Ask UNL’s Food Doc: There really is comfort in comfort foods
Jul 9, 2020
Dear Food Doc: In the past 4 months it seems like all we do is eat. Breakfast, lunch and dinner plus snacks all day long. Is it simply because…
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Pandemic will change way we eat
Jun 2, 2020
Dear Food Doc: I keep hearing how the pandemic will change the way we live, maybe for a very long time. Don’t you think that when life does ge…
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Keep your food fresher longer
May 5, 2020
Dear Food Doc: I miss my barber, my gym and my hardware store. Most of all, I miss going to my neighborhood grocery store. Am I alone on that …
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Good news on food safety in crisis
Mar 31, 2020
- Can you get coronavirus from food?
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: A heaping helping for good food news
Mar 3, 2020
Dear Food Doc: You’ve written about food poisoning, gaining weight and all the unhealthy foods I love to eat. Don’t you ever have any good food news?
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Lettuce not as risky as it might seem
Feb 4, 2020
Dear Food Doc: I came back from the grocery with romaine lettuce. My friend said he’s not eating it due to the E. coli recall from last Novemb…
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Healthy food trends on horizon in 2020
Dec 31, 2019
Dear Food Doc: Infomercials, magazine articles and emails in my in box keep telling me how to eat healthier, grow hair and have better sex. I’…
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: How to pick the very best beef
Dec 3, 2019
Dear Food Doc: I will be hosting out-of-towners during the holidays and want to serve them the best beef they have ever had (from Nebraska, of…
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Boiling down the facts when it comes to eggs
Nov 5, 2019
Dear Food Doc: I’ve been eating eggs a long time, but never paid much attention to the labels. I have always bought Grade A eggs, but are ther…
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Frozen veggies can be healthier than fresh
Oct 1, 2019
Dear Food Doc: I enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, but they take a lot of effort to prepare. Plus, if I don’t eat them right away, they go ba…
Ask UNL’s Food Doc: Shopping for facts not like shopping for groceries
Sep 3, 2019
Dear Food Doc: I try to pay attention to what health experts say about diet and food. But I get conflicting messages and am not sure whom I sh…
Ask the Food Doc: Cannabis edibles on the rise nationwide
7-August-19
I just returned from a visit to Seattle. Evidently, marijuana is now even in foods. What is the likelihood these products will reach Nebraska?
Ask the Food Doc: 4 questions, 4 answers for the 4th
July-19
Ask the Food Doc: Professional tasters need more than taste buds
5-June-19
I know there are wine tasting experts, but I read recently about people who specialize in coffee and chocolate tasting. How do I get one of those jobs?
Ask the Food Doc: Veggie burgers getting more like beef all the time
1-May-19
So Burger King is selling veggie burgers. Can you explain why?
Ask the Food Doc: Better news for butter lovers
2-April-19
After all these years of avoiding butter, now, thankfully, we’ve been told it’s perfectly fine to eat. Why the change?
Ask the Food Doc: Baby carrots, M&Ms and other food mysteries
6-March-19
I like to snack on those little baby carrots. I assumed these were simply carrots that were harvested early before they grew up to become big carrots. But now I’ve heard that isn’t true. So how do they make these carrots?
Ask the Food Doc: Microwave ovens, microwaved foods safe
6-Feb-19
I have questions about microwave ovens. Are microwaved foods safe? What about the radiation that leaks out of microwave ovens? Or are all these warnings about the dangers of microwave ovens simply urban myths?
Ask the Food Doc: Benefits of raw veggies outweigh the risks
2-Jan-19
One of my resolutions this year (every year, actually) is to eat healthier. This means more salads and fresh vegetables. Yet, given the recent lettuce recalls, I am worried this might put me at risk for foodborne disease. How can I reduce these risks in 2019?
Ask the Food Doc: Souffle delicious, amazing … when it works
31-Jul-18
Why did my soufflé fail to rise when I baked it in my new convection oven?
Ask the Food Doc: Preservatives in food aren’t all evil
3-Jul-18
Q: A friend sent me an email recommending that I avoid all processed food. What’s so wrong with processed food?
Ask the Food Doc: Mold can be blessing, curse for cheese
5-Jun-18
Dear Food Doc: Moldy cheese – it looks gross, so I always end up tossing the entire block. But I was told I can trim it and it would be OK to …
Ask the Food Doc: Coconut back in nutritional good graces
1-May-18
Dear Food Doc: When I was in college, coconut oil was just about the worst thing there was. Now it seems like I’m seeing it in more and more p…
Ask the Food Doc: No simple answers when dealing with raw chicken
3-Apr-18
Dear Food Doc: As I was putting groceries away today, my 2-year-old got into a puddle of fluid from a leaking package of raw chicken. Then she…
Ask the Food Doc: Food labels have become confusing
6-Feb-18
Dear Food Doc: I have become vigilant about reading food labels, especially calorie and fat content. Is it just me or is there now a lot more …
Ask the Food Doc: Can I consume unopened mustard from 2015?
