I tried Pillsbury and Nestlé Toll House ready-to-bake cookie dough rolls and found the difference is all in the texture

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/572b64c49105842a008c0fff-762-571/kit kat nacho.jpg" alt="kit kat nacho" data-mce-source="Kit Kat" data-link="https://www.facebook.com/KitKatUSA/photos/pb.375045892625179.-2207520000.1462461536./843592099103887/?type=3&amp;theater" /><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/KitKatUSA/photos/pb.375045892625179.-2207520000.1462461536./843592099103887/?type=3&amp;theater">Kit Kat</a></span></p><p class="caption">Kit Kat "nachos"</p></div><p></p></div></div>Nestl</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is getting serious about cutting sodium from its products. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company is launching an effort to boost the number of foods and beverages that fit the World Health Organization's suggested diet with less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day, Nestl<span>é </span> announced in a press release on Thursday. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Currently, just 43% of Nestl</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é's foods, which includes brands such as Kit-Kat, Toll House cookies, and Lean Cuisine, meet this target.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps more surprising is </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nestl</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é's decision to come out in support of the US Food and Drug Administration's efforts to release new voluntary sodium targets - a change that is intended to decrease Americans' sodium intake that has been opposed by many in the food industry. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We are committed to constantly improving the nutritional profile of our products, but we also recognize that effective solutions to public health challenges require broad, multi-stakeholder efforts," </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nestl</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é's USA CEO Paul Grimwood said in a statement.</span> <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/572a08dc8a4565fa6d0136bd-4864-3648/salt-in-spoon-shutterstock-1.jpg" alt="salt in spoon, shutterstock" data-mce-source="Shutterstock" /><p class="source"><span>Shutterstock</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nutrition advocacy organizations have pushed for updated targets, which were completed two years ago but have never been released. Groups such as the American Health Organization argue that </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">people who want to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke should only consume a maximum of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">2,000 mg</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of sodium a day, significantly less than the FDA's current recommendation of <span>3,400 mg</span>. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"By urging the FDA to release voluntary sodium standards, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nestl</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is paving the way to empower the public to make better food choices," the American Heart Association said in <a href="http://news.heart.org/food-giant-mars-to-lower-sodium-urges-fda-to-issue-guidelines/">a press release.</a> "The American Heart Association joins industry leaders like Nestlé and Mars Foods in supporting the release of these standards because they have the potential to impact lives."</span><br /><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/572b5dd09105841c008c0f1f-400-300/339634941ed.jpg" alt="mars chocolate" data-mce-source="Mars" data-mce-caption="Mars Chocolate USA Headquarters" data-link="http://www.mars.com/global/press-center/media-library.aspx" /><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.mars.com/global/press-center/media-library.aspx">Mars</a></span></p><p class="caption">Mars Chocolate USA Headquarters</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>In April, Mars Food's<a href="http://news.heart.org/food-giant-mars-to-lower-sodium-urges-fda-to-issue-guidelines/"> announced support of the release of the FDA's new targets,</a> as well as a goal to reduce sodium in products by an average of 20% by 2021.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even with Mars and </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nestl</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é's backing, it is unclear if the new targets will be released any time soon.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Industry groups such as the </span><a href="http://qz.com/676604/nestle-is-breaking-rank-with-big-food-to-support-lower-sodium-targets-for-processed-food/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grocery Manufacturers Association</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (a group of which Nestlé USA is a member) and The Salt Institute have opposed the release of the new targets, saying </span><a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/the-salt-wars-221490"><span style="font-weight: 400;">there isn't sufficient evidence </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">to support the lower-sodium recommendations</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, an <span>Agriculture Appropriations Bill</span> approved by the House Committee in April would delay the advancement or promotion of any new sodium guidelines until </span><a href="http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/Opinion/Jay-Sjerven/New-front-opens-in-the-battle-over-sodium.