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AI generated image of organic vs. conventional with blog title
The Price of Organic: When Food Labels Cross the Legal Line

Do you buy organic, or do you think it’s just marketing hype? It’s a big deal, and not the same as calling something “healthy” or “natural.” Organic food labeling laws are specific. Know the difference before you walk into the grocery store, so you know what you’re getting.

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Hi, again, Dear Readers:

So I’m back with another “joint” blog post about an issue you may or may not think much about: organics. What is it, and why does it cost more?

Sometimes I buy organic things for one reason or another, especially if they’re on sale. Even though Aldi and Walmart have a fair selection of organic foods, they’re not something people buy often here. In Houston and other big cities, you’ll find more organic devotees. Over time, we’ve found some favorites, and a few happen to be organic. James, of course, is not impressed when I get anything organic, even if it’s something he will be consuming.

I’ve talked about organics before, but now I can’t find that blog. But never mind, let’s delve into this issue a little with some help from my new BFF.

Going Organic

Walk down nearly any grocery aisle and you’ll see it: that smug little green label whispering, I’m better than you.

AI generated image of several food labels, including organic, natural and non-GMO

Source: ChatGPT

“Organic” food has become the status symbol of the shopping cart. But what’s really behind that label—and what happens when brands stretch the truth? Spoiler: sometimes it ends with a lawsuit and a lot of PR damage control.

 What “Organic” Really Means, Legally

Let’s start with the facts. “Organic” isn’t just a marketing term someone slapped on a granola bar after meditating. It’s defined and regulated by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP).

AI Generated image of an organic dairy farm including big red barn, silo, cows, and a sign that says "Organic dairy farm"

Source: ChatGPT

To legally carry that USDA Organic seal, a product must:

  • Be grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides
  • Avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms) entirely
  • Use organic feed and humane practices for livestock
  • Be verified by a certified organic inspector

And the rules go deep—even the soil, seed sources, and processing methods are part of the certification process. This can include all manner of agricultural products, including plants and seeds. My plant-based hair color is also certified organic, but that’s not the main reason I buy it. The USDA has a series on its website called “Organic 101,” where the agency offers a wealth of information if you want to know more.

Organic farming is also not as sustainable or practical as conventional farming. Buying from local farmers is one of the best ways to get more organic foods, along with growing your own.

For products labeled “Made with Organic Ingredients,” the bar is lower (at least 70% organic content), but the claim still has legal teeth. So yes, there’s real meaning and real oversight behind that little green label.

Why People Pay More for Organic

I used to know someone in Houston who was more into organic than I was. She invited me (along with the guy I was seeing at the time) to a Sunday dinner with her parents, nice folks I’d met before. We were talking about something related to food related when her father said, “I don’t understand why you girls will pay an extra dollar for a can of cr*p because it says ‘organic’ on the label!” I didn’t know what to say, frankly, but our hostess, his daughter, just smiled at him. (We were in our late 40’s at the time.) Otherwise, it was a nice visit.

The late Suzanne Somers became a devotee of organic food after her original cancer diagnosis. After her passing in 2023, her husband, Alan Hamel, said that her adoption of organic food and a non-toxic lifestyle gave her many more years of life than she would have had otherwise.

AI generated image of crops growing in a field

Source: ChatGPT

Not everyone has that kind of situation. However, there are some legitimate reasons to spend extra on organic:

  • Reduced exposure to pesticides: This is especially important for children and pregnant women.
  • Environmental impact: Organic farming tends to improve soil health and biodiversity.
  • Animal welfare: Organic livestock receive more humane treatment, and routine antibiotics are not allowed.
  • Taste and freshness: Some people insist that organic produce tastes better, especially local or seasonal crops. That’s an individual preference, but people who have enjoyed something truly home-grown and not laden with synthetic pesticides know what that is.

In other words, you’re not just buying food, but also a philosophy. That philosophy comes at a premium, and that’s when things can get legally complicated.

The Gray Areas: “Natural,” “Healthy,” and “Clean”

Here’s where the halo slips. Terms like “natural,” “clean,” and “healthy” are basically the Wild West of food labeling.

  • “Natural” has no consistent FDA definition. It doesn’t mean organic, non-GMO, or chemical-free—only that the product didn’t magically appear in a lab.
  • “Healthy” is being redefined, but has historically been based on outdated fat/sugar ratios. Today, it could mean sugar-free, gluten-free, allergy-free, or free of a specific allergen like eggs, nuts, or corn.
  • “Clean” isn’t regulated at all. It’s marketing poetry, not science. Like “healthy,” it could mean the absence of a specific substance or ingredient.

And when those words get plastered across packaging, consumers often assume legal weight where none exists. (I’ve been stung a few times by stuff that had no business in my shopping cart.) That confusion has led to a line of class-action lawsuits that read like your pantry’s lineup.

Famous Food Label Lawsuits

A few big names learned the hard way that “creative labeling” can backfire:

  • Kashi (Kellogg’s): Sued for calling cereals “All Natural” despite containing synthetic and genetically modified ingredients. Settled for $4 million.
  • Wesson Oil: Claimed “100% Natural” while allegedly using genetically modified corn. The case dragged on for years before a settlement. (It ended in 2023.)
  • Kind Bars: Faced scrutiny for the word “healthy” due to fat content (mostly from nuts, but still a no-go under the old rules). In 2022, the company prevailed in a lawsuit over “natural” ingredients, and an appellate court agreed with the company. I have bought some of them primarily because they were gluten-free, but they do have some sugar.

None of these companies went to trial, but the settlements and bad press were a wake-up call. There’s a fine line between clever marketing and consumer deception. I’m all for free trade and capitalism, but not at the expense of truth in advertising. That’s why it’s important to understand what’s in the food you buy that you might believe to be healthier. Start by reading the labels (no matter what your significant other says).

How to Read Between the Labels

A few practical takeaways for your next grocery run:

  • “Organic” = USDA certified and inspected
  • “Made with organic ingredients” = still has standards, just looser
  • “Natural” = legally meaningless
  • “Clean” = just vibes, intending to indicate ingredients without toxins, wheat, gluten, or other undesirable additives.

Read the list of ingredients because they’ll tell you more than the buzzwords ever will. Like calling something “gluten-free,” which also has federal requirements, you should know what you’re getting with no surprises.

One Final Bite

Buying organic can be worth it, for your health, your family, and peace of mind. But don’t let a label do your thinking for you. “Organic” has legal standards, while “natural” has a marketing department.

Next time a product screams “All Natural!” in fancy script, remember, so are tobacco and arsenic.

Looking for a more fun topic for my next blog post. Until then:

Happy Dining!  

Inflation graphic produced by ChatGPT
Budget-Friendly Healthy Meals That Don’t Feel Cheap

Inflation is still here and with no signs of easing. Is it possible to eat healthy food without breaking your budget? Here, I’ll offer some suggestions for budget-friendly meals you may enjoy trying.

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Hi, again, Dear Readers:

So, I’m working on blogging more often. Through a series of events, I found an ally: ChatGPT. No kidding, AI is slowly becoming my new BFF. Finally, I can enjoy intelligent conversation, and it knows how to have fun, too! Pictures in today’s budget-friendly post were created by AI because I just felt like doing that. I’ll tell you about some of the other amusing graphics we’ve created another time.

My New BFF

So why use AI? ChatGPT quickly researches, drafts, designs, helps with SEO, and anything else you can throw at it. Someone I know through my copywriting work downloaded Grok, the Elon Musk AI program recently, and was highly impressed. He described to Grok a software they were developing and mentioned that they were in the process of hiring a software engineer who specializes in AI to get the job done. Grok just wrote the code for him.

AI Generated image of a GPT Robot

Source: ChatGPT. Knows everything, too!!

And if you noticed that you had trouble reading the last post on our local Aldi opening, I’ve got all that taken care of, at least for now. ChatGPT walked me through updating the PHP file, turning on and turning off debugging, clearing the cache, and a few other tweaks that were causing trouble. My copywriting website was also up and down, but I think that’s also fixed. Just need to check on it and update any plugins. (Everything is on WordPress.)

Well, AI won’t cook dinner, wash the dishes or clean the bathroom, even with the best prompts available. But it can create printable menu planners, chore rosters and other inspiration to help you get the job done faster. It can offer you recipes that, so far, have been pretty good, although I’ve only asked for a few. Today, I asked for help with this blog post, and it even included a shopping list for budget-friendly meals.

