Ignorant or Informed? rbST in Your Milk

Last week, I read a blog that made me wonder what rbST-free milk is all about and whether it’s better than organic milk. Well, I started researching rbST and have learned so much that I haven’t even embarked on the organic portion of my question. They are related questions and I think you need to know one in order to know the other, so this week, let’s talk rbST.

WHAT rBst IS
rbST is a synthetic hormone used by dairy farmers to increase milk production in their cows. All cows have a naturally occurring bovine growth hormone, or BGH. At some point, science figured out how make a synthetic version of this hormone, rbST, or recombinant bovine somatotropin, and farmers began using it to increase milk production. The EPA and National Institute of Health say rbST is safe for you to drink; however, Canada, Japan and most Europe, disagree and banned it.

I want to clarify before I go on, rbST-free means that the synthetic hormone is no longer being used. The milk does still have BGH, or bovine growth hormone, because, remember, it is naturally occurring. So you’re going to have BGH in conventional or organic milk.

And one more point to clarify, apparently you can use rbST and rBGH interchangeably. Makes it kinda confusing!

rBST in COWS
To put this at a level I can understand, I thought about my own hormones. I have naturally occurring thyroid hormone, but not enough of it. So, I take a synthetic thyroid hormone in order to keep my thyroid functioning properly. A cow has BGH and some farmers are using rBST to increase their milk production. Now, if my thyroid was working properly and I took a synthetic thyroid hormone, my thyroid would be thrown into chaos and I would develop a thyroid problem. Can this analogy be applied to cows?

From all that I’ve read, there is no conclusive scientific evidence rBST causes medical problems for humans.   On the other hand, it’s actually undisputed that rBST causes medical problems for cows. rBST is directly related to the increased rates of mastitis, lameness and infertility. Some say it decreases their life span. So, back to my analogy: if I get too much thyroid hormone - chaos. If a cow gets too much BGH - chaos.

The reason farmers use rBST is to increase milk production. Well, is America short on milk? Nope, according to the New York Times we have too much,“But now, demand for dairy products is stalling amid a global economic slowdown and credit crisis, even as supplies have increased. The result is a glut of milk — and its assorted byproducts, like milk powder, butter and whey proteins — that has led to a precipitous drop in prices.”

Here in the Northwest, Fred Meyer and Safeway carry organic and rBGH-free milk only. There are still farmers who do use rBGH and so you will find it in other stores, but not very many. “A U.S. Department of Agriculture survey in 2007 determined that about 15% of dairy farms use rBST… As part of its Campaign for Safe Food, the Oregon chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility has compiled a growing list of companies that have gone partially or completely rBGH-free.” (reference link)

IGNORANT OR INFORMED?
Last week, my blog “Ignorant or Informed Consumer: your milk may not need to be rbST free,” highlighted Dr. Terry Etherton a Penn State professor who says that rbST is safe to consume. He says that we are ignorant consumers if we think that the rbST-free milk is better for us and that it's all a marketing ploy to get us to pay more money for milk.  I think he goes so far as to imply that we consumers are hurting the farmers by demanding no rbST in our milk.

Well, based on my research, I disagree. I am now an informed consumer who is in favor of rBST-free milk and milk products. We don’t need more milk in production, so we don’t need our cows to produce more. While it’s debatable if rBST is dangerous for your health, it’s not good for the cow's health. I don't think we're hurting farmers by demanding rbST-free milk. It's called supply and demand, Dr. Etherton...get over it. 

Since I live here in the Northwest, I won’t find it at my favorite grocery store. That leaves me with the next question: should I choose rBGH-free or should I choose organic milk?  Stay tuned...I'll share that in my next post.

Please, share your reaction to my research in the comments below.  Do you have different information to share with my readers about rbST? What books or articles have you read on this subject?  If you share it here, we can converse so, let's talk!

Ignorant or Informed Consumer: your milk may not need to be organic or rbST free

I try to buy organic milk. The reasons for buying organic milk have as much to do with my family's health as with how the farm land and animals are managed. I have the impression that cows that produce "organic" milk are healthier and so is the land around them.  There are no pesticides being used in their environment. There are no hormones being given to the cows.  As I write this, however, I have to admit that I haven't researched one bit of information regarding organic milk, rbST or "regular" milk.  My conclusions are based on hear-say and impressions that I have of the industry. 

