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Chemical Concerns: Food Favorites

July 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Environmentalism begins with the smallest of steps — a journey of careful choices and little victories. Your life is a celebration social awareness: with the green philosophy dominating your decisions.

Such decisions extend even to your shopping, with you using a Reach prepaid card to buy only organic ingredients. Your favorite fruits and vegetables should, after all, prove themselves worthy.

They may instead, however, prove dangerous — with many familiar items offering pesticides and their effects.

Celery

Achieving a balanced lifestyle requires vitamins — and fewer vegetables boast better nutritional values than celery. This stalk provides essential calcium, fiber and more: ensuring that bodies remain energized without receiving unnecessary calories. It also, however, offers the highest concentration of pesticides (with over 96 percent of products affected). Almost 70 varieties of chemicals are used daily on this food.

Peaches

The taste of a peach is unmistakable: a slow slide of satisfaction. It is among the most popular of fruits, offering slices of pure summer. Its unique flavor comes with a cost, however. Over 60 kinds of pesticides contaminate this item. 86 percent of all stock is tainted (often with at least two different chemicals on each individual peach).

Apples

Proverbs declare apples the most valuable of fruits (providing wards against physicians and their examinations). Any medicinal reward is undone, however, by the startling amount of pesticides found in each bite. 47 types of chemicals are used on these items, resulting in the contamination of 93 percent of all produce.

The quest for an organic lifestyle is noble. It simply demands an understanding that not all goods are worthwhile simply because they’re not drenched in grease.

Filed Under: Food News & Reviews, Organic Tagged With: , ,

411 on Canada’s Best Vino

July 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

So, you’re going to have a delicious glass of wine with your dinner. Now, you just need to decide which wine matches your meal. There are so many great wines out there that you have a ton of options to consider. In fact, you may feel overwhelmed by all of the options. First, you need to choose where you want to get your wine from, searching on canada 411 can help you decide the best place to procure your wine of choice. Canadian wine is a great choice for any meal!

Pair Your Wine to Your Meal

Those who are new to drinking wine may not realize that it is suggested to pair your wine to what you are eating. There are a few ways to do this. One way, which most people find to be the simplest, is to choose a red wine for red meats (or to go with a heartier meal in general) and white wines with white meats (or lighter meals).

Though this is just a base standard, and there are a lot of other considerations to think about when choosing the wine for your meal, this is not always the absolute best way to pair your meal and your wine. If you are at a restaurant, you can easily ask for a pairing, and sometimes you will even get this directly in the menu.

If you are having a nice evening at home, though, you may have to do a little more research. What do you need to take into consideration? Why, the flavor palate, of course!

Dry Wine

Obviously, when talking about dry wine, we aren’t talking about the moisture that is present. All wine is wet! However, when you are talking dry wine, it is the level of sugar that is in the drink that is being discussed.

A dry wine has very little sweetness. Instead, the sugars that naturally are in the grapes have been turned into alcohol. Dry wine, many feel, is an acquired taste, simply because there is very little sweetness left to it.

When choosing a dry white wine, you may want to choose one of Canada’s Sauvignon Blanc wines, such as Peninsula Ridge’s Vintner’s Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc. On the other hand, if you are having a juicy steak, you may want to pair it with Southbrook’s Triomphe Syrah.

Off Dry Wine

If you are looking for something a little sweeter, you may want to consider a sweet table wine, also known as off dry. Many types of wine are available in both dry and off dry varieties, which can be confusing.

The off dry wines have a little more sugar in them than a dry wine, and many people who don’t like dry wines are able to easily find an appreciation for off dry wines. Thirty Bench’s Riesling is a great option for a white wine, while EastDell’s Red Cab is a great option for a red.

Dessert Wine

Though sometimes consumed with dessert itself, the name dessert wine simply means that it is a much sweeter wine than you may find elsewhere. There are many great options when considering a Canadian dessert wine.

Icewines, which can come in white or red, are a great dessert wine option. The grapes for this wine are not picked until they have thoroughly frozen, and this gives the wine a richer flavor. Gehring Brothers’ Signature Series Riesling Icewine is great, sweet option to add to your meal.

