PlanetFeedback's ShopperCast

The Way The Cookie Crumbles

It's taken a while for us to post today.... we've been lying down in a dark room, curled up in the fetal position, over this news:  they are cutting back the quantity of cookies in Girl Scout cookies. 

*SOB*

We love Girl Scout cookies.  Frozen Thin Mints.  Do-Si-Does.  And those lovely lemon sandwich cookies.  We sold them as a kid and love to buy them as an adult. 

Usually we buy 12-15 boxes and freeze them and eat them over the course of the year.  We've endured the rising costs of cookies... but now we learn that there are going to be 2-4 cookies less per box in the Thin Mints, Trefoils, and Do-Si-Does.  (Don't pay too much never mind to the list on the CNN page - Trefoils ARE shortbread cookies and Do-Si-Does ARE peanut butter sandwich cookies.) 

And the Lemon Chalet Cremes are changing their shape.  All to save a little bit of money on a once-a-year sale.  Guess nothing is sacred.

You know, it was bad enough when they reduced the packaging of cereal and peanut butter and ice cream.  But now Girl Scout cookies? That's a crying shame.  We just ordered our first four boxes and now we're thinking we should just stop there.

After all, why should we give our hard earned money for fewer cookies?

--Contributed by Deb

Are You Ready For Some Commercials?

Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl ~ the Arizona Cardinals or the Pittsburgh Steelers?  Or are you like so many who, frankly, doesn't care about who wins and who watches for the commercials?  Budweiser.  Pepsi.  Some are funny. Some are crass.  But they all give us something to talk about around the water cooler the next day.

The ads are costing $3 million for a 30 second spot during the game itself and those are selling just as well as they have in previous years.  However the Super Bowl has become a day-long event, rather than just a three hour game.  The NBC pre-game analysis alone is about 4 hours long ~ after all they have to show us a ton of beach scenes to make those of us who are below freezing at home jealous.  (That's the real reason the NFL only awards Super Bowls to cities with warm climates dontchaknow.)  Better make a bigger batch of sausage dip and chill a couple extra beers.

And there are still advertising spots during the pre-game festivities available.  Whether it's because of the weaker economy or because the companies don't think that the extended football coverage makes it worth the investment. 

So if you have a million bucks or so just laying around, you too can buy a pretty premium advertising spot during the pre-game saga... we're thinking a ShopperCast commercial poking fun at the other commercials would be fun and we're passing the hat around.  Go team!

--Contributed by Deb

More Peanut Butter Recall

We still love peanut butter.  As we previously made you aware, there's a recall of peanut butter because of a potential outbreak of salmonella.  Yuck.

Today we get this email from Food Lion regarding peanut butter.  It assures us that the peanut butter sold in jars is not at risk, however there may be some items that contained the tainted peanut butter or peanut butter paste which might be subject to the recall. 

Oh boy.

Now we're seeing that Kellogg's has a confirmed case of salmonella from its peanut butter crackers, marketed under the name Austin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter and Keebler crackers.  Now we're worried ~ as we have these kind of crackers in our desk drawer at work to munch on when hunger pains strike.   Guess where they're going when we get to work tomorrow?  If you guessed the trash can, you'd be right.  

Grocery store Meijer, Inc. is also recalling two items of store brand peanut butter crackers as well as ice cream.  Little Debbie is also pulling some products off the shelf. 

Oh boy x 2.  Now not only are we talking about crackers, but ice cream, cookies (we have a very soft spot for peanut butter cookies), snack cakes.  The list could continue to grow.  Which means the list of things in our pantry which could be included.  Like we said:  we love peanut butter.

So please do us a favor and check out this list and then go look in your pantry just to be sure.  If you see anything on this list, toss it.  Keep yourself safe.

--Contributed by Deb

Recall News - Peanut Butter

What doesn't go well with peanut butter?  Let's see - jelly goes well; so does jam; honey - yep, marshmellows and bananas, yummy.  Salmonella?  Ugh.  Not so much.

King Nut, who makes peanut butter is recalling some of its products after an open container of its product shows traces of salmonella.  Theoretically it could have been introduced to the product and might not be present in the the PB, but King Nut is taking no chances.  400 people have been sickened by salmonella in 42 states. 

It has asked its customers to stop using any and all King Nut or Parnell's Pride peanut butter that has a lot code of 8. 

The peanut butter was distributed only through food service providers in Ohio, Michigan, North Dakota, Minnesota, Arizona, Idaho, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida.

If you have purchased peanut butter in really large quantities, this recall could effect you.  If not, well it's good information to know... just in case.  

--Contributed by Deb 

99 Bottles of Beer On the Wall

Here at ShopperCast East, we love to entertain!  Even on this dreary, rainy, January morning, we're dreaming about a summer BBQ.  Invite some friends and co-workers over, throw some hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken breasts on the grill and pop open a cold one. 

