The Twinkies shelves are quickly emptying across Arizona after Hostess announced it was going out of business.

A bankruptcy judge has approved the sale of Twinkies to a pair of investment firms.

MILWAUKEE - Hostess Twinkies are becoming the latest product remade and repackaged into 100-calorie snack packs, a product some analysts say could do well given that more people are packing their own lunches in the slumping economy.

Let's not panic. We all know that Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Wonder bread and the rest of Hostess Brands' oddly everlasting foods aren't going away any time soon, even if the food culture that created them is gasping its last.

Some places I expect to see food: The grocery store, the convenience store attached to the gas station, vending machines in the break room. But the office supply store? The checkout in the sporting goods store? Book stores? Coffee shops? Auto parts store? The chance to succumb to the devil in my head and impulsively purchase a chocolaty, sugary, calorie-laden snack is at every turn these days. Whomever invented those tiny cake balls on a stick needs flogging.

Some places I expect to see food: The grocery store, the convenience store attached to the gas station, vending machines in the break room. But the office supply store? The checkout in the sporting goods store? Book stores? Coffee shops? Auto parts store? The chance to succumb to the devil in my head and impulsively purchase a chocolaty, sugary, calorie-laden snack is at every turn these days. Whomever invented those tiny cake balls on a stick needs flogging.

Gilbert’s spirit stores and student organizations can have their cake and eat it, too — as long as it’s low fat. The district unanimously voted Tuesday night to allow food sales outside, but not near, the cafeteria during breakfast and lunch hours, as long as they meet nutritional guidelines.

Gilbert’s spirit stores and student organizations can have their cake and eat it, too — as long as it’s low fat. The district unanimously voted Tuesday night to allow food sales outside, but not near, the cafeteria during breakfast and lunch hours, as long as they meet nutritional guidelines.

Break out your biggest mug, pour the coffee and flex your dunking fingers! The doughnut — that tasty bait for many a staff meeting, the hole-y grail of Homer Simpson, the staple of church socials and office slackers — is 157 years old this month!

Break out your biggest mug, pour the coffee and flex your dunking fingers! The doughnut — that tasty bait for many a staff meeting, the hole-y grail of Homer Simpson, the staple of church socials and office slackers — is 157 years old this month!

As far back as 2800 B.C., the Sumerians were touting the nutritive value of figs. The ancients were right!

Poor teenagers. Nearly out of time, likely out of money and almost certainly out of patience with lame-oid parents as they enter the final run up to the start of school in August, they’re just about out of ideas for summer fun, too.

Boy, do I feel sorry for smokers these days.

Teachers and other adults would be urged to hold the sweets when rewarding students under a wellness policy being considered by the Mesa Unified School District.

Arizona’s first and only indoor trampoline park made its debut last week in Chandler. Jumpstreet, a huge 26,000-square-foot colorful warehouse has been filled with 13,000 square feet of trampolines and trampoline dodge ball courts. The other 13,000 square feet has tables and chairs, a snack bar and inflatables for children.

Arizona soda distributors have agreed to guidelines limiting what they sell at public schools in hope of forestalling even more stringent state regulations.

At the risk of raising ire from fans and lovers of Hostess snacks, I have to confess: I have never been a fan of Twinkies, Ho Hos, Ding Dongs, Zingers or Suzie Q’s. And I would say, outside of eating a package of powdered-sugar doughnuts on rare occasion, I haven’t touched a Twinkie or Hostess cake in more than 30 years. They were just too sweet for me, and I never liked the taste of them.

America West Airlines will offer food for sale on its longest flights beginning Thursday.

How many times have you heard that eating before bed will cause you to put on weight? Many individuals vow to "not eat after 6 p.m." to keep their weight in check. Others refuse to go to bed hungry and eat whatever they want after dinner. Some of these people are overweight and some are not. The reality is that the total calories consumed daily or monthly are the main determining factors for what they weigh. What time of day they eat is irrelevant to their chances of gaining, losing or maintaining their weight.

How many times have you heard that eating before bed will cause you to put on weight? Many individuals vow to "not eat after 6 p.m." to keep their weight in check. Others refuse to go to bed hungry and eat whatever they want after dinner. Some of these people are overweight and some are not. The reality is that the total calories consumed daily or monthly are the main determining factors for what they weigh. What time of day they eat is irrelevant to their chances of gaining, losing or maintaining their weight.

Whether we are in an actual recession or not, here is the bottom line: gas prices are up as are other prices, and many people are in fear of losing their jobs or are underemployed.

October 22, 2004

Talk about total utilization of a product. That’s grapes for you.

No fruit says fall like apples. Baked into pies, pureed into sauces, sauteed with meats and stews both savory and sweet, it is one of our most comforting and versatile fruits. But which apple to use for what?