6-Feb-18
Dear Food Doc: I have a jar of French’s mustard dated 2015 and it has not been opened. I assume mustard cannot really get old. Is it still saf…
Ask the Food Doc: Food labels have become confusing
6-Feb-18
Dear Food Doc: I have become vigilant about reading food labels, especially calorie and fat content. Is it just me or is there now a lot more …
Ask the Food Doc: Can I consume unopened mustard from 2015?
6-Feb-18
Dear Food Doc: I have a jar of French’s mustard dated 2015 and it has not been opened. I assume mustard cannot really get old. Is it still saf…
Ask the Food Doc: Roasted nuts add flavor, aroma
31-Oct-17
Dear Food Doc: I have three questions:
Ask the Food Doc: K-cup disposal causes environmental concern
Aug 2, 2017
Dear Food Doc: I love my single-cup coffee machine, but wish I could recycle the used pods. If I can recycle batteries, lightbulbs, even old i…
Ask the Food Doc: From B12 to bread in the fridge, five Qs for July
Jun 6, 2017
Lots of questions arrived this month, starting with:
Ask the Food Doc: Beauty is in eye of the beholder in produce aisle
Jun 6, 2017
Dear Food Doc: I don’t know if you buy iceberg lettuce or celery, but lately it seems that quality is poor. Celery stalks are tough and dry. L…
Ask the Food Doc: Sponges are gross, but it could be worse
May 2, 2017
Dear Food Doc: Please settle an argument. My husband thinks our kitchen sponge is loaded with bacteria. Every time I wipe down the kitchen tab…
Ask the Food Doc: Where your food comes from often impacts safety
Apr 4, 2017
Dear Food Doc: How much of the food consumed in the U.S. is imported from other countries? And is it true that imported foods are not as safe …
Ask the Food Doc: Why is food such a favorite film topic?
Feb 28, 2017
Dear Food Doc: I recently watched a movie on Netflix about cooking called “Chef,” and now my suggestion box is full of food movies. Any idea w…
Ask the Food Doc: Crunch is key ingredient for many favorite foods
Jan 31, 2017
Dear Food Doc: I evidently like crunchy foods, which drives the rest of my family crazy. Not that I am not going to change, but it is normal t…
Ask the Food Doc: To keep healthy resolutions, look to Blue Zones
Jan 3, 2017
Dear Food Doc: Every year, my New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier, exercise more and drop 10 pounds. The problem is I really like to eat…
Ask the Food Doc: Use logic along with use-by dates
Dec 6, 2016
Dear Food Doc: I have products in my pantry and refrigerator with 2016 “use by” dates. Does that mean they will be unsafe in 2017?
Ask the Food Doc: Dissecting diets of liberals, conservatives
Nov 1, 2016
Dear Food Doc: Is there any relation between food preferences and politics? It seems like my liberal friends eat differently than my conservat…
Ask the Food Doc: Follow this playbook to keep tailgate food safe
Oct 4, 2016
Dear Food Doc: I love Nebraska tailgating, especially the food. We usually prepare everything right in the back of my SUV, and it all sits out…
Ask the Food Doc: Ordering lunch online often leads to super-sized meal
Sep 7, 2016
Dear Food Doc: Many of many co-workers are ordering their lunch online. How common is this?
Ask the Food Doc: The science of making yogurt at home
Aug 3, 2016
Dear Food Doc: I eat a lot of yogurt and recently purchased a yogurt-maker to make my own yogurt at home. Do you have any suggestions for maki…
Ask the Food Doc: Crack open some craft brewing facts
Jul 13, 2016
Dear Food Doc: I just read in the Journal Star about another new brewery opening in Lincoln. What accounts for the popularity of the beers pro…
Food recalls happen more than you might think
Jun 1, 2016
Dear Food Doc: I just heard about a recall of frozen vegetables, including brands from retail stores where I do my shopping. How do I know if …
Ask the Food Doc: Health claims propel kombucha sales
May 4, 2016
Dear Food Doc: I keep hearing about kombucha. Evidently, I have missed out on the trend. What is this stuff?