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">after more research is done on the issue. </span></a></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the energy surrounding the initiative suggests that the packaged foods industry is becoming more savvy of the increased sentiment surrounding wellness, or at least the longevity of their loyal consumers.</span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/kids-meals-fast-food-mcdonalds-wendys-arbys-burger-king-dairy-queen-kfc-2016-4">Here's how many calories are in 6 of the most popular fast-food kids meals</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="MwbzA3MzE6s7W1B5SrfLC9NtENqD_nO-" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'MwbzA3MzE6s7W1B5SrfLC9NtENqD_nO-',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Nestle has jumped on board with a controversial government initiative to make its products healthier

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sonaar Luthra and Sarah Szalavitz left Los Angeles for a rental in La Quinta, California, last March.</li><li>The property is owned by Frank Ferrer, who's been the drummer for Guns N' Roses since 2006.</li></ul><p>In 2021, Sonaar Luthra and Sarah Szalavitz decided to leave Los Angeles. </p><p>The couple found a rental home online for $4,000 a month in La Quinta, California, a palm-tree-dotted hamlet about 2½ hours away, nestled between the resort-haven Palm Springs and festival-famous Coachella. </p><p>The four-bedroom ranch was the ideal setting for Luthra, a climate consultant, and Szalavitz, a producer and AI-prompt engineer, to begin planning their wedding and make headway on professional projects. Szalavitz could finally dive into writing her book, and Luthra imagined turning a room with a peaceful view of the property's pool into his office. It was perfect for them.</p><p>The couple paid a year's worth of rent upfront, plus a security deposit and pet deposit for their two cats: a total of $52,370. They signed a lease on November 4, 2021, for a March 2022 move in. The lease, though, had a surprise: The property was owned by Frank Ferrer, who since 2006 has been the drummer of the rock band Guns N' Roses. They were relieved, they told Insider, because they believed someone in the public eye would be a reliable landlord. </p><div type="image" title="A verdant golf course in La Quinta, California." height="1302" width="2302" msid="99691401" hostid="261" sizebytes="724632"></div><p>But, they said, their desert paradise soon became a rental from hell: A severe crack in the roof led to a flood in Szalavitz's office; the rear sliding doors of the property wouldn't lock; the malfunctioning pool pump made an unbearably loud noise and turned the pool algae-green; the dishwasher used dirty water from the garbage disposal and, according to an email exchange with a doctor viewed by Insider, may have led to Szalavitz experiencing nausea and vomiting after moving in. </p><p>And that was just the beginning of their woes, which are documented in texts and emails with the broker and property manager, as well as photos of the damage. On December 14, 2022, the city of La Quinta declared the home a public nuisance because the heat wasn't working during an unusually cold desert fall. In California, properties can be labeled <a href="https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/penal-code/pen-sect-370/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a public nuisance</a> when they're found to be injurious to the health of the occupant or community. </p><p>The couple said the heat was repaired in late January and the building was no longer designated a nuisance, but Insider's public records request for records about the nuisance case was denied on April 19 because, according to the City of La Quinta, "the records requested include open and unresolved Code cases".</p><p>Ultimately, the couple wants Ferrer to apologize for the harm done in the situation, replace what was destroyed when Szalavitz's office flooded, and make a sincere effort to let them live in peace at the property. Luthra and Szalavitz have hired a lawyer in preparation for possible litigation.</p><p>"I'm trying to will into existence a just world," Szalavitz said. </p><p>The couple detailed how the celebrity-owned house in a desert paradise became a rental from hell.</p><h2><strong>The couple dug in their heels</strong></h2><p>Emails and texts between the couple and Ferrer, his listing agent Dina Hurtado, the property manager Marcia Mason, and the attorney Ulrich McNulty reviewed by Insider detail the tenants' attempts to get the many issues with the property fixed. </p><p>Ferrer's team and hired contractors did make visits to the house for some repairs, but problems persisted. Ferrer's team also paid for hotel stays for the couple when the HVAC system was on the fritz, but that was complicated by the fact that the couple has two cats and a door they said wouldn't lock — they were wary to leave the property and put their belongings at risk. </p><div type="image" title="Frank Ferrer behind the drums for Guns 'N Roses." height="1664" width="2225" msid="99691405" hostid="261" sizebytes="112766"></div><p>Ferrer, Mason, and McNulty have not responded to multiple requests for comment by email and phone. </p><p>Throughout their yearlong lease, which ended in March, the couple couldn't withhold rent to press for fixes to the property's problems because they had paid upfront. </p><p>In late October, Mason offered to refund the prepaid rent for November through March if they would move out early, by December 31, according to an email viewed by Insider. The couple said they had already decided to dig in