As Earth Day approaches, we want share with you what we are doing to be a leader in environmental sustainability. We are always looking at ways to improve our stores, reduce our energy consumption and packaging, increase recycling, and decrease our demand for fossil fuels. We are also evaluating our organic waste stream, expanding our sustainable seafood program, engaging local farmers, optimizing our distribution network, integrating renewable resource energy, and evaluating state of the art high efficiency technologies. We are beginning to envision how we would like to grow our sustainability efforts in the future and how we can best serve our customers, community, and the world.
- For the past 4 years, Price Chopper has mandated that all new ground up construction at Price Chopper will achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. LEED is a set of performance standards overseen by the United States Green Building Council that establish, recognize and certify best management practices in the field of environmentally sustainable design, engineering and construction. As of this year, Price Chopper has 3 LEED certified projects with another 10 registered with the United States Green Building Council.
- Price Chopper was recently named by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as one of the top 20 largest retail purchasers of renewable energy after recently becoming a USEPA Green Power Partner. Price Chopper has purchased 3.44% of our overall energy consumption or a total of 12,000MegaWattHours in the form of renewable wind power RECs or (renewable energy credits). The utilization of this renewable energy offset is equivalent to the mitigation of 5995 tons of CO2 or the emissions of 1000 average American homes annually or almost 2000 passenger vehicles per year.
- Price Chopper opened a resource recovery facility in 1991 which takes recyclable materials from all our stores for processing at a centralized facility. Materials are separated, broken down, and/or bailed as appropriate and sold on the international commodities market as post consumer raw materials for new products. At our facility, we processed and recycled 81,793,733 lbs of material in just 2011 alone!
- At numerous locations, waste accumulated from “trimming” is broken down through a bio-hydrator process, which reduces the organics to grey water or compost and eliminates waste from being transported over land and disposed of in landfills.
- Reduction in the distance from farm to fork is something that Price Chopper has actively encouraged for many years through our partnerships with more than 75 Farmers in the Northeast. Locally produced food requires less fossil fuel to transport and supports the local economy. Right now Price Chopper sells more than 75 different products sourced from farms within the region.
These are just some of the things that we do to recycle more, consume less, and minimize our environmental impact. This Earth Day and every day we are focused on becoming a more responsible and engaged corporate citizen and member of your community. Our Team at Price Chopper is inspired by changing times and steadfast values that call upon us to act in the name of a better future, not just for today and tomorrow, but for generations to come!
Guest post contributed by Beth, Colonie NYOwner of TheAngelForever.comSpring is here and that means that Passover preparations have been underway for quite some time. It is a great holiday to gather together, share traditions, and of course eat some amazing food. Passover is one of my favorite celebrations thanks to these reasons and others. I have so many memories of different Seders with my mother’s family and also with my father’s. Generations of us would come together at extra long tables, read the Haggadah, sing, laugh, and enjoy a special time. All of the kids would recite The Four Questions, but the biggest mystery was whether or not the matzah balls would be fluffy and who would find the afikomen.
Now that I have a family of my own, I realize just how much work goes into getting ready for Passover. Right after Purim, we start to think about what we will need. If we are having a Seder at home we need to plan those meals, know who is coming, and start making lists. Of course, this is also when Price Choppers around the area come alive with Passover foods galore. The store in Colonie, NY now has several aisles filled with many options. Here is a look from our recent adventure there!
In recent years, we have decided to keep things more simple for Passover eating. We eat our share of matzah, but try to stick with lots of fresh produce for sides and dessert. Of course, we do get a few boxes of the special cookies for the kids, but we limit them. Another new addition is quinoa. My husband, TechyDad, has tried several recipes to make this protein filled grain into not only a delicious pilaf, but also an oatmeal substitute. Yes, getting creative during this holiday helps to keep things exciting.
Our house will also be filled with Passover artwork that our boys have made at nursery school and in Hebrew School over the years. Books about the holiday will be pulled out to share for read aloud time, and fun Passover songs playing in the background as we finish getting ready. These new traditions are items that we want to add into the holiday for our children to remember. Actively involving them is key in helping them embrace their Judaism.
