My heart

   When I was a young girl—in many ways it seems like yesterday—mental time has a flow of its own—the day came for me to leave my beloved North Dakota farm village home. 

   College!  Wonderful!  Forty miles away!  Too far!

   My jovial, intelligent, loving father weighed 385 pounds, had developed Type Two diabetes, and was inexorably headed toward cardiac problems.  He wanted to lose weight. Wasn’t happening.

   Worried, I studied nutrition, and sent my parents many menu plans.  The meals I recommended were seldom prepared and my father did not lose weight.

   Oh, how I wished my Mother and Father could find someone to do the work for them, so they could be encouraged by results.  My father died too soon.

   I tell you this so you’ll understand the connection between my heart and Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating.

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   New menu items in the near future: 

       Black Bean and Seafood Jambalaya.

       New Cabbage Spring Roll.

       Vegetable Rigatoni served with dried fruit.

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   Each of our meals is chosen after a thoroughly detailed nutritional analysis.  Every item serves a valid purpose nutritionally and contributes to an overall, carefully planned menu. 

   Parameters:  To name a few, very low cholesterol, sodium restriction, low fat, no hydrogenated oil, zero trans-fat, no food dyes, no artificial sweeteners, no MSG, no high fructose corn syrup,

   A few sincere and articulate customers now and again ask us to eliminate items or provide substitutes.  We will not, as this would throw off the analysis and the calories, and not produce a successful result for the customer.

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   Please understand how warmly we welcome your comments about specific meals.  My daughters and I—in fact, our whole family—discuss each of your suggestions and judgments, even if they’re not posted.  Tammy Blacklaw, responsible for analyzing our meals and finding the precisely accurate ingredients, and Brian Emerson, head of production, and Laura Farjood, dietician, often join us.

   Sometimes we agree that a change is necessary.  When that happens, we find a way.  Don’t think we’re not listening.

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   I so admire Allan Feldt, one of our finest distributors.  Many people have commented on the excellent way he runs his operation.  So perfectly, in fact, that Allan has nine customers who have been with him more the ten years!

   One of them has ordered from Allan for 546 weeks—non-stop (not including our Christmas break). 

   Well done, Allan.  

Glad You Liked The Cookie

   Hello to all!   Welcome to Spring!   Late this year, but beautiful.   I love the invigoration of soothing weather.  Not as much as I love healthy eating, but close, close, close.

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   I’d like to recommend a healthy eating book written in 1858.  The author is Mary Peabody, from a famous New England family.  Mary’s book is titled, “Christianity in the Kitchen.” 

   Though written in 1858, it’s still relevant.  She connects good nutrition with good morals.

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   Distributors have meal showings from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday and Thursday afternoons.  You can find one nearest you on our website.  If you haven’t seen our meals, check out the portion sizes and packaging.

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   Speaking of packaging, we’ve received several “green” suggestions that we should replace our plastic containers with cardboard.  Well, we think it’s very important to recycle.

   All our meal containers can be recycled.  Please notice the triangle on the bottom of each container.  Cardboard would just mean more trees would be cut down.  But plastic is petroleum.  And that’s a problem.  So what’s our solution?

   Packaging made from corn!  That’s right!  One hundred percent bio-degradable.  Starts this summer!

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   Eating the containers, however, is not part of our calorie-controlled program.

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   Remember, you’re not cooking our meals, you’re warming them.  So simply heat them to your liking.

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   We’ve also received many comments asking us to change one item or another, because of a personal preference.  More meat, less meat, chunks of meat, ground meat.  You can see how hard it is to be totally accommodating to the diversity of tastes.  We believe that healthy eating, first-tier food quality, and variety are the answers, and we structure our meal plan accordingly.        

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   According to the American Heart Association, we need 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories we consume.  Our 1,200 cal plan supplies 17 grams per day (on average) and our 2,000 cal plan averages 26.  We are pretty close!  And our fiber grams will increase in the very near future when we complete our switch to whole-grain rice, breads, buns, muffins, and cookies. 

