may finally be over.We say this not because of the recent drops in unemployment claims and home foreclosures, but because of Willy Wonka’s new Exceptionals line of upscale candy, Duncan Hines’ expansion of its line of Decadent Cakes, and Buitoni’s upscale frozen Italian entrees, including the introduction of a lobster-stuffed ravioli.
Some big food companies apparently think we have money to spend and have enough of their own to try some bold new ideas, like Dole’s pairing of shelf-stable fruit and granola for microwaving into instant fruit crisp.We also saw more all-natural products from mainstream companies and ate a lot of Greek yogurt and lower-sodium foods this year.
Are any of these new foods worth spending your reviving mutual funds on?
No, to the items on our joint Double Forks Down list, but yes, to what comes afterward: our individual best-of-the-year product picks, and the winner of our 21st annual Golden Shopping Cart Award for one outstanding new food that we agreed was both tasty and good for you.
DOUBLE FORKS DOWN
1. Truwhip. Who needs an oxymoronic “natural” Cool Whip when we have true-blue whipped cream?
2. Little Debbie Chocolate Cupcakes. A heavier, greasier copy of Hostess’ squiggle-decorated, cream-filled CupCakes, without Little Debbie’s traditional compensating big price advantage.
3. Wheaties FUEL. A 21st-century update of this age-old brand featuring sinister athlete pictures, rice crisps and clusters in addition to the traditional flakes, and more sugar than anyone but a triathlete would need. In short, FUEL’s a loser.
4. Honest Kombucha Drinks. Bonnie says the health benefits of this ancient but newly trendy fermented tea drink have yet to be proven. Carolyn says Kombucha’s spoiled-cider taste is the best evidence it might be good for you (otherwise, why would anyone bother?).
5. Amy’s Rice Macaroni With Non-Dairy Cheeze. At 520 calories and 22 grams of fat, this health-food product is anything but healthy. Moreover, noted Bonnie, this supposedly gluten-free entree is made in a plant that processes wheat. Carolyn complained about the fatty taste of its fake cheese.
6. Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Frozen Novelties. These replaced Carolyn’s 2006 end-of-year fave Breyers Double Churned Light Ice Cream Bars. Why? is the question. That old line approached Dove Bar indulgence; these are more frozen dessert nightmare than dream.
7. Pringles Multigrain. Anyone crazy enough to look to a fat- and salt-filled tennis ball can for their whole grains probably deserves what he or she gets here: not even a partial serving of them.
BONNIE’S FAVORITES
1. Annie Chun’s All Natural Frozen Pork & Ginger Mini Wontons. An easy-to-prepare, restaurant-quality appetizer to store in your freezer for you or unexpected guests.
2. Fresh Express Wild Rocket Zest Artisanal Salad. An unusual blend of the peppery wild arugula and other lettuces (depending on the season) packing so much flavor you won’t want to drown them in dressing.
3. Seneca Farms Authentic Crisp Onions. Add an oniony crunch to your sandwiches, salads and soups with this better-tasting, more delicate alternative to French’s.
4. Alexia Select Sides Chipotle Roasted Sweet Potatoes. A good-tasting blend of nutritious frozen sweet potatoes, beans, corn and spice-infused oil made mainly from ingredients you’d use to make it fresh.
5. Nestle Cherry Raisinets. Dark-chocolate-covered Michigan Montmorency tart cherries so sophisticatedly yummy that adults will want to hide them from the kids.
6. Lucini Italia Artisan Delicate Cucumber & Shallot Vinaigrette. Sustainable ingredients, an olive oil base and great taste make this a reasonable sub when I don’t have time to whisk together my own dressing.
7. Chobani Champions Greek Yogurt for Kids. This good-tasting, all-natural thick yogurt makes a perfect sweet dessert for kids.
8. Seapoint Farms Soybeans in Pods. Single-serve, micro-steam-and-eat snack packs make it easy to incorporate this highly nutritious veggie into everyday eating.
9. Tostitos Natural Blue Corn Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips. Naturally blue-colored organic corn chips with only three ingredients: blue corn, oil and salt.
CAROLYN’S FAVORITES
1. Edwards Singles a la Modes. Last year’s Double Forks Down awardee Ben & Jerry’s Flipped Out! turned favorite, thanks to the better-quality ingredients in these ice cream-topped desserts from Edwards, including delicious microwave-baked brownie or fruit crisp bases.
2. Pillsbury Simply Peanut Butter Cookies. A new refrigerated cookie dough with a cleaned-up ingredient list and a homemade — rather than an after- — taste (though the companion Chocolate Chip variety needs upscaling).
3. Lay’s Lightly Salted. This half-salt version of Lay’s is still delicious but more potatoey-tasting and slightly less addictive than regular Lay’s Potato Chips (thus leaving more room to eat cookies and ice cream).
4. Ritz Crackerfuls Garlic Herb. Lance cheese crackers with upscaled nutrition and taste.
5. Kraft Flavored Singles Meltdowns. Pizza-, nacho- and taco-flavored cheese slices that latchkey kids can use to create instant pizza, nachos and quesadillas.
6. Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Fillets. Multiple failed attempts to charcoal chicken breasts without overcooking make me really appreciate these frozen precooked ones. Their great grilled flavor renders the standard frozen chicken breast patty’s fatty breading unnecessary.
7. Red Baron Pan Pizza. Chicagoites like our prez might scoff, but I found these a credible, convenient alternative to Pizzeria Uno chain-restaurant deep-dish Chicago-style pizza.
8. Lea & Perrins Thick Classic Worcestershire Sauce. The classic marinade and recipe ingredient turned condiment for our no-time-to-marinate-or-cook age.
9. Dole Fruit Crisp. Attached cups of granola and fruit compote that can be combined and microwaved to create something close to homemade fruit crisp.
THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE…
And for Bonnie and Carolyn’s joint 10th pick, the winner of their annual Golden Shopping Cart Award for best new food product of 2010 from McCormick: click here.
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