I found this article today when I was reviewing my Twitter feeds over tea.  The blog entry is "The Smoke and Mirrors of Milk Marketing."  Now I'm both a consumer and a marketer, so this has my attention.  The author, Terry Etherton, says that farmers of rbST are being cheated.  "In a nutshell, some dairy processors and retailers have been willing to use deceptive labeling campaigns to exploit consumer ignorance, and raise the suspicion that some milk (i.e., organic or rbST-free) might be safer or healthier than other milk (i.e, conventional), and charge a whole lot more!


Uh. Am I an ignorant consumer or an informed one? Are advertisers and marketers exploiting me?  Etherton blogs that rbST is safe. He also blogs that we organic purchasers are not buying the milk we think we are, being fleeced I guess. 

It so happens that on Tuesday of this week, I researched the price of organic milk at Safeway and Fred Meyer.  At Safeway, 1/2 gallon is $3.29.  One gallon is $5.99.  At Fred Meyer 1/2 gallon is $2.99 and one gallon is $5.48.  I didn't even look at non-organic milk, but I think it's about $2.49 for one gallon.

Terry Etherton's blog entries around this subject is a good example of why I am blogging about groceries and food.  I want to be an informed consumer; not a victim of advertising.  As consumers, it's challenging to take the time to research this stuff and so that's what I'm here for - to research it, learn from it and share it with you. 

Here's a link to Terry Etherton's blog: http://blogs.das.psu.edu/tetherton/2008/04/01/food-costs-increase-and-the-smoke-and-mirrors-of-rbst-free-milk-marketing-rolls-onand-onand-on/  (Dr. Etherton is a Distinguished Professor of Animal Nutrition and Head of the Department of Dairy and Animal Science at Penn State University).

Ignorant or Informed Consumer: your milk may not need to be organic or rbST free -- I'll find out and let you know...


So, I don't have time today to look into this any further. The kids are out of school today and tomorrow and I'm lucky I got this much written.  They've been in here just about every ten minutes asking for empty boxes, then tape, then scissors...you know.  Here's the deal. I am going to make this rbST my next research project. If you, my dear reader, have any information to share with me, please comment below or send me an email. Thanks.
~ Katrina 

It's in the Freezer: Beans

I read with great interest the article “Building Block Dinners” in the Family Fun, September 2010 issue. I had tried a make-ahead meal program several years ago, but it used so many canned soups, I couldn’t follow through with it. Between the BPA and the sodium, well, I didn’t care if cooking all day and freezing meals would save me time; it wouldn’t be healthy for my family. This article, however, gives three foods you can cook ahead and then recipe ideas on what to do with them when you are ready to use them. I put one of them together and then decided this would be a fun subject to blog about.

So last week, I decided to try the “Start with Beautifully Basic White Beans” idea.

I bought one pound of organic white navy beans from the bulk food section. I paid $1. 99 per pound. At home, I froze* about four quarts of beans. I controlled all aspects of the process, assuring my family healthy beans in our future meals. A can of beans, such as S&W, contains salt (440 mg sodium), sugar, dehydrated onion and calcium chloride and calcium disodium EDTA. My beans are organic, contain none of those ingredients and no BPA.

A few days later, I decided to make a White Bean and Sausage Saute, one of the recipes in the September 2010 Family Fun magazine. I had to substitute Italian sausages with pork andouille sausages and chicken broth with beef broth; otherwise I followed the recipe. Wow! Spicey! (A little too spicey for my seven year old, so I reserved a few navy beans and rinsed a sausage for her. I then added in some different things for her to eat). It took me no more than 30 minutes to put the whole thing together and I fed four of us dinner on a chilly, rainy night. Perfect, except there were no leftovers!

My overall experience is positive. Here's a summary:

• I have three bags of beans (about 8 cups) in the freezer to add to soup, salad or chili anytime.


• Raw beans are less expensive than canned beans and really don’t take long to cook. (The only thing I will do differently is cook them less time. I left them on low in my Crockpot for five hours and they are a bit too soft).


• I control all aspects of what goes into the cooked beans.

A couple of days ago, I made meatballs per the article’s instructions and they came out tasty. Now I have six cups of frozen meatballs in the freezer. Next, I plan to freeze black beans and kidney beans. I might even haul out the pressure cooker! Look out!