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   To Leslie and Amy, thanks for your convincing comments.   The polenta is off the menu and the cabbage roll has been changed.   Congratulations on your weight loss, Amy.  Glad you liked the cookie.

Mission To Improve

   Thanks for the many affirmations.  We’re very glad to be helpful.  A few have written asking that we change our basic approach.  It’s heartbreaking to turn anyone down, but we simply can’t accommodate “convenience” changes.   Perhaps’ today’s answers to your continuing questions and comments will explain.

Why not allow customers to select their meals from a menu?

   My mission is to improve people’s eating habits.  We can’t achieve this if we ask “what do you like and what don’t you like.”  People look to us to provide balanced, healthy, calorie-controlled meals.

   Isn’t it now common knowledge that parents should serve their kids what they should eat?  It isn’t good to ask them which fast food place they’d like this morning, this afternoon, this evening.  Parents need to go back to serving their children healthy food they should eat.

Are Seattle Sutton’s meals okay for people who have gout?

    Gout is a form of arthritis.  Those afflicted suffer sudden, severe bouts of pain.  The key is to reduce uric acid levels in the blood.

    Our balanced, sensible meal program provides a healthy weight loss plan for those with gout.  Fasting, or severe dieting, on the other hand, raises uric acid levels and causes gout to worsen.  Healthy weight loss, which is us, is often indicated as a treatment for gout.

   Eating our meals is a positive.  We do not provide high purine foods such as organ meats, anchovies, herring, and mackerel—all of which should be avoided by those on a gout diet.

   Animal protein in a recommended gout diet is often limited to no more than five to six ounces of lean meat, poultry, or fish a day.  Our plan does not contain red meat, and servings of poultry and fish are limited to three to four ounce portions.

“I’m tired of eating the same meals.”

   Ten times a year the same meal?  That’s too many? 

   We have 105 different meals served in a five week rotation—carefully analyzed and balanced—which means our customers eat the same meal only ten times a year.  Most people tell us they don’t have this low of a frequency when they’re on their own. 

   Many people state they will be on our meals the rest of their life.  We’ve received testimonials from people on our plan for more than ten years.  

Why are the breakfasts so skimpy?

   They really aren’t  You may not be “full,” and you might be a little hungry.  Being hungry is good for weight loss.   Remember, you have a choice between a 1,200 and 2,000 calorie-per-day plan.  Obviously the 2,000 calorie is almost twice as much of the same food.

   Anyway, you may eat your meals whenever you want.  What matters is total calories per day.  If you wake up hungry, eat breakfast and part of your lunch. 

 Cannot stand tuna fish or other seafood.  Why not get rid of it?

   Most of our clients enjoy our seafood.  People have different tastes.  However, medical science teaches us that people should eat fish twice a week.

   Some people believe they don’t like fish, but when they taste the high quality of ours, they change their mind.

 Cannot stand nuts!  Why not get rid of nuts?

   Nuts are an excellent source of protein with literally no cholesterol.  They assist in the building of a well-balanced meal program.

   Many nuts contain Omega-3, which has been known to fight heart disease.

How does one stop eating too much?

   Portion control.  We do it for you.  That’s why almost everyone is satisfied while following our plan.  They’re happy because they can trust our calorie control. 

   I also recommend diversional activities.  Be creative.

   If you feel you have a compulsive eating disorder, then you should seek professional assistance. 

 Too many plums.

    You think?  I don’t agree.  Perhaps one plum is too many for you.  Well, personal taste is important.  We serve a variety of fresh fruits, including strawberries, pineapple, cantaloupe, apples, oranges, kiwi, grapes, honeydew, and—of course—plums.

    BTW, our fruit juices are one hundred percent fruit juice.  No added sugar.  No added high fructose corn syrup.  Very healthy choice.  