Another delicious Icewine is Tawse Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine. Many times, with a dessert wine, it is personal preference whether to go red or white. Many choose to continue with the color that they had with dinner, if they are continuing after the meal with a dessert.

Sparkling Wines

You may be looking to celebrate something that has happened recently, or maybe you just feel like adding a little fizz to your meal. Either way, a sparkling wine is a great way to go about it. There are quite a few great options when looking at the bubbly from Canada.

If you want a sparkling red wine, consider SummerHill’s Cipes Blanc de Noir. A great pair for an all white wine evening would be Meyer Family Vineyard’s Old Main Road Vineyard Micro Cuvee Chardonnay. When thinking about sparkling wines, most people do think chardonnay, but this is most definitely not the only option. For example, Pillitteri’s Riesling Sparkling Icewine is a fun, flavorful Canadian sparkling wine.

Don’t Forget the Rose

Some connoisseurs feel that rose wines aren’t as good of an option as choosing red or white. Simply put, rose wines are seen as less sophisticated in some circles. On the other hand, they are becoming more popular; this is most likely due to the great flavor profiles that rose wines can achieve. Many rose wines are made by combining both red and white.

Others have the rose color because of the grapes that are used. In most cases, rose wines are a little sweeter than their counterparts. Finding a great Canadian rose is much easier than it used to be. Stratus’ Wildass Rose is a delicious choice for those seeking out a rose with their dinner.

Finding a Great Wine

When putting together a sophisticated meal, you want to consider all aspects of your meal as a whole. This includes your wine choices for each course. If you choose the wrong wine, it can reflect poorly on the whole meal. Because of this, many people find that choosing wine is not as easy as they thought.

You can check online to find the ratings of any type of wine you are interested in. Many times, there are also ratings, pairing options, and even body profiles with wines when you go to purchase them. If you still aren’t sure which wine to pair with your meal, another option is to talk to those you are dining with.

Though you may be new to the finer points of wine, those you plan to cook for may not be. In fact, they may have a type or flavor profile that they specifically like. If this is the case, it is always a good idea to go with what others have tried and like.

Filed Under: Food News & Reviews

Save Money, Buy a Cow

July 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Hereford Steer

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It’s no secret that the economy has slowed and food prices are rising. Families are cutting their budgets and tightening their financial belts just to make ends meet. Luxury items are usually the first things to go when families cut back, but unfortunately healthy food becomes a luxury when times are hard. One such luxury is grain fed beef.

Grain fed beef is hard to find at ordinary grocery stores but now those desiring “all natural” meat products can buy a cow online. Not to be raised but to eat. Farms make it possible for customers to buy parts of a cow or a whole cow that is shipped right to your home. The  meat comes properly butchered and ready to cook. Choice steaks, ground beef and practically any cut desired.

Of course a freezer is necessary to house large quantities of meat for months or a year. Though this process may seem expensive, it is possible that buying larger quantities of meat may actually save money in the long run.

Having your own meat supplier may seem a little fanatical to “city folks” but it actually makes great sense. Now healthy, farm fresh, grain fed(the way nature intended) beef can be yours, delivered right to your door for your family to enjoy all year-long. This idea is not limited to meat, fruits and vegetables can be purchased in the same way. Local farmers need support, this is away to provide for growing families and encourage those farmers who make it possible.

 

 

Filed Under: Cooking & Recipes, Food News & Reviews Tagged With: , ,

Food as a Business

July 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Farming is big business in America. There is a need for farming to support citizens stateside, as well as a need for exports. The export market provides the Unites States with billions of dollars in revenue, and that helps to maintain many of the programs that are offered today for children, the elderly, and schools.

The Business Deal

Agriculture is a great way for Americans to literally see the fruits of their labor. The hard work and effort not only provides the food that is needed, but also provides farmers and corporations high amounts of revenue. Some of the highest demand food products are those of corn and potato. Much of this is because these two items are used for so much more than just consumption.

