Phil Lempert

On April 17, the California Homemade Food Act (AB 1616) -- more commonly known as the California Cottage Food Bill -- passed the California Assembly Committee on Health, bringing small food operators in California one step closer to being able to legally provide their communities with healthy, home-grown food products.

A major shift in the nation's food supply will probably appear from the controversy over lean finely textured beef, or, as it has been called, pink slime.

For many consumers it was a tipping point that further eroded confidence in our foods and have people scrutinizing what they'll buy and...

So, just weeks away from Memorial Day BBQ time. Post your ideas below on how to save money at this years extravaganza. I'll pick the best idea, publish it on SupermarketGuru.com and here in the Huffington Post. And to top it all off, I'll send you a goody bag of...

Most consumers would rather have a competent cashier and bagger than self-checkout lanes. After all, it's the ending to our shopping trip and common sense tells us that last touch point be a positive emotional human connection and should be a pleasant experience, the one that keeps us smiling as...

For most shoppers, the headlines about "pink slime," what the beef industry calls boneless lean beef trimmings, were upsetting and stirred emotions to the point that retailers, fast fooderies and the producer itself took action to eliminate the filler; which also acted to help reduce pathogens that could...

Before you answer, pause and ask yourself if you are shopping for foods differently than you did just a few years ago. You may have changed your purchasing habits because you want more local or fresh foods, or healthier foods or perhaps you are just trying to save money. But...

Earlier this week I attended an eye-opening overview of a Scientific Statement published and funded by the American Heart Association in January of this year. The lead author, Myles S. Faith PhD, associate professor, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina discussed how...

Scanning the covers of magazines and books it appears that one of the most powerful keywords to prompt purchase of these publications is "superfoods." A quick search on Amazon alone brings up over 450 book titles that include the term.

Superfood is not a term recognized (or defined) by the...

These days, more of us are trying to improve the nutrient quality of the foods we eat, whether it is avoiding certain added ingredients or choosing foods that contain more nutrients. As food prices continue to rise, however, it is getting harder to do. So here are a few of...

We've all seen it -- we open our freezer door and see those dry patches of white stuff under the plastic wrappers of our foods, or even on the top layer of our ice cream. Yeeech. The good news is that freezer burn will not make us sick, but it...

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its Agricultural Projections through the year 2021. These baseline projections offer a glimpse into what is likely to happen to the prices we pay at the supermarket.

After a year or more of harsh weather conditions, which drove up...

I grew up in a family with Eastern European roots, so borscht was a staple in our home and that of my grandmother.

For those not familiar with borscht it is reddish-purple in color with beetroot as its main ingredient and is usually consumed as a hot or cold...

Earlier in the week, I attended the Food Marketing Institute's Midwinter Executive Conference in Orlando. It is the annual gathering of the top tier management of supermarkets, wholesalers and food manufacturers who meet to discuss the most important issues facing the industry.

Health and wellness, sustainability, job creation,...