* How to Freeze Beans

1. Rinse and drain the beans, pick out all of the rocks and damaged beans.


2. Soak the beans in a large bowl: Just cover them with three inches of water and soak for 8 hours.


3. Drain and rinse the beans well with fresh, cold water.


4. Transfer the beans to your slow cooker. Add 7 cups of water and a bay leaf.


5. Cook the beans in your slow cooker on high between three and four hours, just until tender.


6. Save the liquid, but strain the beans.


7. After the beans have cooled, measure out two cups at a time and freeze them in freezer bags. Cover them with the reserved cooking liquid, push all the extra air out of the bag, seal, and label; lie them flat in your freezer. Store them for up to three months (so be sure to date them when you label them).

To defrost: throw them in the fridge in the morning or in a cool bath of water for about thirty minutes before you need them.

Is Fred Meyer Cheaper Than Safeway?

If I’d made a bet, I would have lost.

It all started when my friend made the statement, “Fred Meyer* is cheaper than Safeway.” As I am not the argumentative type, I did not take the bait. I’ve been a Safeway shopper for over ten years and didn’t feel the need to defend my store of choice. But, a question began to nag at me, “Is Fred Meyer cheaper than Safeway?” I began to question if my favorite store was more expensive than hers. So, I asked another friend. She sided with me. I felt instantly better. But, the question began to nag at me again, “Is Fred Meyer cheaper than Safeway?”

Deciding to put the question to rest, I began researching the two stores. I reviewed 113 items, comparing brand name, store brand and size. The result of my research?

Well, like I said. If I’d made a bet, I would have lost.

Fred Meyer is less expensive than Safeway.

At least, during the month I was doing my research (July 2009), it was. I was not comparing sale items, fresh produce or meat. I was looking at brand name, store brand, size and the retail price. I specifically looked at items that I buy, such as unsalted butter, Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats, organic when I can, and local as much as possible. Even though the research is of my specific items, the findings may certainly ring true for you as well.

Is it more expensive by a little, or a lot? Let’s take a look at my shopping list and see how I would come out at each store. Sale prices are not included in the research and I didn’t always select the cheapest product (ie. I bought Kraft Mac and Cheese rather than the store brand).

Shopping list:

aluminum foil
butter
diced tomatoes, 1 can
milk
eggs
cereal
mac n cheese
bleach
dish detergent

Okay, here’s what I “bought” at Fred Meyer:

Aluminum foil, 200 sq ft, FM brand: $5.73
Tillamook, unsalted, one pound butter: $2.99
Canned diced tomatoes, Fred Meyer brand, 14.5 oz: $.69
1% Fred Meyer brand milk, one gallon: $2.49
Cage Free Private Selection eggs, 1 dozen: $2.39
Raisin Bran Crunch, 18 oz: $4.39
Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats, 24 oz: $4.83
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, 7.25 oz: $.79
Everyday Living bleach, 96 fl oz: $1.29
Everyday Living dish detergent, 28 fl oz: $1.99

Total: $27.58

And at Safeway:
Aluminum foil, 200 sq ft, Safeway brand: $8.99
Tillamook, unsalted, one pound butter: $3.99
Canned diced tomatoes, Safeway brand, 14.5 oz: $1.34
1% Lucerne brand milk, one gallon: $2.49
Cage Free eggs, 1 dozen: $3.79
Raisin Bran Crunch, 18 oz: $4.99
Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats, 24 oz: $4.99
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, 7.25 oz: $1.39
Safeway brand bleach, 96 fl oz: $2.29
Safeway brand dish detergent, 28 fl oz: $2.99

Total: $37.25

Cha Ching! It would cost $9.67 more to shop at Safeway for the same or comparable, items than at Fred Meyer.

A Closer Look:
Maybe $9.67 doesn't seem like very much. It's actually 26% more! And the list is just representational of my findings.

Also, there are variables. What if some of the items were on sale? What about coupons? My answer to that is: it goes both ways! Milk could have been on sale at Safeway and my chosen cereal could have been on sale at Fred Meyer. What’s interesting to me is that comparing, pardon the pun, apples to apples, Fred Meyer store comes out … cheaper across the board, consistently.

Some may say that each store has their low and high price points. Yet, item after item, Safeway comes in higher than Fred Meyer. In some cases, Safeway might be cheaper by two cents, but never by a dollar. In most cases, Fred Meyer is cheaper and, often, by a dollar. Here are some more items from my list for you to review:

• Special K Red Berries cereal, 12 oz: $3.49 (Fred Meyer); $4.49 (Safeway)
• Tillamook cheddar cheese, two pounds: $5.00 (Fred Meyer); $7.99 (Safeway)
• Organic Swanson chicken broth, 32 oz: $3.43 (Fred Meyer); $3.65 (Safeway)
• White vinegar, one gallon: $2.99 (Fred Meyer); $3.75 (Safeway)

Yes, Safeway is less expensive in some cases. Ie.

