Nature's Pride: Another Good Choice Lurking in the Bread Aisle?

Routine dictates that you will choose the same brand and type of bread the next time you visit the grocery store. It's the safe way to do things. You want a reliable flavor, reasonable price, and comprehension of the nutritional data without having to consult the label. You pluck a loaf from the shelf as if it were a Jenga block, knowing that there are plenty of other loaves to substantiate the selection. But sometimes it's good to shake things up and let your hand graze the plastic sheaths for a spell. You do just that, and finally stop on a loaf of Nature's Pride.

Ever the risk-taker, I reached for Nature's Pride on a recent trip to the store. Nature's Pride clocked in at $1.77 - even better than good ol' Roman Meal. The italicized "New" above the brand logo also intrigued my taste buds. After all, there's kind of a glut in the bread market, if you haven't noticed. What could Nature's Pride possibly offer that any other bread does not?

I tasted the Nature's Pride Honey Wheat. Perhaps I was dealt such a good deal on my bread because it was a bit stale. I was expecting a heartier consistency to this loaf, and was disappointed in the lack of flash that my first slice presented as I pulled it from the package - delicately flecked interior with golden-brown crust. Nothing exciting. The texture was coarser than expected, too, but not in a "packed with whole wheat" kind of way. Its crust was chewy - as I believe a good mass-produced bread crust should be - but the dominant impression was that of an average store-bought bread.

Interstate Bakeries Corporation (IBC), whose name calls to mind images of Mac trucks hauling mass-produced bread along a Mid-Atlantic turnpike more so than a quaint country bakery staffed by your white-haired grandmother, produces Nature's Pride. It should also be noted that IBC fortifies us with Hostess and Wonder. In other words, to market Nature's Pride as a beacon of health when your other brands reek of processed, sugary gas station fare is to market the obvious.

I give the bread credit, however, for its nutritional value. Nature's Pride does not use corn syrup, artificial flavoring, trans-fats, or other artificial preservatives, so you can feel pretty good about what is entering your body. Each slice contains seventy calories and thirteen grams of carbs, for the starch-conscious among us. I would advise giving the bread a try, and I certainly will revisit it again to verify or challenge my initial impression. But, all in all, this starch lover feels that there are better breads competing in this nutritional bracket.