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- Last week I was unsure about sharing that chocolate cheesecake recipe with you because it’s not an example of some of the better choices for recipes on my site, but I went ahead thinking it was not too bad for an easy dessert recipe. Well, what started all that was when Kal asked if we could get some Nutella, it’s a chocolate hazelnut spread that his German teacher got him hooked on. (See the comments there for how to make it from scratch!) He doesn’t get many “treats”, especially store-bought ones, so I gave in and he’s enjoying it.
When I tried it I thought it was OK, but I’d just had some of the Green & Black’s chocolate and the Nutella tasted a little fake after that. So I happened to look at the back, and guess what I see? A little blurb that says, “An example of a tasty yet balanced breakfast: A glass of skim milk, orange juice and Nutella on whole wheat bread.” That’s wrong on so many levels, don’t get me going. Check these out instead: healthy breakfast ideas. (OK I can’t help it, I have to rant a bit. Nutiva is a dessert, whole wheat bread is full of phytates and high in carbs, and I have to include these links, too: why to avoid skim milk and fruit juice. Deep breath. I feel better now.) - I was sad to read this news about Whole Foods Market from the Weston A. Price Foundation. I have to wonder why WF wouldn’t take a stand in a more positive way. For example, imagine the splash they’d make if they announced that they would no longer sell any meat from factory farms. Instead they basically slam all meat by implementing this new plan, without acknowledging that there’s a major difference depending on where you buy. (Read a related post: Are Meat Eaters Ruining the Earth?)
My other new post today is the beer batter recipe I finally nailed! We had it on fish, but it would also be great on chicken, onion rings, shrimp, etc.- I know many of you are concerned about GMOs. Let the USDA know that you care about genetically engineered contamination of organic crops and food! Find out how you can help.
So do you want Oprah to KEEP TALKING ABOUT REAL FOOD? Then go sign or comment at this Letter to Oprah!- Have you seen my posts on hospital food and school food? A sad sad state of affairs…
Real Food Wednesday is here this week! Please come back and share all your Real Food tips and recipes. 
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I agree in principle with ethical concerns about our food, but I haven’t put everything into practice yet. When I shopped at Whole Foods recently, I bought several items that I can’t easily find elsewhere, including wild salmon and many varieties of yogurt.
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I shop at Whole Foods weekly because I am in the midst of a move and it takes time to find local farmers in a new neighborhood. I am grateful that they sell grass-fed beef and lamb, wild seafood, raw cheeses and a lot of other good products. It is upsetting to see them trying to influence people not to eat animal products, but overall I’m grateful that they make so many good foods accessible for me. I don’t think we have to worry about them giving up their dairy, seafood, or meat sections anytime soon. As they say in Food Inc, it’s the consumers that do the voting.
Had to laugh about the nutella label. Well, thanks to your post last week with the cheesecake recipe–one reader gave you a recipe for homemade nutella. I tried making it yesterday and it really is a great treat. Tastes just as good as the storebought, maybe a little darker and richer.
Concerning the WF guidelines for health–I’m not surprised.
I think it’s rather hypocritical of Whole Foods to take this stance when a large chunk of their store (and perhaps their profits) comes from highly processed (albeit organic) boxed food.
the ceo of WFs is an ardent supporter of veganism, and a vegan himself. not surprised.
I am really disappointed at WFs too, although I don’t shop there normally unless we are out of town visiting friends or family. They do sell grass-fed beef and other meat products, so I wonder what is going to happen to those foods down the line? It is true that many people or organizations, instead of taking a stand against factory farming and poor farming practices, will just condemn meat. Every chance I get, I try to turn this around and tell people what I think. Here’s a post I wrote on my web site last fall about a message I wrote on PETA’s website after looking at some literature on their web site, and I got all riled up.
I know they are extremists, but you just never know when something you say will actually make sense to someone. Of course, after I posted my message on their site, they promptly REMOVED it! Nothing like supporting your own views without considering something else!
http://www.agriculturesociety.com/?p=1501
I think there is probably a business reason why Whole Foods is making this choice. I wonder how much bigger the profit margin is on their sales of soy-based, heavily processed meat substitutes? In general, producers and retailers charge much more for such “value-added” products, and since the ingredients are cheap, profits are higher. In contrast, the price of quality meats is market-driven and doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room. Whole Foods has such influence among those who strive to be health- and environmentally-conscious. It’s a shame if they are letting profits and “Big Soy” drive their marketing practices.
I agree with Erica–my first thought is that there is likely a business reason behind this decision (it probably didn’t hurt though that the CEO personally feels strongly about the topic). Whole Foods is far too large a company with far too many people to answer to (financially) to make a decision lightly. Higher margins on those products is one possibility as is prediction of social trends. It will be interesting to see where this leads for them.
We don’t shop there anyway. I think I’ve been in that store maybe four times total in my life and my total purchases were under $50 collectively so definitely not a food source for me!
I’ve been disappointed with Whole Foods for awhile now. I noticed they were pushing low- or non-fat yogurts (loaded with sugar, of course), and had only 1 or 2 types of whole milk yogurt. I suspect their organic fruits and veggies and meats are more the big-ag type. But, it is still better than most grocery stores, as long as they keep stocking grassfed meats, organic grains, etc. I think we’re really reaching a critical point at which most people are buying into the low-fat, little or no meat thing. It’s horrible, it upsets me (and I lived it myself and am still recovering), but my hope is that once they do it people will realize how sick it makes them and we can go back to real food again. But it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better.
I have never been inside a WF, because there are none in my area which are easily accessible. When I hear WF shopping stories from friends, my wallet is very thankful I can’t get to one… though now I imagine there is a lot I would not buy there since I can get it better at the farmer’s market.
Regarding your post about Nutella, they also have been running adds on TV saying how it is part of of a healthy breakfast, right up there with Sunny D/Tang and Fruit Loops in my book.
Also either Tropical Traditions or Wilderness family naturals has an organic and more natural version of Nutella… Check it out.
What do you use Nutella for? I just opened a jar of Wax Orchard chocolate spread/syrup and it tastes great. I spread it on top of brown rice crispy treats that had peanut butter, butter, brown rice cereal and Wax Orchard fruit sweetener in it. love it.
Rebecca, my son just ate it on a piece of bread, but that sounded gross to me. I think it’s gone now, but when he asks for more I’ll show him the recipe above and tell him what Michael Pollan said, “Go ahead and eat junk food as long as you make it yourself.” I’m sure that will go over big with him. (LOL!)
Not that it is much better for you but it does have less yucky ingredients, but Trader Joe’s has a version of Nutella too.
Lisa
Kelly, if you want the recipe let me know.