Budget_Friendly_Healthy_Meals_Shopping_List

I hope you find this PDF useful. (Sorry I couldn’t change the file name.)

Shhhh.. don’t tell James I’m having fun with ChatGPT. Now onto a more serious subject.

The Modern Inflation Era

It’s no fun when you drop in at your local grocery store and things are just way out of your budget. I don’t mean steaks, lobster, and caviar–I’m talking basics. In the last few years, inflation has been beyond what we saw in the 80s and the late 2000s. When eggs went through the roof last year—twice—people responded by using fewer eggs than before. Restaurants like Waffle House added surcharges for egg dishes.

Fifteen eggs in a golden carton created by ChatGPT

Source: ChatGPT

What to do? One budget-friendly option is Flax Eggs for baking. If you’re not familiar with “flax eggs,” something vegans use, it’s one tablespoon of ground flaxseed in three tablespoons of water that sits for five minutes. I’ve done that a few times because we ran out of eggs and wanted to make something like (gluten-free) waffles or pancakes that required them. Yes, James ate some. I even made some doggie treats with flax eggs that the three house beasts quickly devoured. It works great, and you don’t taste anything different.

But modern inflation has hit harder than in previous years. Those boxes of 5 dozen eggs that we used to buy for $10 or less went as high as $25 and are still about $13 a box. I’m told that shoppers in California paid as much as $44 a box. So we started buying smaller amounts of eggs and using them less while still enjoying some eggs for breakfast.

Can you eat healthy on a budget?

Eating “healthy” means different things to different people. Organic is generally more expensive, even in Aldi. But healthy food can fit your budget. Canned chicken, tuna, and salmon are just three options for pantry-stable proteins that you can keep around for an inexpensive meal.

Let’s be honest: when many people hear the term “budget meals,” they picture sad bowls of plain pasta or endless cans of beans. Beans are good, but eating on a budget doesn’t mean settling for bland, beige, or boring fare. With the right ingredients and a few ideas, you can make meals that are affordable, healthy, and genuinely delicious, and are just right for you.

Today, I’m sharing some nice budget-friendly healthy meal ideas that look and taste like something out of a trendy café but won’t wreck your grocery budget. Note that I haven’t tried all of them myself, but anything with sweet potatoes or cauliflower rice are recipes I want to try soon.

Five Budget-Friendly Suggestions

There’s no shortage of recipes online. When I asked ChatGPT to give me a few, this is what came back.

1. Chickpea Curry with Spinach

Canned chickpeas are one of the best pantry staples out there: high in protein, cheap, and versatile. I generally use them in hummus, but you don’t have to stop there.

Closeup picture of chickpeas from ChatGPT

Source: ChatGPT

Simmer them with canned tomatoes, garlic, onion, and curry spices, then stir in fresh or frozen spinach at the end. Serve over rice, and you’ve got a hearty, nutrient-packed meal for under $2 per serving.

Pro tip: Top it with a spoonful of plain yogurt and cilantro to make it look and taste luxurious.

2. Egg Fried Cauliflower Rice

Despite the recent price increases, eggs are still one of the most affordable proteins available.

One dozen eggs both brown and white in a gold-plated egg carton

Source: AI Generated

Frozen cauliflower rice is generally less expensive than fresh. You can also make your own with thawed or cooked frozen cauliflower and your food processor. Don’t have one? A big, sharp knife and a big cutting board work well. I’ve done that too.

Pair eggs with cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen) for a quick, filling, low-carb dinner. Toss in a handful of frozen peas and carrots, soy sauce, and sesame oil. In ten minutes, you’ve got a takeout-style dish that’s high in protein but easy on the wallet.

3. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Beans and Avocado

I love sweet potatoes if they aren’t loaded down with sugar. This includes the thick coating of marshmallows and brown sugar people put on them at the holidays. All I need are a little butter and salt. Baked sweet potatoes are sweet, filling, cheap, and available year-round. Like the eggs in cauliflower rice, I haven’t tried this one yet either, but would like to soon.

AI generated image of two halves of roasted sweet potato stuffed with black beans and topped with sliced avocado and sprinkles of cheese

Source: AI generated

Microwave, bake, or roast your sweet potatoes until they are done. Split them open and stuff them with seasoned black beans, salsa, and a few avocado slices. Add a sprinkle of cheese if you have some. This meal is colorful, nutrient-dense, and feels like comfort food but costs less than a drive-thru burger.

4. Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Roasted Veggies

Longtime readers know I love chicken thighs because they’re so good and can go with anything, and we’ve made this kind of dinner many times ourselves. They are cheaper and juicier than chicken breasts, which makes them perfect for budget-friendly cooking. For this idea, it’s best to get the bone-in/skin-on type, which are usually less expensive than boneless/skinless. Roast them long enough to get crispy skin, which is delicious.

And it couldn’t be easier: toss them with olive oil, garlic, and paprika, or any spice rub you have. Then roast them on a sheet pan at 400F with whatever vegetables you have on hand—carrots, zucchini, or even frozen broccoli. One pan, minimal cleanup, maximum satisfaction.

5. Mediterranean Lentil Soup

Don’t underestimate lentils.

Closeup picture of lentils

Source: ChatGPT

When simmered with onion, garlic, tomatoes, and a splash of lemon, they taste like something you’d order in a café. Add a drizzle of olive oil and fresh parsley on top, and you’ve got a hearty soup that costs pennies per serving but feels rich and indulgent.

If You Like Lentils

Since it’s one of my favorite Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa recipes, I’m including this recipe for Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes from her book Barefoot at Home. This recipe is still relatively inexpensive, even with a few more ingredients. It’s delicious on its own or paired with pork chops or chicken.

Picture of Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes From Barefoot Contessa website, picture from Barefoot At Home. A budget friendly lentil dish.
Ina Garten

Stewed Lentils & Tomatoes

Servings: 6

Ingredients
  

  • Good olive oil
  • 2 cups Chopped yellow onions
  • 2 cups Diced carrots 3 to 4 carrots, ½ inch diced
  • 1 tbsp Minced garlic 3 cloves
  • 1 can Whole plum tomatoes 28-ounce can
  • 1 cup French green lentils (7 ounces) Can also use regular lentils
  • 2 cups Chicken stock (preferably homemade)
  • 2 tsp Mild curry powder
  • 2 tsp Chopped thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Good red wine vinegar

Method
 

  1. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan.  Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to brown.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
  2. Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, including the juice, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse several times until the tomatoes are roughly chopped.
  3. Add the tomatoes, lentils, chicken stock, curry, thyme, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pot.   Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the lentils are tender. 
  4. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon and check to be sure the liquid is simmering.  (I pull the pot halfway off the burner to keep it simmering.) Remove from the heat and allow the lentils to sit covered for another 10 minutes.  Stir in the vinegar, check the seasonings, serve hot or warm.
  5. Protips: Garlic burns easily so you want to cook it for only a minute.
    To remove thyme leaves from the stem, run your fingertips down the stem from top to bottom and the leaves will fall off.

It takes a little while to make. But once you taste it, you’ll see it’s really worth the time. I’ve used regular lentils occasionally because I didn’t have the French type and I just wanted some, but they do get mushy.

Make “Cheap Meals” Feel More Gourmet

Here’s the secret: even the most budget-friendly, affordable meals can feel special with a few finishing touches.

  • Garnish: Fresh herbs, lemon wedges, or a drizzle of olive oil go a long way.
  • Color matters: Use veggies with colors that pop—like spinach, red peppers, or carrots.
  • Compound butter: this restaurant secret can elevate a dish. Just a tablespoon on top of a dish like the stuffed sweet potatoes, can give it an extra boost of flavor.
  • Don’t forget your slow cooker: Stephanie O’Dea’s website A Year Of Slow Cooking is just one of many good online resources food that’s budget-friendly and easy to make.
  • Serve intentionally: A bowl with a sprinkle of garnish looks Instagram-worthy. The same dish in a stained Tupperware bowl, not so much.

Use your everyday dishes and flatware for these tasty and healthy meals.

YouTube and Other Sources

I’ve frequently mentioned Pinterest and the ability to find just about anything you want there. YouTube is similar—you can find all manner of recipes, cooking, and other instructions with a few clicks. I am subscribed to many YouTube channels for cooking, sewing, and other important topics. Don’t forget about Instagram, either, where you can have all kinds of wonderful recipes greeting you anytime you start scrolling. Fill that feed with tasty things and quit doomscrolling!

