News from Lexis Nexis
HEALTHY EATS; Myth of the; 'freshman 15'; Eating healthy can help performance in the classroom
Eat balanced snacks Local dieticians said nutritious snacking every four hours helps to refuel the body. The following snacks are healthy choices in between meals: -- Cheese with crackers -- Hummus with vegetables -- Fruits with nuts Why see a dietician?
Eat balanced snacks Local dieticians said nutritious snacking every four hours helps to refuel the body. The following snacks are healthy choices in between meals: -- Cheese with crackers -- Hummus with vegetables -- Fruits with nuts Why see a dietician?
Taking lunch to a whole new level
LEOMINSTER -- Students are in for a pleasant surprise when they head to the cafeteria for lunch, according to Chris Callahan, the regional district manager for Chartwells. "We've added a tremendous amount of selection and variety to the food-service program that students didn't have before," said Callahan, who is a Leominster resident. "I think the kids are going to be blown away by the variety and the quality of the food." School officials hired food-service giant Chartwells to take over the district's program earlier this year.
LEOMINSTER -- Students are in for a pleasant surprise when they head to the cafeteria for lunch, according to Chris Callahan, the regional district manager for Chartwells. "We've added a tremendous amount of selection and variety to the food-service program that students didn't have before," said Callahan, who is a Leominster resident. "I think the kids are going to be blown away by the variety and the quality of the food." School officials hired food-service giant Chartwells to take over the district's program earlier this year.
5 burgers in 5 days; Obsessive? Maybe, but most are worth it.; Juicy patties, melted cheese, fresh add-ons equal a better bite.
The hamburger is an American obsession. So much more than beef and bun, it's comfort food and a guilty pleasure, the long-running subject of social debate and, suddenly it seems, the object of gourmet fetishization. Just watch that TV commercial where "Top Chef" judge Padma Lakshmi makes eating a Hardee's Bacon Western Thickburger look like an outtake from "Nine 1/2 Weeks." Or witness "Top Chef" finalist Richard Blais creating a buzz at Atlanta's Flip Burger Boutique --- applying his molecular gastronomy skills to uberpatties made from house-ground hanger steak, brisket and short rib. "The thing you have to realize is that chefs are usually burger fanatics," celebrity chef Bobby Flay told BusinessWeek soon after opening four Bobby's Burger Palaces in New York and New Jersey. "When we go out after a tough shift, we go for burgers, and so we have a lot of opinions about how to do it right."
The hamburger is an American obsession. So much more than beef and bun, it's comfort food and a guilty pleasure, the long-running subject of social debate and, suddenly it seems, the object of gourmet fetishization. Just watch that TV commercial where "Top Chef" judge Padma Lakshmi makes eating a Hardee's Bacon Western Thickburger look like an outtake from "Nine 1/2 Weeks." Or witness "Top Chef" finalist Richard Blais creating a buzz at Atlanta's Flip Burger Boutique --- applying his molecular gastronomy skills to uberpatties made from house-ground hanger steak, brisket and short rib. "The thing you have to realize is that chefs are usually burger fanatics," celebrity chef Bobby Flay told BusinessWeek soon after opening four Bobby's Burger Palaces in New York and New Jersey. "When we go out after a tough shift, we go for burgers, and so we have a lot of opinions about how to do it right."
Popeyes' sales rise for quarter; Successful promotions let company reassess outlook for year.
Atlanta-based AFC Enterprises, parent company of the Popeyes chicken chain, has raised its sales expectations for the year based on strong response to recent value promotions. AFC reported this week that Popeyes same-store sales in the second quarter rose 4.3 percent, the chain's best mark since the first quarter of 2006. The increase came as traffic fell for the fast-food industry as a whole.
Atlanta-based AFC Enterprises, parent company of the Popeyes chicken chain, has raised its sales expectations for the year based on strong response to recent value promotions. AFC reported this week that Popeyes same-store sales in the second quarter rose 4.3 percent, the chain's best mark since the first quarter of 2006. The increase came as traffic fell for the fast-food industry as a whole.