their heels and fight for what they thought was right. </p><p>The couple has remained in the house after their yearlong lease expired last month and are paying rent into an escrow account. In California, when a lease ends, <a href="https://wolford-wayne.com/signing-a-new-lease/#:~:text=In%20California%2C%20residential%20rental%20agreements,in%20possession%20of%20your%20home." target="_blank" rel="noopener">it automatically converts</a> to a month-to-month rental, with some exceptions, and the tenants are still protected under state and local laws. </p><p>Luthra and Szalavitz believe staying in the home is the only recourse to try and get reimbursed for what they've lost, such as electronics ruined by the home's wiring, and all the time and energy they've spent trying to protect their well-being. </p><h2><strong>A desert paradise goes rotten</strong></h2><p>Soon after Luthra and Szalavitz moved in, things started falling apart. Take the time the home's heating and air-conditioning, or HVAC system, broke during the Southern California desert region's extreme August heat, with an average high around 106 degrees Fahrenheit, <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/la-quinta/92253/august-weather/342479" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to AccuWeather</a>. The system remained unfixed through the cooler months, when the evening temperatures dip as low as the 30s.</p><div type="image" title="A pool with green algae in it." height="3024" width="4032" msid="99691408" hostid="261" sizebytes="1123242"></div><p>The couple ultimately purchased a space heater, but decided not to use it because of the risk of fire, Luthra said. </p><p>Loose or nonfunctioning electrical outlets, power surges that have damaged their belongings, and flickering lights captured on email and video have made the couple fear for their safety.</p><p>After a crack in the roof led to flooding in Szalavitz's office in September, the couple had to pay $1,000 to hire a roofer for an emergency repair, Luthra said. (Insider viewed the receipt.) While they were repaid for the expense, Szalavitz said they weren't reimbursed for the destroyed electronics and sentimental items either by Ferrer or their renter's insurance.   </p><p>Szalavitz declined to say exactly how much the couple paid in repairs or other expenses because she doesn't want Ferrer to accuse them of exaggerating their hardship. She doubts that Ferrer will repay them for the expenses they've incurred, she added, but holding him accountable for the situation is more important to her and Luthra.</p><p>Szalavitz said the ongoing and intrusive nature of the repairs has made it impossible to conduct interviews for her book, and that the illness she experienced, potentially from the dishwasher water, caused her to skip her niece's wedding.</p><p>"This house is really nice," Szalavitz said. "But at the same time, we haven't had doors that lock or heat. And we have allowed some stranger who's a wealthy celebrity to literally destroy our professional and personal lives and not make it possible for us to be able to fulfill commitments that we both wanted to." </p><p>She added, "This is not a condition where you can have interviews and write a book. It's hard to keep warm."</p><h2><strong>When 'things tend to go awry'</strong></h2><p>Loretta Thompson, a partner at the law firm Withersworldwide who practices real estate law, said celebrities typically approach the responsibilities of a landlord differently than other high-net-worth investors. </p><p>Wealthier landlords tend to hold rental properties as part of a broad portfolio of investments, she added, and they typically have attentive business managers who manage those properties through their family offices.</p><p>Celebrities, by contrast, don't always purchase real estate with the purpose of renting it out, but they sometimes lease it out while they're traveling, Thompson explained. </p><p>It is unclear where Ferrer, who didn't respond to requests for comment via email, spends most of his time. On his recently deactivated Instagram account, he posted photos from New York City and Los Angeles. Guns N' Roses has also toured most years Ferrer has been with the band, including in 2022 and this year.</p><div type="image" title="The images of water damage inside a house." height="1875" width="2500" msid="99691411" hostid="261" sizebytes="414208"></div><p>"Very often they rely on a real-estate broker to both lease it out and to help with the management of it. And those are the properties that I see that have the most physical issues," Thompson said. Things "tend to go awry" when there isn't an experienced property manager, Thompson added. </p><p>The property manager, Marcia Mason, managed the property off-site. The couple is unaware of her ever visiting the home. Mason's email address links to the New York City-based M-Squared Management, whose <a href="https://www.facebook.com/msquaredmgmt201/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">business page on Facebook</a> says it offers "individual artist management" and "business management" services. </p><h2><strong>Szalavitz and Luthra say the problems took a toll on their personal lives</strong></h2><p>According to the couple, the problems with the property not only affected their day-to-day lives; it also impacted relationships with loved ones.</p><p>Timothy Gunatilaka, a longtime friend of Luthra, visited the couple in December and watched Luthra try to communicate to Mason the issues they were experiencing. </p><p>All of these seemingly small issues were beginning to pile up and take a toll on the two of them, Gunatilaka said. </p><p>"You could just tell the house does not feel like home," Gunatilaka told Insider, "and that there's a sense of displacement." </p><p>Beyond the stress that they've endured personally, Szalavitz said they feel a moral responsibility to raise awareness about their situation to prevent future tenants from experiencing the same fate. </p><p>"I want to be able to feel secure in my home, and I know I can't place a value on that," Szalavitz said. "It's just been so destructive to our ability to plan our lives and to do things that matter to us."</p>