Ask the Food Doc: GMOs divide consumers more than scientists
Apr 5, 2016
Dear Food Doc: A co-worker keeps warning me about GMOs and said that I should avoid products made with GMO ingredients. How can I know which f…
Ask the Food Doc: Diet a leading cause for passing gas
Mar 1, 2016
Dear Food Doc: Why do some foods cause intestinal gas? Other than the social consequences, is gas such a bad thing?
Ask the Food Doc: Climate change is affecting your favorite foods
Feb 2, 2016
Dear Food Doc: I’ve heard my favorite food, chocolate, and my favorite beverage, coffee, may soon be in short supply because of climate change.
Ask the Food Doc: ‘Jetsons’-like gizmos coming to kitchens in 2016
Jan 5, 2016
Dear Food Doc: What kinds of new discoveries in food technology are expected in 2016?
Ask the Food Doc: Set goals to avoid overeating during holidays
Dec 1, 2015
Dear Food Doc: The holiday season is very difficult on the waistline. There are cookies, candies and other sweets at every turn. I end up eati…
Ask the Food Doc: Where’s the pumpkin in pumpkin spice?
Nov 3, 2015
The other day, I drove by an auto mechanic shop that had a sign advertising pumpkin-spice windshield washer fluid. I assume, but cannot be certain, that was meant as a joke.
Ask the Food Doc: Does coffee improve work performance?
Oct 6, 2015
- I love my morning coffee. Unfortunately, I recently began working in a new office with limited access to the coffee station. I fear that my…
Ask the Food Doc: Of exotic ice cream flavors and soapy-tasting cilantro
Sep 1, 2015
Ice cream is one of my favorite foods, but seriously, what’s with all these crazy new flavors? Balsamic-flavored ice cream — no way!
Ask the Food Doc: Yes, that dark chocolate might reduce stress levels
Aug 4, 2015
Q: My go-to strategy for dealing with stress is to eat chocolate. It seems to work. Is there any science behind this?
Ask the Food Doc: Crickets, medium rare, please
Jun 30, 2015
Q: I’ve been hearing about using insects as food. Is this true and if so, will they will be labeled?
Ask the Food Doc: All whiskeys are not created equally
Jun 2, 2015
Q: I received a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky as a gift. What’s the difference between this Scotch and other whiskeys, like those from I…
Ask the Food Doc: What is food porn?
May 5, 2015
Q: What is food porn?
Ask the Food Doc: Why are eggs bad, then OK for you again?
Mar 31, 2015
- I read in the news that the latest dietary guidelines have given the OK to eggs. While I am glad to enjoy eggs once again for breakfast, I …
Ask the Food Doc: What are nitrites and are they bad for you?
Mar 3, 2015
- At one of Lincoln’s natural foods stores, I found some so-called natural dry salami. Next to the salami was a sign that stated that althoug…
Ask the Food Doc: About the 5-second rule
Feb 3, 2015
Q: I was recently in a friend’s kitchen, and a hot dog bun dropped onto the floor. He immediately picked it up and placed it back on the tray.…
Ask the Food Doc: Non-alcoholic beer is better than it once was
Jan 6, 2015
- One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to cut back on alcohol consumption, so I’ve been drinking only non-alcoholic beer. To my surprise, they…
Ask the Food Doc: Perfecting potato pancakes
Dec 2, 2014
Q: For Hanukkah, I always make home-made latkes, a pancake in which the main ingredient is freshly grated potato. The problem is that if I don…
Ask the Food Doc: Why do we eat turkey at Thanksgiving dinner?
Nov 4, 2014
Q: I was driving on 56th Street last week and was pretty sure I saw three turkeys just south of Highway 2. Don’t they know this a dangerous ti…
Ask the Food Doc: How does milk come from soybeans and almonds?
Sep 30, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
Ask the Food Doc: What is a flat iron steak?
Sep 2, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
Ask the Food Doc: How can we be sure about our seafood?
Aug 5, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
Ask the Food Doc: About plastics and sugared cereal and wine making
Jul 1, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
Ask the Food Doc: Blame the milk but (usually) not the mayo
Jun 3, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
Ask the Food Doc: Quinoa, spinach and beets — all in the family
May 6, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
Ask the Food Doc: What is ‘fair trade’ coffee?
Apr 1, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
Ask the Food Doc: Bread ingredients more than meet the eye
Mar 4, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century
Ask the Food Doc: What the heck is Velveeta?
Feb 4, 2014
While we like to poke fun at them, Velveeta, Cheese Whiz and other processed cheese products are among the most iconic foods of the 20th century.
How do you cure a hangover?
Jan 1, 2014
- Are there any foods or beverages that help one recover from a hangover?