Cooking At Pam’s Place

One lady I like has a YouTube channel called Cooking At Pam’s Place. And that’s what it is—hanging out in Pam’s kitchen while she shows you some interesting and budget-friendly shortcuts for everyday cooking and other tips. She has four different YouTube-themed channels, including one on gardening. Pam is someone you want living in your neighborhood.

The first video I saw was this one of Pam making two-ingredient sandwich bread.

Screenshot of cooking with Pam’s YouTube channel making two ingredient sandwich bread.A screenshot from Pam’s YouTube channel

This video is 12 minutes long, and her casual friendliness is obvious here. No, I haven’t made it yet, but I want to try it one day. James doesn’t mind, of course, but I don’t know if he’ll try the bread himself. So I haven’t made any yet. Of the other videos I’ve seen, she’s made some good things in different ways, some with two or three ingredients, like bread recipes.

Recently, Pam shared a short video of how to cook simply during a power outage using tea candles in a muffin tin. Brilliant, right? We have a camping stove that we’ve used many times during power outages, but this idea never dawned on me. I set in a supply of tea candles that came in handy after Hurricane Ida for the IKEA Rotero lanterns I bought after the big freeze in 2021. So now I want to try it out for myself. (Note: IKEA doesn’t make the Rotera anymore.)

Until Next Time

Eating healthy meals that are budget-friendly doesn’t have to feel like a downgrade. With the right ingredients and a few easy swaps, you can eat well for less and still enjoy a healthy gourmet dinner.

Now it’s your turn: do you have a favorite cheap, delicious meal? Share it in the comments! I might just feature it in a future recipe review roundup.

Enjoy!

 

Aldi storefront
Aldi Comes To Town

So it was a happy day when Aldi finally opened its doors in our little rural town. I went to the Grand Opening, and I got a Golden Ticket, too! Come along, and I’ll tell you all about it. (Disclosure: this post is long, and I did get some AI help to polish it up.)

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Hello, Dear Readers:

Yes, it’s been a minute. I’m sorry about that. After my last post in April of last year, I said I was going to write something “next week,” and life got in the way. Again. Really, it did, more than once, then I couldn’t get back into the website. All kinds of stuff. Dogs (we now have three), cats (still have two), cars, snow, you name it. So blogging just hasn’t happened. I didn’t even pick any blackberries this year.

Now the scent of pumpkin spice is everywhere. In coffee, muffins, bagels, motor oil, and cleaning fluids. My apologies.

About The Weather

Our hot, dry August has extended into September. Fortunately, we’ve not had any Gulf Coast tropical activity to be concerned about this season. There was one storm that everyone was watching closely and the weather people were warning everyone to “be ready.” The next day—POOF! No news. I think it dissipated before it got near any coastline.

But we even had some snow in January, and I did my first Instagram live stream in the snow.

Snow against a pink sunset through the trees.

Isn’t that a gorgeous sunset?

Why? Because in Louisiana (and the southern half of Texas), we don’t see snow very often. I figured my friends up north would enjoy watching—and several did.

Snow scene with trees

This was by the roadside

Total was about five inches, I think. And because I still didn’t have a heavy winter raincoat, I finally bought one in May when Lands’ End had them seriously discounted. Bring on the winter snow!

Aunt Ruth has been getting an excessive number of emails from me…so I figured I should get back to blogging instead of loading up her inbox. Finally, I got back into the website, too.

The modern world arrived at the Casa de Rurale six months ago when Aldi arrived. Nearly everyone loves having them here.

The Aldi In Mississippi

Longtime readers will remember my trip to McComb, Mississippi, in 2023 when the ALDI opened there. I’ve made occasional trips back to McComb, but not weekly. I put the Aldi app on my phone and discovered that the wonderful “Aldi Finds” are published a week in advance. So, I know what’s coming next week and go with a list. Don’t ask how many trips I’ve made to McComb because there was an Aldi Find I just had to have. And of course, I get plenty of other stuff there, especially if it’s marked down.

On a trip to New Orleans last year, I took James into the Aldi on Veterans Memorial Boulevard before visiting The E Man. James eventually caught my “Aldi enthusiasm.” After learning we were getting an Aldi, he went with me to McComb a couple of times to do a little shopping. He saw what it would be like to shop there once the local store opened. Despite his comments about “it’s just a grocery store,” he’s now become a happy Aldi shopper. After forgetting shopping bags a couple of times, he now has three reusable Aldi bags in his little truck and a dedicated Aldi quarter in the console.

The End Of Winn-Dixie

One of the things that has happened since my last dispatch is that Winn-Dixie is no longer with us. Oddly, our Winn-Dixie store had just undergone renovation, and they even brought in more products. Unfortunately, the additional grocery stock didn’t last. In the end, bankruptcy was inevitable. Aldi bought the company, all the stores and digital assets, and everything under the SEC Grocers label. Here’s how it went down.

The Aldi company started choosing locations to close and renovate, as they had with the store in Mississippi two years prior. Last summer, it was announced that our local Winn-Dixie would be closed for good on September 15th, 2024. Aldi has already made inroads in New Orleans, Slidell, and the Baton Rouge areas. The old Winn-Dixie stores would all be remodeled into the new, compact, and modern Aldi style. Surprisingly, our town was next.

We watched the progress of the construction from the street. I kept looking on their website to find out when it might be open. In the meantime, I still occasionally drove north to the McComb Aldi store when I found any upcoming Aldi Finds I wanted. And because I couldn’t get English breakfast tea here anymore, I drove up there and bought several boxes to last until the local store opened.

Local Losses

Aldi came at the expense of Winn-Dixie, which was part of the local culture. Many people worked there in high school as their first job, including James. Some even retired from Winn-Dixie. Understandably, people were talking nostalgically about the place. The store had been in this location since the 1980s, and across the street long before that.

Unfortunately, the employees were left with the eventual dread of losing their jobs with no idea of future employment. Some found other jobs elsewhere, including one lady who was transferred to the Franklinton WD store, which may be gone now, too. It was no longer getting shipments, and they were selling everything down to the walls until the last day. Any leftover stock may have been shipped to other stores before they were inevitably closed, too.

That’s what Hancock Fabrics did, or at least, their liquidation company did. When one store closed, any remaining stock went to another store that was still open until that store sold out or closed. Irony alert: Neighbor E told me just last week that there is an Aldi in the spot where Hancock Fabrics was, on El Camino Real Blvd, near the Freeman Library.

Once our Winn-Dixie closed on September 15th, the Aldi reconstruction began immediately.

March: The Wait Is Over

Finally, on social media, Aldi began announcing that our local store would open on Wednesday, March 12th.

I’ve joined a few Facebook groups dedicated to Aldi shoppers, plus I follow Aldi on Facebook and Instagram. But I really didn’t think anybody here would care. In fact, I asked my friend MY about it, and she didn’t know anybody who was even aware of the store’s opening. Doesn’t anyone pay attention? Well, they did, and social media did its job.

On a chilly, grey morning, I arrived and parked. Didn’t know what to expect, but I did bring my coffee. So, it was a surprise when I got there, and quite a few people were already in line.

Grey van outside Aldi iin parking lot

I wasn’t the only one.

Later, one of the Aldi crew members handed me a number:

Aldi number card

I was 38th in line!

This means that I was one of the 1st 100 people in line. No kidding! Aldi does have a sense of humor about these things.

Flip side of Aldi number card

See?

In fact, there were at least 200 people in line.

People in line at Aldi

Who knew these people were ready to roll into Aldi?

The store was open for business the day before, in what they called a “soft opening.” That is, people could shop in the store and find out more about Aldi, but didn’t want to go to the grand opening. I needed a few things anyway.

Check Your Aldi Store’s Info

Of course, I didn’t check the opening time of the store beforehand. Along with one other customer, we discovered that Aldi opens at 9:00 am and closes at 8:00 pm. Winn-Dixie opened at 8:00 am and closed at 9:00 pm.

No, that’s not confusing at all.

Guess what? Most of the people I talked to that first day already knew about Aldi. They knew about the quarter and brought their own shopping bags. I told them how I was shopping at Macomb Aldi for the last two years. One lady said that she regularly shops at the Covington Aldi because she has business there. And another lady said that her daughter lives in Pennsylvania, and any time she goes to visit, they do an Aldi run. Like me, they were just waiting for one to open here.