Where lunch always comes with dessert; Other districts have dropped sweets, but city still puts them on menu despite obesity rates
Illinois suffers from the fourth-highest level of childhood obesity in the nation, with Chicago kids checking in heavier than the rest of the state. Yet, while many school districts are phasing out sweet treats, Chicago Public Schools officials continue to say, let them eat cake. And it's not just cake that the district serves daily to most grade schoolers. It's also chocolate fudge pudding, Keebler Elf Grahams, vanilla creme cookies, double fudge cookies, lemon flavored creme cookies, Rice Krispies treats, pound cake, chocolate cookies with candy pieces and comfort cake with icing, according to school menus. Earlier this year, district officials told the Tribune that this daily dessert policy was "currently under evaluation." But even with the district in financial crisis, the Tribune has learned the district will continue to buy and serve the sweets to most of its 240,000 elementary school kids -- 80 percent of whom are on the free and reduced lunch program. District officials decline to disclose how much the desserts cost its food service program, which, at last count, was running a $22 million deficit.
Illinois suffers from the fourth-highest level of childhood obesity in the nation, with Chicago kids checking in heavier than the rest of the state. Yet, while many school districts are phasing out sweet treats, Chicago Public Schools officials continue to say, let them eat cake. And it's not just cake that the district serves daily to most grade schoolers. It's also chocolate fudge pudding, Keebler Elf Grahams, vanilla creme cookies, double fudge cookies, lemon flavored creme cookies, Rice Krispies treats, pound cake, chocolate cookies with candy pieces and comfort cake with icing, according to school menus. Earlier this year, district officials told the Tribune that this daily dessert policy was "currently under evaluation." But even with the district in financial crisis, the Tribune has learned the district will continue to buy and serve the sweets to most of its 240,000 elementary school kids -- 80 percent of whom are on the free and reduced lunch program. District officials decline to disclose how much the desserts cost its food service program, which, at last count, was running a $22 million deficit.
DARDEN COULD LOSE $2.5M IN TAX BREAKS
Darden Restaurants could lose up to $2.5 million in tax incentives because it might not meet goals for job growth at its new south Orange County headquarters set to open next month. The tax incentives are part of a package of tax breaks, grant money and road improvements worth up to $18.3 million, approved in 2006 and 2007 by Orange County and the state for the casual-dining giant. The incentives were designed to keep Darden's headquarters in Metro Orlando. By 2020, the company said it would add a total of 900 new corporate jobs. To get the $2.5 million, the company agreed to create 500 of those jobs by 2013.
Darden Restaurants could lose up to $2.5 million in tax incentives because it might not meet goals for job growth at its new south Orange County headquarters set to open next month. The tax incentives are part of a package of tax breaks, grant money and road improvements worth up to $18.3 million, approved in 2006 and 2007 by Orange County and the state for the casual-dining giant. The incentives were designed to keep Darden's headquarters in Metro Orlando. By 2020, the company said it would add a total of 900 new corporate jobs. To get the $2.5 million, the company agreed to create 500 of those jobs by 2013.
BRIEF: Are you named Dave? Check out the free grub
Aug. 20--If your first name is Dave, David or Davy, you can get a free entree at Famous Dave's Barbeque restaurant on Aug. 30.
Aug. 20--If your first name is Dave, David or Davy, you can get a free entree at Famous Dave's Barbeque restaurant on Aug. 30.
The joy of Julia; Local chefs have fun memories of the legendary Julia Child
The hit movie "Julie and Julia" has sparked a Julia Child revival nationwide as well as locally. Special dinners of Child's recipes sold out at Bayona last week. Private dinners were organized around the movie, too. Based on "My Life in France" by Child and her grand-nephew Alex Prud'homme and "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell, the movie depicts the struggle to write and publish Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." Published in 1961, the book is flying off bookshelves and has been No. 1 in sales on Amazon.com for the past two weeks. Last week's Cookbook Club meeting at Garden District Book Shop focused on the books behind the movie and drew 50 people bearing dozens of Child's dishes for a potluck. Jackie Bullock, dressed as Child, brought the iconic Boeuf Bourguignon. Public Broadcasting's Web site (www.pbs.org) has seen a 588-percent increase in traffic to their videos of Child's classic programs, and viewers are posting Julia Child memories.
