With the addition to Growler Stations to some of our capital region stores, we are happy to invite you to tastings throughout the month of July featuring 21^st Amendment Brewery, Blue Point Brewing Company, and Druthers Brewing Company. 21^st Amendment Brewery is based out of San Francisco, California and started in 2000 by Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico Feccia. 21^st Amendment Brewery’s goal is to rebuild the culture lost during prohibition, one beer at a time. Blue Point Brewing Company is located on Long Island in New York and is named after the favorite oysters of Queen Victoria. Their goal is to continue to brew beer their fans want to drink. Druthers Brewing Company is located in Saratoga Springs, New York and they are driven by rewarding those who live grandly and honestly with good beer. Make sure to check out their new brewpub on 1053 Broadway, Albany, New York! Ommegang Brewery located in Copperstown, New York was built in 1997 on what used to be a hop farm. Their Ommegang Summer of Love Tour Bus, will make a stop at Market 32 in Clifton Park to highlight their new Hopstate NY American Pale Ale made with hops only grown in New York State! All attendees must be at least 21. Check below for times and locations of these tasting events! July 17^th -21^st Amendment Brewery featuring Hell or High Watermelon 4-6pm Market 32 in Wilton, NY 6:30-8:30pm Saratoga, NY (Route 50 Store) July 18^th-21^st Amendment Brewery featuring Hell or High Watermelon 12-2pm Malta, NY 3-5pm Market 32 in Clifton Park, NY July 19^th-21^st Amendment Brewery featuring Hell or High Watermelon 12-2pm Market Bistro in Latham, NY 3-5pm Slingerlands, NY July 24^th– Blue Point Brewing Company featuring Blue Point Summer Ale 4-7pm Malta, NY 4-7pm Market 32 in Clifton Park, NY 4-7pm Market 32 in Wilton, NY July 25^th– Blue Point Brewing Company featuring Blue Point Summer Ale 12-3pm Saratoga, NY (Route 50 Store) 12-3pm Market Bistro in Latham, NY 12-3pm Slingerlands, NY July 30th- Ommegang Summer of Love Tour featuring Hopstate NY 11am-12pm Market 32 in Clifton Park July 30^th-Druthers Brewing Company featuring All-In IPA 3-5pm Saratoga, NY (Route 50 Store) 5:30-7:30pm Malta, NY July 31^st-Druthers Brewing Company featuring All-In IPA 3-5pm Market 32 in Wilton, NY 5:30-7:30pm Market 32 in Clifton Park, NY August 1^st-Druthers Brewing Company featuring All-In IPA  12-2pm Market Bistro in Latham, NY 2:30-4:30pm  Slingerlands, NY     Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

RACHAEL RAY NUTRISH ZERO GRAIN DRY DOG FOOD

What’s good for some pets isn’t good for all pets.  That’s why Rachael Ray Nutrish offers a special line of dry dog food recipes for pets that show signs of being sensitive to certain food or for pet parents looking to feed a diet that excludes certain ingredients that are found in traditional pet foods. Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain dry dog food recipes are made with simple natural ingredients, like real meat or salmon, which is always the number one ingredient, combined with wholesome vegetables.  And there are zero grains, glutens or fillers and zero poultry by-product meal. Available in three varieties:  Turkey & Potato Recipe, Salmon and Sweet Potato Recipe and new Beef with Bison Recipe.  Best of all, Rachael’s personal proceeds from sales of Nutrish help shelter animals in need. Look for Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain Dry Dog Food in the Pet aisle.

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                             TOM’S OF MAINE NATURAL BABY CARE LINE Carefully selected natural ingredients – no phthalates, parabens or phenoxyethanol

• Formulated for gentle yet effective cleansing and care
• No artificial colors, fragrance or preservatives
• All products are pediatrician tested and hypoallergenic
• Shampoo and Wash are tear-free and gentle enough for everyday use
• Lotion is a non-greasy formula precisely formulate with Aloe and Shea Butter to soothe

baby’s delicate skin

• Diaper Cream helps treat and prevent diaper rash by sealing out wetness
• Sunscreen has a broad spectrum SPF 30 Water Resistant (80 minutes)

