I use the Great Value Half & Half (Walmart brand) and I just poured myself a cuppa. I checked the back of the carton, and it says per serving, "1 g of sugar" next line, "includes 0g added sugars."

Interesting that they specified the "0 g added" on there.

I have nothing here to check. We drink our coffee black - DH used to sweeten his but I helped him end that habit years ago. I always have cream here, for cooking and for guests. Sometimes half and half that can be easily accomplished myself though as we always keep milk at hand.

We regularly bought mothers favorite french vanilla creamer for her even though loaded with sugars and artificial ingredients.

Calories counted and she needed every one she consumed. It also had to be in her familiar Kroger packaging which meant a stop at Fred Meyer on our weekly trip to see her since we have no Kroger stores locally 😊

Thanks for the heads up, chisue.

Interesting. I never noticed the two varieties either, but then I don't buy half and half. Good information to know.

Gotta check ingredient lists if it's not a specific product you buy regularly. A large chain grocery store's house brand of "heavy whipping cream" has added thickeners (guar gum and some other stuff). No thanks, all I want is cream, nothing added. So many products have added this or that, a lot of people just don't know that and never bother to check the label.

We use a drop of heavy whipping cream in our pour-over drip coffee - dairy flavor without too much volume to dilute the coffee.

We drink skim milk so whole milk seems like cream to me. I buy a quart for my coffee and for cooking and baking.

Seeing the comment from mxk3 z5b_MI reminded me of my own question. Are "heavy cream" and "whipping cream" the same thing? Does "whipping cream" always mean that thickeners are added? I will go out of my way to find something labeled "heavy cream," because I just want to use pure cream, but maybe the difference is in the brand.

Whipping cream does not necessarily include thickeners. Heavy and whipping cream can be used interchageably. Heavy cream must be at least 36% butterfat (40% if you are lucky) while whipping cream is 30-36% b.f.

I love this labeling at the grocery store we visit when we are in Toronto.

At home, I always laugh at ”fat-free half-and-half”. Doesn’t make sense. btw, they make up for it with lots of corn syrup.

On a relatd note, DH makes sure that the half-and-half and cream in our refrigerator is not ultra-high-pasteurized. It lengthens the shelf life but he says it ruins a sauce.

bpath, I remember a dieting SIL buying 'fat free cream' years ago. It had to have been about the silliest purchase I can remember and she never bought it again - it was terrible.

Does anyone else have trouble with the fine print on some of these labels? I have an eye exam every year and each year I'm surprised to be told I don't need glasses. I think I need a pair of readers in my bag or pocket to interpret some of those labels. Or, even the best buy dates that I'm sometimes lucky to be able to find on the packaging.

chisue, was this fat free half and half? That would be why there is corn syrup in it. I don't have any containers at the house to read but did some photo and google searching and that's what it said "fat free half and half has added corn syrup". Said to avoid this! I never buy any fat free dairy products for just that reason. For me, I need to limit sugars.

The 1g of sugar is the NATURAL percentage of sugar in that product. NO added means no more was put into it. I go insane trying to avoid corn syrup. It's near impossible!!

My first reaction to the OP was 'ew.' I love half & half and have some in my coffee every morning. I buy the organic H&H from Aldi - no additives. I never sweeten my coffee nor teas.

And this reminded me of a recent label issue - serve yourself bar at a party had a bottle of cinnamon whiskey, and I examined the label all over to see if it was sweetened - couldn't find any mention of any kind of sugar, so I poured out a small amount to taste - it was like syrup, so I tossed my cup contents - another 'ew.'

" I go insane trying to avoid corn syrup. It's near impossible!! "

An easy solution to your grocery buying problem is to become a regular customer of Whole Foods and Trader Joes. As I understand it, neither sells products with high fructose corn syrup. No need to even look at labels.

I used to buy half & half or creamer but they're so expensive now, for such a small amount. I now just use whole fat milk, usually lactose free.