The hit movie "Julie and Julia" has sparked a Julia Child revival nationwide as well as locally. Special dinners of Child's recipes sold out at Bayona last week. Private dinners were organized around the movie, too. Based on "My Life in France" by Child and her grand-nephew Alex Prud'homme and "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell, the movie depicts the struggle to write and publish Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." Published in 1961, the book is flying off bookshelves and has been No. 1 in sales on Amazon.com for the past two weeks. Last week's Cookbook Club meeting at Garden District Book Shop focused on the books behind the movie and drew 50 people bearing dozens of Child's dishes for a potluck. Jackie Bullock, dressed as Child, brought the iconic Boeuf Bourguignon. Public Broadcasting's Web site (www.pbs.org) has seen a 588-percent increase in traffic to their videos of Child's classic programs, and viewers are posting Julia Child memories.
Dining in Bennigan's wake
It was last summer when the 32-year-old Irish-themed, American-fried Bennigan's chain filed for bankruptcy and company-owned outlets closed to mozzarella-sticksand-Monte-Cristo-cravers. There was only so long that franchisee-owned outlets - like Arkansas' two locations in Hot Springs and North Little Rock (the longtime Little Rock location closed in 2006) - could continue functioning as the grim reaper of the national diet, administering Death by Chocolate.
It was last summer when the 32-year-old Irish-themed, American-fried Bennigan's chain filed for bankruptcy and company-owned outlets closed to mozzarella-sticksand-Monte-Cristo-cravers. There was only so long that franchisee-owned outlets - like Arkansas' two locations in Hot Springs and North Little Rock (the longtime Little Rock location closed in 2006) - could continue functioning as the grim reaper of the national diet, administering Death by Chocolate.
Mintel Menu Insights: Kids' Menu Falls Behind the Times
Today's kids' menus are so...last year. Mintel Menu Insights , which tracks restaurant menu trends, says the average kids' menu doesn't offer enough variety or healthy food, even as parents, kids and chefs alike call out for better options.
Today's kids' menus are so...last year. Mintel Menu Insights , which tracks restaurant menu trends, says the average kids' menu doesn't offer enough variety or healthy food, even as parents, kids and chefs alike call out for better options.
Barbecue blog rates the state
Daniel Vaughn is a patient man. As an architect, months and years can pass before his ideas come to fruition. He believes some of the most time-consuming projects are the most rewarding. It's no wonder, then, that his favorite food can take up to 12 hours to perfect. When Vaughn, a.k.a. "BBQ Snob," isn't designing environmentally friendly buildings, he is searching for the best smoked meat in Texas. His blog, Full Custom Gospel BBQ, rates barbecue joints throughout the state based on a six-star rating system - one star meaning "Don't bother," and six stars advising the reader to "Reconsider your honeymoon destination."
Daniel Vaughn is a patient man. As an architect, months and years can pass before his ideas come to fruition. He believes some of the most time-consuming projects are the most rewarding. It's no wonder, then, that his favorite food can take up to 12 hours to perfect. When Vaughn, a.k.a. "BBQ Snob," isn't designing environmentally friendly buildings, he is searching for the best smoked meat in Texas. His blog, Full Custom Gospel BBQ, rates barbecue joints throughout the state based on a six-star rating system - one star meaning "Don't bother," and six stars advising the reader to "Reconsider your honeymoon destination."
TV couple celebrate love of Southern cooking
In a nutshell: Food Network stars and Memphis barbecue restaurant owners Patrick and Gina Neely share Southern-style recipes — heavy on the barbecue — and family stories and photos in a book reminiscent of their TV show with the same name.
In a nutshell: Food Network stars and Memphis barbecue restaurant owners Patrick and Gina Neely share Southern-style recipes — heavy on the barbecue — and family stories and photos in a book reminiscent of their TV show with the same name.
Study: Kids trying to eat well
How about some good news about kids and what they're eating? Turns out all that encouragement to "eat your vegetables" might be sinking in because a new survey found that children are making more of an effort to do just that when dining out. The Kids and Moms Consumer Trend Report conducted by Technomic asked 1,200 kids ages 6 to 12 about their dining habits.
How about some good news about kids and what they're eating? Turns out all that encouragement to "eat your vegetables" might be sinking in because a new survey found that children are making more of an effort to do just that when dining out. The Kids and Moms Consumer Trend Report conducted by Technomic asked 1,200 kids ages 6 to 12 about their dining habits.