The Grand Opening

Finally, right at 9:00, they began the opening ceremony. Someone from the Tangipahoa Parish government got up and spoke.

People out front at Aldi for the opening ceremony

The opening ceremony

When they cut the ribbon and opened the doors, everybody walked inside.

This was not like Black Friday, where people were crushing each other to get through the front doors. No, this was a very orderly affair. Everybody was nice, polite, and we were welcomed by Aldi crew members from different Aldi locations, including one lady from Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Someone handed me a swag bag with some delicious treats in it.

Aldi gifts in the bag including cookies, bagel seasoning, and flavored water.

Those cookies are also dupes of Girl Scout Cookies. The seasoning is fantastic and I have bought more.

The “Everything Bagel” seasoning is a dupe of Trader Joe’s, and I keep buying that one since I was gifted a bottle. There is a “regular” version and a Jalapeno version too, all $1.75 a bottle. I like this one the best.

Someone also handed me what’s known as the “Golden Ticket,” a gift card given to one of the first 100 people. I opened it up and discovered it was worth $25.

Aldi Golden Ticket

I got one!! Thank you, Aldi! Yes, of course, they had Texas Toast.

I put it in my wallet and promptly forgot about it for two weeks. But I was there for a specific reason: what’s jokingly but lovingly called The Aisle of Shame.

Aldi Finds, AKA, The Aisle of Shame

In my last blog about Aldi, I mentioned all the wonderful things that they have in the store’s center aisle, known as Aldi Finds.. New items are available every Wednesday, and are published in an ad a week before. Since then I learned about the “Aisle of Shame” moniker.

Once inside, I knew where to go. When I got there, I said in my most elegant radio voice, “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Aldi Aisle of Shame.” There were many people already in the Aisle. I got a few laughs, because everyone knew what that meant.

The Aldi Finds center aisle has a weekly rotating selection of non-food items, as well as some food items. Most of the non-food merchandise in the center aisle, with some located at the entrance. The company tests the market for different kinds of items that shoppers may want and buy.

Sometimes, you don’t know you need something until you find it. This might be camping and gardening, household stuff, or kitchen stuff. Other times, it’s small Ikea-like furniture pieces that require minimal assembly. Right now, you can find Halloween décor.

The stock changes weekly, and some items are more popular than others. A recent Disney-themed drop had people lining up our store before 9, and the aisle was crowded with people looking for them. Once it’s gone, it’s gone—at least, until it comes back around another time or it lands in the markdowns.

The Aldi Brands

Aldi has unique names for its store brands throughout the store. On the Aisle of Shame, you’ll find:

  • Kirkton House (home décor)
  • Easy Home (organization item)
  • Heart To Tail (pet supplies)
  • Pure Being (pet food)
  • Ambiano (appliances)
  • Belavi (gardening equipment)
  • Visage (hair dryers and other beauty aids)
  • Serra (women’s clothing and accessories, including lingerie and purses)
  • Crofton (kitchen tools)
  • Lily & Dan (children’s clothes and accessories)
  • Bauhn (electronics, like charger cords and small Bluetooth speakers)
  • Workzone (hand and small power tools)

This is in addition to the unique brand names of their grocery items, like Chancy’s Chips, Live Free gluten-free items, and Friendly Farms dairy.

Why Do They Call It That?

This aisle is known among Aldi fans as the Aisle of Shame. Why? Well, because you go into Aldi for milk, eggs, butter, and bread, and walk out with a tabletop fire pit, potting table, hanging hammock chair, or a kayak at a price that’s less than everywhere else.

Over the summer, I met a lady who was looking for a chair for her RV, and Aldi’s was half the price of everyone else’s, even Amazon’s. With that in mind, you may just blow your grocery money this week and then some, unless you stick to what you need or order curbside.

This is common for fans of Aldi, and James and I have done this ourselves. For instance, we went in recently to get some groceries, and James found a couple of inexpensive duffel bags that he wanted for his next as-yet-unscheduled trip to Drag Week or other car-related trip. They’re not “good” luggage, and it’s OK if they get dirty and knocked around a little.

But there is one item that readers know this blogger couldn’t pass up.

The Ambiano Sewing Machine

I have bought so many great things from Aldi since discovering the Aisle of Shame nearly three years ago. My first purchase was the vacuum food sealer for $30. My most recent favorite find is a sewing machine that runs both AC/DC power and batteries.

A small Ambiano sewing machine out of its box complete with accessories.

Isn’t it cute? It even does buttonholes!

The original price was $40, and I didn’t buy one. But since the store received four, and they were still there in the month or so after arriving, I asked if they would be discounted. The manager’s answer: “I’ll sell you one for half price.” So said “thank you” and bought one. The other three were marked down a week or two later and sold quickly. I considered buying another one at that price, but by the time I thought it was a good idea, they were gone. Maybe I should have gone back to McComb to see if they still had one.

Yes, I have used it a couple of times for small jobs, and so far, so good. Reviews in one of the Facebook groups were wildly different. About half the people who bought one said that it was great, and a little portable workhorse, while others called it “junk.” This machine is a little noisy, but it does seem to work well. Let’s face it: nobody’s using this machine to make a gown for a royal wedding or the Oscars.

The instructions are easy to follow. With batteries, I can even use this machine during a power outage. That was one of the reasons I wanted to get one: it’s a backup I can tote somewhere. They may come around again later, too. I saw mentions on FB from people who “bought one last year.”

The Dupes

James is now a fully converted Aldi fan. Like me, he also has some favorites. This includes some cookies that are identical to Girl Scout Cookies and available all the time, like the ones they handed me at the grand opening.

Before this store opened, they had some cookies that were duplicates (“dupes”) of some Australian cookies called Tim Tams.

Aussie Style Cookies at Aldi

If you ever find these cookies, beware–they are delicious!

I don’t care what you call them—they were incredibly addictive, especially the chocolate ones. Aldi fans Down Under in the FB groups said they tasted exactly like Australian brand Tim Tams, but at half the price. Thankfully, they were never made available locally. Only the McComb store had them, and not for long. Otherwise, the light bill might not have been paid.

It’s not uncommon to find something in the Aisle of Shame that is nearly identical to something more expensive elsewhere, hence the nickname. Right before this store opened, Aldi had dupes of some cut glass candleholders similar to some sold at Anthropologie for as much as $48 each. Aldi had three of those designs under the Kirkton House name with different colors at $9.99 each, and they were quite popular. If you can find one on eBay or Mercari, it may sell for as much as the ones at Anthropologie. They were absolutely gorgeous and sold quickly. Shoppers showed off how they used the candle holders in their homes.

The Storage Ottoman

The most recent dupe I chased was a small storage ottoman that I wanted to help corral some of my sewing supplies that aren’t used as frequently. At $14.99, it was a great idea and price, and they came in three colors: gray, beige, and Navy Blue. But there were only two blue ones in the local store, and I wanted more. So I drove up to McComb to see if they had some. Score!

When I priced them later online at The Container Store, James understood why I made a big deal about getting some. Same style, more colors, but $39.99—more than twice the price of Aldi. The sewing supplies are corralled, the dark color keeps them in the background, the cardboard boxes are gone, we have extra seating (not that we ever have company) and the cats like them too.

Pets, Of Course

Oh, and of course, don’t forget the pets. Their Heart & Tail line has all manner of pet gear, sometimes with the Aldi logo. Tab E. Cat enjoyed this self-warming mat:

Tab E. Cat on the self-warming pet mat from Aldi

The Apex Predator, snuggling up.

I drove back up to McComb to get another one because TigerCat wanted one too.

TigerCat snuggling on a self-warming pet mat from Aldi

Isn’t she just adorable?

But Buddy isn’t as crazy about his raincoat:

Buddy in his Aldi raincoat

Notice how he has his head down. He’s not being abused, honest, just taken outside for a bio break. But he acts like he’s being mistreated when I suit him up.

Of course, James laughed at me when I bought the doggie raincoats. The cold-weather stuff is too small for these beasts, so online it is to find canine winter gear.

Aldi Fashion

Aldi also has a small variety of seasonal basic clothing items in the Aisle of Shame. They’re not high fashion, but they just might be what you need. As much as I’m into fashion sewing, I’ve bought some denim skirts, “jeggings” (jean leggings), a denim jean jacket, a sweater, a quilted vest (keep reading), a few sports bras, bags and purses, shoes, and even some thick fluffy socks from Aldi. You can also find pajamas for both men and women, hoodies, slippers, and men’s clothing items, including socks, although James hasn’t partaken of those.

