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• That's cold: Krispy Kreme adds ice cream to the menu

  Posted Sep 29 2008, 02:04 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: spending, dining, Karen Datko, health care
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  Krispy Kreme's business plan has been one we just can't understand. How could a company that sells hot, irresistibly mouth-watering doughnuts have declining sales? But it does, and now the company is hoping to heat up business by serving ice cream.

  Ice cream? We have to wonder, if delectable glazed -- did we mention hot? -- doughnuts aren't enough to get customers in the door, is another high-calorie indulgence you can find in lots of other stores going to help?   Read More...

  Discuss ( 1 comments) 1,113 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• More uses for powdered milk than you've ever imagined

  Posted Sep 18 2008, 05:24 AM by Karen Datko
  Rating:
  Filed under: dining, Wise Bread, groceries, health care
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from Nora Dunn at partner blog Wise Bread.

  "Yick. Why on earth would you drink powdered milk?" I used to think. "It must taste horrid," I surmised. I never drank that much milk anyway, so the cost savings of having powdered milk on hand didn't come into the picture either.

  However, when I inherited a bread maker and started making my own loaves, I came across powdered milk as a common ingredient.

  And so began the wonderful day that powdered milk became a staple in my kitchen.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 8 comments) 7,867 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Sticker shock: That piece of coffeecake has 400 calories

  Posted Sep 03 2008, 11:59 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: saving, dining, Karen Datko, health care
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  Because of a new law in New York City, "Frugal Zeitgeist" learned that the coffeecake she likes has a whopping 400 calories per slice, which makes her think twice about ordering it. Also, the bread basket option at her favorite brunch place has 1,100 calories. "For bread! Gaaah," she writes. (Or, as they say in northern Montana, "Uff da.")

  The NYC law requiring chain restaurants to clearly display calorie contents on menus and menu boards was adopted to combat rampant obesity. (Similar rules are in the wings in San Francisco and Seattle.) But FZ's observations made us wonder: Is it possible that knowing the calorie content of the food we eat could have a positive effect on our bottom -- as well as waist -- lines?   Read More...

  Discuss ( 12 comments) 3,493 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Meal combos for kids contain too many calories, study says

  Posted Aug 05 2008, 08:48 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: spending, dining, Consumer Affairs, health care
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from Joseph S. Enoch at partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com.

  Nearly all kids meals at national restaurant chains exceed the recommended number of calories for a child's meal, according to a report by a consumer advocacy organization.

  "When you take a kid out to a restaurant, virtually every meal aimed at kids is above their suggested caloric intake," said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the not-for-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest.

  A report from CSPI said 93% of 1,474 kids meal combos at 13 chains exceed the limit of 430 calories that experts recommend for 4- to 8-year-olds for one meal. Topping the list were two items from Chili's kids menu that each offered just over 1,000 calories, while many others contained 700 or more.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 9 comments) 1,606 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Food portions: A lot bigger than they used to be

  Posted May 22 2008, 10:42 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: dining, Karen Datko, groceries, health care
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  Remember that old expression "My eyes are bigger than my stomach"? The fact is that if we see it, we'll eat it. Combine that with the fact that the size of pizza slices, burgers, bagels, soft drinks, movie popcorn and a lot of other foods has grown in the last 20 years, and you'll begin to understand why so many Americans are overweight. Even plates are bigger.

  Seeing is believing, and pictorial proof of portion inflation can be found at Liz Monte's post, "Portion size, then and now," at Divine Caroline.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 4 comments) 2,587 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this