Tiny peppers, big heat; Piri-piri chilies put the pow in Portugal's famous sauce
During summer, heat blasts everything in the open-air market of Loule, a small town in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The sun pummels the weather-bleached walls of the arcade where the market is held every Saturday. A cheese monger -- his face turning crimson while a vein, looking very much like a lightning bolt, flashes down his forehead -- blasts an unflappable old woman in black after she accuses him of leaning on the scale while weighing her queijo fresco. And across the aisle, bags of tiny dried piri-piri peppers, the incendiary bird's-eye chilies from Africa, lie in wait for an unsuspecting tourist. An American student in cutoff shorts, carrying a backpack the size of a dorm-room fridge, dabs a piece of broa, Portugal's famous cornbread, into some piri-piri sauce set out for sampling, pops it into his mouth and walks off. The two men behind the table look at each other as if counting the seconds, then on cue the student begins coughing and wiping his eyes. The men smile at each other. The Loule market and its fare aren't for the weak.
During summer, heat blasts everything in the open-air market of Loule, a small town in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The sun pummels the weather-bleached walls of the arcade where the market is held every Saturday. A cheese monger -- his face turning crimson while a vein, looking very much like a lightning bolt, flashes down his forehead -- blasts an unflappable old woman in black after she accuses him of leaning on the scale while weighing her queijo fresco. And across the aisle, bags of tiny dried piri-piri peppers, the incendiary bird's-eye chilies from Africa, lie in wait for an unsuspecting tourist. An American student in cutoff shorts, carrying a backpack the size of a dorm-room fridge, dabs a piece of broa, Portugal's famous cornbread, into some piri-piri sauce set out for sampling, pops it into his mouth and walks off. The two men behind the table look at each other as if counting the seconds, then on cue the student begins coughing and wiping his eyes. The men smile at each other. The Loule market and its fare aren't for the weak.
UMC eateries nix Styrofoam; Environmental move will divert 371,000 containers a year from the landfill
D ining spots in the University of Colorado's student center have taken Styrofoam off of their menus. The Alferd Packer Grill and Baby Doe's this month scrapped Styrofoam, a product that is notoriously difficult for the Earth to digest. Instead, the dining hubs will use compostable, biodegradable, or recycled containers for hot beverages, soups and to-go orders, said University Memorial Center Director Carlos Garcia.
D ining spots in the University of Colorado's student center have taken Styrofoam off of their menus. The Alferd Packer Grill and Baby Doe's this month scrapped Styrofoam, a product that is notoriously difficult for the Earth to digest. Instead, the dining hubs will use compostable, biodegradable, or recycled containers for hot beverages, soups and to-go orders, said University Memorial Center Director Carlos Garcia.
SHELL GAME - CHEAP IN MAINE, STILL $$$ IN NYC
'LOOKING for a bargain dinner? Try lobster," promised a Fortune magazine headline last month. The article reported Maine lobstermen have seen their prices plunge from $10 a pound a few years ago to $2.25 - "less expensive than hot dogs," according to one boat captain - and that restaurant demand for the king of crustaceans is off 30 to 35 percent nationwide due to the recession. So how come, with a single, striking exception, the tasty creatures are still a pretty pricey item in this town?
'LOOKING for a bargain dinner? Try lobster," promised a Fortune magazine headline last month. The article reported Maine lobstermen have seen their prices plunge from $10 a pound a few years ago to $2.25 - "less expensive than hot dogs," according to one boat captain - and that restaurant demand for the king of crustaceans is off 30 to 35 percent nationwide due to the recession. So how come, with a single, striking exception, the tasty creatures are still a pretty pricey item in this town?
Food as an obsession - and a job; HEALTH; Culinary industry insiders overcome eating disorders
Frank Bruni thinks he may have been a bulimic since he was a toddler. Later he graduated to Mexican "diet pills" and laxatives. In college he memorized the locations of all the bathrooms on campus. Binging and purging had become a way of life. So why would a guy with a history of eating disorders take one of the food world's most high-profile jobs - the restaurant critic for the New York Times? It seems counterintuitive, but in reality it's not. In the last several months at least three food industry luminaries, including Bruni, have released books about struggles with eating. Therapists are not surprised. People with an unhealthy fear of getting fat often find themselves obsessed with cookbooks, recipes and food preparation, they say. "Food becomes a preoccupation," said Dr. David Kessler, San Francisco author of "The End of Overeating" Rodale, 2009 and the former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "We're all wired to focus on the most salient stimuli. For some of us it can be sex, alcohol or gambling."