An idyllic California town, a celebrity landlord, and a rental from hell

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Zan Zurawski lives with her partner near Cape Town, South Africa, in a cottage with an ocean view.</li><li>Despite rising prices, she's able to live there for the equivalent of about $760 a month.</li></ul><p>When my classmates at Marquette University were researching study-abroad trips to Europe, I felt inspired to explore a part of the world that felt more unfamiliar and isolated.</p><p>With its natural beauty, engaging history, friendly people, and affordable lifestyle, Cape Town, South Africa, was an obvious choice. In early 2014, I packed my bags for what began an eight-year love affair.</p><p>After college, I returned to Cape Town in 2015 through an internship that allowed me to work with various companies across the city. When my internship coordinator decided to start a craft brewery, I got a job with her that kept me in Cape Town.</p><p>As a student, I lived in Observatory, an area near the city center popular among students and close to the university. The neighborhood is gritty but full of creative vibrancy — and incredibly cheap rent.</p><p>After my student days, I moved south of the city center to a suburb along False Bay named Muizenberg. Famous for its colorful beach huts and gentle waves, the neighborhood is a surfer's dream. There, I lived in a house with four close friends. We paid what felt like pennies to live in a mansion overlooking the ocean.</p><p>I was firmly established in Cape Town when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and South Africa adopted a swift and strict lockdown that virtually stopped international travel. Tourism, the country's lifeblood, drastically declined.</p><p>When I met my partner two years ago, I moved even farther south along the Cape Peninsula to a seaside village called Noordhoek, known for its long, white sandy beach and horse stables despite being a 30-minute drive from the center of a city of 4.6 million people.</p><div type="image" title="A sandy beach beneath a blue almost cloudless sky" height="768" width="1024" msid="94643113" hostid="261"></div><p>Like other popular remote-work destinations, the local currency's weakness is a big part of the reason it's so cheap for expats to live here. Given the strength of the dollar and endemic challenges facing the South African economy, it doesn't look like the rand will get much stronger in the short term.</p><p>My partner and I pay 9,100 rands a month, or about $522, to rent a two-bedroom cottage overlooking Chapman's Peak and the Atlantic Ocean.</p><p>Our rent includes internet and water, but we budget 700 rands a month for electricity, though South Africa's power grid is poorly maintained and rolling blackouts are part of life.</p><div type="image" title="Interior of a cottage living room" height="3024" width="4032" msid="94643868" hostid="261"></div><p>It takes me roughly 30 minutes to get to the city center via one of the world's most beautiful drives, Chapman's Peak. It's a toll road, which adds 114 rands to my commute. There is a free route, but it's not nearly as beautiful. I have a fuel-efficient car that costs about 840 rands to fill up. Petrol is one of my major expenses at the moment, so working from home is a plus.</p><p>We maintain a vegetarian diet, and our weekly grocery bill amounts to 1,500 rands. That being said, meat is a staple of the South African diet and is much cheaper to get here than in Western cities.</p><p>We like to go out at least once a week for dinner. A great dinner with a couple of drinks will set us back about 300 rands a person. That adds up to about 2,000 rands between us on dining out each month.</p><p>Things that would be extravagant in the US are affordable to us here. Wine tasting at a local vineyard, for example, costs about 120 rands for five wines from the heart of South Africa's famed wine lands. A 12-course dinner at La Colombe — which <a href="https://lacolombe.restaurant/awards">has often been featured on "world's best" lists</a> — costs 1,695 rands a person.</p><p>My other expenses include health insurance at 2,070 rands a month, car insurance at 449 rands a month, and smartphone costs. Many South Africans use WiFi for calls and messaging to combat the exorbitant price of data. My phone bill is about 500 rands a month, made up of a 299-rand 5 GB data bundle and any necessary upcharges.</p><p>Despite Cape Town's vibrant nightlife, my hobbies are nature-centric and don't cost much. The city is nestled between mountains, oceans, and forests, a dream destination for nature lovers. My partner and I share a Wild Card membership, which grants us access to more than 80 national parks and reserves around southern Africa. It costs us 1,245 rands a year.</p><p>Like just about everywhere, the market here is shifting and prices are on the rise. Yet the quality of life here is second to none.</p><p>All told, I spend about 13,500 rands, about $760, a month. It means I'm getting far more than I bargained for in getting to call this beautiful city my home.</p>

I live in a 2-bedroom cottage near Cape Town on $760 a month. Here's a breakdown of what everything costs.