I Want You To Have Results

   Wow!  What a great response from you all!  Thanks!  NutriSystem must be nervous in the (dis) service!  So here are some more of your questions I wanted to answer.  I think we’ll be doing this next week too.

    Why not a five-day plan?  Why not dinners only?

   Because I want you to have results.  My first mission is to improve people’s eating habits.  I know very well someone can undo our good results by skipping weekends or not eating all our meals. 

   Sure, maybe I could sell more meals if I offered limited plans, but I know the results would be below our standard.  Therefore, we apply our principles.

    If losing weight is your sole objective, you should follow the program until you reach your desired weight.  Then you have options.  For example, at that time, you could purchase a week’s meals in cooperation with a friend or family member, and divide them.  This is a good way to maintain your weight. 

    If you notice a weight gain, go right back on our program.

    Why not more meat?

   Because a high protein diet is not a healthy diet.  Fat in the meat is where cholesterol comes from.  Do you think that extra protein goes to build bigger muscles?  This is a false belief.  Using your muscles builds your muscles. 

   We have built a balanced system.  Some of the essential protein we provide comes from nuts and beans.

 Why not a vegetarian menu?

    Some of our meals have fish and meat, because we believe that’s healthy.  However, if someone is a vegetarian, I would suggest they be creative with our non-vegetarian offerings. 

    One of my favorite vegetarians eats our meals and, when necessary, substitutes soy products (or tofu) for our meat and fish.  (For example, a soy-burger for our chicken breast.)

    Most of our meals are vegetarian, in fact.  We do not serve beef, lamb, pork, or veal.  We do use turkey, fish, and chicken sometimes.  It is easy for vegetarians to flourish on our program and maintain their dietary preference by making substitutions. 

    Because we cook in very large quantities, it would be difficult to customize certain meals for smaller groups without increasing the overall cost.  We try to keep the pricing as low as we possibly can, without skimping on quality in any way.  This is our approach to helping as many people as possible.

 Why not ditch the dinners featuring chop suey and cabbage roll?

    We received complaints so we’ve improved the chop suey.  Judge for yourself.   And also, the next time we serve the cabbage roll, you’ll notice a big change. 

   Thank you for your comments.  We are glad to take your advice.  I believe you will enjoy our new meals.   Keep us posted!

 

A Personal Response

   Hi!  Thanks for your many comments and questions.  It’s so important to me that people understand Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating program.  In my heart, I believe that when someone gets to know us, they get to love us.  It’s been proven many times.  Sometimes I forget we can only say so much in commercials.  And it costs so much money to advertise! 

   Hopefully, my blog (I like the sound of that, it seems so up-to-date) can be of assistance.  Many of your comments have been posted for all to read.  Some raised issues I wanted to answer personally.  Here goes:

Question: How does Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating compare to NutriSystem?   

   Well, I’m not going to comment on that company except to say that recently I saw one of their print ads with pictures of their meals featuring fresh fruits and vegetables.  So I called the number.  The person answering said that the items pictured were not included.  They had been placed in the ad because “people have that stuff around.”

 Question: Why so much pasta? Why so much bread?

    Most of our pasta and breads are made with whole grain, which is an essential nutrient containing fiber needed in a balanced, healthy diet.

    Some people still have a fantasy that a low carbohydrate diet is healthy.  Wrong! They think they need protein to generate energy.  Wrong!  People get energy from carbs. 

   From the beginning, our meals have been, still are, and always will be well balanced.   As I predicted, the fad diet based on high protein and low carbohydrates came crashing down, the fate of all gimmick diets.

   Once I was on a panel at a meeting of one thousand women.  A question came from the floor, “Are you ever going to offer a low-carb diet?” 

   My answer: “No, because if I did, I’d have to change our name from Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating to Seattle Sutton’s Unhealthy Eating.”

 Question: Why so much pepper?