Tom’s of Maine Shampoo and Wash, both Fragrance Free and Scented, Lotion, both Fragrance Free and Scented, Diaper Cream and Sunscreen are available in the Baby Care aisle

Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

DANNON OIKOS GREEK FROZEN YOGURT

Dannon Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt is a delicious, thick and irresistibly creamy frozen yogurt that contains half the fat of regular ice cream*!  And try all their new flavors today. Salted Caramel – Nothing to be salty about here!  Incredibly thick and creamy caramel flavored Greek frozen yogurt swirled with decadent salted caramel sauce.  Salty and sweet in perfect harmony! Cookies & Cream – A pair made in heaven.  Chunks of chocolatey cookies swirled into smooth and creamy Greek frozen yogurt.  One plus one equals YUM! Mint Chocolate Chip – Their delicious take on a timeless classic.  Decadently chocolatey flakes swirled into refreshing mint Greek frozen yogurt.  Traveling back in time never tasted so good! Look for Dannon Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt in the Frozen aisle. *Oikos Frozen Yogurt: 2.5 – 3.5g fat.  Regular Ice Cream:  7g fat per 1/2 cup.

POST GREAT GRAINS – The Bar Undone Granola Snack Mix

The delicious, less processed ingredients you have come to love from Post Great Grains cereals are now available in Great Grains Granola Snack Mix! In Great Grains – The Bar Undone, ingredients shine in their truest form.  Wholesome and delicious just as they are, the real fruits, nuts and seeds aren’t masked with excess manufacturing to create a bar. Great Grains – The Bar Undone has everything you crave in a snack, in a convenient single-serve pouch, packed with protein to keep you going. New Great Grains Granola Snack Mix Cranberry, Nuts & Seeds is the hearty way to snack anytime of the day.  The combination of dried cranberries, honey roasted peanuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds make a savory and healthy grab-and-go snack with protein to help keep you going. New Great Grains Granola Snack Mix Dark Chocolate Nut is made with real dark chocolate chunks, honey roasted peanuts and almonds, making it the perfect blend of a sweet and salty snack.  With granola-like ingredients, the Bar Undone is made with chia seeds, flaxseeds and quinoa.  This tasty snack is a guilt-free way to enjoy chocolate anytime, anywhere! Look for Post Great Grains – The Bar Undone Granola Snack Mix in the Granola Bar aisle. If you are like me, then the first half of 2015 has gone by faster than the blink of an eye and you’re in the last minute scramble for 4^th of July plans. It’s absolutely insane that the year is already half over and the 4^th is the perfect excuse to have friends and family get together. The 4^th of July brings up memories of backyard barbeques featuring hamburgers, hotdogs, and the biggest watermelon I could find at the store. Now, even though the traditional favorites and flavors take us back to our most cherished memories, it’s fun to add a twist to these staples to create new memories. Even though creating new dishes sounds like it would be a challenge, I’ve collected some of my favorite summer Bar-B-Q recipes below and if I can make them, you can too- trust me. Some of the recipes only have two steps! How can you go wrong with that? Hot Dogs Topped with Baked Beans and Onions

• Ingredientts
• Ball Park® Angus Beef Franks
• Baked Beans, heated
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• French Fried Onion rings
• Crispy cooked bacon, crumbled
• Hot dog buns

Directions

• Prepare franks according to package directions. Keep warm.
• Fill bun with frank, heated baked beans, cheese onion rings and bacon. Serve immediately.

Ball Park® has tons of quick and creative recipes to take the hotdog where hotdogs have never gone before, check them out here! Watermelon, Arugula and Feta Salad Ingredients

• ½ lb watermelon, cubed
• ¼ lb feta cheese, cumbled
• 3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
• 3 oz arugula
• Ken’s® Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and gently toss with Ken’s® Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette.

