The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced that Nestlé Prepared Foods is recalling approximately 92,206 pounds of LEAN CUISINE Baked Chicken meal products. The items may be contaminated with extraneous materials––in particular, pieces of white hard plastic.
The recalled product is the 8 5/8-oz. carton trays of LEAN CUISINE Baked Chicken, white meat chicken with stuffing, red skin mashed potatoes and gravy, with a lot code of 0246595911 and “Best Before” date of October 2021. They were produced and packaged on Sept. 2, 2020.
Photo: USDA FSIS
The recalled products have establishment number “EST. P-9018” on the side of the case near the lot number. The issue was discovered on Dec. 18, 2020 after receiving five consumer complaints involving hard white plastic found in the product. It is believed the mashed potatoes had pieces of a plastic conveyor belt that broke during production.
There have been no reports of injury or illness from consumption of these products, but FSIS is concerned that consumers may still have some of the affected meals in their freezers. If you have any of the products, do not consume and either throw them away or return to the place of purchase for a refund.
If you have questions, you can contact Nestlé Prepared Foods, at (800) 993-8625.
Check your freezers. Orca Bay Foods is recalling 4,450 pounds of Trader Joe’s brand Gluten Free Battered Halibut because it contains undeclared wheat and milk allergens. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat and milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.
Product was sold in Trader Joe’s stores in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Trader Joe’s brand Gluten Free Battered Halibut SKU 00503822 product is packed in 10 oz retail carton boxes. Recalled boxes are marked “537312620 Best If Used By Nov 5, 2021” on the box end.
No illnesses have been reported to date.
Consumers who have purchased are urged to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-800-932-ORCA, Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. PT.
From picking up toys to washing the inordinate amount of sippy cups your toddler seems to breeze through daily, most parents will agree that you feel like you’re cleaning—in some capacity—most of the day. But, how much time are you really cleaning? A recent study of 2,000 Americans, commissioned by ARM & HAMMER Clean & Simple, found that on average Americans spend 23 hours and 36 minutes on cleaning and housework per month. Read on for the down and dirty details of this eye-opening study.
The new research aims to reveal how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the habits and household dynamics when it comes to cleaning. On average, American parents who live with a partner spend 23 hours and 36 minutes on cleaning and house work each month. That comes out to 5 hours and 54 minutes per week.
On the list of most time-consuming tasks: 50% of respondents said sweeping and dusting took the longest, 48% said cleaning the bathroom was the most time consuming and 44% reported laundry to be the time suck of their week. In fact, laundry alone took an average of one hour and 12 minutes per week.
Even though the pandemic has not lessened the load of house work, the study reveals that 39% of parents surveyed said their children have been more involved with doing the laundry since the start of the pandemic. In that same timeframe, 59% said laundry has been split more evenly between them and their partner—but 46% are still spending more time on laundry now than before the start of the pandemic. Further, 80% of respondents believe housework is being split more evenly between different partners, with millennials most likely to think so.
“Household dynamics and the way in which parents approach cleaning is constantly evolving, especially given the current climate,” said Laurie Kirschner, Director of Marketing for ARM & HAMMER™ Clean & Simple™.
And, when it comes to sharing responsibilities with your partner, a quarter of participants (25%) did admit to doing a poor job at some point on purpose in hopes of getting out of doing the task again. And, 22% would choose to have help with the laundry over being taken out on a date.
All this time together and likely, an even messier house with your clan all home, begs the question: how much time do you spend on cleaning and house work? Is the workload equitable between you and your partner? Share your ideas and this story via Facebook.
Kids and teens have more access to the internet than ever before. Mobile devices have kids logging on without parental supervision. The internet experts at USDish.com, an authorized retailer of Dish Network, compiled the best online safety tips for parents and guardians.
According to the Pew Research Center’s 2018 report on Teens, Social Media & Technology, 95% of American teens ages 13 through 17 have a smartphone or have access to one. With so many social media platforms to choose from including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok it’s no surprise that about 90% of those surveyed say that they are online for a large part of the day.
Add in worries about the risks of sharing on the internet and cyberbullying, teens have a lot on their plates when they venture online. By starting the conversation early you can empower your child with the tools they need to protect themselves online.
Share what you learn through this guide with your teen and teach them how to consume online entertainment safely and responsibly.
Check your fridge and freezer. Lakeside Refrigerated Services, a Swedesboro, N.J. establishment, is recalling approximately 42,922 pounds of ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The raw ground beef items were produced on Jun. 1, 2020.
The following products are subject to recall:
1-lb. vacuum packages containing “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P-53298-82.
1-lb. vacuum packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES” and a use or freeze by date of June 27, 2020 and lot code P-53934-28.