Corn is a major ingredient for ethanol, a fuel alternative that has take the globe by storm. Companies make huge money on the research and development of corn fuels, while providing a way to become free from the use of oil as a whole. Some of the greatest example of being free from the oil addiction or to the debt of oil, is by taking a look at the consumer demands. Many people have scaled back on their personal debt, making it a great example for companies to follow.

There are things like a reach prepaid card that help people keep their debt and credit in check. This model is the basic structure of the agricultural market in that it focuses on streamlining and debt awareness.

Filed Under: Cooking & Recipes, Food News & Reviews, Shopping Tagged With: ,

Avoid Overspending on Your Next Trip to the Grocery Store

July 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

You might not realize it but your grocery store is trying to play tricks on you. No, you aren’t going to show up on the next episode of Punk’d, but you might end up spending more on items that you neither wanted nor needed.

While you might think you are smarter than the grocery store it can be hard to overcome their little tricks to get you to spend more. Whether you are a rocket scientist, online trading broker who uses UFX Markets Trading,  or a parent, educating yourself on some of the tricks grocery stores pull will help you save money and eat better.

Junk Food When You Checkout

Grocery stores try to appeal to your impulsive side by placing the junk food at the checkout counter. This operates under the belief that if you’re hungry before you checkout you won’t think twice about tossing a candy bar or other snack into your basket.

To avoid spending money you don’t want to on candy bars, or eating unhealthy try to avoid the temptation of the candy bar rack at the checkout counter.

Avoid the Maze of the Grocery Store

Grocery stores specifically design their store to appear like a maze. They hope that you will get lost in the store and accidently come upon an item you wouldn’t normally buy and purchase it.

To avoid falling into the trap of the grocery store, try to map out your shopping trip before you go and only shop at stores you are familiar with the layout of. This will help you avoid getting lost and purchasing items you didn’t mean to.

Using these tips will help you avoid overspending and purchasing items you didn’t mean to on your next shopping trip.

Filed Under: Cooking & Recipes, Food News & Reviews, Grow Your Own Tagged With: , ,

Backyard Agriculture Grows in Popularity

July 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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As the economy continues on its sluggish path, many people are becoming more interested in gardening. The high cost of getting basic foods to the grocery store has driven prices to an unmanageable place for many, so the urban farm is starting to gain popularity among many families.

The Family Budget Improves with Backyard Farming

Although it’s pricey in the beginning, the longterm savings of introducing agriculture to your backyard can have a huge effect on your family economy. Once those vegetables start to ripen, you’ll also have a great time learning to create new and fresh meals for the family. You can also learn to can so that those summer vegetables are available all year-long. Eventually, what you save with a little backyard farming can make a very positive impact on your household finances.

The Cost of Farming at Home

Even though a family garden will save you money, it still requires money to keep up. If you want to make sure you don’t overspend while taking up the farming business, then use a reach prepaid card and dedicate it to agriculture. When you go to the hardware store, you can only buy as much as the limit you set on the card.

Backyard agriculture is big business, so the retailers will definitely try to sell you more than you need, so set a budget and stick to it. For example, a trashcan will make a good compost barrel. You can save hundreds of dollars with simple tips like this. Spend some time with a longtime gardener, and learn how to farm effectively and economically. Your trips to the grocery store will virtually disappear.

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How to Avoid Grocery Store Manipulation

June 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
sprinkles

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Unlike Department Stores, there is something about grocery stores that does not seem like they are trying to get as much money from you as possible, but they are.  Grocery stores are strategically set up so that they can manipulate shoppers into purchasing the items that they want you to buy.  So, this mean, your grocery list that may have only had a few items on it, can quickly grow to a list that is double what you intended on getting.

In order to avoid becoming victim to grocery store trickery, here are a few tips to assist with your trip.

