Extracting tabular text from a pdf

[Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net>]

I'm trying to create some spreadsheets containing nutritional data.

Sample documents I'm using for input include:
> https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/2WeekMenusGroceryList.pdf
>
> https://choosemyplate-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/2WeekMenusAndFoodGroupContent.pdf
>
> http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/new_dash.pdf

Using "pdftotext -layout  input.pdf output.txt" is tantalizingly close 
to what I want.

When PRINTED that visually preserves relationships.
I wish to copy a column of data to a spreadsheet, but can only select 
horizontally, NOT vertically.

I suspect it may not be practical in the general case.
Are there any examples that might come close?