3-lb. vacuum packages containing three 1 lb. pieces of “MARKETSIDE BUTCHER ORGANIC GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF 93% LEAN / 7% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53929-70.
1-lb. tray packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53944-10.
4-lb. tray packages containing 10 ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 80% LEAN / 20% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/25/20 and lot code P53937-45.
1-lb. vacuum packages containing four ¼ lb. pieces of “THOMAS FARMS GRASS-FED GROUND BEEF PATTIES 85% LEAN / 15% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 06/27/20 and lot code P53935-25.
1-lb. vacuum packages containing “VALUE PACK FRESH GROUND BEEF 76% LEAN / 24% FAT” and a use or freeze by date of 07/01/20 and lot code P53930-18.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 46841” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.
The problem was discovered during routine FSIS testing. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.
Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure to the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.
FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160°F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart.
Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact the Lakeside Processing Center Call Center at (856) 832-3881.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or live chat via Ask USDA from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at Ask USDA or send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has announced that Nestle Prepared Foods Company is recalling approximately 29,002 pounds of chicken product. Lean Cuisine Fettuccine Alfredo is being recalled because it contains undeclared soy, a known allergen, and it is not supposed to contain chicken, as it does not appear in the ingredients statement or on the label.
The recall has been issued when the company received consumer complaints that the product contained chicken when it wasn’t stated on the label. As of now, there have been no reports of illness.
The recalled product includes a 1/4-oz. retail carton containing “LEAN CUISINE favorites Fettuccini Alfredo tender pasta with a creamy cheese sauce” with a lot code “0113587812 A,” “0113587812 B,” “0113587812 C,” or “0113587812 D” and a date of “MAY 2021” on side of the label. It also includes establishment number “P27333” printed on the package next to the lot code.
The products were shipped in cartons labeled as “Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo” to locations nationwide. More details on all labels can be found here.
Customers are urged not to consume the product and either throw them away or return to the place of purchase. All questions can be directed to Nestle Prepared Foods Company at (800) 993-8625.
Check your freezers. Conagra Brands, Inc is recalling approximately 130,763 pounds of not ready-to-eat chicken bowl products because the product may contain extraneous material, specifically small rocks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The frozen, not-ready-to-eat chicken bowl items were produced on Jan. 23, 2020.
The following products are subject to recall:
9.5-oz. cartons containing “Healthy Choice POWER BOWLS Chicken Feta & Farro” with lot code 5006002320, UPC code 072655001800 and a best by date of 10/19/2020 on the label.
9.5-oz. cartons containing “Healthy Choice POWER BOWLS Chicken Feta & Farro, BOILS ÈNERGIE Poulet feta et épeautre” with lot code 5006002320, UPC code 072655003026 and a best by date of 10/19/2020 on the label.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P115” printed on the packaging next to the lot code. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and exported to Canada.
The problem was discovered when the firm received consumer complaints about rocks being in the products and the firm then notified FSIS of the issue. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away.
Consumers with questions about the recall or seeking a refund can contact Conagra Brands Consumer Care at 1-800-672-8240 or at Consumer.Care@conagra.com.
—Jennifer Swartvagher
Featured photo: United States Department of Agriculture
Churros are the ultimate treat. According to the Disney Parks Blog, churros are sold all over the Disney Parks on both coasts and guests consume over 5.5 million per year. Now, you can make them right in your own kitchen.
Here are the ingredients you need:
1 cup of water
3 eggs
4 oz butter
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 ¼ cups flour
Cinnamon/Sugar Mix
1 ½ cup oil
Follow the instructions below:
Combine 1 cup water, 4oz butter, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cinnamon in a pot over medium heat
Bring pot to a rolling boil
Add 1 ¼ cups flour
Reduce heat to low
Stir vigorously until the mix forms a ball
Remove from heat and let rest for 5-7 min
Add 3 eggs, one at a time, and stir until combined
In a skillet, heat 1 ½ cups of oil to 350o and stir
Spoon rested dough into a piping bag
Squeeze 1-inch strips into hot oil
Fry churro tots until golden
Drain churro tots on a paper towel
Coat in cinnamon/sugar mix
Serve with melted chocolate sauce
Churros can be found all over the Disney Resorts in many fun flavors from the classic cinnamon sugar to sour watermelon. Until you can get to one of the parks, enjoy these delicious treats in the comfort of your home.
As a parent, there are just some things you always do by the book. You would never forget to buckle your daughter into her car seat or leave your sitter without an emergency contact. And, how you pay your nanny, sitter, in-home caregiver or housekeeper shouldn’t be any different. Beyond tax deductions for you, paying your caregivers legally offers many benefits for the ones you entrust with your loved ones. If you need help navigating how to pay legally or simply want to know why it’s beneficial for you both in the long run, Care.com HomePay is here to help. Read on to learn more about this highly rated, underutilized service most parents should be using but aren’t.