Sounds like we'd better think twice before going to stock up at Wal-Mart if we're thinking about bringing our teenager with it if we're buying beer.  Turns out, Wal-Mart has a policy that says that if one person in the group is underage, then no alcohol can be sold.  Brenda B. on PlanetFeedback ran into just this situation when her husband took his kids with him to purchase a few items as well as some beer.

We're not familiar with this Wal-Mart policy but can attest that liquor stores in Florida also have this policy.  We went as far as to ask the manager at our local Virginia ABC store if that was the case there.  (We'd rather not leave our child in the car or hanging about outside the liquor store.)  He said it was the parent's call as to what age it's inappropriate to bring a child into a liquor store. (We're still not leaving him in the car.)

We can think of all kinds of exceptions to Wal-Mart's policy - what if the child is an infant and the parents can't afford a baby-sitter but still want to get into a bottle of vino after they put baby to bed?  What about when Mom wants to pick up a six-pack when she gets her groceries?

However, it's entirely Wal-Mart's right to make this kind of policy - and its basis is that it needs to prevent sales to the underage.  There are some legal consequences to them for selling alcohol to minors.  Plus it's a good policy to make sure that only those who are of-age are purchasing beer and wine.  We question whether there should be exceptions made to this policy, but that's entirely up to Wal-Mart ~ no matter what we or Brenda B. think about it.  It's fine to voice your opinion, but the bottom line is that if you don't like the policy, don't shop there. 

Especially not for beer or wine and you have your kid with you.

So we guess that means we'll just have to pick up our BBQ libations at the grocery store.  Salud!

--Contributed by Deb

Look For The Pink Star

So are you one the ones who did it?  Did you make a New Year's resolution this year?  The most common ones we've heard about are the same as in previous years ~ people resolve to quit smoking, manage their money better, and lose weight.

Leaning toward Rubenesqe, we empathize with people who want to drop a few pounds.  Goodness knows that we could stand to lose a few ourselves.  (However that's not going to be the focus of our resolutions this year.)  So yay to the businesses that are out to help us diet without requiring us to sacrifice the yummy things we like to eat.

Like ice cream.

Let's hear it for Baskin-Robbins that's launching ice cream that's better for you (note that we didn't say it was "good" for you).  They're called BRight Choices.  Some are touted as low fat and light.  Others are no sugar added.  Calorie counts range from 80 to 140 calories per scoop. 

Light ice cream comes in vanilla and milk chocolate.  Raspberry chip (oh yummy) is coming in March.  Reduced fat, no sugar added comes in butter almond crunch and pineapple coconut.  And don't forget fat free frozen yogurt and sorbet. 

But how do they taste?  We don't know... but if you have a gym membership and can show proof of this membership on January 15th, you can get yourself a free scoop.  To see if you like it.  And if you see us in line with you, don't be afraid to say "hi"!

--Contributed by Deb

When Good Ideas Go Bad

Sometimes we think consumers purchase a product with unrealistic expectations.  Case in point:  all those exercise gimmicks that they swear will cause you lose 20 pounds by using their product for 3 minutes per day for 6 weeks.  We can't help cackling just a little bit when people express incredulity when it doesn't work when it is (or should be) very obvious that it couldn't possibly work.

However, that's not the case here.  Heather purchased a Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker for her daughter and the product just didn't turn out as advertised.  Heather's son wouldn't even eat it and from our experiences when kids turn up their noses at sweets, you know something is wrong. 

According to this product description we found on Amazon.com, the finished product "don't quite have the taste as the home-made cup cakes that mom or grandma makes. But admittedly, this opinion is formed by an adult palate. For the kids that cook the cupcakes, they will be flavored with the sweetness of do-it-yourself pride."  Note that in one of the reviews below, a consumer compares the smell of the "baking" to animal urine. 

Definitely doesn't sound "gourmet" to us.

This product is a great idea as it gets kids into the kitchen and interested in cooking, however it sounds like the end result falls flatter than the cupcakes it makes. 

Ugh... if this product is on your "to purchase" list, we would definitely choose something else.

--Contributed by Deb

A ShopperCast Public Service Announcement

It is only four days until Thanksgiving.  If you purchased a frozen turkey, take it out of the freezer right now.  Stop reading... we'll wait for you to continue while you take the bird out of the freezer.  Our turkey breast is out of the freezer and thawing so we can start the brining process tomorrow night.  (As an aside, brining makes the meat extremely moist.)

One of the safest way to defrost a turkey is in the 'fridge.  It takes about 24 hours of thawing time for every 4-5 pounds of bird.  Or you can thaw it in cold water.  But for the love of the deity of your choice, do NOT take the turkey out of the freezer and bang it onto the countertop or into the sink to thaw at room temperature for 3 or 4 days.  Unless you want a side trip to the emergency room to have your stomach pumped on Thanksgiving. 

And you don't want to be sticking a frozen turkey in the oven on Thursday morning.  Or even worse.... if you're deep frying a turkey, you really really REALLY don't want to be using a frozen (or even partially frozen) turkey.  Case in point:

If you need any turkey tips, check out this website.  Or just give us a call.  We're happy to help.  Bon appetit!

--Contributed by Deb