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56782baadd08957f7c8b46d5-1500/shutterstock103724606.jpg" alt="chocolate chip cookies baking" data-mce-source="Shutterstock" /><p class="source"><span>Shutterstock</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Monday, December 4 is National Cookie Day. </strong></li><li><strong>And Americans love cookies. 35% have eaten an entire package of cookies in one go.</strong></li><li><strong>We rounded up the best freebies and deals we found across the country for aficionados.</strong></li></ul><hr /><p> </p><p>Everyone loves cookies.</p><p>Turns, out, Americans love them so much that about one in three has eaten an entire box of cookies in one go, according to a recent survey by <a href="https://nationaltoday.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NationalToday.com</a>.</p><p>70% of those surveyed eat cookies at least once a week, and 43% have eaten a row of Oreos in one sitting, the same survey found.</p><p>Luckily for cookie aficionados, a slew of companies are giving out free cookies or have deals this Monday in honor of National Cookie Day.</p><p>We listed some of more notable ones below, which we found via <a href="http://time.com/money/5045771/national-cookie-day-2017-free-cookies-deals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Money</a>, <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/12/national_cookie_day_where_to_f.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cleveland.com</a>, and <a href="http://www.delish.com/food-news/news/a56990/national-cookie-day-2017/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Delish.com</a>:</p><ul><li>All <strong>Mrs. Fields</strong> locations will be giving out a free cookies to the first 400 customers.</li><li><strong>Insomnia Cookies</strong> is giving out a free traditional cookie with any purchase.</li><li><strong>Whole Foods</strong>' cookie bar is offering items for 50% off.</li><li>Participating locations of <strong>Nestle Toll House Café</strong> are giving out free regular cookies to customers.</li><li>Participating locations of <strong>Great American Cookies</strong> will be giving out one free original chocolate chip cookie - no purchase necessary.</li><li><strong>Penn Station East Coast Subs</strong> (the sandwich chain, not the train station in New York City) is giving out chocolate chunk cookie bites with any sandwich purchase.</li><li>Missouri-based chain <strong>Hot Box Cookies</strong> is giving out one free cookie with every order.</li><li><strong>Cinnabon</strong> came out with a limited-time hybrid chocolate chip cookie-cinnamon roll called Cookie Bon Bites, which will come with free milk on Monday.</li></ul>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-pizookie-combines-pizza-cookies-and-ice-cream-2016-4">A restaurant created a dish that combines pizza, cookies, and ice cream</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/l9gsu4Vw-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

Here's where to find free cookies and deals on National Cookie Day

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b17-2400/nestle vs. pillsbury rolled cookie dough baked side comparison.jpg" alt="Nestle vs. Pillsbury rolled cookie dough baked side comparison" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">You're about to get a serious cookie craving.</p></div><p></p></div></div>We've all been there. After promising to bring dessert for a potluck, or inviting friends over for a small get-together, or walking through the refrigerated aisle of a grocery only to realize you have an unimaginably strong craving for cookies, you decide to buy some ready-made chocolate chip cookie dough.</p><p>But which brand should you choose? Rolled dough? Pre-cut? Bagged mix?</p><h3><strong>We purchased the five most common pre-made cookie doughs available in grocery stores nationwide, and put them to the test. </strong></h3><p>Pillsbury and Nestle Toll House have two common varieties - a rolled tube of dough, and then pre-cut cubes. We bought one of each.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b18-2400/nestle vs. pillsbury packaging chocolate chip cookies.jpg" alt="Nestle vs. Pillsbury packaging chocolate chip cookies" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">All bagged up and ready for prep.</p></div><p></p></div></div>The pre-cut packages were each $4.99 at our local markets, while the rolls were $3.99. We also decided, after seeing it in three different New York City grocery stores, to buy the Betty Crocker bagged dry mix for $3.79. Having never experimented with bagged cookie dough mix, we figured now was our chance.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b19-2400/betty crocker baggd cookie mix.jpg" alt="Betty Crocker baggd cookie mix" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Bagged cookie mix? Who knew.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Though Betty Crocker's mix requires one stick of butter plus an egg (therefore making it far less "ready made" than our other four types), we figured you might want to see what these bad boys looked like fresh out of the oven, too.</p><h2>Phase One: Rolled Dough</h2><p>We started with our two tubes of Pillsbury and Nestle dough. Both doughs called for a pre-heated oven of 350°, and instructed bakers to divide the dough into "teaspoons." Nestle specifically says to "spoon heaping teaspoons of dough," while Pillsbury instructs you to "spoon dough by rounded teaspoonfuls."