1. Are you hiring help this year? Here’s what you need to know
Are you hiring a nanny, an in-home caregiver, a housekeeper or personal assistant this year? According to the IRS, you now have a “household employee.” And if you pay them $2,200 or more per year, guess what? You owe taxes. Thankfully, HomePay makes it easy to manage what can feel like a daunting undertaking on top of everything else you do for your family.
2. Paying your nanny legally benefits everyone
Cutting a weekly check may seem like the easiest option at the time (for both of you), but did you know there are many benefits to paying your nanny and other caregivers legally?
You can save money by taking advantage of tax breaks.
You won’t have to worry about getting audited and owing thousands of dollars in back taxes and fines.
Your caregiver can build traceable employment history as well as increase his or her future retirement benefits.
He or she can work toward eligibility for premium-free Medicare hospital insurance.
When your family no longer needs care, your caregiver can receive unemployment benefits until he or she finds a new job.
3. Here’s how HomePay can help
With easy-to-use tools, HomePay breaks down otherwise complex and time-consuming tasks. Here are some of the services they offer that streamline everything from payday to tax time:
HomePay files state and federal tax returns and payments on your behalf, prepping year-end tax docs and W-4 forms.
No need to keep up to date on the most recent tax laws. HomePay stays on top of changes in tax laws as well as tax breaks that can save you money.
HomePay can help with payroll, HR support and budget planning, saving you time and alleviating stress.
4. It’s easy—and recommended HomePay is the trusted source for household employment, serving 60,000 families over the past 25 years. They are highly rated with 96% of their customers recommending their services. Since 1992, HomePay has filed over $2 million in tax filings and processed over $4 billion through their payroll services. With HomePay, customers enjoy concierge support where no question is too small, and no problem is too big for their experts.
You can get started today by calling 877-367-1976 for a free consultation or sign up today on Care.com HomePay.
Disclaimer: We are not tax professionals. The content herein is not intended to be a substitute for professional tax advice.
Parents today have a different set of challenges than their parents or grandparents did. These days, school-age children have a lot more options when it comes to screen time. A new study by Osmo, looks into whether parenting is more difficult today and if their children’s tech usage is a source of concern.
The study examined 2,000 US parents of school-age children and their attitudes towards parenting and practices between today’s adults and their parents. Surprisingly, 78% of those surveyed be;ive that they are better parents than their parents were. This study conducted by OnePoll also reveals a range of attitudes towards how they value time spent with children, including screen time, given how many mobile devices are being used by children and adults today.
“We conducted this exciting study to explore how today’s adult parents differ from past generations, how they learned parenting, how they value spending time with kids, and whether this includes allowing mobile screen time,” says Pramod Sharma, CEO of Osmo. “Given these parents grew up mostly without mobile devices, we were curious about their views on technology. We asked: ‘Are there rules in place? Do they limit children’s time on devices? Are they monitoring what games, videos, and apps their kids are consuming? Would they allow their kids more screen time if the content was educational?”
Sharma, the father of two children, co-founded Osmo because he desired a hands-on, educational, healthier way for kids to use devices, and allay parental anxiety about using technology at home.
Participants admitted learning parenting from a wealth of sources like books, TV, websites, other parents, religion, as well as relying on their own parents and experiences. “Interestingly, while 77% think they should not expose children to punitive parenting practices they endured (spanking, being sent to your room or finishing dinner before leaving the table, adhering to strict bedtime), five in ten would love to share the experience of playing beloved board games with their children. This ranks as high as past-times like books, movies, sports and family meals, with 49% saying they will carry on similar traditions with their kids,” says Sharma. “It suggests that families still value game time as a very important part of child development.”
The majority of the parents polled embrace the use of technology in the home, but they monitor usage across devices and set rules around screen time. While they worry about the quality of the content their children consume, 48% would allow more screen time if the content was educational.
While Sharma allows his little ones to freely use iPads at home, he makes sure their screen time is active versus passive. “The case of watching hours of YouTube mindlessly is not part of our family’s parenting practice,” he says.
Respondents said that they may spend anywhere from $10-$50 monthly on supplemental educational products and would even spend more if they felt the product was valuable.
“This data is compelling for Osmo because it shows parents are welcoming greater usage of educational products at home, while reinforcing our belief that hands-on games played within a group setting are a highly valuable means of learning,” says Sharma. “It validates Osmo’s mission to create quality programs that are fun for kids, parents and educators, and that educational technology will continue to grow.”