Funny you mention having to repost, because I posted something yesterday (I think it was yesterday anyway) and it showed up right away but when I came back hours later it was gone. I didn't bother reposting.

Elmer, do you know that could mean moving one's residence? Not all of us live in larger communities. I do shop Trader Joe's and enjoyed, made purchases in Whole Foods the very few times I've been in one. The nearest Trader Joe's is 55 miles away. I manage about once a month or so. The nearest Whole Foods 100 miles. Shopping there is a rare event and I'm conditioned to leaving home with coolers no matter the reason for my trip....just in case.

We have no TJ or whole foods anywhere near us. I think the easier solution would be to carry the reader glasses and check the labels. :)

I agree.

And I that might be a.k.a learning the hard way 😁

I stock dehydrated cream and rehydrate it when necessary. I don't drink coffee, but I do serve rehydrated cream to guests who require coffee. I mainly use it in recipes (except for ice cream), and I cannot tell the difference in taste. I use it in smoothies, which makes them taste like ice cream shakes.

We use only H&H here with no added ingredients. I've tried those flavored "creams" but to me it's like drinking perfumed coffee (hazelnut, etc). They leave a terrible taste that sticks with me for hours, yuck.

arkansas girl -- Bingo! I found the carton in recycling. DH had bought the H & H that was on my list, and he did buy Fat Free.

I don't see any UN-pasturized milk or cream in local grocers, but then I'm not looking for it.

We use whole milk -- mostly in cereal. I need all the fat and calcium I can get. I've bought some Carnation Instant Breakfast as a better-tasting substitute for those gluey protein drinks.

I'm supposed to take calcium, but all the pills I see are too big for me to swallow. Any ideas? How about Tums?

" Elmer, do you know that could mean moving one's residence? "

I understand the comment as a conjectural one - of course no one moves to be closer to shopping alternatives. Choosing where to live involves many subjective elements and priorities that will differ from person to person. I've always preferred living in populated areas where choices and opportunities of all kinds abound, and I put up with the disadvantages. Others come to opposite conclusions and we all deal with the plusses and minuses or our choices.

I could never live in a small town or remote area not located with convenient near access to a populated metro area. Not for a minute.

@ chisue - you can get a liquid calcium supplement. My chiropractor used to sell it @ their office.
I've been buying from this site for years...
https://www.pureformulas.com/product/liquid-calcium-magnesium-citrate-with-vitamin-d3-natural-strawberry-flavor-by-solgar-vitamin-and-herb/1000024602

P.S. Years ago, my fave coffee 'creamer' was powdered milk mixed up triple strength.

The calcium pills are big, and heavy. I've switched to gelcaps, which go down a little easier, at least.

Tums are just calcium carbonate - if that is the form of calcium your MD recommended to you, then Tums are fine as a substitute. I know that some MDs favor other forms of calcium (citrate, for example). Or you could crush the big pills and mix them in something smooth (applesauce, yogurt, etc) to swallow.

My doc recommended iron, and calcium and D3 in a mixed tablet following radiation for prostate cancer, several years ago. When they put the pipe through, so I could pee, a year or so later, they reported no indication of cancer remained.

The Ca-D3 tablet is rather large, somewhat long and rounded at the ends and I have no trouble swallowing it and drink extra water to keep the system flushed.

I have glucosamine sulphate, for joints, usually in a long, rounded pill of similar size that I find easy to swallow, but this lot are in capsules, a bit smaller ... but when one was in my mouth for some over 7 seconds or so while I got my water, I found that I had a number of tiny pellets in my mouth, pretty well tasteless, till they made their way down red lane, floating on the water.

The "helpful" (Ai ?) editor thought that should be "gloating"!

ole joyful

FWIW, I see people recommending Tums a lot, and I do wonder about the dosage - along with other ingredients. I can't imagine a Tums tablet would have as much calcium...?