THE SUPERMARKET GURU®

Known as the Supermarket Guru ®, Phil alerts customers on consumer trends and empowers them to make educated purchasing and marketing decisions. He is the food trends editor and correspondent for NBC News’ Today Show reporting on consumer trends, food safety, money-saving tips and showcases new products.

Phil was one of the pioneers of the new information media, founding www.SupermarketGuru.com in 1994. The website is one of the leading food and health resources on the internet with over 9 million visitors each year. Phil offers food ratings, analyzes trends in food marketing and retail and features health advice, unique recipes, nutrition analysis, allergy alerts and other resources to help consumers understand their food, health, lifestyle and shopping options.

Phil is the founder and editor of several monthly e-publications targeted to consumers and businesses. For 13 years, Phil hosted a weekly, live call-in radio show, Before You Bite, which recently aired on Sirius.

Phil has also gained wide acclaim as a distinguished speaker, exclusively represented by the Washington Speakers Bureau. He has addressed over 600,000 people over the last ten years.

In 2007, Phil founded Phil’s Supermarket, the first supermarket which offers interactive product demonstrations, consumer focus groups, specialized recipes, expert chefs and detailed product information to allow consumers to better understand shopping options in the virtual and real worlds.

QUICK MONEY-SAVING TIPS

Phil says using frozen foods is one of the best places to save money and get a better quality of food.

1. Frozen fruits and vegetables: Blueberries run $5 a half pint out of season. Frozen blueberries are $2.50 for 16 oz. “The product is picked at the time of ripeness so there are more nutrients and more flavor than those picked before they are ripe,” says Phil.

2. Seafood: All fish are caught miles out and put in a freezer on the boat. Signs in the fresh fish counter say “previously frozen,” so head over to the frozen food case for filets of salmon, flounder, tilapia, sole and shrimp. It will be 30 to 40% less expensive and they haven’t been defrosted once so the texture is better.

3. Chicken nuggets: All children love chicken nuggets but at a fast food restaurant, the ingredients are unknown. They also cost about $4 for 10 nuggets. At the frozen food counter, you can buy all-white meat chicken nuggets with no preservatives for the same cost but you get 4 times more!

4. “Take in” versus take-out: Take out food is getting more expensive $10 for Chinese food, $15 for a pizza and again, no one really knows what is in them. There is a new steaming technology in Chinese frozen foods that makes them easy to prepare at home. Healthy Choice makes a nice 2 compartment tray that keeps their sauce and food separate. Each frozen meal runs about $2.50 and you know what the ingredients are. Phil also says it’s better to make your own pizza. Use canned crushed tomatoes, shredded cheese and your own toppings and create a family event in the kitchen. It costs about $5 and it’s the freshest pizza you will ever taste.

5. Pasta time: As the economy tightens, more people make pasta. Jarred sauces are usually made with tomato paste and sugars and run about $6 to $10 a jar. Phil says to use canned crushed tomatoes for better nutrition and a fresher taste. It only costs $1.50.

6. Cheese: Head to the dairy case where cheese is 20 to 25% less than the deli or cheese table.

7. Iced tea: forget about $2 bottles of iced tea. Brew your own pitcher and put it in a reusable water bottle for about a dime. And you’re helping to save the environment and avoid added sugars.

8. Frozen meals: Healthy Choice has a two part “steaming” tray, the biggest innovation in microwaving foods because the foods come out perfectly cooked with no hot spots that usually occur because of the sugars in sauces.