In my opinion 100-calorie packs fall short on nutrition, taste, and the ability to satisfy a hungry stomach—who decided that 100 was the magic number? Sure they may be only 100 calories and lower in fat but they are made with artificial ingredients such as corn syrup sourced from genetically modified corn, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors, and artificial colors. One-hundred calories of “empty” ingredients is likely to leave you reaching for another pack in a half hour. We learned this lesson in the 90’s when we all furiously munched on anything that said fat-free. If you looking for a…

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Ah, a trip to the farm. If I could, I would live on a farm among the animals. And, if I could pick a farm, I'd probably pick the Straus Family Creamery on the Tomales Bay. Those cows have it good. The Clif Bar crew took a tour of the dairy farm earlier this week and got a look at the ins and outs of what makes their family-owned dairy farm churn (pun intended). We visited with the calves and hung out with the cows lounging in the sun who were taking time off from getting milked. They were so…

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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on the FDA's assessment of cloning and the beef recall. Well, it got some folks talking (just read the comments). So, to follow up, I thought there might be some interest in checking out what the USDA and the FDA are up to since... Just to clarify, the FDA regulates food labeling of prepared foods i.e. breads, cereals, canned and frozen foods, snacks, desserts, drinks. Frankly, their position on cloning, doesn’t interest me as much as the position the USDA might take on cloning. Ranching and meat regulation is, after all, the area…

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My Montana roots are likely responsible for my love of a good, grilled burger. In a state where there are more cattle than people it's hard to deny the craving. Recent actions however have me rethinking my propensity to eat beef. The largest beef recall in US history coupled with the FDA’s approval of food from cloned cattle has me reeling. The meat was recalled because the meat packer slaughtered potentially sick cows. Regulations prohibit the slaughtering of sick cows to protect our food supply. This meat packer violated these rules. Scary! To add to this, after a 15 year…

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Inspired by the colder weather, some of us around the office are winter-izing a few of our favorites. Sleighing Salesman Pat brews up a "Mountain Mocha"—CLIF Hot SHOT Hot Chocolate mixed with one CLIF SHOT Double Expresso gel. Dietitian Tara, and yes, this is from the dietitian, microwaves a Chocolate Brownie CLIF Bar and adds a dollop of vanilla ice cream. And Captain Computer Ed, rips apart CLIF Nectar Lemon, Vanilla & Cashew and mixes it into his oatmeal for a cozy morning meal. Yumbo.

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