</p><p>We took them literally (since this is such a vague measurement) and used a teaspoon measuring utensil to scoop chunks of dough from the tubes.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b1a-2400/chocolate chip cookie dough roll teaspoonful.jpg" alt="Chocolate chip cookie dough roll teaspoonful" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Our best "rounded teaspoonful."</p></div><p></p></div></div>We eyeballed each scoop to ensure similar size and therefore guarantee the baking times would be consistent. Pillsbury's dough seemed to crumble more, and needed lots of pressing in order to create a proper spoonful. But the overall appearance alone of both was very similar. </p><p>Using our hands, we rolled each spoonful into a smooth sphere (again, to ensure consistent bake times), and placed six of each brand onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b1b-2400/1 nestle vs pillsbury rolled cookie dough on parchment before baking_edited-1.jpg" alt="1 Nestle vs Pillsbury rolled cookie dough on parchment before baking_edited 1" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Dough balls ready for baking.</p></div><p></p></div></div>When making homemade cookies, we tend to make much larger balls of dough using an ice cream scoop. The recommended size seemed very small to us, but we didn't want to improvise and therefore screw up the bake time or temperature. </p><p>Into the oven they went (for 12 minutes) while we prepped our next batches.</p><h2>Phase Two: Pre-cut Dough</h2><p>Nestle and Pillsbury each also offer a flat package of chocolate chip cookie dough that's already rolled out and measured for you, saving the extra steps of guestimating what a "teaspoonful" is and rolling it into a ball.</p><p>Here's what each brand's ready-made dough looks like right out of the package:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b1c-2272/nestle vs. pillsbury pre-cut cookie dough right out of packaging _edited-1.jpg" alt="Nestle vs. Pillsbury pre cut cookie dough right out of packaging _edited 1" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Interesting packaging difference. Which do you prefer?</p></div><p></p></div></div>There's a stark difference between the two.</p><p>Nestle's dough had a darker brown appearance, and a lot more visible chocolate chips. The dough was almost packaged more compactly and in squares.</p><p>Pillsbury's dough was a lot more pale, with fewer chips and a larger cardboard container. The dough was separated more and had rounded edges. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b1d-2400/nestle vs. pillsbury pre-cut dough on parchment .jpg" alt="Nestle vs. Pillsbury pre cut dough on parchment " data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Nestle's chocolate chip game is already winning us over.</p></div><p></p></div></div>We chose NOT to manually roll the pre-cut chunks into smooth balls, since the point of this type is that it require fewer steps, right?</p><p>The Nestle cubes broke off relatively easily, though a few times the squares would come apart unevely. Pillsbury's rounded rectangles were much easier to pull apart. </p><p>We placed the pre-cut dough into a <span>350</span><span>° oven and set the timer for another 11 minutes. </span></p><h2>Phase Three: Bagged Dry Mix</h2><p>As we mentioned earlier, we realize the Betty Crocker dry cookie mix is not quite on the same level of "ready made" as Nestle and Pillsbury's two options, but we figured it was worth checking out. </p><p>The mix require one stick of softened butter, and a single egg. That's it. Mix those two ingredients together, add the dry mix, and voila! Cookie dough.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b1e-2400/betty crocker bagged cookie dough pre-mix.jpg" alt="Betty Crocker bagged cookie dough pre mix" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">One stick of butter, one egg, and one bag of cookie mix.</p></div><p></p></div></div>We used a hand mixer, since stirring together butter and an egg isn't the easiest task. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b1f-2400/betty crocker bagged cookie dough mixed.jpg" alt="Betty Crocker bagged cookie dough mixed" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Blend and then try not to eat it all.</p></div><p></p></div></div>We busted out our handy teaspoon measurer again, and used the same method with the Betty Crocker dough as we did the tube-form of Nestle and Pillsbury.</p><p>Betty is a touch more sensible, though, and added instructions for using <em><strong>tablespoons </strong></em>of dough - a size much more to our liking. We scooped out several tablespoon-sized balls as well (shown below on the right).</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b20-2400/betty crocker bagged mix cookies pre-baking.jpg" alt="Betty Crocker bagged mix cookies pre baking" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Teaspoons on the left, tablespoons on the right.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Those went into our oven as well for 10 minutes, though we kept the larger size in for a tad longer. </p><h2>Phase Four: Taste Test</h2><p>The moment of truth arrived. