Food Columnists Award Best and Worst New Food Products of 1999 Food columnists Bonnie Tandy Leblang and Carolyn Wyman have given their highest food honor of 1999 to the humble potato. Fresh From the Start potatoes, peeled and ready for the busy consumer to cook, is the recipient of the 10th annual Golden Shopping Cart Award presented by the authors of "Supermarket Sampler."And while this product and a few others are receiving golden recognition, the news is not so good for several products to which Leblang and Wyman have given a "Double Forks Down" - a designation of the worst new food products introduced in 1999.Leblang and Wyman?s picks and pans came from investigating more than 150 new food products in 1999.In announcing the winner, Leblang called the already-peeled and partially cooked potatoes "truly an innovation." Adds Wyman: "Peeling potatoes has got to be one of the most boring and odious of kitchen tasks. Its about time the convenience produce industry took it over from us."Fresh From the Start potatoes are products introduced and distributed by the Fresh From the Start company, headquartered in Riverhead, N.Y.The "Double Forks Down" recipients were judged on taste and nutritional value.The "Double Forks Down" products and the columnists comments are as follows: Oscar Mayer Lunchables Waffles and Pancakes -- "Like handing your kid a sugar bowl";Pillsbury Hungry Jack Honey Butter Biscuit -- "No real honey anywhere in them and needs more butter";Melissas Seaphire -- "Like seaweed seasoned with an entire carton of Mortons Salt";Quaker Instant Oatmeal Berry Blue Sea Adventures -- "Heart-healthy food turned into sickly sweet blue candy";Snapple Elements -- "Herbally enhanced Kool-Aid";Pringles Pizza-licious Potato Crisps -- "Red pizza powder dusted Pringles make regular Pringles seem almost natural";Manns Cleaned and Cut Idaho Potatoes -- "Ruined with an overdose of salty preservatives."Several products received the honor of "favorite picks" from the food columnists. Leblangs favorites were: Kraft Light Done Right! Salad Dressings; Nestle Nesquik Chocolate Nonfat Milk; Tropicana Pure Premium Calcium-Added Juices; Kraft Shredded All Natural Cheese: Parmesan and Three Cheese; Campbells Ready-To-Serve Tomato Soups; Athenos Mediterranean Spread Roasted Eggplant Hummus; Dole Restaurant Salads: Triple Cheese Toss, All American Toss and Tomato & Mozzarella Medley varieties; Haagen-Dazs Pineapple Coconut Ice Cream and Tropical Coconut Ice Cream Bar; and, Gardenburger Santa Fe Veggie Patties.Wymans picks were: Franks Red-Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce; Gortons Tenders (fish); Pepperidge Farm Garlic Toast; Life Savers Creme Savers; Dole CinnaRaisins; Weight Watchers Smart Ones Main Street Bistro Selections; Jif Smooth Sensations Chocolate Silk; Sara Lee Cheesecake Singles; and, Pillsbury OneStep Refrigerated Brownie.Leblang is a registered dietitian, certified culinary professional and book author. She is also the author of the internationally syndicated column, ?Express Lane Cooking A Simple Solution to Whats for Dinner". Wyman is a junk-food fanatic and journalist and author of "Spam: A Biography." The pair share methods of shopping, choosing, praising and panning foods to newspapers across the country in their weekly column, "Supermarket Sampler," syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate in Kansas City, MO.