    We use a moderate amount of  pepper.  Our meals are sodium restricted, but we seek alternative sources of flavor.  People should learn to use seasonings other than salt.   Otherwise, meals can easily become too bland.  On our program, you can add non-sodium seasonings to your taste.

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    So many questions.  More answers later this week (and probably next week as well, judging from the pending comments).

     I’ll close with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Hope you like it as much as I do.

     “The value of skepticism is in its resistance to premature conclusions.  The proper ground of the skeptic is that of consideration…not of unbelief…nor universal doubting.”

Smile. And be happier.

           When I started Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating almost 23 years ago, I didn’t have the vaguest idea about the quality and quantity of management required for the production of large numbers of healthy, tasty meals.  Here is the basic question that has one answer at one time and another at another: how to coordinate a variety of specific tasks; all the while–by the way–doing our utmost to maintain our perfect delivery record.  Sometimes I feel that

            Quality control is an issue, of course, and we have the highest standards we can imagine.  This requires carefully managing the whole process, from acquisition of food through preparation, packaging, shipping, and delivery.

            As you may know, our meals are never frozen, which means we must maintain the temperature somewhere in the high 30s or very low 40s until the moment our meals reach their final destination.

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            As a nurse, I helped run the Marseilles medical clinic.  My husband was the doctor.   He handled the medical.  I helped the patients and managed the clinic.

            That was relatively easy, compared with today’s challenges.  We have more than 140 employees, including management.

            The main thing is to find the right people, put them in the right place, and make sure they follow the Healthy Eating rules, and share the Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating vision. 

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            Easier said than done.  America is built on free enterprise, including the fruits of a myriad of entrepreneurs.   That’s me.  The whole thing started when I noticed that people who needed to eat healthy to live wouldn’t prepare meals from a menu.  So I did it for them. 

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           There are two types of employees, as I have noticed and come to believe.  One type might be labeled “paycheck seekers”.   That’s their sole reason for working. And then there are the blessed others who want to improve and move forward.  These  I understand, because I’m like them.  So I support them. 

           Our HR department encourages the latter category and manages the former.

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          While I’m on the subject, our company is family owned and family operated.  I’m on the Board of Directors and so are my daughters, Sarah and Ruth.  All women!

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         Did you know that if you smile, you increase activity in the part of your brain related to happiness?  So if you want to feel better, smile!

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         Next week, I’ll use my blogs to respond to some questions you’ve raised.  Some are in the published comments; others I’ve grouped according to topic so that I can answer them directly.  Thanks so much for your interest in our meals program.

The More We Notice Love

   Another week!  Now I’ve been alive for more than 3,900 Sundays.   And counting.  My husband Kelly can claim more than 4,000.  I’m hoping we both reach 5,200.  Why not?  Healthy eating!

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   Did you know that the word “gourmet” originally meant “a taster of wine”?

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   Did you know that Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating purchases food from a variety of vendors in order to make sure we have ingredients to meet our strict quality specifications?  We’ve been in business for more than 22 years—1,100 Sundays—and never once have we chosen to save money by sacrificing meal value.  Reducing expenses is a virtue, true, but not at the cost of quality.

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   The meal I’m most looking forward to eating next week is our Lemon Pepper Loaf.  This is my daughter Sarah’s family recipe and it’s truly old-fashioned—like your great-grandmother used to cook.  Don’t worry!  We analyzed the ingredients to assure they meet healthy eating requirements.

   Twice-baked potato—umm—cooked spinach, steamed apples (flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg), and an unusually appealing meat loaf seasoned with lemon and pepper.  Double uum. 

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   I agree with MeMe Roth, who refuted a CNN interviewer’s repeated attempts to claim that some people “just can’t lose weight.”  MeMe correctly stated that this is extremely rare.  She told CNN, “People need to eat less and move more.”

   Calories in versus calories out, right MeMe?

