Buyer Beware...

[peejman]

My wife stopped in "Jim's Amish Foods" in West Town Mall (Knoxville) a while back and picked up a jar of "Amish" peanut butter.

 

 

 

 

We tasted it and found it to be quite sweet, but otherwise pretty good.  Then I read the ingredients label. :stunned:   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somehow I doubt the Amish used propylene glycol, carboxymethyl cellulose, heliotrophine, or hydrochloric acid. And I further doubt someone's using that stuff in their kitchen at home (note "homemade" on the label).   :squint:

 

 

For reference, the ingredients label on the jar of Kroger PB also in the pantry lists: peanuts, sugar, oil, and salt.  And that's it.

 

 

 

Buyer beware.  :-\

 

[Ted S.]

I'm so OCD that I won't buy food without reading the ingredient label. MaraNartha is my favorite peanut butter so far. Has about five ingredients in it like the Kroger PB you mention.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Ted S.

[Luke E.]

 

My wife stopped in "Jim's Amish Foods" in West Town Mall (Knoxville) a while back and picked up a jar of "Amish" peanut butter.

 

 

 

 

We tasted it and found it to be quite sweet, but otherwise pretty good.  Then I read the ingredients label. :stunned:   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somehow I doubt the Amish used propylene glycol, carboxymethyl cellulose, heliotrophine, or hydrochloric acid. And I further doubt someone's using that stuff in their kitchen at home (note "homemade" on the label).   :squint:

 

 

For reference, the ingredients label on the jar of Kroger PB also in the pantry lists: peanuts, sugar, oil, and salt.  And that's it.

 

 

 

Buyer beware.  :-\

 

 

 That sounds absolutely terrible!

[TripleDigitRide]

Almost nothing that claims to be Amish is real Amish food. There's an "Amish" store in Nolensville, and it sells the same crap. There's another one outside Winchester. They buy stuff in bulk, then package it in smaller containers and jack up the price. It's all a scam.

From what I understand, the person who owns the most popular"Amish" food company was actually Amish at one time. Now he's as modern as the rest of us Devils.

[NRA]

That is just really wrong..... very wrong

[Erik88]

I only buy natural peanut butter without the hydrogenated vegetable oils which are very bad for you.

[maroonandwhite]

The mennonites in Whiteville, TN have a little store set up and also sell home-made ice cream every year at the Ames Plantation heritage festival. I do know they make their own bread but I had suspicions that some of that stuff is just repackaged as well. The ice cream and bread is amazing though.

 

They have a little one cylinder john deere motor that runs on camp fuel turning their ice cream makers. I have probably spent at least a solid hour or two over the years standing there watching it turn.

[jcj]

I switched to "natural" almond butter. More expensive than PB but I tend not to eat as much of it. It satisfies the peanut butter craving enough for me.

[RobertNashville]

What was (and I think still is) the largest Amish community in the country is in North/central Ohio around Berlin...when I lived in Ohio I made a trip up at least a couple of times per year to shop.

 

You could usually tell the which shops were FOR the Amish community (with real Amish goods) vs those that were mostly there for the tourists.

 

Real Amish goods is GOOD STUFF!

[TrickyNicky]

Two thoughts,

1. It is recently vogue to label products as "homemade" or "Amish made" when in reality it is nothing but massed produced crapolla. This is a tactic used by scumbags capitalizing on the quality of Amish made goods.

2. If you want the freshest tastiest peanut butter invest in a vitamix. These are industrial strength blenders that can turn raw or roasted peanuts into real fresh peanut butter. A little bit of peanut oil and sugar are optional if you want to replicate the taste and consistency of store bought. Or for a real treat try throwing a handful of honey roasted nuts or almonds or cashews into the mix.

The blender is pretty expensive but well forth it IMO. It can turn a half a potatoe a carrot and some pre cooked chicken into hot soup in less than 10 minutes using cold tap water and stock as a base. That's how fast and powerful it is. Ours just burned out after 12-14 years faithful service aka abuse.

[mav]

There is a fairly large Amish community in Ethridge, TN.  I am sure you could get the real deal there.

[Fivestring63]

Be careful what you say or you'll get a visit from the Amish mafia.

[peejman]

Seems like pretty blatant false advertising to me. Think people get away with it because the Amish won't sue?

[TrickyNicky]

Be careful what you say or you'll get a visit from the Amish mafia.

