Food

Consumer Reports compares store brand foods vs. big name brands
[Sep. 15, 2009] From oatmeal cookies to frozen broccoli, Consumer Reports blind taste tests found 23 store-brand foods that tasted as good as, or better than, their big national brand competitors in head-to-head tests of 29 food products.

Potato, corn and cherry tomato salad with basil dressing
[Jun. 21, 2009] If you need inspiration to find a dish that stands up to the heat, author Debbie Moose has a new book out called, simply enough, "Potato Salad: 65 Recipes from Classic to Cool" (Wiley Hardcover, $16.95). An easy and refreshing potato salad recipe to try, Potato, Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Basil Dressing, comes from Carol Reuss in Pittsboro, N.C., who got the recipe from a neighbor, Cynthia Jones.

Consumer Reports best chain restaurant survey finds good eats at any budget
[Jun. 15, 2009] The tough economy has put diners in the drivers seat to find good meals, good deals and choices for every budget and taste according to Consumer Reports latest Restaurant Satisfaction Survey. The Capital Grille, First Watch, Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, Maggiano’s Little Italy and McCormick & Schmick’s earned top marks among Consumer Reports ratings of 101 of America’s most popular chains.

Consumer Reports puts chocolate-chip cookies to the taste test
[May 14, 2009] What does it take for a store-bought chocolate-chip cookie to win high marks from Consumer Reports’ trained sensory panelists? A top-rated cookie is well-blended, flavorful, and has a good chip-to-cookie ratio. In its June issue, Consumer Reports unveils two very good chocolate-chip cookies: Health Valley Mini and Keebler Chips Deluxe Original.

Consumer Reports finds Wegmans, Trader Joe’s and Publix among the best of 59 grocery chains
[Apr. 24, 2009] Shoppers found Wegmans` and Trader Joe’s supermarkets among the most satisfying chains to shop at according to Consumer Reports latest survey of the best national and regional grocery chains. Rounding out some of the other top-rated chains shoppers found to be very satisfying were Publix, Raley’s, Harris Teeter, Fareway, Costco, Whole Foods Market, Market Basket, WinCo Foods, and Stater Bros.

Five ways to stay afloat if you lose your job
[Feb. 24, 2009] If you’ve joined the ranks of the unemployed, or are afraid you might soon, CRMA offers the following advice: collect your severance, file for unemployment, obtain health coverage, decide if you need life insurance and preserve your retirement plan.

Ways to cut your weekly grocery bill
[Feb. 24, 2009] Even with lower fuel prices, the cost of food will probably continue to rise in 2009, led by increases for meat and poultry. To help lower your tab at the checkout, CRMA’s experts have compiled tips for saving on food shopping while avoiding money wasting traps.

Consumer Reports finds that some of the best ground coffee cost the least
[Feb. 21, 2009] Eight O’Clock Coffee 100% Colombian at $6.28 per pound ranked number one in Consumer Reports’ tests of 19 ground coffees, besting Folgers, Maxwell House, and Starbucks— America’s best-selling ground coffees.

Consumer Reports warns about misleading juice labels
[Apr. 8, 2008] Consumer Reports has decoded juice-label lingo to help consumers buy what they intend and avoid added sugars and artificial ingredients.

Consumer Reports tip of the day: How to choose knives
[Dec. 7, 2007] If the carving job you did on your Thanksgiving turkey resulted in a botched bird, perhaps you need some new kitchen knives to help you get better results. Use Consumer Reports buying advice to sharpen your knowledge of knives and then refer to our recently updated Ratings to find the best models for your budget.

Consumer Reports rates top hot chocolates
[Nov. 28, 2007] With the holiday season and colder weather rapidly approaching, Consumer Reports tested 10 popular hot chocolates. Topping the list and rated Excellent were Ghirardelli Double Chocolate and Cacao Reserve Mayan Blend by Hershey’s, prepared with water at 53 cents per serving and 140 calories.

Brined and roasted chicken with lemon
[Nov. 2, 2007] This month's featured chicken recipe is for Brined and Roasted Chicken with Lemon

Consumer Reports tests 13 lower-calorie and no-calorie sweeteners in lemonade, cookies and cake
[Sep. 24, 2007] Consumer Reports tested 13 sugar substitutes to see if these calorie savers measured up. Most of the sweeteners tasted fine in lemonade, but of those used for baking, results were mixed. CR notes that by far the best taste bud “fooler” in all categories is Estee Fructose, which is the type of sugar found in fruit and honey.

ShopSmart unveils summer guide to safe food handling, slashing food bills, and buying the best groceries
[Jul. 25, 2007] When the weather gets hot, it’s time to fire up the barbecue for family and friends. But recent outbreaks of E.coli and salmonella may make shoppers a little queasy about digging in. To ease minds, the August/September issue of ShopSmart reports on safe food handling, how to slash grocery bills, and how to buy the best groceries. The August/September issue of ShopSmart also offers a how-to guide on expiration dates and advice on how long is too long to keep foods.