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   A big Seattle Sutton shout-out to Thomas LaCalamita of Mt. Prospect, Illinois.  He’s been on our meal program for the last nine months and has lost—drum roll, please—141 pounds.  His goal is to lose another 120 in the next nine months.  Excellent, Thomas!  That’s the smart way to go!  I am proud that our meals are helping you.

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   By the way, here’s a friendly reminder that you have to order no later than noon  Friday to receive our meals the following week.

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   Here’s a thought:  The more we notice love, the more we notice God.  The more we notice God, the more we notice love.

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   Thank you for your comments.   From time to time, I’m going to dedicate a blog to answering the very good questions many of you have asked.  The first one will be next week.

 

 

 

Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating: Standing for Honesty

Preparing for this blog, I paid much more attention to the internet than ever previously.  It’s utility is mind-boggling.  And mind-expanding.  However, I was dismayed to learn that thieves abound. 

I’m sure every company suffers this to some extent, but did you know that certain reprehensible characters are using variations of my name—and our company name—to lure innocent people into their nefarious schemes.

For instance, someone is using Seattle_Sutton, which is not our site at all.  Another example: Seatle Sutton.  Innocent people might make the mistake of dropping a “t” or inserting the underline.  Be careful.  Those crooks are not selling healthy eating.  Anyone who would resort to such deception cannot be trusted.  Not in the slightest!

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 By the way, Seattle Sutton is my real name.
 
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 While we’re on the subject of dishonesty, I’m happy to report that law enforcement is beginning to prosecute worker’s compensation fraud.  Please understand that I’m completely in favor of worker’s compensation.  It’s a good and necessary program.

 As a business owner, however, I am aghast at the number of false claims that are made.  Even more disappointing is the system’s (government and insurance companies) routine refusal to fight the fraudulent claims.
 
I learned today that—for the first time in recent memory—an employee alleged to have made a false claim has been indicted and charged with Class II and Class IV felonies.
 
Excellent!  Honest people—whether worker, management, or ownership—need to help each other.

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Today’s healthy eating tip:  Read your labels.

Welcome to My Very Own Blog!

My very own blog! 

Most of my life, the internet was science fiction.  The ability to electronically interact with the world would have certainly changed my childhood. I grew up on a farm and in a North Dakota village.  We were a universe unto ourselves.  I’m not sure I’d want to change that. 

Where to start?  Oh, I know!  People ask me about our meals.  What is my favorite? 

Okay, here it is.  Italian Gnocchi with pesto sauce.  Gnocchi is like a small dumpling.  The sauce is exquisite!

Warm this meal in the microwave approximately two minutes.   Fork the gnocchi and dip it in the sauce.  Served with fresh asparagus, and a side dish of almonds and dried pineapple.  Each taste complements the others.  Too wonderful for words!

I have ordered gnocchi in many fine Italian restaurants.  I never think it’s as good as ours.   Want to know why?  Because we experimented in our kitchen until we discovered how to pour a carefully allocated portion of sauce over the gnocchi prior to baking. No one else does this. Viva la difference!

Our meal plan is low fat, low cholesterol, sodium restricted, zero trans-fats, no food dyes, no artificial sweeteners, no high fructose corn syrup.  It is portion and calorie controlled.         

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Today’s healthy eating reminder:  Weight loss or gain is determined by the difference between calories in and calories used.  Your body automatically keeps an exact count.

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Some people have asked, so here are the instructions for responding to my blog.  Click on the word “comments.”  For example, it might say 3 comments. Or ten.  The number doesn’t matter.  Just click on the word “comments”.  You’ll go directly to a page, where you can read what others are saying, or at the bottom, leave your own message.  Fill in your name and email address (they call it “mail.”).  Don’t worry.  We don’t give or sell that information to anyone under any circumstances.  The field  titled “website” is optional.  You can skip it if you want.  Then type your thoughts in the box and hit “submit.”  

I will be so glad to hear from you!