The nanny state begets the nanny county:
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — A southern Indiana county plans to use a $20,000 federal grant to teach local restaurants and residents how to cut sodium levels in food to make for healthier meals.
[. . .]
County health department administrator Penny Caudill told The Herald-Times (http://bit.ly/XTrTfB ) the department will hold classes hosted by chefs and dietitians to teach local restaurant staff how to reduce salt while maintaining flavor, and will also stock low-salt treats in county-operated vending machines.
Because of course we're all too stupid to think of this ourselves. Remember all those stories we used to hear about saltpeter being slipped into the food of soldiers, prison inmates, prep school students and other miscreants unable to control their sexual urges? This is the reverse of that -- just sneak that salt out, and we'll never notice.
Yes, I do believe generally in the benefits of using less salt. I find there are lots of tasty non-salt ways to flavor my food -- garlic and ginger for Asian stir fry, for example, chili powder and cumin for Mexican food, Old Bay for fish or poultry dishes. But some things just don't taste right without a sprinkling of salt, popcorn and corn on the cob being obvious examples. It also adds a nice contrasting kick to sweet things such as watermelon and apple.
