preservatives, artificial flavors, and whatever oil they use to cook it with (and the age/amount of re-usage of those oils) but all the same, I think this could be a good thing.

Problem is also the comment about "has 0 grams trans fat per serving." When I see this, I'm wary, because they are using FDA-approved lingo to say that the product may or may not have hydrogenated oil in it, but since the hydrogenated oil serving is so small per serving, it gets to sneak under the radar as officially "trans fat free". I'd be much more impressed if these were advertised as being made "without hydrogenated anything" (I've seen words to this effect used on some natural foods.)

Anyhow, I hope this trend continues, and although I do know better, I might try these with a Frosty sometime...

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Williams and Conner Beef Jerky

I just had a chance to try some Williams and Conner Beef Jerky the other day, now that HEB is carrying this, and I was really impressed with the flavor.  I also appreciate that, unlike most junkier brands of beef jerky, this one avoids a full trifecta of junk additives (the big three in most jerky: MSG, sodium nitrate and high fructose corn syrup.)  While it does still have hfcs, this is forgivable since there's not much else junky in it.  Previously, I could only find brands like this at Whole Foods, so it's nice to see this making its way into HEB.

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Whole Foods: fantastic selection of foods yet just a little pricey

I visited one of the Houston 'Whole Foods' stores recently, and this place is just remarkable. Almost every thing that I wish I could find at my local grocers (HEB, Walmart, Kroger, etc) I can find at Whole Food. Their selection of meats, including grass fed beef, is amazing. I sampled a chicken noodle soup and was just blown away, not only by how good it was, but that I could find a tasty chicken noodle soup without hydrogenated oils, msg, hydrolized additives, preservatives or nitrates (take note, Campbells... and even your supposedly "natural" soups still have "yeast extract".... the same thing as MSG. Take out ALL the MSG and I'll start buying your soups again.)

Anyhow, the bakery, the fruits, the dairy, etc... it's all just fantastic at Whole Foods, but the prices.... ay-yi-yi! I've heard the store referred to as "whole paycheck", and there's something to that. The lunch and groceries that we purchased brought us a hefty bill, but oh, was it worth it. Even their bakery has good, non-garbagy, non-hydrogenated baked goods, and that's so refreshing to find. I wish more stores would take note of this place, and start carrying a similar lineup of foods (Market Street HEB in the Woodlands is sortof close, but it's got a long way to go.) This place was a nice grocery refuge, and the selection was fantastic nutritionally, but the prices make it a place I can really only visit on occasion (and besides, there isn't a location close to the Woodlands/Spring/Conroe area anyhow...)

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