Find more creative ways to use Ken’s® dressing here! Better Bacon Cheddar Burger Ingredients

• 2 lbs Certified Angus Beef ® ground beef (80/20)
• 1 large onion, finely diced (2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup barbeque sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher sald
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• 8 oz thick cut bacon, hand diced
• 4 oz grated cheddar
• 6 onion burger buns

Directions

• Sauté onion in butter one to two minutes on medium-high heat until transparent. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add barbeque sauce, Worcestershire, ancho, salt and pepper. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• By hand, combine ground beef, bacon and cheese with onion mixture. Form into six patties and grill over medium heat until internal temperature is 160°F.
• Suggested toppings – Grilled red onion, more bacon, barbeque sauce, potato chip

Not sure what exactly Certified Angus Beef ® is? You can find out here. Everyone have a happy and safe 4th of July! Remember to share pictures of your tasty summer food creations on Twitter and Instagram #HouseofBBQ and #PriceChopper! Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

KEMPS FROZEN YOGURT SHOP YOGURT

Bring the Frozen Yogurt Shop experience into your home with Kemps new Frozen Yogurt Shop Yogurt.  Rich and creamy yogurt with lower fat than ice cream and loaded with flavor, your favorite toppings and chunks & swirls – a delicious indulgence right out of your freezer.  Four delicious flavors:  Cookies ‘N Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Raspberry and Chocolate and Vanilla Salted Caramel. Cookies ‘N Cream:  Creamy vanilla frozen yogurt with thick chocolaty swirl and chunks of chocolate cookies topping. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup:  Creamy chocolate frozen yogurt with thick peanut butter swirl and chunks of peanut butter cup topping. Raspberry and Chocolate:  Creamy raspberry frozen yogurt with thick chocolaty swirl with semi-sweet chocolate curls topping. Vanilla Salted Caramel:  Creamy vanilla frozen yogurt with thick salted caramel revel with dark and white chocolate curls topping. Look for Kemps Frozen Yogurt Shop Yogurt in the Frozen aisle.

NEW MEOW MIX IRRESISTIBLES CAT TREATS

Try the NEW Meow Mix Irresistibles Cat Treats!  Your cat will come running out for our tasty treats which are made with REAL poultry or seafood, so you can feel good about treating. Available in both soft and crunchy varieties with a menu of mouthwatering flavors, Meow Mix Irresistibles Cat Treats will delight both you and your cat each and every treat time. Meow Mix brand is known and trusted by Cat owners.  Irresistibles offers the best flavors and forms of Real Meat Treats to delight all Cats.  These will begin appearing on TV Commercials starting the week of July 20^th. Look for Meow Mix Irresistibles Cat Treats in the Pet aisle. Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets Better & Better From the outside looking in, it might appear that getting milk from cow to cup is actually a very old farming tradition that has been adapted and improved and is no big deal now. It might look like there is not a lot of room for innovation, or that it isn’t really needed – you don’t hear about many problems with dairy, right? You can feel confident in the quality of Price Chopper milk, cream and half and half because there are many safety and quality checks and procedures that go into turning raw milk into all of these wholesome products. It starts at the farm – I already shared some of the procedures that help the farmer get milk ready to be picked up by the tanker truck. Garelick field rep Jackie inspects the farm periodically to ensure they are maintaining their safety practices and supports John with any updates or recommendations that have been identified. Next, the tanker truck has to pump the milk into the two separate holding tanks in the truck and seal those tanks. When the tanker gets to the plant, it is quarantined outside the building, and a lab tech comes out to verify the seals, then open the two compartments and take samples to the lab. If the seal is broken, or anything is detected by the lab, that milk cannot enter the plant. The milk is checked for any substances that don’t belong – like antibiotic residue, or high bacteria count. It is also checked for quality measures, like butterfat content. This is all tracked and is part of the information Garelick Farms sends back to John Green that he uses to take care of his cows. Once the technician gives the ok, the truck can move into one of two bays and the milk is transferred into the raw milk silos. Then the tanker is cleaned and sanitized so it can go back out for pick ups. If the schedule is working, they move a truck in and out every 1 ½ hours. Jeniece Goellner, the plant quality manager, ensures that all of the quality and safety procedures happen at every critical point in the process where something could go wrong and compromise the quality of the milk. This requires great attention to detail, constant consideration on how to improve the process, and passion – which plant manager Dave shared is a key ingredient from the many long term, committed workers that are part of the plant team. This process is so well coordinated, there are only about 10 tanker rejections out of over 1100 tanker deliveries per year. The milk is bottled, labeled and moved into cold storage. Each Price Chopper store has a dairy manager who tracks milk sales and sends an order in to Garelick Farms for exactly what they need each day. That order goes to the plant and then to Garelick employees like Isaac Seldman. He reviews and assembles each order, and out they go to the trucks for store delivery. This is why the milk is so fresh – it can be from cow to cup in less than 24 hours, sometimes even in 12 hours! So there it is – your cow to cup tour. In addition to the milk itself, I hope you can see that there is a lot of passion, commitment, and connection poured into that cup. Enjoy a glass of Price Chopper milk today! Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

