I do have to interject on the catsup never spoiling issue. A million years ago in another life, I owned a bar and grille. We washed and refilled fancy catsup jars from large cans. The catsup bottles were kept on the tables until one day a customer told me that the catsup was spoiled. I thought it couldn't be, because catsup never spoils. I was wrong, of course, the catsup had fermented and was bubbling. It was sour and nasty, clearly spoiled. After that we kept catsup bottles in the cooler and I required the staff to be SURE that all bottles were emptied, washed and then refilled regularly. In searching for information on refrigeration of catsup, I found this: "Unopened bottles of ketchup may be stored up to one year in a cool, dry place. Once opened, you may store it in a cool environment, away from sun and/or heat, for about 1 month. For longer shelf life after opening, refrigeration is recommended. Refer to expiration dates on the container. Storing opened ketchup in a heated environment such as in direct sunlight or in a kitchen that is constantly hot can invite fermentation which can actually cause a minor explosion when opening the container. The explosion makes the ketchup squirt out when opened which probably won't be harmful to you, but it will make quite a mess and stain your clothing. Discard any ketchup that shows signs of fermentation." So how long was that bottle of catsup sitting on a table or in the kitchen of the bar? I dunno, but it definitely will ferment given enough time and warm temperatures. I'm only assuming that homemade catsup will ferment even more quickly, given the fact that there are no added preservatives. Annie

Posted by petaloid: "That new tray sounds a lot easier. The packets are too messy for me. Hubby tells me the new ketchup will not contain corn syrup, which is another plus." You mean the new tray packaging is only for their soon to be launched 'Simply Heinz' ketchup and not for their flagship product? That is disappointing if it is true. I have the feeling that the fast food retailers will not want to shock their traditional customer with not only a change in packaging but also a new recipe, and hence won't order them predicting consumer backlash. I was under the impression that the Heinz ketchup in Canada is made with sugar and in America they have 'Organic Heinz' made with sugar instead of HFCS for those who prefer real sugar. Their 'Simply Heinz' made with real sugar is actually just their original pre-1970 recipe. When they switched to HFCS back then, they did so without fanfair. http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/heinz-serves-new-ketchup-with-relish-but-will-it-be-the-company/19346589/ Here is a link that might be useful: Simply Heinz

If they would just lower their prices, feature name brands made in the US etc they would do so much better. Not true. Let's face it, they look very closely at this type of advertising. It works. Look at the number of people with their coupons at the checkouts. And the register goes ca-ching! People will use a coupon and buy Binford 6100 brand ketchup to save 10 from the $1.99 price, and avoid the Bargain Saver brand of ketchup that's 79¢ without a coupon. I pointed out several such things in the Walmart thread and someone threw a hissy fit. And the Binford 6100 ketchup lovers won't like this either! Need more proof? How many people like telemarketers? Not many. But why do they keep calling? Because it works! Why do people spam? Because it works. Why do people try to con people out of their money? You know why. And sadly, we used to have TVs made in the USA, but, as my partner used to put it "It's the All-American CHEAP!". People go to MegaLoMart and buy something $10 cheaper and pay $50 each year to walk in the door to get the 5 gallon pail of peanut butter and 100 roll package of toilet paper. Yes, some can't afford to spend more. But many who can, won't. And there's the ongoing argument about this too. Disposable vs repairable. Ironic isn't it? People will argue that they won't spend their hard-earned money on something higher priced, yet will turn around and remodel a kitchen for $20,000 or buy a new washer and dryer because the old one is 5 years old, or get a new (imported?) car every couple years, because, well "I deserve it". And how many people buy SUVs that will never see so much as a gravel road? And then of course there's all the bankruptcy attorneys and other ambulance chasers telling you to "make them pay!" I shake my head in dismay, then burst out laughing. What a country! And yes, it's your money to spend - spend it how and where you like. I wonder how many people understand the domino effect of some of these issues. Companies have to cut prices, so they have to cut costs. So we end up with support lines featuring people with English as a second language at best who read scripts from the computer in front of them then hang up on people they can't help. Or they'll buy steel from overseas rather than American steel. Then complain when their spouse, friend or relative lose their jobs. Just a couple examples. Pretty packaging, celebrity endorsements, repetitive advertising of all types, all add to the price. If they cut that down, they sure could cut prices, but they'd likely lose market share. Moxie Soda made the fatal mistake of cutting their advertising and are now a tiny fraction of what Coca-Cola is, who chose to continue advertising. Does anyone really think McDonald's is its size because of the taste and quality of its product? How many people can't finish at least most of these: -You deserve a ________ today. -2 all beef patties,_________________________________ -McDonald's is your kind of ________ -Look for the Golden ________ in your neighborhood And coupons are another protected species. I see people on here swearing they save thousands of dollars a year with coupons. They'll spend $10 on multiple newspapers to get coupons. I don't get it. Me? I'll continue to buy the bargain brands when they work for me. However I still compare prices. Sometimes a name brand is cheaper so I go with that. There's a few name brands that I stick with because I don't find suitable substitutes. I don't get the Sunday paper so I get few coupons. Occasionally I'll get some and if it's for something I like I'll use them. But I'm not a coupon king. And do just fine with my budget. One thing I'm surprised about although I shouldn't, is how many don't do any planning when they shop. I'm amazed at the number of people who go to the store nearly daily and "shop". What should I have today? I have better things to do with my time.

The only ketchup I have is in small packets from restaurants. I'm not sure why I have them, since I never use them - perhaps for guests, if I ever have any. I do keep the little packets in the refrigerator - they take up almost no space. I make my own mustard and refrigerate that, but it might not need it, since it has enough salt and vinegar to preserve it. When I worked at a restaurant in San Francisco, eggs were stored in flats and never refrigerated, but the storage area of the restaurant was about 55° at night, which is when I worked there, on a graveyard shift baking coffee cakes and pastries to be sold the next day. Since the restaurant sold a lot of omelets, the eggs never had time to go bad.