Tag Archives: food

Why the 45,000 pound sugar mountain wasn’t what it seemed

In today’s post-fact society, always read the label

Last week, a huge mound of sugar appeared in Times Square. This piece of educational art was installed to drive home the point that in America, every five minutes children consume 45,485 pounds of added sugar.

That’s a lot of sugar.

I’m all for promoting the dangers of sugars added to and hidden in food. But it did raise the question: who exactly were they trying to educate? What was really the message here?

I’ve been to Times Square. I love it. It’s hustle and bustle and, dare I say it, prime marketing real estate. This installation highlighting the dangers of added sugar comes not from any educational or government body. Nope, it comes from a food manufacturer.

KIND have a message that’s hard not to get behind. From their website:

“We believe if you can’t pronounce an ingredient, it shouldn’t go into your body. Actually, it shouldn’t even go into your pantry. KIND^® products are made from nutritionally-dense ingredients like whole nuts, fruits and whole grains – no secret ingredients and no artificial flavors, preservatives or sweeteners.”

However, this is where I get really frustrated with food companies being disingenuous when it comes to promoting healthy food. It’s true that the added sugar consumed by children is way above where it should be and where most parents probably believe it to be. But for many people, it is precisely the types of snacks made by KIND that cause the confusion. They’ve just launched a new range of snacking products, Fruit Bites. Let’s look at the description for the Mango Pineapple Apple version:

Our Mango Pineapple Apple Fruit Bites are made from only 3 simple ingredients and give you a delicious tropical fruit snack in every bite. We don’t use fruit juices, purees, concentrates or preservatives – so you can enjoy a fruit snack that’s actually made from real fruit. And with no sugar added and 1 full serving of fruit per pouch, it’s the perfect lunchbox snack.

Real fruit! That elusive serving! Perfect for the lunchbox! What parent trying to do the right thing wouldn’t go for that? However, let’s look at the nutrition label. Again, from their website:

Whilst it contains no added sugars, it still contains 11g per pouch of natural sugars. Which are, make no mistake about it, still sugar. At an 18g serving, that’s around 60% sugar.

Always be suspicious of marketing, especially when the message is wholesome and healthy. Even more so when that message is aimed at your kids.

Traveler’s nightmare: Thanksgiving in Miami

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I thought I would do a special tbt today, in honour of the only time I’ve actually been in America for Thanksgiving. The holiday as a whole was amazing, but Thanksgiving, not so much. It’s easy to see why.

Thanksgiving is like Christmas. It’s a time to be with family. It is not a time to be a tourist alone looking for a restaurant that will serve you the closest thing to a traditional dinner. That is my strongest memory of Thanksgiving. The whole nightmare that was the restaurant.

But first, the positives. In November, when it would be grey and rainy and generally miserable back home in England, at least I was waking up to this view:

So no complaints there.

For dinner, we went to a restaurant called Rascal House. Why? It was near, it wasn’t too expensive and most importantly, it was open.

It was also the worst experience I’ve ever had eating in America, and that includes the time we were accosted by a crazy lady wearing a wedding dress in a McDonald’s in downtown LA. True story. Who knew someone could care so much about chicken nuggets on their imaginary wedding day?

Anyway, the food was mediocre at best, and looked like it had been carefully plated from a distance of about six feet by someone with a slightly better than average pitching arm. It was the kind of food you poke at suspiciously when it comes out, making sure there are no nasty surprises underneath.

Perhaps the waitress delivering it – the one with the twitch and track marks of a seasoned heroin user – was another reason I was uncertain. In fairness, she looked like she wanted to be there less than anyone else in the room, and that’s saying something.

Waiting for my pumpkin pie (I wasn’t going to have anything else now, was I?) gave me even more opportunity to look around the room. The restaurant was actually rammed, but I’m assuming by the conversations I overheard that it was full of families who didn’t want to be with each other enough to cook and invite their relatives into their actual homes. Several arguments, a sense of seething animosity that cut through the air – it was like being in one of those hidden camera shows of the 80s, but with a stronger hint of desperation and danger.

The pumpkin pie, as it turns out, was not worth waiting for either. Forgive my British assumptions, but I thought it was meant to be sweet. And cooked.

Luckily, we could see the funny side (maybe the waitress did slip something into the gravy after all) and spent much of the meal in fits of giggles as we watched one disaster unfold after another.

The best bit of the whole day was grabbing a beer and watching the football game back at the hotel room. But it was certainly one of those once in a lifetime experiences.

Things To Do In Queenstown: Fergburger

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When someone told me I had to have a Fergburger in Queenstown, I thought they were having a joke at my expense. Or perhaps being euphemistic about something incredibly rude. Especially as it was supposed to be the best in the world.

True, I think we could make Ferburger a verb if we have to. But what they were actually referring to was a very real burger joint.

The first trip was a washout as I was far too hungry. By 5pm there was already a long line and then a further forty minutes wait once you’d placed your order before the burger was due to arrive. I opted for something else instead, with the cunning intention of coming back the next day for an early lunch.

Convinced I’d be okay (after all, Queenstown is a backpacker hotspot and no self-respecting backpacker would be up before noon, right?), I turned up at 11:30. There was already a line and a twenty minute wait. Determined not to leave town without getting fergburgered, I placed my order and then dutifully took a walk around town for a while until it was done. Was it worth the wait?

I’ve eaten in burger places all over the world. A good burger is an amazing thing. I’d give this one a 9/10 score. With a reputation for being one of the best burgers in the world, I can see how they manage it.

Firstly, the meat was pink and juicy, rather than the overcooked brown shoe leather of most places. A good chunky ketchup and a garlic aioli gave it the required condiment kick. There was a decent amount of salad and the bun was sturdy. It held its shape and contents right through to the last bite, despite the meat juice/sauce to bread ratio. Even the side order of fries was pretty good. I had the fergburger with cheddar option, but there were plenty of others on the menu I’d choose if I was staying there for a while.

So, I would definitely add this to the list of things to do if you’re in Queenstown. Just be prepared to wait if you expect to stroll up to the doors and grab something to eat.

Pro tip: phone your order in, then stroll down when you’re ready and save yourself the long line.

Sherri Nicholds

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