STARBUCKS Iced Coffee K-Cup Packs

Experience ultimate refreshment with full-flavored signature Starbucks Iced Coffee K-Cup Packs.

These bold café-inspired Starbucks Iced Coffee K-Cup Packs are specially crafted to brew over ice so you can re-create the same rich iced coffee taste at home on your Keurig machine that you enjoy in Starbucks stores. Try both varieties of Starbucks Iced Coffee K-Cup Packs – Starbucks Sweetened Iced Coffee, a smooth, refreshing and tastefully sweet blend and Starbucks Vanilla Sweetened Iced Coffee, a lively crisp cup with a delightful taste of sweet vanilla flavor.  Both of these blends start with premium arabica beans from Latin America that retain their bright full flavors when served chilled.  The beans are then roasted to a soft, toasty brown for a sip that’s truly refreshing over ice. Look for Starbucks Iced Coffee K-Cup Packs in the Coffee aisle.

STARBUCKS Single-Origin Coffees

Starbucks Single-Origin Coffees deliver unique flavors from the most distinct places on earth. Coffee beans get distinguishing characteristics from the soil, climate and elevation where they are cultivated.  Starbucks Single-Origin Coffees are sourced from a single location and the resulting flavor is unique to that place of origin. Try the full-bodied taste of Laguna de Ayarza.  This complex coffee balanced with flavor notes of crisp citrus thrives in the verdant highlands of Guatemala.  Here the rich volcanic soil and the perfect combination of warm days and cool nights allows the beans to mature slowly as their delicate flavors become deeper and more complex. Or savor the flavor notes of spicy dark chocolate, a hint of citrus and floral aromas in Rwanda Rift Valley.  These beans flourish in the nutrient-rich soil – a stunning red in color – of Rwanda’s Rift Valley and deliver elegant flavor to your cup. Look for Starbucks Single-Origin Coffees in the Coffee Aisle. Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets

Delivering Dairy Quality

Garelick Farms in Rensselaer is a division of Dean Foods, and one of about 70 plants across the country. Like Price Chopper, Garelick Farms was started by one family in Franklin, MA, in the 1930’s. Israel and Max Garelick were brothers who purchased a dairy farm, and they grew their business over time. On May 27^th, Sage dietetic intern Kelly Smith and I toured the plant with the team and American Dairy Council staff Beth Meyers, Michelle Barber, RDN, and Emma Andrew. Over 200 people work at this site, led by Plant Manager Dave Gettings. Their team was eager to share how they go about ensuring the milk and other dairy products they process there (cream, half and half) are second to none. We met Janiece Goellner, quality manager, Mickey Cook, planning coordinator, Vince Friel, facility manager, Dave Flannery, sales manager and Stephanie Lincoln, Price Chopper account manager. They walked us through the facility and each step of getting milk through the various processes that ensure a delicious and safe product. Price Chopper has been working with the Garelick Farms plant since 2001. Dave Gettings offered that Price Chopper is a great partner and understands their business needs. The most important element of the whole system is time, and timing. This plant works with about 40 farms, ranging in size from 20-600 cows, located from Schoharie County to Greene County. It runs 24/7, as cows must be milked on a schedule, and you may already know, cows don’t take breaks. There is a very carefully crafted schedule that ensures milk is picked up within a certain time frame and the plant can process at the most efficient production. They must work with the farms to time pick up of the raw milk that ensures an efficient schedule that also accounts for the typical volume of milk, so the tanker has enough room for it each time. They are so good at timing everything, you can have milk on your table throughout most of Price Chopper’s footprint less than 24 hours from cow to cup. Some pretty impressive statistics: Each tanker holds about 7500 gallons of milk. The plant receives about 22 tankers of milk per day. The plant can hold 160,000 gallons in the milk silos. They can process 11,000 gallons per hour.