Ask the Food Doc: All champagne is not Champagne
Dec 3, 2013
Q: As I start planning for New Year’s Eve, I was wondering about the difference, other than price, between imported Champagne from France and …
Ask the Food Doc: Convenience is a top priority of home-cooking
Nov 5, 2013
- Other than Thanksgiving, it seems like my family hardly ever eats home-made meals together anymore. Is this true for other families ?
Ask the Food Doc: How do they make faux meat taste like the real thing?
Oct 1, 2013
Q: During a recent visit to California, I ate in a restaurant that featured fake chicken, fake duck and fake beef. My meal was so good that I …
Ask the Food Doc: Why does popcorn at the movies taste better than homemade?
Sep 3, 2013
Q: My husband likes microwave popcorn, and I prefer hot-air popped popcorn. However, neither tastes as good as movie-theater popcorn. What’s t…
Ask the Food Doc: Do energy drinks do more harm than good?
Aug 6, 2013
Q: Do energy drinks really provide an energy boost? Are they safe to drink on a regular basis?
Ask the Food Doc: Red, white and blue food questions for the Fourth
Jul 2, 2013
(Red): The seafood section of my local grocery store sells both farm-raised and wild salmon. Is there any way to tell the difference? Does it …
Ask the Food Doc: The whole truth about whole grains
Jun 4, 2013
Q: The bread aisle has me confused. Some are made with wheat flour, others with whole-wheat flour or whole grain. Can you explain these differences?
Ask the Food Doc: Is barbecue bad for your health?
Apr 30, 2013
I heard recently that barbecued foods are bad for my health. I love my gas grill and eat barbecue all year round, so I hope this is not true.
Ask the Food Doc: What are fermented pickles?
- Apr 2, 2013
Americans eat more than nine pounds of pickles per person per year. That’s the equivalent of about 70 pickles. Surprisingly, most of these pickles are not fermented.
Ask the Food Doc: How does high pressure preserve foods?
Mar 5, 2013
Ask the Food Doc: Is chocolate addictive?
Feb 5, 2013
Ask the Food Doc: Fat-free or not, we eat too much
Jan 1, 2013
Ask the Food Doc: Do raw eggs make eggnog dangerous?
Dec 4, 2012
Ask the Food Doc: Does eating turkey make you sleepy?
Nov 6, 2012
Ask the Food Doc: Do sugar-free sweeteners aid weight loss?
Oct 2, 2012
I drink a lot of sugar-free pop. I also use sugar-free sweeteners for my coffee and iced tea. What are the differences between these sweeteners? The big question is whether or not they help me manage my weight.
Ask the Food Doc: Do raw potatoes compensate for oversalting?
Sep 4, 2012
I have two questions. First, I read that adding raw potatoes to an over-salted broth removes the salt. Is this true?
Ask the Food Doc: Eliminating gluten isn’t a cure-all for all
Jul 31, 2012
I know someone who has some sort of intestinal condition such that she has eliminated bread, pasta and other wheat products, basically anything that contains gluten, from her diet. While I like bread too much to consider a gluten-free diet, she claims that avoiding gluten would be beneficial. Is there any truth to this?
Ask the Food Doc: Salt is a tough habit to shake
Jul 3, 2012
I am trying to cut back on my salt consumption, which is a real challenge at the grocery store. Why is it that processed foods seem to contain so much salt?
Editorial, 6/12: Standing against food hysteria
Jun 11, 2012
Credit Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota for sticking with science and the facts in the midst of the latest outbreak of food hysteria.
Ask the Food Doc: Arsenic, calf stomachs and fish bladders
Jun 5, 2012
Apple juice recently has been in the news for having higher levels of arsenic compared to other fruit juices and/or bottled water. Is this true and, if so, what steps can we take to make sure our apple juice doesn’t contain any levels of arsenic?
Food Doc: Which olive oil is best?
May 1, 2012
Can you explain the differences between extra virgin, pure, light, and all of the other various types of olive oils in the grocery store shelf? Which type is best?
Ask the Food Doc: Some like it hot, hot hot!
Apr 3, 2012
Editor’s note: Bob Hutkins is the Food Doc. He is a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he teaches and conducts research in…
Sourdough starter has a long shelf-life — even centuries
Mar 6, 2012
Editor’s note: Bob Hutkins is the Food Doc. He is a professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he teaches and conducts research in…
Not all chocolate is created equal
Jan 31, 2012
Ask the Food Doc: Is high fructose corn syrup to blame for weight gain?
Jan 3, 2012
Ask the Food Doc: How much red wine reaps health benefits?
Dec 6, 2011
Ask the Food Doc: How does that turkey pop-up timer work?
Nov 2, 2011