Taster's Choice: 2007, another year of tasting intrepidly
By Janet K. Keeler, Times Food and Travel Editor
Published January 2, 2008
Let's give a thunderous round of applause for the 2007 Taster's Choice panelists. They ate a lot of stuff so we don't have to.
Think you could handle it? Imagine in one morning sampling roasted peanuts, green olives, feta cheese and fish sticks. How about garlic and herb marinade, shortbread cookies, potato chips, canned frosting and powdered milk? Remember, that's not just one version of each. Try 10 marinades and five frostings, among other injustices.
For Taster's Choice, we shop at Publix, Sweetbay, Albertsons, Wal-Mart and occasionally Gordon Food Service Marketplace Stores, a discount bulk food store with locations in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Target and health food stores.
As you go through the list, remember that most major brands are available at multiple grocery stores. Store brands that do not have the same name as the store are noted.
We appreciate tips from readers for ways to improve the column and also suggestions about grocery store foods to try. If you have suggestions, please e-mail them to Kathy Saunders at subkat@aol.com". Put SUGGESTIONS in the subject line.
Suggestions also may be mailed to Taster's Choice, Newsfeatures, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.
- - -
Coleslaw
1. Albertsons
2. tie Reser's (Albertsons), Wal-Mart
3. Winn-Dixie
Canned clam chowder
1. Campbell's Select
2. Publix
3. Campbell's
Supplement bars
1. South Beach Diet
2. Detour
3. Luna
Frozen fried cheese sticks (All from GFS)
1. Moore's
2. Gordon Food Service
3. Brew City
Cream-filled cookies
1. Hannaford (Sweetbay)
2. Newman's O
3. Country Choice
Capers
1. Fragata
2. Bella Capote
3. Alessi
Breaded Onion Rings
1. Alexia
2. Hannaford (Sweetbay)
3. Ore-Ida
Sweet, unsalted butter
1. Plugra
2. Breakstone's
3. Publix
Roasted, salted peanuts
1. Publix
2. Hampton Farms
3. Albertsons
Green olives
1. Lindsay
2. Publix
3. Albertsons, Bella (tie)
Fish sticks
1. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
2. Mrs. Paul's
3. Hannaford (Sweetbay)
Feta cheese
1. Publix
2. Kolios
3. Mt. Vikos
Malted milk candy
1. Whoppers
2. Brach's
3. Necco
Honey
1. Albertsons
2. Winnie the Pooh
3. Billy Bee, Sue Bee (tie)
Extra-virgin olive oil
1. Lucina
2. Colavita
3. Albertsons
Frozen mixed vegetables
1. Green Giant
2. Publix
3. Hannaford (Sweetbay)
Fast-food milkshakes
1. Chick-fil-A
2. Burger King
3. Evos
Iced coffee
1. Starbucks
2. Dunkin' Donuts
3. McDonald's
Egg-and-cheese breakfast sandwiches
1. Chick-fil-A
2. Burger King
3. McDonald's
Fruit and nut granola bar
1. Publix
2. Kellogg's
3. Albertsons
Hot dog buns
1. Pepperidge Farm
2. Arnold
3. Wonder
Grape jelly
1. Hannaford (Sweetbay)
2. Welch's
3. Smucker's
Wheat crackers
1. Kashi
2. Keebler
3. South Beach Diet
Yellow cake mixes
1. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
2. Pillsbury
3. Betty Crocker
Italian-style bread crumbs
1. Hannaford (Sweetbay)
2. Vigo
3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
Corn bread mix
1. Betty Crocker
2. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
3. Jiffy
White bread
1. Monk's (purchased at Publix)
2. Arnold's
3. Pepperidge Farm
Grape juice
1. Woodstock Farms
2. Santa Cruz
3. Welch's
Garlic and herb marinade
1. KC Masterpiece
2. A1
3. Mrs. Dash, Lawry's (tie)
Shortbread cookies
1. Archer Farms (Target)
2. Walker's
3. Voortman's
Kettle-cooked potato chip
1. Kettle (Nature's Finest Foods)
2. Cape Cod
3. Utz (Sam's Club)
Canned frosting
1. Duncan Hines
2. Pillsbury
3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
Powdered milk
1. Albertsons
2. Carnation, Sanalac, Great Value (Wal-Mart), Hannaford (Sweetbay) (tie)
Frozen restaurant meals
1. TGI Friday's Honey Barbecue Wings
2. TGI Friday's Buffalo Wings
3. White Castle Burgers
Instant chocolate pudding
1. Albertsons
2. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
3. Jell-O
Chocolate-covered graham crackers
1. Starbucks
2. Hannaford (Sweetbay), Keebler (tie)
3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
Comfort food
1. Boston Market Chicken Pot Pie
2. Tony Roma's Baby Back Ribs
3. Marie Callender's Chicken Pot Pie
Chocolate milk
1. Publix
2. T.G. Lee
3. Nestle's Nesquick
Nondairy coffee creamer
1. Publix Rich & Creamy
2. Borden Cremora
3. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
Chocolate-covered raisins
1. Publix
2. Georgia's Choice (Albertsons)
3. Nestle Raisinets
Balsamic vinegar
1. Acetum
2. Colavita
3. Lucini
Shredded Parmesan
1. GSF Primo Gusto
2. Kraft
3. Albertsons
Cookie mix
1. Betty Crocker
2. Duncan Hines
3. Ghirardelli
Marshmallow cookie
1. Mallomar
2. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
3. Little Debbie
Boxed scalloped potatoes
1. Great Value (Wal-Mart)
2. Betty Crocker
3. GFS Marketplace
Peppermint bark
1. Williams-Sonoma
2. Harry London (Crate & Barrel)
3. Ghirardelli