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b21-2400/chocolate chip cookie store bought dough comparisons.jpg" alt="Chocolate Chip Cookie store bought dough comparisons" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">We picked the best looking cookie from each batch.</p></div><p></p></div></div>This wasn't a beauty contest, but the visible difference between each cookie type was intriguing.</p><p>Nestle's dough retained its darker hue, while Pillsbury came out looking more like a pristine factory-made cookie. The Betty Crocker's were the most "homemade" looking, which was perhaps to be expected. They did come out a but flatter than the other though.</p><p>What really mattered to us was taste. </p><h3><strong>Nestle Pre-cut </strong></h3><p>This cookie had nice and crunchy edges, with a soft and chewy center. There was a lot of chocolate flavor coming through from the chips, and a sort of nutty/buttery finish. </p><h3><strong>Nestle Roll</strong></h3><p>Slightly crunchier than the pre-cut version, but still with a good buttery and rich chocolate flavor. </p><h3><strong>Pillsbury Pre-cut</strong></h3><p>Also had crisp edges with a softer center, though slightly more bland than Nestle. This was probably due to its lack of chocolate chips in every bite.</p><h3><strong>Pillsbury Roll</strong></h3><p>Chewier all around, and also suffering from missing chocolate chips. Not nearly as buttery as the Nestle varieties.</p><h3><strong>Betty Crocker Bagged</strong></h3><p>Very crispy edges, but still a touch soft in the middle. Lots of butter flavor coming through, and a reasonable about of chocolate flavor as well. </p><h2>THE VERDICT</h2><p>After our blind taste test of all five cookie the winner was clear: <strong>Nestle's pre-cut cookies are the best.</strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/57f560c5dd08954e358b4b22-2400/nestle tollhouse pre-cut cooke baked.jpg" alt="Nestle Tollhouse pre cut cooke baked" data-mce-source="Sydney Kramer/INSIDER" /><p class="source"><span>Sydney Kramer/INSIDER</span></p><p class="caption">Nestle pre-cut wins!</p></div><p></p></div></div>Though the cubed dough makes for wonky-looking cookies with a square still visible, the taste was best by far. Crispy edges mixed with a doughy center, plus lots of chocolate chips throughout, make for a perfect cookie in our opinion. </p><p>The prep was also easier than the tube and bagged versions, which makes it far better choice for anyone looking to make cookies in a jiffy. The Betty Crocker bagged mix was a close second when it came to taste, but the one-step-prep of the Nestle cookies can't be beaten.</p><p>For anyone craving perfectly round cookies, we're sure rolling the Nestle squares into little spheres would do the trick. </p><p>Next time you're in the grocery store and craving easy chocolate chip cookies, Nestle's pre-cut is the way to go. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-cake-mix-video-2016-9">We tested four boxed cake mixes to figure out which one is worth your money</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="xpcXc0NjE6HnoTssqk9InWDeGLh_Edm9" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'xpcXc0NjE6HnoTssqk9InWDeGLh_Edm9',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

We tested 5 pre-made chocolate chip cookie doughs and figured out the only brand worth buying

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5898855b3149a119008b5568-2295/undefined" alt="Donald Trump eating a french fry" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine" data-mce-caption="Donald Trump eats a french fry as the New York Knicks play Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter of their NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden in New York, January 30, 2007."><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine</span></p><p class="caption">Donald Trump eats a french fry as the New York Knicks play Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden in New York, January 30, 2007.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div><p>Lots of fast food. Almost no sleep. And practically no exercise, aside from the occasional cart-supported round of golf.</p><p>This is a routine that a doctor wouldn't advise for a 20-year-old, yet it's the standard for the <a href="http://theweek.com/speedreads/598324/donald-trump-flies-back-new-york-every-night-sleep-bed">routine-loving</a>&#xa0;Donald Trump, <a href="https://www.axios.com/trump-101-he-is-definitely-not-a-health-nut-2240700410.html">according to Axios's Trump 101 series</a>, which notes that the 70-year-old is the oldest president to ever enter office.</p><p>On the campaign trail,&#xa0;the "three staples" of Trump's diet really were Domino's, KFC, and McDonald's (Big Macs on silver platters), an aide told Axios. That love for fast food is largely due to its consistency and the idea that fast food companies maintain a standard of hygiene, according to an interview Trump conducted with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/09/us/politics/donald-trump-diet.html">Anderson Cooper and cited in</a> The New York Times.</p><p>Still, Axios&#xa0;reports that in the White House, Trump is more likely to favor well-done steaks, crab and shrimp, and the occasional side salad or vegetable to go along with that hunk of red meat (cooked until gray).