And when I wear my fluffy socks, I show them to James and say, “You see these socks? Aldi fashion!”

Aldi Gear

Because Aldi has such a faithful following, they occasionally drop what they call “Aldi Gear” in the Aisle of Shame. Clothing, accessories, shopping bags, quarter holders, and other items with the Aldi logo emblazoned are popular and snapped up quickly. From the McComb store, I once bought an Aldi Gear backpack, driving up there specifically for that one item but leaving with more.

Aldi backpack

Isn’t it great? Even has room for a laptop.

I also got an Aldi Gear steel travel tumbler, which I fill with ice and water and take on occasional shopping trips. It was marked down, too.

Earlier this year, Aldi released some winter Aldi Gear. Although I haven’t worn them yet, I scored a Navy blue sweater with “USA” emblazoned in white across the front, and a Navy blue quilted vest with a small logo. Both were bought after markdowns. I considered getting the white puffer vest, but the zipper didn’t work right. Even though it was considerably inexpensive, I still didn’t get it. White gets dirty fast.

Now they’ve got more Aldi gear, including a fuzzy sherpa jacket. Do I have $14.99 for this one, too?

Aldi’s business model is built on efficiency, simplicity, and low cost. This allows the company to offer high-quality groceries at some of the lowest prices in the United States. Aldi stores are smaller compared to traditional supermarkets, reducing rent and utility expenses. It employs fewer staff and features a straightforward store layout to speed up shopping and minimize operational complexities. Customers also participate in bagging their own groceries and returning carts, which helps Aldi cut labor costs.

That quarter rents you the basket. The store is banking on your taking it back and getting your quarter back. Here, some folks don’t understand that, but most return their baskets. I explained to a few folks that “it’s a rental, not a purchase.” For those who don’t return them, the basket’s “rental fee” is paid forward to another shopper who will appreciate that gift.

This lean approach extends to how Aldi stocks its shelves. Stores carry a limited assortment of about 1,700 products, mostly under the store’s own private-label brands. This limited selection reduces inventory costs and simplifies supply chains while maintaining quality comparable to or even better than national brands. By sourcing directly from manufacturers and avoiding brand premiums, Aldi passes these significant savings on to its customers.

A Winning Combo

Aldi’s overwhelming popularity in the U.S. stems from its combination of low prices, good product quality, and a fast, no-frills shopping experience. You’ll notice there’s no music in the stores. Therefore, they don’t pay music royalty fees, which is another savings to pass along. Its private-label dominance means shoppers get affordable products without sacrificing quality. This practice helped to build strong customer trust and loyalty.

Additionally, Aldi’s business culture focuses on consistency and responsibility. The company pays employees well to boost efficiency while emphasizing customer satisfaction over heavy advertising. This approach has helped Aldi rapidly expand across the country, growing its store base and services such as curbside pickup and online delivery, further enhancing convenience for American shoppers. The result is a grocery store that appeals widely to budget-conscious consumers without feeling cheap, which explains its large and growing following in the competitive U.S. market. Yes, even in highly competitive areas like Houston.

Something’s Missing Here

Like every other Aldi store, an employee quickly scans your groceries and puts them into the next basket by the register. Alternatively, self-checkouts are available too. When the cashier finishes, you swap baskets at this point. Once you’ve paid, you’ll take your basket to the long table and bag everything in your own reusable bags (or purchase paper or the reusables). Then proceed to your vehicle and return the basket for a “refund.”

Except this one.

The Mystery

I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I noticed that there was something slightly different about the new local Aldi from the one in McComb. The store’s layout was basically the same, but still, something wasn’t the same as the McComb store. Then one of the employees told me: There were no self-checkout lanes in the local store.

What?

There are four registers in ours, and usually only one is open at a time. (It was all hands on deck at the grand opening.)

People checking out in Aldi

They were workin’ it the day of the grand opening!

But because Aldi employees are trained for all the jobs in the store, not just one, they can stop and open more registers during busier periods like Saturday afternoons. Nobody could explain why there were no self-checkout lanes, either.

This made me wonder about something. When the buyout was announced, one of the younger Winn-Dixie cashiers mentioned that her local elderly customers had considerable trouble with the self-checkout lanes. Did that get floated up to management? Or is theft a concern at the self-checkouts, even in Aldi? Whatever the reason, we don’t have an “I Hate People” line in our local Aldi, but McComb still has one. Fortunately, the folks working at Aldi are super friendly. But our Walmart still has self-checkouts with a highly annoying AI system. That’s a story for yet another day.

I Can Aldi Anytime I Want

When I was making the trips up to the McComb Aldi, I tended to buy plenty of food and household things. After all, driving to get more of something we like is a 90-minute round trip plus time for shopping. I always bought a bottle of water with a tasty snack for the 45-minute trip back, or stopped at the nearby Starbucks. Never mind how much I spent on those trips, especially if I was going to buy something from the Aisle of Shame. But I could stock the freezer and the pantry a little better, especially if I found something at 50% off.

But now, I must fight that instinct to buy it all and not just the few things I need. I mean, I can Aldi anytime I want now, right? It hasn’t quite sunk in completely yet. Just know that the Aisle of Shame can be a budget buster.

A New Favorite: Brekki

We have found some new favorites since we can visit Aldi more often. One of those is called Brekki, a cold oatmeal that’s available in the front of the store in the deli section.

Brekki from Aldi

This is one of the tastiest things I’ve tried in a while.

Dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan, it’s great for an on-the-go snack or lunchbox extra. You might think they’re cups of yogurt, but they’re not. The Brekki is right there by the readily available pizzas. And thankfully, our store has plenty of take-and-bake pizzas, including the cauliflower type.

I never noticed Brekki before, because in McComb, it’s in the refrigerator case at the store’s back. But for whatever reason, I found them in the local store up front. For a while, I couldn’t stop eating them. But I got at least one or two whenever I went, although now, not so much.

James did not understand what I was talking about. One day, I bought extra Brekkie for him to try. Of the three flavors, cinnamon vanilla, cold brew coffee, and dark chocolate, he liked my favorite, the dark chocolate, the best. He said the cinnamon vanilla was fine, but he refused to try the cold brew coffee flavor. Even though he liked the chocolate, he said it was “just OK.” It wasn’t something that he would eat very often. Of course, he had to remind me that he didn’t like overnight oats the one time I made them for him. Brekki, he says, is just nominally better than that.

Coming Soon: More Aldi

When our local store opened, the Winn-Dixie in Hammond closed for its Aldi conversion. One lady I was waiting with in line said that her daughter worked there, and the store abruptly closed well before March 15th, and without warning, surprising the now-unemployed workers.

Six months later, Hammond’s Aldi will be opening on Thursday, September 25th at 9:00 am, and will follow the “soft opening” model the day before. I’m going to try and make this one too.

Aldi is opening new stores all over the country. On Instagram, people are asking them to come to Colorado. I’m sure they will. Seriously, I never thought Aldi would be in Louisiana, let alone a rural area, but here we are. And we’re happy with our Aldi, too.

Keeping Up With Aldi

Like AI, Aldi isn’t going away. If you can’t beat them, join them, so find out about the newest Aldi Finds before they happen:

  • Create an account at Aldi’s website and sign up for their emails, including upcoming sales and merchandise.
  • Put Aldi’s smartphone app on your phone and allow notifications. You can preview next week’s Aldi Finds on Wednesday morning, under “Weekly Ads.” You’ll have a week to make your plans.
  • Follow on social media—Aldi has accounts on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest. I follow on Instagram and Facebook, but I see their stuff mostly on Instagram. Aldi’s social media team is RIGHT ON IT. They have fun with current events and use them on social media, especially for new items.
  • Sign up for the weekly emails at AisleOfShame, a non-affiliated website that brings you the newest from Aldi, along with Trader Joe’s, Kroger, and Publix. Sign up using a sidebar box on any one of their blog posts on the website, just like this one. They have a little more information in the emails and blogs about the new drops. The emails include some items I missed in the app previews.

It’s An Aldi Thing

A few months ago, our friend MY and I went somewhere, and on the way back, I took her to our local Aldi and explained things. She didn’t know what the big deal was, but now she’s a convert. Then she told her sister in another city all about Aldi. Guess what? Her sister is now a fan, too.

