Half and Half

Traditionally when you buy half and half at the grocery store you expect to get something that is half whole milk and half cream. Or at least this is what I expect to buy. Last week my daughter was coming and I know she likes a bit of cream in her coffee so I just quickly picked up a bottle of half and half. Well, I thought that was what I picked up. But when I got home I noticed that it was fat-free half and half. The country girl in me instantly wondered how they could make cream fat free so I read the ingredients.

 

 

Ingredients: nonfat milk, milk*,corn syrup,contains less than 1% of: artificial color**, sugar, dipotassium phosphate, sodium citrate, mono and diglycerides*,carrageenan, natural and artificial flavors, vitamin A palmitate. *Adds a trivil amount of fat. **An ingredient not normally found in half and half. (no kidding?)
This product has 20 calories per serving and 2 grams of sugar per serving.
Needless to say that this product was found wanting in flavor and texture. My daughter said it did not mix in her coffee well at all.

The next trip I made to the store I picked up my usual bottle of half and half.

Guess what the ingredients are?
Ingredients: Organic Grade A milk, Organic Grade A Cream

No added flavors or colorings. No added sugars. And it tastes so much better.
One serving is 40 calories but only 1 gram of sugar, so I think it probably evens itself out there. Plus, it is more satisfying with the added fats so I think one is less likely to overindulge. One serving is 2 tablespoonfuls and I only use about a teaspoon in my coffee.

I need to remind myself to take my time in the store and remember to watch those labels!