This week, while our boys are sleeping, we will slowly get our kitchen ready for Passover. We keep a kosher kitchen and switch out all of our items. During this holiday, we use different plates, pots, pans, and beyond. By the time everything is cleared and ready, the cooking will begin. The kids will help us to peel apples for charity, take out our plague finger puppets, and set the table. The stress of the week will vanish once we are all seated together Friday evening retelling the story that generations have shared. Watching my children learn, smile, and enjoy makes it all worth it! Guest Post Written by Karen Anderson, LCSWR,RD,CDN,CSSD Nutrition Consultant
Eating gluten free by choice differs greatly from eating gluten free by necessity. Put another way, people who physically cannot tolerate gluten live with an inability to eat gluten without risking harm to their bodies. That risk is not controllable as long as they eat gluten. Those with a physical intolerance to gluten (those with Celiac Disease) damage their bodies one way or another when they eat gluten. The extent of damage depends on the individual. The only control over this fact is to accept the intolerance; learn how to remove gluten from their diet; and stay gluten free for life to the best of their ability. Those who choose to be gluten free, even though a physical need to be is missing, are in a different position. They have a choice.
Having a diagnosis is like living with a label. Yes, it helps clarify a situation. It can guide us in making healthy choices of what to do to be healthy and what to avoid to prevent getting sick. However, it can make it very challenging to feel “free” or perhaps, “in control” or “independent”. It can make us feel “trapped,” “helpless,” “dependent” or sometimes….downright “ick-y”! A diagnosis of gluten intolerance can seem defining of who we are (at least who we are as an eater!). We start to see ourselves as an “ic”..or in the case of gluten intolerance as an “ac”, a Celi”ac”. But just because our language can label an individual an alcoholic, a diabetic, an egomaniac or a Celiac, does not mean that that label defines who a person is as an individual. It refers to “what” someone lives/lived with NOT “who” they are as a person.
For all who live with Celiac remember a few important points to feeling freer with food, more independent with eating choices and in control of your well-being:
- One door closing allows others to open. All the foods and products that someone with a gluten intolerance CAN enjoy are growing. (Just walk down the aisles of Price Chopper!) Many delicious gluten free options are available for your eating pleasure!
- Eating gluten free is a challenge, not an obstacle. OK….it is sometimes tricky to know just what to prepare for the family or when you have guests (do I work extra and make a separate meal for me alone?)…to know how to verbalize your needs when you are invited to someone else’s home, to know what to look for when food shopping or eating out-but it is always possible to figure it out. And once you do, you will have met the challenge and will feel stronger. Speaking of feelings…
- Accepting your feelings is freeing. Feelings are what they are to be expected. Do not judge them. They are not bad or good. It is what you do with them that counts. Understand where they come from. Express them in a way that is helpful and healthy. Having feelings that direct eating or get in the way of healthy life choices is not the way to go.
- Focus on the person not the condition. The person (you, a friend, family member, colleague, etc.) has the gluten intolerance, not the other way around. Remember all of what makes you who you are. We all have strengths, limitations, and live with some circumstances we did not choose, none of which fully define us. In other words, our view of ourselves depends on how we choose to look.
Take care of your nutrition,
Karen
Guest Post Contributed by Elizabeth BarbonePassover, the holiday commemorating the Jewish exodus from Egypt, begins on April 6 this year. Even if you don’t observe the holiday for religious reasons, it’s worth checking out Passover foods if you have celiac disease or food allergies. Here’s why:
During Passover, wheat, rye, oats, barley, and spelt are forbidden for those celebrating the holiday. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, that list probably caught your eye! (People diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance need to avoid all traces of wheat, rye, barley, and non-gluten-free oats.)
Here’s where things get a little tricky. While leavened or risen wheat products are forbidden, matzo, which is made from wheat is not! In fact, Jewish dietary law requires matzo* be made from wheat. So if you’re gluten-free, you still need to be a label sleuth. Be sure to avoid any Passover foods containing matzo or any of its derivatives, such as matzo meal, matzo farfel and matzo “cake” meal.
Even after avoiding Passover foods that contain matzo, there’s still a wonderful variety of gluten-free options. From cereal to frozen foods to noodles, cookies, and more, there is plenty to choose from at Price Chopper.
