uExpress.com: Supermarket Sampler by Bonnie Tandy Leblang and Carolyn Wyman -- (06/17/2001) WHAT'S NEW ON THE GROCERS' SHELVES

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06/17/2001

WHAT'S NEW ON THE GROCERS' SHELVES

Klondike Ice Cream Bars. York Peppermint Pattie Ice Cream Bar, and Oreo Cookie Sandwich. $3.69 per 30-ounce box of five York bars or 16.8-ounce box of four Oreo sandwiches.

Bonnie: Klondike has paired off with two new partners: Hershey's York Peppermint Pattie, and Nabisco's Oreo Cookie -- America's best-selling mint candy and cookie, respectively. These bars are both also winners, being quite tasty. Mint lovers (like me) might wish for a tad more mint flavor in the York bar, which features dark chocolate-coated, peppermint-flavored ice cream. Oreo lovers, on the other hand, should be quite pleased with the new vanilla Oreo ice cream sandwiched between two giant Oreo cookies. If you're trying to limit your fat, select the Oreo sandwich. It contains half of the 20 grams in the York Peppermint Bar.

Carolyn: Klondike Oreo is an Oreo version of a Chipwich. In other words, it's Oreo ice cream sandwiched between two giant, soft Oreo cookies, and delicious -- though hardly original. I'm almost certain I've eaten this same ice cream sandwich or something very similar before. An Oreo ice cream sandwich also seems out of character for Klondike, a brand name synonymous with chocolate-coated ice cream squares. But the Klondike York Bar is a natural both for Klondike and for fans of York Peppermint Patties. This bar tastes almost exactly like the candy -- only cooler.

Boca Sausages. Smoked, Italian, and Bratwurst. $3.29 to $3.69 per 10-ounce package containing four, individually wrapped sausage links.

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Bonnie: Boca has a new product for people looking for a meat or pork alternative or just for lower-fat sausages. Boca meatless sausages contain up to 65 percent less fat and 50 percent fewer calories than traditional pork ones. Each individually wrapped sausage contains 8 grams soy protein, or about a third of the FDA's daily amount recommended to reduce the risk of heart disease. That's when combined, of course, with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Enjoy these as you would regular sausage, grilled or pan-fried in a skillet. (I didn't like the texture when I cooked them in a microwave.) Then add to pastas, sandwiches, soups or eat plain as you might regular sausages.

Carolyn: I've rarely met a healthy sausage I didn't like. I've almost never met a healthy sausage I've liked as much as these new ones from Boca. The secret to a good sausage is in its spicing. Most turkey or soy brands get this right. But Boca's got the texture right, too. It's hardly any drier than sausage with eight times its fat. I don't go out of my way to eat healthy, but I'm not stupid. These taste great and are individually wrapped, making a lot of sense for the way we eat today (alone or in small groups.)

Dole Fruit Bowls Mandarin Oranges. $2.29 to $2.49 per package of four 4-ounce plastic cups.

Bonnie: Kids love mandarin oranges, and they'll probably also love Dole's new snack pack ones. The peel-off lid is easy to open, and their small size makes them ideal to pack in lunches or to take on summer outings. I like that they're packed in their own juice, not a sweetened syrup. Although mandarin oranges contain about half the vitamin C of regular oranges, they're still a decent source. You can feel virtuous about packing these for your kids or enjoying them yourself.

Carolyn: Call me immature, but I've never gotten over my childhood aversion to the acidity of regular oranges. I much prefer the sweet mandarin kind. Call me lazy, but I'd much rather eat ready-to-eat fruit than natural kinds that have to be peeled and cut. In sum, call me a fan of these new Dole Fruit Bowls of mandarin orange slices.

(Bonnie Tandy Leblang is a registered dietitian and creator of Express Lane Cooking: A Simple Solution to What's for Dinner (Universal Press Syndicate). Carolyn Wyman is a junk food fanatic and author of "Spam: A Biography" (Harvest/Harcourt Brace). Each week they critique three new food items.)