One more fun little fact we all know – when there is bad weather, like a big snow storm predicted, they have to increase production becaaaaaause — people buy more milk! Are you one of them? I am! Check back for more on how the plant ensures great quality, taste and food safety with the next blog!

Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

HERSHEY’S and REESE’S CAKES

Candy aisle, meet the Bakery! HERSHEY’S chocolate and REESE’S peanut butter have joined forces with cake to create the ultimate treat – perfect for any holiday, special occasion or self indulgence. Decadent HERSHEY’S chocolate cake layers are filled with their HERSHEY’S Chocolate Mousse or REESE’S peanut butter mousse.  They are topped with HERSHEY’S chocolate fudge icing and finished with HERSHEY’S or REESE’S chips.  Is your mouth watering yet? Look for HERSHEY’S and REESE’S double layer and bar cakes in the Bakery and treat yourself today!

DESIGNER PROTEIN LITE – NATURAL PROTEIN POWDER

Designer Protein Lite is a leader in high quality protein products that support healthy nutrition, fitness and overall well-being.  Their range includes whey and plant-base proteins designed for Health, Strength, Power and Performance. Get lean without all the calories – just 60 per serving.  No Added Sugar/Fat Free.  10G Complete, Natural Protein – 20% of your daily protein in every serving. Prebiotic Fiber, vitamins and minerals–4g of fiber for digestive health and to help you feel full. Certified Gluten-Free and Kosher. Quick and East to Mix or Blend.  Smooth as silk, every time. Award-winning Taste.  Winner of the Chefsbest Excellence Award. Available in two delicious flavors: Vanilla Cupcake and Chocolate Cookies & Cream. Look for Designer Protein Lite – Natural Protein Powder in the Diet Nutrition section of the Health Care aisle. Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets

Mapledale Farm, Part II

As we walked the farm, we learned more about the Green family. John’s grandfather lives just above the main farm, and still works driving and offering advice as needed. John’s mother is in charge of the calves, and the children also assist with taking care of them. That is part of the equation of operating a dairy – the farm has to be big enough to support all of the family members depending on it, including the potential farmers-to-be and the retired farmers. So, farms, like all other businesses, must grow to accommodate that. Even so, 98% of dairy farms in the United States remain family owned.

The process of milking is pretty interesting – great care is taken to clean the cow, which signal’s to the cow and helps them relax so they can be comfortably milked.  It takes about 8 minutes to milk a cow, and they produce on average about 70-80 pounds (or 8 gallons) of milk per day. Cows are eager to be milked and need very little help moving into the milking barn and getting into the herringbone pattern stalls that make the operation effective and safe. The milk goes into a holding tank that cools it off quickly. The Garelick Farms tanker truck picks up the milk at a specific time and brings it back to the processing plant in Rensselaer, twice per day, every day, Christmas Day, bad weather day – no breaks. The tanker arrived while we were at the farm, and we saw the same tanker at the plant that same day, literally following the milk from cow to cup!

Talking with John’s children Casey, Wyatt and Katie, they shared that they started helping at the farm when they were old enough and strong enough to carry a feed pail for the calves. Their mom and one other sibling were on a field trip the day we visited. We finished our tour by visiting those young calves, one of which was just 3 days old. All are some variation of black and white, they are all Holsteins, like all of the cows on Mapledale Farm. In their little huts, they are protected from being bumped in the big barn and can be monitored and fed most efficiently. Casey Green, 17, helps feed them and shared how they bottle feed them to start and gradually shift them over to pail feeding, really letting the calf determine when to move from bottle to pail. One of the calves knew just who she was and called to her pretty loudly the entire time we were learning about them – he was a little indignant that she didn’t have a bottle for him! Mapledale Farm has received a very rare rating of 100% from the USDA – which means that they have met the highest standards for care, cleanliness and quality. That care was again very evident when I asked Casey what she liked the best about her role – she shared that when she feeds the calves at 6 AM, and the sun peeks over the mountain and puts a glow on everything – it was gorgeous and she was glad she was there. ‘Nuff said!