Pasta Remains a Thrifty and Nutritious Meal

Over The last 2 years consumers have seen the biggest jump in food prices in 20 years. The cost of milk, meat, eggs, and produce have risen between 30 to 60 percent. The reasons are many and complex. The rising costs of energy, the effects of weather and the damage of political conflicts have all affected the global economy. The price of pasta has been affected too.

In 2007 drought hit several wheat-producing nations. There were dramatic increases in the cost of wheat due in part to the drought. In addition, there has been pressure on all grain products (corn, rice, wheat) due to the demand for bio-fuels. All these contribute to raising the cost of durum semolina to the pasta plants in Italy.

Even with the rising tide of the global economy pasta remains a thrifty and nutritious meal to serve. Consider that a 1 lb package of pasta and a jar of Pastene pasta sauce (or a can of Kitchen Ready Tomatoes) costs only a few dollars and can easily serve 3-4 people. What other dish can you prepare that is as satisfying, frugal, and beneficial?

Pastene pasta is made from 100% Pure Durum Semolina and is vitamin enriched. Our Whole Wheat Pasta is healthful, flavorful and always cooks up al dente. Pasta is a good source of B vitamins, iron, niacin and folic acid. It is a virtually fat free and salt free food. It's an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are the good "carbs" because they must be broken down into simple sugars which eventually enters the bloodstream as glucose. Therefore they generally have a lower glycemic index (GI) because they enter the bloodstream slowly and affect the blood glucose level and the insulin response less than simple carbohydrates. This means that pasta makes you feel full longer. These factors make pasta a good food choice for diabetics and people watching their weight. Check with your Doctor #note.

If you combine your pasta with a tomato sauce you get the added nutrition of Lycopene. Pasta is versatile fare. It can be served with so many foods and in so many different ways: there is pasta for soups, pasta for stuffing, pasta for baking. The recipes are endless and delicious. A simple meal of pasta is 10 minutes from shelf to plate, quick, easy, inexpensive and (except for those with Celiac disease) good for you too.

Because pasta goes so well with so many foods it's a key component in the Mediterranean Diet. The diet is abundant with fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. It's low in the consumption of red meats. Olive oil & fish serve as the principle source of fat in the diet. Olive oil and fish are rich with Omega 3 fatty acids, which studies have shown helps prevent the risk of certain diseases (*see our article on olive oil). There are many recipes in our recipe pages that follow the prescription of the Mediterranean diet.

True Comfort Food

Whether you're Italian or not, pasta in some form ends up on a list of comfort foods. Macaroni & cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, or a simple chicken soup. Wikipedia, a fun internet community encyclopedia, offers this description "Comfort food is typically inexpensive, uncomplicated, and easy to prepare." Pasta fits this description very well.

"Chi mangia bene, usa prodotti Pastene."