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.
3 responses so far ↓
Jeanette Marchelya // April 30, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I’m so glad the cabbage roll is changing. I really didn’t care for it either, but I ate it!!
As I read the comments, I have found that there sure are alot of complaints about particular items. I look at it this way - that’s life!! For the most part, I really enjoy the variety of my life, but there are bits and pieces that are hard, and I just have to endure them. SSHE is the same. The variety is there, it’s not boring, and there are bits and pieces I really don’t care for. So what, nothing’s perfect.
Keep up the good work. It is wonderful to know, that you read and respond to your customers, and try your best to satisfy everyone.
I’m happy - even with the bits and pieces!!
Gerald Hard // May 1, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Ladies
Let me begin with thanks for your cabbage roll. I don’t like cabbage and never had. Why do I eat it? Quite simply, it is part of the healthy life-style I have found under your program. It’s good for me to eat more veggies and according to those that know me, I look healthier? Vanity being what it is, I don’t mind people saying that I look healthier versus former comments like “you look tired” “are you still sick” and the dreaded, “you’ve put on a few pounds since I’ve seen you last”. With a little added pepper, i am eating cabbage and i know that the nutrients found in green vegetables are far superior to the dyes, trans-fats and flavor enhancers (MSG) I was ingesting prior to making the switch to Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating. I plan on living a long life as I don’t want my children and grandchildren lamenting “he was too young to go”, and let’s face it, as far as the cabbage roll goes, the old adage of “if it doesn’t kill you it will only make you stronger” applies here. Can you say that about artificial colorings, hydrogenated oils,trans-fats, excessive amounts of salt or the other ingredients (in greedy ants?) that plague most American’s diets in the 21st century? Keep up the good work and pass the pepper!
Suzy Cambenlaus // May 1, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Dear Seattle,
You must be one dynamite person with the energy of 100 North Dakotans. What an inspiration your story is and the fact that you stick to what you believe in and remain accessible, is a tribute as well. I am sure there have been many suggestions on how to design your menu over the years, and you probably have listened to some of the advice when it didn’t compromise your beliefs or the benefits of your customers diet. It sounds like your own loss of loved ones throughout your life was the motivation you found to help so many people with their struggles, and for this, we all are thankful!
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