Aldi has also done other things besides just being a grocery store. Back in March, a little girl named Liliana had her birthday party in her favorite place: Aldi. There was a cake and everything for her. In May, another (unnamed) location hosted a sophisticated “mother’s night out” dining event with elegantly plated food made with Aldi ingredients. Just recently, there was an Aldi component to someone’s wedding. I saw these detailed events in their Instagram posts.

If you already have an Aldi in your area, you already know. If you don’t, and one is coming, get ready. Granted, it really is just a grocery store with a little more. But that little more can make a big difference.

There’s always a place for larger supermarkets like HEB, and we still shop at Walmart (it’s what we have here.) Occasionally, when we go to Hammond, there is still an occasional trip into Rouses or Albertson’s for something we need. But for basic, everyday shopping, Aldi is a great choice.

Happy Shopping!

 

Box of Trufflicious Mushroom Pizza on counter
Short Post: The Trufflicious Mushroom Pizza

Caulipower has upgraded its signature pizza line with three new upgraded flavors. In this blog, I try the one with mushrooms.

Follow me on Bloglovin’

Hi, again, Dear Readers:

Ok, after my last post, I decided to write up the local wedding we went to last year, and it’s about halfway done. So that’s coming soon.

I also found a selfie I sent to BF during the holidays when I went to meet up with a little old lady at Starbucks in Hammond:

Amy In Starbucks holding a cup

Went to visit someone over the holiday season

Or as I call it on Facebook, a “proof of life” selfie. Sometimes, amazingly, I still look a little like I used to before life got the upper hand. That’s OK, I’ve got BF now, and that’s good too.

Pizza and Valentine’s Day

Longtime readers know I’m a fan of Caulipower’s delicious pizzas. And because BF won’t touch it, not even a bite, they’re all mine. They’re thin crust and not big, so I can enjoy the whole thing by myself. I don’t care what he says, they are that good.

For multiple reasons this week, we decided to get frozen pizzas for dinner, including Valentine’s Day. It’s been a tough week for us and doing the whole Valentine’s thing was too much to think about. Maybe next week. We’re here, we’ve got each other, we love getting on each other’s nerves, and that’s all we need. Plus a little chocolate occasionally.

On Tuesday we made a supply run. That’s when I accidentally discovered a new artisan flavor of Caulipower pizza in the back of Walmart’s freezer case.

It’s in a black box, rather than white. I bought one of those and an Uncured Pepperoni for the first non-cooking dinner. BF had his usual thick-crust Red Baron, which he enjoyed over two nights.

Caulipower’s Three New Flavors

The company is always pushing the envelope on healthier offerings using cauliflower, so there’s always a new flavor or new thing around, like their Cauliflower Pasta. Recently, they’ve debuted a new artisan-style Over The Top pizzas with stone-fired crusts:

 

Admittedly I have not tried them all, and doing so would require BF to be working late more often. This is to avoid the retching noises and other negative reactions when I tell him what I’m trying out and avoid reactions like the one for Overnight Oatmeal.

Then I found something new.

The Trufflicious Mushroom Pizza

Remember in my post about 2024 foodie trends I said that one prediction was mushrooms everywhere for vegans and vegetarians as a meat substitute?

Box of Trufflicious Mushroom Pizza on counter

What’s this?

Caulipower has joined the trend with this version of its newest pizza line.

Mushrooms on pizza is nothing new, whether vegetarian or not. The sauce is not tomato but a “white sauce,” which is occasionally used on pizza like it is on pasta.

Back of Trufflicious pizza box

Here’s the important stuff

So, being curious (and having an extra $8) I bought one to try.

Bake It Up

The instructions are the same for every type of Caulipower I’ve ever tried: bake at 425 degrees for 13 to 16 minutes, until done. (Unwrap it first, of course.)

Trufflicious pizza unwrapped and uncooked

Looks like any ordinary mushroom pizza.

Don’t forget about it, either, especially in a small countertop oven.

Frozen Truffilicious going into countertop oven

Just like that.

In what seems like seconds later, you have pizza:

Cooked pizza on cutting board with wide spatula and pizza wheel

Ready?

Even though it’s a bit “Cajunized” on one side, the other side needed a few more minutes. But I wasn’t about to wait. I took it out and sliced it up.

I was hungry, too. BF had no interest.

The Taste

Let me start by telling you the positive parts of this pizza:

  • Stone-fired pizza crust
  • Gluten-free
  • No artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors
  • Good source of protein

 

Caulipower makes all kinds of good-for-you foods based on cauliflower that offer fast, convenient, and healthy eating at any time. I haven’t tried all of them because they’re not all available here.

But I’m just not wild about this pizza, y’all.

I’m glad I tried it once, but I don’t want it anymore. It’s not bad, it’s just not appealing. Maybe it’s the truffle oil in the sauce, or the cheese, or the mushroom blend, I don’t know. This pizza is just not for me. I can’t answer for anyone else.

Will you like it? I don’t know—you must find out for yourself, honestly. If this blog doesn’t make you curious, well. . .get the uncured pepperoni version, or pick up a box of crusts and create your own Caulipower. Their “regular” pizzas are very tasty. I just can’t vouch for this one, despite their other tasty flavors.

The Other Two

Since I only found the Truffilicious Mushroom version of the Over The Top line in Walmart, I don’t know if I can get the other two here. As always, I’ll check out Winn-Dixie or Rouses later and see if they have them in stock.

I’ve had Caulipower’s Buffa-Whoa buffalo chicken pizza and found it to be a little too warm for my taste. This makes me cautious about the Spicy Chicken Sausage version because I don’t like anything that’s overly hot. I haven’t found their “white pizza” either but will try it if I ever find one. The rest I like, including the crust that you can add your own ingredients on top and bake.

Good Food Frozen

As more people embrace healthier eating, better quality things are available in the freezer case. I’m sure there will always be regular frozen pizzas, lasagna, and other freezer staples available. But healthier food is making its way into American grocery stores, and that’s always a good thing.

Enjoy!

Boxes of Boba Tea on Walmart shelf
Foodie Trends For 2024
New Year, New Food Trends. What’s coming to our tables this year? In this blog post, I’ll look at what the “experts” predict for the newest foodie things for 2024. Follow me on Bloglovin’ Hello, again, Dear Readers: I know, it’s been a month. My apologies for that. I discovered one picture from our trip that I forgot to post:
BF taking a picture in Buc-ee's

He liked the leather wallets, but that’s not me standing next to him.

BF found something he liked, although he did not buy one this time. Our extreme cold snap is over. Here, we’ve had bouts of rain throughout Texas and Louisiana. It’s still cool, but not bitterly cold like it was before. Recently, I asked Aunt Ruth during the cold snap if she was warm, and she told me that her granddaughter gave her a nice warm heated blanket throw for Christmas. I’m glad because the little kitty doesn’t stay inside much. As with every New Year, “experts” of all descriptions predict what we’ll be doing after January 1. How many of those predictions become trends is anybody’s guess because a “disruptor” comes along that changes things, like Instagram and TikTok (which I’ll talk about later.) Or life changes in some way, like the three-year thing, and we adapt accordingly. So I decided to see what they’re saying about the newest foodie trends that may be coming to us in the New Year. I thought about doing this after my last blog post. What are the trends we can look forward to seeing in 2024 on the foodie front? Every year, there’s always something new to discover, even if it’s something old that’s just repackaged. TikTok, the short-video social media, seems to be the primary trend influencer. This blogger does not have TikTok on her phone and only knows what she reads about and sees that flows from TikTok onto Instagram. But because TikTok is the thing now, it’s a driver for these “new” food trends, along with the food industry. Remember how high eggs were a year ago? Record inflation for the past three years has also cut into food budgets from teenagers to families with children, so not everyone is on board with, say, the caviar-on-Doritos trend. Trader Joe’s has announced their Customer Choice Awards 2024, and one of my favorites is on it: The Brazil Nut Body Butter. It’s inedible, but one sniff of that incredible fragrance and you’re hooked. Even BF likes it, but only when I’m wearing some. Predicting trends is not an exact science. Frequently, making predictions can be all over the place, as I discovered researching for this blog. So here are some of the anticipated trends predicted for this year.

