“As consumers are looking for ways to stretch their dollar, restaurant operators are responding to their economic concerns with enticing value offers and deals,” said Bonnie Riggs, restaurant industry analyst at NPD.
NPD reported that in the quarter ending in August 2008, 23 percent of all visits to restaurants were prompted by consumer-perceived deals, which included value menus, coupons, discounted prices and buy-one-get-one-free promotions. That’s an increase of 9 percent compared to the same quarter a year ago. Non-deal restaurant traffic was down by 1 percent.
According to NPD, the quick-service restaurant …

If the word “lunch” has become synonymous with “sandwich”, it’s time to get out of your rut! There are lots of low carb lunch possibilities.
Salads
We’re all familiar with the old fashioned chef salad –cut up cold cuts, cheese, and hard-boiled egg on a green salad (usually iceberg). But meal salads have become much more popular in restaurants and at home, in a variety limited only by the imagination.

Low carb “meal salad” tips:
* Use lots of dark green salad greens, which are much richer in nutrients than the traditional iceberg lettuce.
* …

Lunch money is so . . . 1990s. Pack your kids lunchboxes with healthy meals and snacks, like a peanut-butter sandwich with crackers and an apple. It’s quick and economical.
Coupons have taken on new importance — The Promotion Marketing Association now reports that 97 percent of the people who do the majority of the shopping for their households use coupons at supermarkets.

Store brands have come a long way, and they’re paying off for grocers. There are a myriad of reasons for the store-brand offensive. First, supermarkets reap higher gross profit margins on their own brands compared with name brands — about 8 to 10 percentage points higher, said Jim Hertel, a managing partner with food retailing consultant Willard Bishop.
Additionally, because private-label products are less expensive, a robust private-label program can improve a traditional grocer’s “price image” to cost-conscious shoppers, Hertel said.
“Consumers are worried about their financial state,” Hale said. “They’re worried …

(NAPSI)-Here’s food for thought: In an attempt to stay on track with weight-management goals, more than 57 percent of women surveyed try to skip their afternoon snack. But waiting too long between meals may lead to unhealthy eating at the next meal. Instead, snacking on items containing whole grains and fiber can stave off afternoon hunger and help weight managers achieve their goals.
In the survey commissioned by Kellogg Company, Opinion Research Corp. found that 44 percent of women cited afternoons as their prime time for snacking. This long stretch between …