A PASSOVER WITH FEWER CARBS

This article comes from the Feb 20th edition of Kosher Today.

Retailers Say They’re Responding to Weight Conscious Consumers for Passover

By Sarah Cohen… New York, NY… After KosherToday’s report (2/12/07) of growing demand for diet products and programs, many retailers reported that they are carrying an unprecedented selection of healthier weight loss kosher for Passover products. Retailers say that many shoppers are no longer willing to surrender to the automatic calories of Passover. The demand has been increasing over the last few years for kosher weight loss programs and products in general. Kosher food manufacturers are not only accommodating consumers with healthy year-round products, but Passover products as well.

Cinderella Sweets of Woodmere NY, owner of the Shabtai Gourmet Company, is producing many diet Passover products such as sugar free macaroons, diet sponge loaf, diet seven layer cakes and more. “Although our sugar free products serve weight conscious consumers, they allow diabetic consumers to enjoy Passover foods as well,” said Cindy Fern, owner of Cinderella Sweets. “Even though Passover is one of the most festive and traditional Jewish holidays, preparing healthy dishes during the eight day celebration can be a real challenge,” commented Ken Janso, Group Brand Manager for Manischewitz. Janso added that today there are healthier kosher for Passover products on the shelf, like whole wheat matzo meal, that allow consumers to enjoy traditional holiday staples in a health conscious way. “By using a product such as Manischewitz whole grain farfel, customary matzo brei instantly becomes healthier since whole grain/wheat products are high in fiber and are essentially low in fat and sodium,” Janso added. Manischewitz has an array of healthier, and more diet friendly products that are kosher for Passover, such as spelt matzo, various soup mixes, and preserves. Streit’s, another leader in the Passover products category, also carries several dietetic products such as unsalted matzo meal, whole wheat matzo, and salt & pepper matzo thins.

Traditional foods served at the Seder, say nutritionists, are typically high in sugar, carbohydrates and saturated fats. Several cookbooks address special diets for the weight conscious and diabetics on Passover. Diabetics have welcomed such additions as Kedem’s Lite Grape Juice and spelt matzos just to get by with the basic requirements for the Seder.