Frank Bruni thinks he may have been a bulimic since he was a toddler. Later he graduated to Mexican "diet pills" and laxatives. In college he memorized the locations of all the bathrooms on campus. Binging and purging had become a way of life. So why would a guy with a history of eating disorders take one of the food world's most high-profile jobs - the restaurant critic for the New York Times? It seems counterintuitive, but in reality it's not. In the last several months at least three food industry luminaries, including Bruni, have released books about struggles with eating. Therapists are not surprised. People with an unhealthy fear of getting fat often find themselves obsessed with cookbooks, recipes and food preparation, they say. "Food becomes a preoccupation," said Dr. David Kessler, San Francisco author of "The End of Overeating" Rodale, 2009 and the former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "We're all wired to focus on the most salient stimuli. For some of us it can be sex, alcohol or gambling."
Arby's® Expands with Development Agreements for 47 New Locations in the U.S. and Canada
Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. (NYSE: WEN), announced today that it has signed agreements in the first half of 2009 with 11 new and seven existing franchisees for the development of 47 new Arby's restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. "The crave for Arby's slow roasted, freshly sliced roast beef and other premium, one-of-a-kind menu items keeps growing, which is why we continue to expand to reach as many of our hungry customers as possible," said Tom Garrett, President & CEO, Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc.
Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. (NYSE: WEN), announced today that it has signed agreements in the first half of 2009 with 11 new and seven existing franchisees for the development of 47 new Arby's restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. "The crave for Arby's slow roasted, freshly sliced roast beef and other premium, one-of-a-kind menu items keeps growing, which is why we continue to expand to reach as many of our hungry customers as possible," said Tom Garrett, President & CEO, Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc.
CKE Restaurants, Inc. Reports Period Seven and Second Fiscal Quarter Same-Store Sales and Gives Guidance on Restaurant Operating Costs
CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR) announced today period seven company-operated same-store sales for the four, twelve, and twenty-eight week periods ended August 10, 2009, for Carl's Jr.®and Hardee's®. "Our management team's focus on stemming the decline in same-store sales looks to have gained some traction in period seven," said Andrew F. Puzder, chief executive officer. "During period seven, we continued to see the benefit of our popular Teriyaki Burgers at Carl's Jr. supported with an ad starring Audrina Patridge from'The Hills'television show. Since we rolled out this product mid-way into period six, the Teriyaki Burgers have been among the best selling premium burgers on our menu. We offer it on all three of our burger platforms starting at approximately $2.89. "At Hardee's, we introduced our new French Dip Thickburger®during the period, a meaty combination of a 100% Black Angus Beef Thickburger topped with thinly-sliced roast beef and melting Swiss cheese served with a cup of au jus for dipping. We priced this latest 'meat-on-meat' Thickburger at approximately $3.99. To help spread the word, Hardee's is sending a French Maid street team on Segways to appear at several regional events.
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CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR) announced today period seven company-operated same-store sales for the four, twelve, and twenty-eight week periods ended August 10, 2009, for Carl's Jr.®and Hardee's®. "Our management team's focus on stemming the decline in same-store sales looks to have gained some traction in period seven," said Andrew F. Puzder, chief executive officer. "During period seven, we continued to see the benefit of our popular Teriyaki Burgers at Carl's Jr. supported with an ad starring Audrina Patridge from'The Hills'television show. Since we rolled out this product mid-way into period six, the Teriyaki Burgers have been among the best selling premium burgers on our menu. We offer it on all three of our burger platforms starting at approximately $2.89. "At Hardee's, we introduced our new French Dip Thickburger®during the period, a meaty combination of a 100% Black Angus Beef Thickburger topped with thinly-sliced roast beef and melting Swiss cheese served with a cup of au jus for dipping. We priced this latest 'meat-on-meat' Thickburger at approximately $3.99. To help spread the word, Hardee's is sending a French Maid street team on Segways to appear at several regional events.
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