Stonyfield Organic White Chocolate Raspberry Cream Top Yogurt

Taste	Value		Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
29	20		14	15	5	5	5	3	96

 

  This product is a HIT!

Stonyfield Farm has one of the best organic yogurts on the shelf. From day one they have been committed to high quality and being sustainable. Their new White Chocolate Raspberry has an interesting flavor. La Yogurt tried a chocolate yogurt decades ago and it just tasted artificial - not this one - this recipe is great. I did expect a more intense chocolate flavor; having said that I really do like the fact that the chocolate is not overpowering. So for you chocoholics out there you'll probably be disappointed, but remember that white chocolate is just made from milk solids, sugar and cocoa butter and doesn't contain any cacao. It is organic and one of the best tasting flavored yogurts I've tried in a long time. Retails for $0.89.

Stonyfield Farm
Londonderry, NH
800 776 2697
stonyfield.com




Celestial Seasoning Sleepytime Vanilla

Taste	Value		Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
26	19		15	15	5	5	5	3	93

  This product is a HIT!

I first tasted Sleepytime in college, and haven't tried it since! It's been one of the signature teas from Celestial Seasonings and now they've added Sleepytime Vanilla. Sleepytime is a blend of chamomile, spearmint and lemongrass.  While the touch of vanilla is a nice delicate addition, frankly I think most people who buy it will be disappointed there is not more vanilla aroma and flavor.  Retails for $2.99.

Celestial Seasonings, Inc
Boulder, CO
800 351 8175
celestialseasonings.com



Progresso High Fiber Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Taste	Value		Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
27	16		13	15	5	5	5	1	87

  This product is a HIT!

Now that summer's over it's time to think about soup and Progresso has just introduced their new line of high fiber soups, all of which contain almost one third of the daily fiber requirement. I tried the Creamy Tomato Basil because I love tomato soup. Typically I do not favor creamy tomato soups, but this is an exception. A nice tomato aroma and flavor coupled with 7 g of fiber makes this a winner. Yes it's high in sodium, with 690 mg and yes its 13 g of sugars may give you cause for concern, but with no MSG and no artificial ingredients Progresso did good! 1 can is 2 servings of vegetables and I really like that the label is clear and easy to read.  Retails for $2.69.

General Mills Cereals, LLC
Minneapolis, MN
800 200 9377
progressosoup.com



Alexia Crunchy Snacks Onion Strips

Taste	Value		Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
30	16		13	14	5	5	4	0	87

  This product is a HIT!

  My first introduction to fried onion rings was at the Red Chimney on Route 3 in Clifton, New Jersey. Ever since then I've been hooked. Alexia, who made their mark in the frozen food case with a terrific line of frozen potatoes has now moved to the snack aisle. Forget all those other chips - these crunchy Onion Strips are delicious. Yes they're more expensive, but they ARE made from real vegetables, have no trans fats and contain nothing artificial, I'm just hoping that next up Chef Alex can use his culinary skills to develop onion strips that are gluten free. Retails for $2.49 - $2.79.

Alexia Foods, Inc
Long Island City, NY
866 484 8676
alexiafoods.com



A.A. Borsari Seasoned Salts Original, Citrus and Orange Ginger Flavors

Taste	Value		Health	Ingredients	Prep	Appearance	Packaging	Sustainability	Total
26	17		15	15	5	5	5	0	88

  This product is a HIT!
  I'm a sucker for clever packaging, these seasoned salts from A.A. Borsari are sold separately, but the stack-ability is very clever, yes it's salt and for those who have high blood pressure or hypertension these are not for you, but for the rest of us this is an interesting addition to your spice cabinet. The three flavors, Original, Citrus and Orange Ginger are a course grind and are perfect as a rub, or to cook with. These are not for sprinkling. They're all fresh without MSG, dehydrated ingredients or preservatives. Flavorwise I'd love a little bit more citrus and a little bit more orange ginger, but I am just being picky. Retails for $2.90 each flavor.

Borsari Food Co., Inc
Lakewood, NY
716 763 3391
borsarifoods.com


Phil taste-tests and judges each product based on the following 8 criteria:

1. Taste (30 points): the most important attribute of any food
2. Value (20 points): is it worth it?
3. Health (15 points): based off the nutritional information, is it nutritionally balanced?
4. Ingredients (15 points): what's in it, how natural is it?
5. Preparation (5 points): when applicable, how accurate or good are the directions *
6. Appearance (5 points): is it appetizing and does it resemble its photo or description
7. Packaging (5 points): Is it appropriate for the product and does it have any benefits such as resealability, added freshness, better storage, etc.
8. Sustainability (5 Points): is the packaging biodegradable, is it wasteful, is the company endeavoring to offset their carbon footprint?

*products that do not have any preparation will have the full value of these points included in their total score.

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