• Golden Star jasmine rice, 5 lbs: $9.19 (Fred Meyer); $8.59 (Safeway)
• Thai jasmine rice, 5 lbs: $13.69 (Fred Meyer); $9.99 (Safeway)
• Arm & Hammer Free liquid laundry detergent, 120 fl oz: $10.79 (Fred Meyer); $7.99 (Safeway) Their powder is cheaper at Safeway too; good news for us allergy sufferers.

The bottom line:


For me, it’s at least 20% to 26% less to shop at Fred Meyer. Sure, Safeway has some mean sales, but I would lose money if I made it my main grocery stop for the week; I am not disciplined enough to buy just what’s on sale. And, frankly, I don’t have time to shop two or three stores to get what I need for the week. If I consistently save 20% by shopping Fred Meyer (Kroger), then it seems logical to me that I will save even more when I shop the Fred Meyer sales and use coupons. This is something I need to know because groceries are expensive and time is precious.

I feel more confident now that doing my main shopping at Fred Meyer is the way to go. (Of course, I still have to visit Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and some of our local markets. But when I don't have time for visiting, I'll head straight for Freddies).

More to chew on:
Why did I shop Safeway all these years?
What about Albertson’s? Super Wal-Mart? Costco? Whole Foods?
Are those discount stores as cheap as they report (like Food 4 Less)?

Question of the week:

What do you think?
Have you compared your favorite stores?
What am I missing?
Help me do a better job of researching and concluding.

Just for Fun:

Check out how America's Cheapest Family does their shopping! Incidentally, they shop Basha's in AZ, which I think is an independent grocery store. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5O8ZzJfro4

NEXT BLOG:
So, why Safeway?

*Fred Meyer is a KROGER store, for those of you not located in the Great Northwest. When I lived in Colorado, we could shop Kroger’s store King Soopers. We mostly shopped Safeway. If you do your own comparison shopping, I’d be curious to learn if Kroger’s other stores are less expensive than Safeway. So, be sure to let me know!

Freddie's Prices Summer 2009

How much does it cost?

I surveyed 113 items at Fred Meyer in July 2009. The prices on the items below are the retail price; not the sale price. These prices may change, although I don't know how often. Below is just a sampling of what I surveyed.

aluminum foil, 200 sq ft:

• Fred Meyer brand = $5.73
• Reynolds Wrap = $10.29

applesauce, 47 oz:

• Fred Meyer Natural = $ 1.93
• Tree Top Natural = $ 3.29
• Seneca Natural = $ 3.35

bleach, 96 oz:

• Everyday Living = $ 1.29
• Clorox= $ 1.79

butter, 1 lb unsalted:

• Fred Meyer = $2.39
• Tillamook = $ 2.99
• Challenge = $ 3.99
• Private Selection = $ 4.79
• Land O Lakes, = $ 4.99

Cheeze Its crackers:

• 9 oz = $ 2.67
• 11.5 oz = $ 2.67
• 13 oz = $ 2.67

mac n cheese:

• KRAFT 7.25 oz = $0.79
• Fred Meyer, 7.25 oz = $ 0.50
• KRAFT, 5.5 oz, character = $1.23

milk, 1 gallon:

• Fred Meyer, 1% = $ 2.49
• Organic Valley, fat free = $ 5.48

I noticed that, at Freddies,* there are not a plethora of choices per item. Each item has a minimum of two brands, but rarely more than three. For instance, there's only Fred Meyer brand or Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil. There are only two brands for bleach. For some reason, there's more than four butter brands; I did not list them all here. Above I listed Mac N Cheese with two brands (KRAFT and Fred Meyer brand) and the other brand they carry, Annie's Organic, is in a different section of the store. (There are pros and cons to separating the organic food from the nonorganic food. This is a case where I wish they were together for a side by side comparison). I'm not sure it's a disadvantage to have only two brands to choose from when shopping, unless Freddie's does not carry your favorite brand.

Now, I'm anxious to learn: which major food chain in my area is cheaper, Fred Meyer or Safeway? And by cheaper, how much cheaper are we talking? Surely not by much, right?

I'm also wondering if I need to compare fresh fruits, vegetables and meats for an accurate comparison. Although, at this writing I am a member of the Community Supported Agriculture program and am getting local, organic veggies weekly (yum!) so I'm not buying much produce at the grocery store.

