Save Dough: 10 Super Bowl Snacks Under $20

$1.02B, according to TurboTax

(NEWSER) - It's not nearly as much as we spent on Halloween candy , but it's significant: Americans will spend $1.02 billion on Super Bowl snacks this year, according to a TurboTax infographic obtained by AdWeek . That includes $184.4 million on potato chips, $40 million on pretzels, and $36.3 million on … "puffed cheese." Click through for the whole graphic , which offers all sorts of other fun figures related to the big game. More»

But skeptics take issue with Michelin Guide assessment

(NEWSER) - Japan has overtaken France as the fine dining capital of the world—at least according to the latest Michelin Guide, reports ABC News . The newly released 2012 edition of the influential guide has bestowed 29 Japanese eateries with a 3-star rating—the highest possible grade—compared with 25 in France. Japan collected a whopping total of 296 stars. More»

Sporks, wine stoppers serve no discernible purpose

(NEWSER) - Have you ever truly benefited from a spork? Do you face a pressing need to bake muffin tops, not actual muffins? The Daily Meal rounds up the most useless food-related inventions:

• Quesadilla maker: Don’t you already have a pan?
• Spork: Use a fork or use a spoon. End of story.

ESPN gives more info than you wanted on stadium food safety

(NEWSER) - If you’d like to enjoy the next hot dog you eat at a baseball game, don’t read on. ESPN reviewed health department inspection reports for the North American MLB, NFL, NHL, and NBA venues and found that 28% had been cited for a “critical” or “major” violation—one that could cause sickness or even death. Some disgusting highlights? Mold in ice machines, cockroaches, workers refusing to wash hands, and toxic chemicals stored near food prep areas. More»

Try it before worrying that you'll die of a cheese craving

(NEWSER) - Instead of a trendy juice cleanse to start the New Year, Heather Wood Rudúlph went with a different detox diet: going vegan for a month. She shares seven lessons she learned from the experience in Sirens Magazine :

• She can cook: And so can you. Forced to stop making your staple chicken casserole over and over, you discover the joys of “culinary creativity.”
• Skip the colonic and eat veggies instead: “Eating massive portions of leafy vegetables and whole grains” led to “that ‘clean’ feeling" within just a couple of days.
• You never know what you’re going to miss: In Rudúlph’s case, she craved fish and yogurt but never meat, other dairy, or eggs.