Written by Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN  Senior Nutritionist   blueberry-heartResolutions abound in the New Year, particularly those that connect food and health. Weight loss is still top of mind for many after the indulgence of the holidays, but more and more, emphasis is being put on adding nutrition benefits over cutting calories. We have plenty of ways to help you enjoy a fresh take on being well this year.   Fruit and Veggie Hacks More matters, and there are so many easy ways to add produce to your day. Our Fresh Express salad section keeps bringing new ideas to your table! Enjoy easy prep and great salad variety with added flavor and nutrition boosts from cheese, pepitas, nuts, and fruit accents, included right in the package. Dole and Welch frozen fruits, and PICS frozen vegetables are adding more varieties to their ranks, and make it easy to enjoy smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and inspired oatmeal combinations, and quick dinner prep. Beverage Bonanza Keep an eye on beverages all over the store – super seltzers, enhanced waters, drinkable yogurts, teas, added probiotics, and lower calories are all themes in new items and refreshed favorites. Good Fats Nuts rule, and Emerald 100 calorie packages help you max the benefits and manage the calories. Avocados continue to climb higher on the health (and taste!) ladder. Add just a little more olive or canola oil to your recipes and enjoy supporting your healthy heart. Protein Power Convenient servings and packages help you eat well at home and include a wide variety of lean proteins – check out frozen grilled chicken and deli tubs, string cheese and new options with yogurt and cottage cheese. The trend toward plant protein is also powering up in a lot of delicious and interesting food products. Many new items are designed to help you easily and quickly add delicious ancient grains, lentils, beans and pea protein to your table and snacks. These are just a few of the food trends you will see as we ring in a healthy New Year – we can’t wait to share them all! For recipes and inspiration, visit our New Year New You Pinterest board!           Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN, Senior Nutritionist The research about how food can protect our heart continues to improve and expand. Even better, the focus is also on eating foods we also really enjoy – this is not the “don’t eat that” diet of yore, but one that is much more inclusive and enticing. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and the Mediterranean diet both show great benefit for those preventing heart disease and managing a current diagnosis of high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  The researchers have broadened the scope again, and found that those who ate key foods from both guidelines could also significantly reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s disease.  They now call this guideline the MIND diet. It features regular intake of: It limits these groups The MIND diet includes at least three servings of whole grains, a salad and one other vegetable every day — along with a glass of wine. It also involves snacking most days on nuts and eating beans every other day or so, poultry and berries at least twice a week and fish at least once a week. Dieters must limit eating the designated unhealthy foods, especially butter (less than 1 tablespoon a day), cheese, and fried or fast food (less than a serving a week for any of the three), to have a real shot at avoiding the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s, according to the study. Use the NuVal Nutrition Scores throughout the store and you will find high scoring foods are the ones that all of these guidelines are based on. We make it easy to connect your healthy heart and mind goals to the foods and habits that will benefit them the most!   Written by Lee French, VP of Seafood Merchandising Most types of seafood benefit from the quick cooking and smoky flavor of grilling.  Make sure to keep close tabs on the process, as seafood tends to require less cooking time than meat.  Shrimp, scallops and small pieces of fish work great on kabobs which can be marinated, or not, and cooked directly on the grill.  Clams and oysters are easy to prepare on the grill and no shucking is required!  Herbs and marinades add a nice burst of flavor to most seafood.  For safety sake, do any infusing in the refrigerator – seafood should be kept cold until cooking time.  You don’t need a special basket to grill fish.  As with any grilling adventure, start with a spotless grill, add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil to a clean kitchen cloth or paper towel.  Use tongs to rub the grate lightly with the cloth or towel, this will prevent the fish from sticking.  Most fish can be cooked right on the grate at medium heat. At Price Chopper, we offer you the largest selection and variety of seafood.  We provide you with the highest quality of healthy seafood that will ensure you have a wholesome and delicious eating experience.  We offer six dry marinades to flavor your seafood at no additional charge!  We also provide you with NuVal scores on all Seafood so that you can make sure you are choosing high nutritional value items. We are especially proud of our NEW Central Market Classics line of shrimp.  These shrimp are all natural and are uncut.  They are the finest shrimp you can buy anywhere!  Try the recipe below and you will be glad you are grilling today!! Herb Marinated Grilled Shrimp: The secret to grilling shrimp is to keep a close eye on them.  Shrimp cook fast enough for you to keep the lid up and an eye on them at all times.  Overcooked shrimp are rubbery so take them off the second they are done. Prep time is 10 minutes.  Cook time is 6 minutes. Total time is 16 minutes. Yield serves 6. Ingredients: –       2 pounds CMC 21-25 P&D Raw Shrimp –       ¼ cup olive oil –       ¼ cup chopped cilantro –       ½ shallot diced –       3 tablespoons lemon juice –       1 teaspoon dried basil –       1 clove garlic minced –       ½ teaspoon salt Preparation: Rinse shrimp thoroughly and pat dry and place in a resealable bag.  Mix remaining ingredients together and pour mixture over shrimp.  Seal bag and allow marinating for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.  Preheat grill for medium-high heat.  Remove shrimp from bag and DISCARD the marinade.  Place shrimp on grill and allow cooking for 3 minutes each side.  Remove from heat and serve.  Enjoy!