I think the Amish Mafia would do very well not to piss off the redneck mafia though, just sayin. ;)

[LI0NSFAN]

Very close friends of my family are Amish. They are great people and they make all kinds of food for us. My favorite that they make is the jam that my friends wife makes. I mentioned that it would make a great PB&J, he went to the cupboard and grabbed a jar of JIF. He said that the homemade stuff is not nearly as good as JIF. I go up in August every year to visit them so if anyone wants real Amish food, let me know and I can load up my car. 

[TripleDigitRide]

I haven't tried any, and I didn't pay real close attention, but Whole Foods has machines that dispense different kinds of peanuts/nuts, then turns it into peanut butter. 

Edited May 23, 2013 by TripleDigitRide

[JWC]

You can buy peanut butter at the deli in Publix... Peanuts, peanut oil, salt.

We get natural PB from a friend of my wife's grandma down in FL. It's just peanuts and a little peanut oil and the nuts still have the skin on em so it's a little grittier and I like it. If you like it salt ya gotta salt your sandwiches though, lol.

I ain't never understood why they feel like they gotta add so much chit to something that oughta be simple??? It's like they go outta their way to make it harder. Just grind some damn peanuts and put em in a jar.

[jcj]

You can buy peanut butter at the deli in Publix... Peanuts, peanut oil, salt.


We get natural PB from a friend of my wife's grandma down in FL. It's just peanuts and a little peanut oil and the nuts still have the skin on em so it's a little grittier and I like it. If you like it salt ya gotta salt your sandwiches though, lol.


I ain't never understood why they feel like they gotta add so much chit to something that oughta be simple??? It's like they go outta their way to make it harder. Just grind some damn peanuts and put em in a jar.

Fillers and chit are much cheaper than actual...food. Probably extends the expiration date a bit too (which adds even more $$ to the company's coffers)

[EMB145]

All this talk is making me hungry  :yum:

[Murgatroy]

I used to love Peanut Butter.

 

Then I tried Nutella...

[TripleDigitRide]

I used to love Peanut Butter.

Then I tried Nutella...

Nutella and banana sandwich....mmmmmm

[Jonnin]

they have to follow the laws for producing foodstuff, which include using preservatives.  I do not think you could home-can foods to sell legally, could be wrong but as I recall its not legal.   Obviously its mass produced and not home made at all, though.  Its probably jiff relabled or something via an agreement. 

 

I hate to say it but I have little respect for the amish.  They have cell phones and ipads and all kinds of stuff tucked away even as they stress the appearance of being barbaric.   Its almost commercialized --- they dress up and play pretend at living some sort of different lifestyle in order to be able to sell their furniture & such.  They make use of the modern anywhere it does not show.  The woodworking may still be mostly by hand, but they buy the nails and glue and so on....  

[Guest sL1k]

Two thoughts,


1. It is recently vogue to label products as "homemade" or "Amish made" when in reality it is nothing but massed produced crapolla. This is a tactic used by scumbags capitalizing on the quality of Amish made goods.


2. If you want the freshest tastiest peanut butter invest in a vitamix. These are industrial strength blenders that can turn raw or roasted peanuts into real fresh peanut butter. A little bit of peanut oil and sugar are optional if you want to replicate the taste and consistency of store bought. Or for a real treat try throwing a handful of honey roasted nuts or almonds or cashews into the mix.


The blender is pretty expensive but well forth it IMO. It can turn a half a potatoe a carrot and some pre cooked chicken into hot soup in less than 10 minutes using cold tap water and stock as a base. That's how fast and powerful it is. Ours just burned out after 12-14 years faithful service aka abuse.

Funny you mention the vitamix, just got one and I am going to peanut butter asap

[Rowdy]

Smuckers makes an all natural peanut butter. Only two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Quite tasty.

[Guest Keal G Seo]

Up in MT we had the Hutterites. Kind of like Amish but that they accept more technology and are more open to outsiders. The best and only palatable sauerkraut I have ever had. I would suggest that if you want the real deal to go to an actual community with a nice wad to spend. When you do that in conversation you can let them know where you live, on their rounds every week they will probably stop by to sell fresh goods. I remember we got farm fresh eggs, sauerkraut, fresh meats and veggies.

I remember one of the coolest pieces of tech they had up there was for plucking chickens. It looked like a washing machine but had these rubber nubs that ripped the feathers out. Always swore if we raised chickens I was going to have one. I have been bird hunting so I know the pain of plucking.