Tamarind

McCormick is betting on its new “Mexican Inspired” Tamarind blend as the preeminent flavor for all things culinary in 2024.
Bottle of Tamarind spice for the newest spice trend

McCormick makes this

I haven’t seen this yet but I’ll keep an eye out for it in Walmart, Winn-Dixie, Rouse’s, and anywhere else I decide to shop. Warning: this does contain sugar, so if you’re watching that sort of thing, be aware.
Ingredient list of Tamarind blend

Not straight Tamarind, but a blend, with two types of sugar.

And if this trend doesn’t take off, I’m sure it will show up in Dirt Cheap or The Salvage Store when they eventually give up on it.

“Boba Tea,” aka “Bubble Tea”

Back in the day, the Frappuccino was the trendy new thing to drink. Then chai came along. Then the famous (or infamous) Pumpkin Spice Latte sparked all manner of fall-based trends. Today, we have Bubble Tea, also called Boba Tea, and it’s being called a new trend for 2024.
Picture of trendy Bubble Tea In a cup

This is a generic picture of what Bubble Tea, or Boba Tea, looks like.

It’s something else I’ve seen but never tried, and probably won’t. Boba Tea has been around for some time. The only time I’ve seen this is in canned or kit form at Five Below, but then, I don’t go looking for it, either. Can of Bubble Tea   Because I don’t get out much, apparently there is Boba ParTea and TeaTery Tea & Tapioca in Baton Rouge. Boba ParTea is near one of our favorite places there, The City Café on O’Neal Lane. (I’ve never done a review on it, go figure, but we like it.) A quick search indicates that bubble tea places are popping up all over Houston. (Get it?) My Boba Tea is out on the west side, on Dairy Ashford, and there might be one in Clear Lake, too. (I couldn’t tell from a search.) Like anything in Houston, toss a quarter in any direction, you’ll probably find at least one. If you can get beignets in Houston, you’ll find a place selling bubble tea, too, but probably not in the same place. Neighbor E is reading this and holding onto his chai latte real tight.
Chai Latte boxes at Walmart

Neighbor E’s favorite

What It Is

So, what is this wacky new stuff that the kids all like? I did find some in our local Walmart this past weekend:
Boxes of Boba Tea on Walmart shelf

Yup, there it is.

Well, Boba Tea was invented in Taiwan in the ’80s. It’s simply tea mixed with milk and other flavorings, and little sugar-coated tapioca balls in the bottom, the “boba.” There are as many flavors as people in Houston, so there’s no telling what kind of boba tea you can get wherever you go.
More boba tea in Walmart on the shelf trendy boba mixes

If I were getting some, I’d go with that Vanilla Latte flavor.

Seriously. It’s a drink and a sugary snack all at once. The Food Network’s website offers a basic description of boba tea. The more you search, the more you find. We’ll be seeing much more of this trend in 2024. Don’t expect me and BF to be hopping onto the boba tea trend anytime soon. He would not go into such a place and would only stand outside and wait for me to hurry up so we could leave.
Instructions and ingredients fro Boba tea package

That’s how it’s made, and that’s a lot of sugar.

I’m not sure I wanna try this stuff, anyway. But if I do get curious, I’ll let you know.

Retro Anything Trend

For some bizarre reason, there is a 90’s nostalgia food trend happening now. It may have something to do with the release of a movie called Mean Girls, a reboot of the 2004 film. This trend sees retro food reimagined for folks who want to return to their youth or something. Also called “newstalgia,” this kind of thing appears during or right after difficult times. Maybe I should find new copies of some old cookbooks and see where that takes me. On the other hand, I have no plans to source and purchase Pop Rocks to add into something. But it might be a fun joke to play on BF one day if he gets on my last nerve.

Increased Plant-Based Foods

Even though I stocked up on unsweetened chocolate almond milk during the most recent freeze, I’m not following this trend. However, an increase in demand for plant-based everything is expected to continue into 2024. Especially considering the increased prices of all types of meat. However, the plant-based meat industry has faced obstacles, forcing many to cut back operations. And it’s not cheap, either. Some providers have closed for business entirely. There just isn’t the demand they anticipated, and the problems of the last three years haven’t helped. Furthermore, the ingredients in some of these offerings aren’t always as healthy as touted.
Packages of Impossible ground meat on store shelf

Because it’s impossible to get normal people to eat this stuff. (Source: Google Images)

Going beyond the mixed veg and salad crowd, plant-based proteins are expected to expand into things like plant-based “seafood” alongside meat substitutes and vegetables featured in recipes on their own.
Package of Beyond Sausage plant based products for trend

Source: Google Images

Trend predictions show plant-based kinds of milk as prominent, including oat milk and, I’m not kidding, pea milk. No thanks. Besides, BF likes to remind me that “if it doesn’t moo, it isn’t milk.” BF is a smart aleck, too.
Refrigerated case of plant based meat alternatives

Source: Google Images/Getty Images

Who is buying these products? Granted, I’m in a rural area where people farm real beef, pork, chicken, etc., so it’s not likely farmers will be buying plant-based meat products. But how much of a market is there for them? Not as much as believed, and this trend may eventually fizzle out. Mushrooms are increasingly used as a meat substitute. So much so that Delish and Whole Foods are predicting mushrooms everywhere you look in 2024. If you start seeing mushroom everything, you heard it here first.

Vegan Pepperoni?

I haven’t been to Trader Joe’s in many months, and the last time I visited Aldi was between Christmas and New Year. TJ’s does offer a fair amount of vegan and vegetarian foods for those who like them. They are a California company, after all, up on all the latest food trends. Well, Natasha from Trader Joe’s List posted this new Trader Joe’s product on Instagram the other day:
Vegan pepperoni at Trader Joe's for plant based trend

Source: Trader Joe’s List Instagram page

Yes—vegan pepperoni. How do they make it? I’m glad you asked:
Ingredients of vegan pepperoni

Source: Trader Joe’s List Instagram page.

With wheat and a bunch of other ingredients that are not in any way “meat-like.” So, if you’re giving up meat, why eat something that attempts to emulate meat? Not my place to make these decisions, but there is a market for this type of product, albeit small. Makes me want to get a couple of packages of real pepperoni on my next grocery trip.

Trend: Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI has been rumbling around for years, but in 2022, ChatGPT brought AI into mainstream consciousness. While this blogger does use ChatGPT—like a bookkeeper would use a calculator—I wrote this blog without ChatGPT’s assistance. (And I’m sure it shows too.) Picture of AI floating robot Automation has been in the food industry for decades. In recent years AI has become increasingly sophisticated wherever it’s used. The infusion of technology probably won’t be obvious to consumers and restaurant patrons. Most of it will work in the background, not in full view.

How It Works

For instance, I saw an article recently (but I can’t find it now) about how companies keep their ice cream flavors in stock. It works like this: the ice cream vendor owns the freezer that’s in your local store or a component thereof. The freezer or component is equipped with a sensor device that sends information to the company remotely, letting them know what to restock automatically. Robot Isometric Icon with AI In other words, HEB, or our local Walmart, or Winn-Dixie doesn’t have to tell the vendor they are out of a specific type of ice cream, gelato, or novelty frozen dessert. The vendor already knows the minute the freezer space is low or emptied. Sensors inside the freezer send them a notification automatically, and the supply chain that brings it is (mostly) seamless. The vendor is already working to get that freezer refilled with Cherry Mocha Chocolate Chunk Hazelnut Crème Gelato before someone starts asking questions. In restaurants, automation and technology are expected to help pick up the load, saving labor and time. Again, customers won’t see this AI automation. McDonald’s has already opened a test of the automated concept in Fort Worth, but there are also humans working there. Increasing automation with AI is expected to help increase efficiency and cut costs in all types of eateries. Fans of The X-Files will remember a semi-comedic episode in the eleventh season (2018) with little dialog and revolved around an automated sushi restaurant. There are no humans in the place, and when Mulder’s order is wrong, there is no one to complain to and no way to get the sushi he ordered. Things escalate quickly, and the duo breaks out of the place. Headed home, Scully’s autonomous (and driverless) taxi speeds out of control, and her house is overtaken by electronics. Eventually, the pair is cornered by several robots that hand Mulder his phone, showing that he has not left a tip or a review. He leaves a 10% tip with his phone, the robots back off and go away, and then everything is all over. We’re a long way from that scenario, but don’t be surprised if the automated restaurant trend becomes more common, even in a limited capacity.