So, for now, the research is focusing on household items, boxed and canned foods (basically not on meat, fish or produce).

The Next Blog: Who's Cheaper, Safeway or Fred Meyer?

Today's Discussion Question:

Which grocery store do you think is cheaper? Do you think Walmart is the cheapest? What about an outlet store, such as Food 4 Less or Grocery Outlet?

*Freddies, aka Fred Meyer, is a Kroger store. In other areas of the country, the same store might be called King Soopers, City Market, Ralph's, Smith's: http://www.thekrogerco.com/

A Detailed Look at One Grocery Store

Earlier in the week, I dropped my daughter at summer camp and spent the morning at Fred Meyer (aka Kroger, King Soopers) and did some research. Armed with my notebook and pen, I strolled from aisle to aisle listing every item I buy, its retail price and a competitor price, if available. (I know this data exists somewhere, but I'm sure it's highly classified, so I figure I have to make my own). I learned a few interesting things by examining my store this way.

Among the things I learned:

1. A bigger box of something might cost you less or the same as a smaller box. There's an article about this (http://www.ajc.com/business/meltdown-97098.html). A great example is a box of "Cheeze Its" 9 oz is regularly priced at $2.67, but so's the 11.5 oz box and the 13 oz box. I also found this to be true in the cereal aisle.
2. An item marked "on sale" isn't necessarily the best deal. This may seem obvious, but for those of us running through the store (which is my usual mode), the sale signs save us time and leads us to believe that we are getting a good deal. Sometimes I can tell it's less than I usually pay, but if it's $2.00 or under, I figure it'll do. Turns out, it's not always that great a deal, but you need to know what you usually pay for something to be certain.
3. The cereal aisle is deceiving. The secret to buying cereal is to look at the unit price. This is generally true for all of your shopping, but you'll really see it here. An 18 oz box of "Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats" is .22 per ounce. A 24 oz box is .20 per ounce. So while $4.83 looks expensive compared to $3.99, it's a better deal. While that's obvious here, when you are running through the store with your kid talking to you and you're in a time crunch, $3.99 looks fine and almost $5.00 does not.
4. The food storage items are really confusing; I think they do it on purpose. They don't put all the freezer bags in one area, sandwich in another, gallon bags in another. No, they sort it by snap n seal or the kind with the zipper on it. And then within that, they sort it by item, but not always. Comparison shopping for these not Earth friendly items is a real pain. If I thought I could live without them, I'd skip this section all together.

I am certain that there's a lot more to learn, but for today, that was plenty. What I've confirmed for myself is grocery shopping is confusing (the store makes it so), takes time and it would be helpful if I had a steel trap to remember what I "usually pay" for something.

What I hope to learn soon is whether or not Fred Meyer's is generally cheaper or more expensive than Safeway. Or if they are about the same and it's all about the sales or generic food items. Or if it's really about something else I know nothing about, but will learn on this grocery research journey.

Next time: A peek at my price log

Bonus:
Make your own grocery price log; use this form to help: PRICE LOG

Swindled While Shopping?

I place my one stuffed grocery bag in the back of my car and think, "How does $47.00 give me only one bag of groceries?" Of course, I use my own bag instead of plastic, so the cashier has packed it very tightly. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve been fleeced. No matter how calculating I am, I wonder as I close the trunk, “Did I get the best deal? Could I have done better at the ‘other store’? Did I miss a sale or a coupon that would have lowered my bill?”

I’m the main shopper for our family and with escalating prices and our de-escalating income, I am driven to figure out how to shop better. Sure, I've read a number of articles about how to save money when grocery shopping, ie: don't shop when you are hungry, take a list with you and stick to it, clip coupons, etc. I follow these "tips," but still have the feeling that I'm coming out behind. I have to shop and spend money, but I’m tired of feeling guilty about it.

This summer, I found myself unemployed and while my daughter frolics, I decided to take this time to figure out how to spend our money – and get more for it – when it comes to groceries. And that’s what this blog is, generally, about.

My Next Post: What research at one store revealed

Today's Discussion Question:
Where do you shop? Do you think it's cheaper than the competition? Do you care?

For Fun:
I found this dated commercial from the 1950s that teaches "college-age women" how to shop. It reminds me that when I married, my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law told me, "The way to a happy marriage is through a man's stomach." My husband and I laugh about this frequently, as we share the cooking equally.

Here's the link: http://consumerist.com/5322794/grocery-shopping-tips-from-the-1950s