</p><p>Regular consumption of red meat significantly raises the risk of death, especially from cancer and heart disease, <a href="https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/risk-red-meat">according to the NIH</a>&#xa0;- and that consumption is also strongly&#xa0;linked with increased risk for type 2 diabetes.</p><p>From a nutritional perspective, the occasional steak is fine, but doctors recommend limiting consumption.</p><p>For a healthy diet, one should: "Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits; balance calories; don't eat too much junk food," <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/diet-nutrition-advice-2016-8">according to&#xa0;Marion Nestle</a>, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University.</p><p>As far as Trump's diet goes, it doesn't look like he's getting much in the way of any of these categories, either via his main meals or his snacks, according to the aide. For snacks on his plane, the President reportedly relies on Lay's potato chips and&#xa0;Keebler Vienna Fingers.</p><p>As for exercise, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/exercise-non-responders-myth-how-to-get-in-shape-2017-2">standard guidelines state</a> that the average person needs at 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. Exercise&#xa0;improves general and heart health, reduces stress, boosts&#xa0;mental clarity, improves sleep, and more, which is probably why both Barack Obama and George W. Bush were dedicated to their fitness routines. Lack of activity isn't new for Trump, who <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/donald-trumps-weight-problem-he-cant-stop-talking-about-fat-people/2016/09/28/891ddd3a-858d-11e6-a3ef-f35afb41797f_story.html?utm_term=.34c021a23ade">said back in 1997</a> that he works out "on occasion ... as little as possible."</p><p>As for sleep, Trump has said he only needs three or four hours a night. Most people need seven to nine hours of sleep, though about 1% of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/some-people-only-need-a-few-hours-of-sleep-2016-12">population is able to get by on four to six hours</a>. Most of the rest of us are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-when-you-dont-get-enough-sleep-2015-7">as impaired as if we were drunk</a> after several nights of short sleep, even though we usually can't tell.&#xa0;</p><p>The Axios story says that Trump believes in genetic gifts that will keep him healthy (and he doesn't smoke or drink, though he's a big fan of Diet Coke, which he drinks throughout the day). Fred Trump, President Trump's&#xa0;father, lived until the age of 93 and suffered from Alzheimer's for the six years of his life, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/26/nyregion/fred-c-trump-postwar-master-builder-of-housing-for-middle-class-dies-at-93.html">according to an obituary</a>. Still,&#xa0;aging takes a physical and mental toll on everyone - most people who <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-physical-and-mental-activity-slow-brain-aging-2017-1">manage to stave off those effects</a> do so with intense physical and mental exercise, along with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-when-you-dont-get-enough-sleep-2015-7">sufficient sleep</a> and adequate nutrition.&#xa0;</p><p>As for how it's working out for Trump, that remains to be seen. He <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/02/health/donald-trump-hair-growth-drug-propecia.html">reportedly takes</a> a statin to lower cholesterol along with&#xa0;the hair loss prevention drug finasteride (brand name Propecia). At a <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/14/politics/donald-trump-dr-oz-weight/">Dr. Oz interview, his height and weight </a>were given as 6'3" and 236 pounds, <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm">which would give him a BMI of 29.5</a>&#xa0;and put him firmly in the overweight category&#xa0;(<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/15/us/politics/donald-trump-health-dr-oz.html">earlier reports</a> had put his weight at 267 pounds).&#xa0;</p><p>Trump is <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/30/health/donald-trump-presidents-diets/">far from the only president</a> to prefer an unhealthy diet - James K. Polk reportedly would request cornbread instead of eating from a banquet of French cuisine. And he may have some genetic&#xa0;traits that help him out a bit.</p><p>Still,&#xa0;from a health perspective, if he wants to thrive, he should work on those eating, sleeping, and exercise habits.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Great afternoon in Ohio &amp; a great evening in Pennsylvania - departing now. See you tomorrow Virginia! <a href="https://t.co/jQTQYBFpdb">pic.twitter.com/jQTQYBFpdb</a></p>- Donald J. Trump  (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/760299757206208512">August 2, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-scientists-turned-hydrogen-into-metal-space-superconductor-money-travel-energy-80-years-2017-1">Harvard scientists have finally turned hydrogen into metal - after 80 years of trying</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="trMnQ4OTE6p402PBM1Bzq5_nG9uvnDg4" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'trMnQ4OTE6p402PBM1Bzq5_nG9uvnDg4',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

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