If you’re wondering about cross contamination, Jewish dietary law requires that Passover foods be prepared on either dedicated lines or lines that have been cleaned after wheat is used. However, if you have any questions, call the manufacturer.
To make life easier, some Passover foods now carry a gluten-free label. Also look for the Yiddish word, non-gebrokts. This phrase means the food was made without matzo and is gluten-free.
And if you don’t have celiac disease but are allergic to corn, soy, or peanuts, then Passover foods are for you, too! Some Jewish traditions also avoid corn, legumes (soy and peanuts are included), and rice. For folks with a corn allergy, this is the time of year to find corn syrup-free soda and marshmallows. Two foods usually hard to find corn-free. While all Price Chopper stores offer some Passover foods, and the chain’s Passover Centers* offer a wide variety, the largest selection can be found at the Colonie Price Chopper (1892 Central Avenue.) This store offers over 1,000 Passover foods and will host a “Kosher Open House” on March 18th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.
During the event, representatives from several Kosher food purveyors will be on hand to answer your questions.
*A few companies offer gluten-free matzah. This matzah will be specifically marked as “gluten-free” and can not be used for seder according to Jewish dietary law.
**Price Chopper Passover Centers:
- Store #224 New Colonie, Albany NY
- Store #168 Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh NY
- Store #148 Park Ave, Worcester MA
- Store #165 Shelburne Rd, Burlington VT
- Store #159 Bethlehem, Albany NY
- Store #190 Edwardsville, Edwardsville PA
- Store #172 Erie Blvd, Syracuse NY
- Store #135 ONeill, Dunmore PA
- Store #158 Route 50, Saratoga NY
- Store #129 Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie NY
Have you heard about the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club with Jodie Fitz? It’s a great resource for families and celebrates having some experimental fun in the kitchen! You can learn more about how to sign up for the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club free newsletter, where Jodie’s visiting and cooking with kids in the community and all about the latest taste testing fun by clicking here. We recently released recipes for St. Patrick’s Day! Visit the Kids Cooking Club site to find a Tropical Slush that has just a bit of natural green (even the pickiest eaters won’t know what they’re drinking!), Edible Blarney Stones and a Rainbow of Fruit Fun with a Pot of Gold for some dipping delight!
Jodie and Joey enjoying Tropical Slush!
Kids are randomly chosen from the club to join Jodie at the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club each month for three new recipe releases. Here’s Joey visiting and making The Tropical Slush. Jodie develops fun recipes meant to get your kids having fun in the kitchen!
Megan joined Jodie to make Rainbow Kabobs & and Pot of Gold Dip.
If you belong to Price Chopper’s Kids Cooking Club, you’ll get an email newsletter every month with new recipes to try at home and a schedule to let you know where Jodie will be cooking next! You can visit her when she’s in your area and, because you’re in the Kids Cooking Club, you might even be selected to join her on the web or TV for a local news cooking segment!
Jack turned out to be a master chocolate dipper in helping to make this month’s Blarney Stone Recipe.
Make sure you check out our YouTube channel for videos of Jodie and her helpers in the the kitchen! You can connect with Jodie on Twitter: @jodiefitz and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jodiefitzcooks! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Have you heard about the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club with Jodie Fitz? It’s a great resource for families and celebrates having some experimental fun in the kitchen! You can learn more about how to sign up for the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club free newsletter, where Jodie’s visiting and cooking with kids in the community and all about the latest taste testing fun by clicking here. We recently released recipes for St. Patrick’s Day! Visit the Kids Cooking Club site to find a Tropical Slush that has just a bit of natural green (even the pickiest eaters won’t know what they’re drinking!), Edible Blarney Stones and a Rainbow of Fruit Fun with a Pot of Gold for some dipping delight!
Jodie and Joey enjoying Tropical Slush!
Kids are randomly chosen from the club to join Jodie at the Price Chopper Kids Cooking Club each month for three new recipe releases. Here’s Joey visiting and making The Tropical Slush. Jodie develops fun recipes meant to get your kids having fun in the kitchen!
Megan joined Jodie to make Rainbow Kabobs & and Pot of Gold Dip.