  1. Write a shopping list prior to coming into the store, and stay focused.
  2. Don’t shop when you are hungry.  Hungry shoppers tend to be more impulsive shoppers because they are enticed by the delicious smells radiating throughout the store.
  3. Store brand items are often made by name brand companies but are sold for a much lower price.
  4. The items around the checkout counter can be very tempting, and although another brand of the same type of item can be purchased elsewhere in the store, the most expensive type of a particular item will be located near the register.
  5. Just like hunger can fuel impulsive shopping, so can lingering.  If you shop when you have nothing else to do, there is no rush, meaning that you will spend more time in the store than necessary, which will lead to purchasing a few extra items.
  6. Items that “go together” are usually placed near each other, therefore some customers feel like they cannot buy one without the other, like chips and dip.
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Three Healthy Alternatives to Consider for Your Next Grocery Store Trip

June 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Good nutrition is so important for both children and adults alike, yet very few people make it a point to actually purchase healthy foods for their families.  This can be a very problematic scenario for a few reasons, with the largest one being that eating unhealthy foods leads to an unhealthy lifestyle.

In order to ensure that the best habits are learned to promote a balanced diet, here are a few tips to make the most out of a grocery shopping trip, which can lead to a healthier lifestyle.

  1. White bread is perhaps the most popular type of bread that the general public purchases, but it is not the best option.  Whole wheat bread and other multigrain breads should be purchased instead.  These breads not only contain fewer calories, they help to fight quite a few health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
  2. The need to eat salt on foods is a learned behavior, therefore it can be unlearned.  Herbs can be a great alternative to salt, but also Mrs. Dash seasoning comes in a wide variety of flavors that have no sodium or calories to help spice up any meal.
  3. They say that a piece of pork bacon can make anything taste great, and although that may be true, when the statistics on a piece of pork bacon is put out there, many people may be ready to make the switch to turkey.  Two slices of turkey bacon can have only about 1 gram of saturated fat and 50 calories, where pork bacon can have twice as many calories and fourteen times the amount of saturated fat.
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The Work of an Agricultural Scientist

May 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Agricultural scientists perform the very critical work of ensuring that a nation’s food supply is safe for public consumption. Additionally, these scientists scrutinize the crops of farms and animal life to foster both the quality and number of food sources for the public at large.

Research as a Primary Tool

Agricultural scientists are heavily involved in research into technologies and chemical processes. They use manufacturing technology to ensure that the food delivered to the public is not infested with contamination or invaders.

A Variety of Agricultural Scientists

An agricultural scientist may be focused mainly on food technology. This may involve finding the best ways to package and preserve food to retain its nutrition and safety.

A plant scientist may focus mainly on how to get rid of pests that invade food sources. In addition, a plant scientist may find ways to stop the spread of plant diseases caused by insects.

Yet another kind of agricultural scientist is one who focuses on the soil. This type of scientist studies the mineral and chemical composition of the soil to determine best farming practices.

Some agricultural scientists focus mainly on animals and animal products. Their work may involve providing guidance to farmers on how best to treat and maintain the animals to enhance production and manage incidences of animal mortality.

Becoming an Agricultural Scientist

The path for becoming an agricultural scientist involves study of subjects such as food chemistry, plant pathology, biochemistry and related subjects taught in traditional agricultural programs. To work in professional positions, advanced degrees are typically needed, including evidence of fieldwork and research.

 

 

 

 

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The Role Corn Plays Today

March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Corn has played a major role in the American economy and our farmers are not about to give up their seat as number one any time soon. Our farmers are producing so much corn that America can save some of it for the future. Although corn might not seem to be a big deal in your life it has brought America where it is today and has kept us there for years.

Corn has been grown in America even before the colonials arrived here from the European countries. Native Americans showed the pilgrims how to raise corn in harsh weather states. Ever since then Americans have been growing corn for their families and to sell or trade with. Today corn has many uses and you can find it as filler for almost everything that is marked down. Corn is cheap filler that companies love to use in their products. They don’t have to spend so much on the more expensive ingredients and still keep the taste that Americans will want to eat. Most of the corn in America is grown on family owned fields or individually owned fields. Only a little percentage of corn is grown from corporate land.

There are many uses for corn today and the production rate in America will not fall anytime soon. Farmers today are growing a lot more corn today than they were in the 30’s and on almost 20% less land. Farmers also use less fertilizer than they did in the past and can grow more corn on less land. Our farmers are growing more with less and they are doing it faster than ever before.

 

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