Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
As the seasons change, so do our meal choices. On a cold fall night, you may opt for a warm bowl of chili or a steaming plate of chicken alfredo. When you take a step back, have you ever thought of what makes comfort food, so…comforting? There have been studies on this topic that you may find quite interesting. Let’s find out more!
When people think of “comfort food,” they may think of something that is high in calories. However, what often goes unnoticed is that comfort food offers something deeper, such as nostalgia and a sense of social connection. For instance, during childhood, if your parents consistently prepared grilled cheese and tomato soup for you when you were under the weather, that combination may evoke comforting recollections of being cared for. Additionally, if you and your grandparents always made spaghetti and meatballs together on a Sunday afternoon, the taste and smell of these foods can trigger happy memories.
Like many foods, comfort meals can evoke beautiful memories. If you would like to try more comfort foods this fall and winter season, then take a look below. Price Chopper and Market 32 have what you need for a delicious meal with friends and family.
Cook with love, passion, and creativity this cold-weather season!
Boasting About Blueberries
It’s always blueberry season. Production in North and South America make blueberries an option all year round. Here in the U.S., they are grown coast to coast, with blueberry farms functioning in 38 states. However, more than 98% of blueberry production in the U.S. happens in just 10 states, Oregon, Washington, Georgia, Michigan, California, New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota. Let’s celebrate this year-round superstar by highlighting some of our favorite recipes!
Blueberry-Mango Crisp: Blueberry teams up with mango to make this delicious crisp a must-try.
Blueberry French Toast Bake: Waking up and enjoying some French toast in the morning is a great way to start the day. Take your recipe to the next level by adding blueberries.
Blueberry-Banana Chia Seed Muffins: In this tasty muffin recipe, blueberry and banana flavors work in perfect harmony.
Zabaglione with Fresh Berries: Zabaglione is an Italian dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine. Blueberries, along with raspberries and strawberries, make great additions to the dish.
Grilled Fruit Pizza: Tired of your same old pizza order? Try this Grilled Fruit Pizza featuring cream cheese, pecan pieces, honey, and an array of tasty fruits, blueberries included.
Four-Berry Hazelnut Crisp: Another cozy crisp for the cold winter months. This Four-Berry Hazelnut Crisp does the trick every time.
Whole Wheat Blueberry-Nut Pancakes: Much like French toast, blueberries elevate breakfast when they are added to pancakes. In this recipe, the blueberry-nut addition is excellent.
Granola Bites: This Granola Bites recipe is a tasty snack for any occasion. In this case, dried blueberries make for a great ingredient.
Homemade Vanilla Pudding with Berries: Lastly, add some berries to your homemade vanilla pudding with this recipe. You’ll be surprised how delightful it turns out.
For more, visit: https://blueberry.org/
Although it’s the season for holiday parties and special meals it’s also the season when many people find themselves gaining an extra 5-7 lbs. from overindulging in sweets, dips, and more. With a few simple tips and modifications your guests will still enjoy the party and their hips will thank you come January!
Simple tips & cooking modifications:
- Serve veggies, pretzels, or baked pita chips for dipping instead of potato chips
- Serve shrimp cocktail and a veggie tray for lighter snacks
- Use low fat or nonfat dairy products to replace higher fat counterparts
- Serve whole grains – breads, rolls, pasta, etc.
- Flavor roasts and vegetables with fresh herbs and a little grated Parmesan cheese instead of butter and/or salt
- Roast meats and poultry on a rack in a roasting pan
- Skip the gravy entirely or at least skim fat off (every tablespoon of fat discarded amounts to 120 calories and 13 grams of fat)
- Use fat free milk or reduced sodium chicken broth when making mashed potatoes, and add garlic and herbs to enhance the flavor
- Season vegetables with herbs, spices, balsamic vinegar and/or lemon juice instead of butter or heavy sauces
- Reduce sugar called for in a recipe by a third
- Substitute an equal amount of applesauce or prune puree for at least half the oil, margarine, or butter in baked good recipes
- Substitute a graham cracker crumb pie crust for the traditional pastry crust, and use half the butter or margarine called for in the crumb crust recipe, adding a little liquid to moisten if too dry
- Have water or diet soda available for guests to choose instead of higher calorie and sugar beverages like alcohol, soda or juice
- Skip dessert and serve fresh fruit for a light end to the meal
Maureen Murphy, Price Chopper's Manager of Consumer Trends, Nutrition and Lifestyles wants you to dust off your crock pot!
For those of you who are already crock pot fans we encourage you to enter our Crock Pot Recipe Contest. Enter your favorite crock pot recipe by e-mailing [email protected] for a chance to win a Mega Meat Saving Pack and a Price Chopper Gift Card valued at $100.
Think of all the wonderful meals you could treat family and friends to with that prize! Read the official rules here.Maureen Murphy, Price Chopper's Manager of Consumer Trends, Nutrition and Lifestyles wants you to dust off your crock pot!
For those of you who are already crock pot fans we encourage you to enter our Crock Pot Recipe Contest. Enter your favorite crock pot recipe by e-mailing [email protected] for a chance to win a Mega Meat Saving Pack and a Price Chopper Gift Card valued at $100.
Think of all the wonderful meals you could treat family and friends to with that prize! Read the official rules here.