If you belong to Price Chopper’s Kids Cooking Club, you’ll get an email newsletter every month with new recipes to try at home and a schedule to let you know where Jodie will be cooking next! You can visit her when she’s in your area and, because you’re in the Kids Cooking Club, you might even be selected to join her on the web or TV for a local news cooking segment!
Jack turned out to be a master chocolate dipper in helping to make this month’s Blarney Stone Recipe.
Make sure you check out our YouTube channel for videos of Jodie and her helpers in the the kitchen! You can connect with Jodie on Twitter: @jodiefitz and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jodiefitzcooks! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Written by Kevin SchulkeCategory Manager of Beer, Wine and Salty Snacks
One of my favorite Holiday Celebrations is just days away! It will be here soon and in just a blink of an eye and 24 short hours it’ll be gone again until next year; we better hurry and prepare! It has always amazed me that so many people love and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day yet fail to fully commit for even one short day. Are you one of those people that wears green, prepares the corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes and then serves it with Coor’s Light or Budweiser? Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with either beer but sometimes you need to change it up and this is a day that demands a change. Promise yourself right now, there will be no halfway celebration this year, it’s all in!
For those of you that have not yet been introduced, allow me the honor of introducing:
Harp Lager– For a beer, it is a relative youngster born in Dublin, Ireland in 1960. The name is truly fitting as this beer is music to your taste buds. At first glance you’ll take note of the brilliant golden color and at first taste you’ll note a dry malty front that gives way to a crisp, dry hoppy finish. Try it and you’ll be hoppy too!
Smithwick’s Ale (pronounced Smit-icks, simply forget the hand the w)– A true veteran beer born in 1710 in Kilkenny, Ireland. Pour it into a Tulip Pint Glass and you’ll note the creamy off white head. One sniff reveals a light caramel with orange marmalade and a gentle smokiness. One sip will yield a fruity, spicy, malty taste that is also refreshing and clean in the finish.
Half and Half
Guinness Draught – A dry Irish Stout also from Dublin, dating back to 1759. It looks black, but upon closer examination it’s actually a deep ruby red with a creamy white collar made up of some of the tiniest bubbles imaginable, as you pour you can watch the bubbles racing up the inside of the glass anxious to gulp a bit of fresh air. You’ll note malt and caramel flavors in a complex light bodied yet full flavored smooth and creamy taste; it is perfectly balanced so no one flavor predominates with a very clean finish that begs for more. You can purchase this in bottles or pint size cans (I prefer the cans myself). Now here is where we can become creative, take a Tulip Pint Glass and fill it half way with Harp Lager, then take your Guinness Draught and pour it gently into the glass (over the back of a spoon) to fill and you will have poured a Half and Half. Or you can fill the glass to the halfway point with Smithwick’s and complete with the gentle pour of Guinness Draught and you have poured a Blacksmith.
Blacksmith
St. Patrick’s Day has never seemed to me to be the kind of holiday that you would celebrate without truly going all in. I think you’ll agree that incorporating the true Irish Brews into your St. Patrick’s Day Celebration is certain to help you increase your enjoyment on this special festive day… as everyone knows that everything is better with Guinness! Happy St. Patrick’s Day and please remember to celebrate responsibly!
No matter what time of the year it is, filth and grime on your clothes and laundry can be a hassle. We are partnering with Tide to help you remove those stains! Our customers have relied on Tide in the past and noticed how helpful it has been when dealing with all the impurities. Tide Pods are a brand new product that can help you with washing your clothes, removing stains, and brightening your belongings all in one shot! These efficient pods can be used in all types of machines with any size load! Tell us about the toughest stain you’ve had to remove and how you were able to overcome the challenge. Post your story below as well as on the corresponding Facebook post by tomorrow to be entered. We will choose five winners to each receive a year’s supply of Tide Pods!
We know how important it is to keep yourself and your loved ones looking fresh and clean throughout the day. Tide Pods are reinventing the way you do laundry! No more spilling or messes, just throw one in! One pac equals one full load of laundry and works in all machine types- hot or cold! Laundry stains can be rough, but with Tides other products such as Tide Boost Original Duo Packs, Tide with Acti-lift and Tide-Boost Pre-Treat Spray you will be prepared to take on whatever comes your way!
Read official contest rules here! 