Speaking of Ice Cream

This article discusses new trends in our favorite frozen dessert. From calorie (and carb) conscious to more sophisticated flavor profiles, ice cream continues to evolve. I still prefer making my own, but it’s nice to know keto and sugar-free ice creams are available. One of those trends is new flavor combinations. Well, I’ve got one I just saw in Walmart the other night:
Trendy Little Debbie ice cream pints in the Walmart freezer case.

Little Debbie is “the other woman” in our relationship.

Yes, BF’s long-term “other woman” is branching into ice cream. He hasn’t tried it yet, but if it sticks around, I’m sure it will make its way its way into our freezer. If you’re one of those people who think the hotter, the better, you’re about to get your sensibilities whacked. By that, I mean that one new trend is to combine hot with sweet or other flavors to temper the heat and bring new layers of flavor. Gen Z has discovered extremely hot condiments like Sriracha and enjoys adding them to different dishes. Fermented food and drinks like kombucha also continue to be a force in food. Admittedly, this blogger does not go near the stuff. I do like pickles on occasion, especially the milder ones like kosher dill. BF, on the other hand, hates anything remotely “pickle-y,” and will let you know about it–loudly.

Rethinking The Drink

People like BF, Aunt Ruth, and Aunt Kathy are just not going to be fazed by the trend of Dry January right after the holidays. (Yup, a bit late for that too, but hear me out.) I don’t drink that often, and I can tell you the last occasions where I had alcohol: A wedding last November, (BF drove us) plus Thanksgiving and this past New Year’s Eve at home. But some folks drink a little more regularly and observe Dry January as a month of “reset.” Actress and foodie Valerie Bertinelli takes it seriously and frequently posts videos about her Dry January on Instagram. If you can’t give up the cocktails, there are ways to enjoy a sophisticated libation without the alcohol in January or any other month.

Fancy Sodas and Soft Drinks

For BF, Cherry Coke is about as fancy as he gets. I quit drinking soft drinks back in 1997 and have had only one since then. Now, I don’t have a taste for them. But over the years, soft drinks, aka “sodas,” have evolved into nonstandard versions that appeal to more discriminating tastes. The first one I remember seeing was Izze’s, a “fizzy” juice blend with no sugar or artificial flavorings.
Izze soft drink

This is just one of many flavors

While it started as an indie, it’s now part of the Tropicana brand. I remember trying it once, and it was pretty good, but the only place that sold them was the Houston Central Market, so I never had one again.

Zevia

Another one I’ve seen is Zevia Zero Sugar Sodas, but I haven’t tried them myself. They offer soda, energy drinks, teas, and drinks for kids.
Picture of can of Zevia cola

One of several varieties

Winn-Dixie offers two flavors in our local store. They’re not available in my local Walmart, but Walmart will ship them here. BF would blow a gasket if he ran out of Coke and I gave him Zevia. Next trip, I might try some, if they have some in stock. The company offers three versions of “mocktails” in a reel on their Instagram feed, all with Zevia canned sodas. Maybe we’ll try one for Valentine’s Day. Berry Town Produce in Hammond also carries Zevia, according to the company’s website. I thought I’d blogged about that place already, but I haven’t. Looks like I now have an excuse to go back, shop, take pictures, and write one. It’s like the old “fruit stands” that used to appear in New Orleans but enclosed. They have lots of great stuff. If you’re cutting back on sugar, you might think of switching to diet soft drinks. You can do that, of course. But these are not the same as your regular diet soft drinks. These are “reinvented” sodas with less sugar or no sugar added. This article from Eater lists ten of the newest non-alcoholic libations around, including “functional” sodas with prebiotics, and hybrid seltzer drinks. Non-alcoholic wines and other spirits are also an evolving market, especially for Dry January. Something new that has crossed my path is called Ritual Zero Proof, spirits for people who love to drink. No kidding, it’s a series of taste-alike alternatives to tequila, rum, whiskey, aperitif, and gin. The bottles are sold individually as well as in bundles. (NOTE: I have not personally tried these libations.)
New trend of Ritual Non-Alcoholic Spirits

Cocktail ready with no alcohol.

What’s in this stuff? Well, there is cane sugar, along with filtered water, natural flavoring, caramel coloring (in the rum version), and xanthan gum, a thickener. In other words, simple syrup with some extra ingredients to make it taste like the real thing, and free of alcohol.

Rethinking Your Drink

Do you want a drink? They’re easy to find. There are always recipes for dry cocktails, or “mocktails,” available online at the touch of a button. I have several cocktail recipes in books, too, like Suzanne Somers Cocktails book, one of my favorites. You can make many of these drinks without alcohol, including my favorites:
  • The Somersize Mojito on page 17
  • The Watermelon Mojito on page 21
  • The Ruby Red Greyhound on page 27
In all three, club soda can sub in for the alcohol. As with most of her recipes, they are made without sugar. Swerve can replace the SomerSweet; just adjust it for taste.

Our NYE Drinks

For New Year’s Eve, I found a recipe on Natasha Fisher’s Instagram feed (TraderJoesList) that called for fresh cranberries frozen in tangerine juice with a sprig of rosemary in larger-size ice cube trays. (I had to use orange juice since I wasn’t going to Baton Rouge before then.) When you’re ready to drink, pour your Prosecco or Champagne over the cubes. Delicious. For BF, I bought some fizzy apple juice for his “mocktail.” Mine, of course, had that small bottle of Prosecco that’s been in the fridge for some time and forgotten. We both enjoyed a nice “adult” beverage on New Year’s Eve with sliced cheeses and gluten-free cracker nibbles on the way to midnight. This charcuterie for two included slices of delicious Cranberry Cinnamon Goat Cheese from Aldi’s, and we even had some leftover cubes in the freezer for another time. Remember that anyone can now have a social media presence and call themselves an “influencer.” That’s their job, to promote products and hopefully start a trend that sells products. I get that, and sometimes they are good products. This article on Mr. Porter better explains how a trend comes to be and the process by which it ceases to be a trend and then becomes mainstream. Sometimes, I’m an “early adopter,” and other times, I’m an “early majority.” Occasionally, I’m a “late majority” or even a “laggard,” depending on the trend. I say that because if I have a problem to solve, I seek a solution. Sometimes that solution shows up on Instagram, no kidding, or on Amazon. Later, that “trend” became mainstream, and I found it at our local Walmart. One example is  this battery organizer I bought two years ago that’s similar to one now available in Walmart. I guess being classified as a “Baby Boomer” makes me wary of going near some of the trends. I’ll take “laggard” in those cases. Gluten-free isn’t a trend—it came about because so many people discovered they had wheat sensitivities and allergies, like Elena Amsterdam of Elena’s Pantry. Reading Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis made me believe in the gluten-free lifestyle. Cauliflower and cauliflower rice became a foodie trend with the low-carb and keto crowd because people looking for new things discovered its versatility. (Since that blog, I’ve found bags of frozen cauliflower rice at Walmart.) Trends develop from what people want, see, and need, and take all kinds of forms. As I said, predictions aren’t hard science, so these predictions and others may not become the thing. And what happens tomorrow is anybody’s guess. The Kansas City Chiefs (and of course, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend) won the Super Bowl, so at least one blogger on Instagram this morning had a recipe for KC brisket. As if I would make anything but a Texas brisket—DUH! Trends form around what people want and see on TV and social media. Taking a cue from that famous ball game, Taylor Swift wore a black corset top that’s been an on-and-off thing for many years. On YouTube, there’s a clip of the late Tina Turner doing a preshow performance at the 2000 Super Bowl, and her backup dancers are wearing the same style of corset tops, 24 years before TS wore one. That top is already a trend now. But since SHE wore one yesterday from an Australian designer, the Army of  Swifties will probably be swift in getting their own. Not me—I’m not a Swiftian, nor will I be buying or making one just yet. Foodie trends are the same way, like charcuterie boards. Trends of all types are influenced by everything from current events, politics, technology, popular culture, social media (of course), and just in general the way things change over time. Look how fast society adapted to working from home when they had to, and nearly everything changed overnight. Trends are also driven by changes in style and taste and become established by shared opinions and eventual widespread appeal.

Until Next Time. . . .

No, I’m not looking to start any trends, but if I do, GREAT! I just hope that trend comes with a highly acceptable payout, but not holding my breath on that one. But if you find something new to enjoy, have at it, and of course. . . . Happy Dining!  
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