Price Chopper and PepsiCo are teaming up once again to bring you great savings! Check out your newspaper this Sunday to find Moments to Save on all of your favorite PepsiCo items! Cut out all of your coupons and bring them to your local Price Chopper, where you will find additional savings!
If you use every PepsiCo coupon, you save $19.30 off of an $148.45 purchase! If you purchase every item at Price Chopper, you will save an additional $20.59. When you add on the fuel savings of $6.00, you receive a total savings of $45.89! Check out the table below to see exactly how much money you can save on these essential PepsiCo products!
Take advantage of the offers above as well as ALL of the offers in the Moments to Save insert including save $2.00 when you buy 2 Pepsi 7.5 oz mini can 8 packs and save $1.00 when you buy Tostitos Chips & Dip! If you’re wondering where you can find all of these great PepsiCo offers, click here! Just plug in your zip code to find newspapers near you that have the Moments to Save insert! Happy Savings! 
Guest Post Written by Samuel TrimboliCustomer Communications Representative, Resident Pinterest Expert
Chances are, you’ve “liked” a friend’s post, commented on a funny “status,” “tweeted” what’s on your mind and supplemented it with a #hashtag. Maybe you’ve even given your friends a shoutout on Follow Friday… but have you pinned anything yet?
No, I’m not talking about sewing. Pinterest is a relatively new social network designed in the form of an online pinboard. This site serves as a way for users (also referred to as “pinners”) to both showcase their own creativity by uploading and sharing pictures, and to bookmark ideas and items that they like or might want to come back to by “pinning” them.
Pinning is essentially bookmarking an item. Pinterest has an easy-to-install “Pin” button, which makes pinning almost second nature. For example, if I’m surfing the web and I come across a picture of an excellent recipe for no-bake cheesecake, I would click the “Pin” button and the image with a direct link to the recipe would then be pinned to one of my pinboards, appropriately named “Desserts to Die For.” If I come across something that another pinner has on their board, I can also add it to one of my own by re-pinning. Pinterest makes it so simple (and fun!) to share things with your friends. Pinterest is great because it’s basically like having a subscription to 10 different magazines, but not having to pay for them or worry about them cluttering your coffee table. That being said, the days of clipping out recipes from magazines to bring to our friends could be numbered. Thanks to Pinterest, all they need is the link to one of your pinboards.
Pinterest is unique because it provides a form of recreation as well as functionality. If you’ve already tried it, you’ll know what I mean. It’s a lot of fun looking through tons of eye catching, colorful photos of everything from headbands to Harley-Davidsons to heart-healthy fruit smoothies. And when we see something we like we can save it to one of our boards to come back to. After a solid chunk of time spent Facebooking, I usually find myself wondering where the time went and feeling like I could’ve done something a little more productive. In contrast, after a good Pinning session I usually feel like I accomplished something. It’s nice when I can go back and see what I’ve done in the 30 minutes I spent cultivating my Pinterest page. Some of the most popular board categories are recipes and style ideas, but some pinners have taken to making “wish-list” boards, where they pin birthday and holiday gift ideas. No more worrying about dropping that subtle hint!
So, I encourage all of you to go out and sign up for Pinterest if you haven’t already! Believe me when I say that there really is something on there for everyone. While you’re at it, make sure you follow us at www.pinterest.com/pricechopper to stay updated with what we’re featuring! We’ve added a Chopper Shopper Blogger board featuring blogs run by our customers! If you’d like to be featured on our Blogger board, comment with a link to your blog!
We’d like to be able to interact with you and hopefully showcase some of your favorite things on our boards. We like to update our Pinterest page with the newest in easy, yet delicious recipes to make your weekly meal planning a little easier. We’re also currently celebrating Oreo’s 100th birthday, so be sure to check out our board for some tasty Oreo treats! My personal favorite is our board for sustainable kids’ crafting ideas. Check it out, and you’ll be surprised at what you can do with some leftover egg cartons and soda bottles! We enjoy sharing recipes, contests and new ideas with all of our Chopper Shoppers and we love being able to see what’s important to you as well. Naturally, we really like the idea of Pinterest! We hope you love it too, and we can’t wait to hear your feedback! Happy pinning!