Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN, CDN
We are always on the lookout for information and resources that can make life better, so we are kicking off National Food Safety Week with some more food safety tips, hacks, and helpers! June 7th is #WorldFoodSafetyDay, and many organizations will be beating the drum to elevate food safety practices that help you and your family stay safe while enjoying great food!
Always…
Tip – Wash hands before handling food and while preparing raw foods.
Hack – My favorite reminder about washing hands came from a restaurant sign. The rest room sign we all know “Employees must wash hands before returning to work” was in place, and next to it was another sign that read “Wash your hands like you just cut up jalapenos and have to put your contacts in.” Effective!
Helper – A hand soap dispenser by each sink in your home makes it quick and easy to scrub up! Find dispensers and refills in the personal sanitation section of the store.
Tip – Wash fresh produce before preparing or eating. Our store teams handle produce with care, and you will benefit when you make it routine to wash fresh produce every time you pack it as a snack or chop it for a recipe.
Hack – Write “wash hands and produce” into those recipes you share with children, friends and family. That helps everyone learn and pass on food safety as part of their usual prep routine.
Helper – Find soft-bristled produce scrubbers in the kitchen section of your store!
Tip – Keep raw and cooked meat separate from each other and keep protein foods like meat and seafood separate from produce when prepping.
Hack – Prep words to live by – “Keep it simple and separate – 1 cutting board and 1 knife per food item.”
Helper – You can find color-coded cutting boards and kitchen knives in the kitchenware section of the store.
Make every day food safety day!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
Happy June and happy (almost) summer! It is safe to assume that the warm weather is now here to stay. We want to introduce you to some incredibly delicious summertime recipes that we think will be a hit at your parties this season. Below you will find eight popular summertime flavors and a mouthwatering recipe to go along with that. If you are interested in more recipes, be sure to check out our website, YouTube channel, and Price Chopper Ready website.
Flavor #1: Cherry
This cherry dessert has the consistency of a smoothie due to the vanilla yogurt. It is very refreshing on a warm summer day! Try adding in Triple Sec or Grand Marnier to take this to the next level.
Flavor #2: Berry
Oh, how berry nice this dessert is! Only five simple ingredients, too? How sweet! Be sure to follow the instructions carefully when making this.
Flavor #3: Cucumber
Three ingredients for flavor #3! This plant-based recipe is perfect for an appetizer or snack this summer.
Flavor #4: Orange
Now this is what you call refreshing! All you need are clementines, oranges, coconut water, and dark chocolate.
Flavor #5: Lemon
While lemon is a popular flavor year-round, we have a delicious lemon recipe for you below. Whether you are baking for Father’s Day, 4th of July, or just having a barbecue, this dessert is sure to be a hit.
Flavor #6: Coconut
Coconut is one of the most popular summertime flavors. From piña coladas, coconut cream pie, coconut shrimp, and everything in between, coconut is a very versatile ingredient.
Flavor #7: Peach
Peaches are back in season! Bring on all the goodness that peaches have to offer!
Flavor #8: Watermelon
Last but certainly not least – watermelon! This sweet and refreshing fruit pairs well in salads, on meat, or with cheese.
Enjoy the beauty of summer and all the recipes it has to offer!
8 Ways to Use Rotisserie Chicken
At Price Chopper & Market 32 we are rotisserie chicken fanatics! This week we are featuring them and all the awesome dishes you can create using them. If you love rotisserie chicken as much as us, check out this list of recipes to implement your next rotisserie chicken into. You might find a new go-to!
Chicken Cobb Salad Naan Flatbread: This flatbread includes all the great things about cobb salad – bacon, gorgonzola, tomato, hard cooked eggs, add some rosemary-style rotisserie chicken meat and you’re set.
Oven Baked Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders: Nashville Hot Chicken always hits the spot. Try these oven baked sliders using shredded Market 32 rotisserie chicken meat. Yum!
Buffalo-Ranch Chicken Wonton Bites: These tasty wonton bites make for a great appetizer. Celery, blue cheese, buffalo wing sauce and rotisserie chicken meat make them a great choice for football gamedays!
Spicy BBQ Chicken Sandwich: Kick up the flavor with this Spicy BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Featuring BBQ rotisserie chicken meat, this recipe will have you coming back for more.
Fall Chicken Pot Pie: Fall weather is around the corner and chicken pot pie is one of our favorite cooler weather comfort foods. Try it with rotisserie chicken for a new perspective on pot pie!
Open-Faced Chicken Melt: Try this refreshing Open-Faced Chicken Melt with apple, cheese, chopped rotisserie chicken and more on Charcoal Boule. Makes for a delicious lunch.
Chicken Banh Mi Bowl: Rotisserie chicken in a Banh Mi? Yes, please. Try it out for yourself.
BBQ Chicken, Dried Cherry and Brie Tartlets: Diced BBQ rotisserie chicken makes a great addition to these Dried Cherry and Brie Tartlets. A yummy treat for anytime of the day.
Rotisserie chicken is extremely versatile and can be used in ways you may not have considered. If you are looking to become more creative with your rotisserie chicken, we recommend starting with one of these awesome recipes. Check out our ad this week for whole rotisserie chicken for $6.99.
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
It’s June – do you know what that means? It is National Dairy Month! We are celebrating all the creamy goodness of dairy this month, ranging from milk, cheese, ice cream, and everything in between! At Price Chopper and Market 32, we have a surplus of dairy products to offer, including our new PICS pint ice cream! Be sure to check them out at the end of this article.
National Dairy Month was originally just “National Milk Month” as a way to encourage people to drink more milk. However, this eventually became “National Dairy Month” by the National Dairy Council as a way to promote the benefits that dairy products provide to us. We have so many recipes on our website for all our dairy lovers! Let’s take a look at a few…
Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches: Nothing beats an ice cream sandwich on a warm summer day! Be sure to check out our PICS ice cream for a wide variety of flavors.
Baked Buffalo Cheese Sticks: The best appetizer right at your fingertips!
Caramel Milkshake: This four-ingredient shake is sure to be a fan favorite!
Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza: In a hurry? No need to worry! This pizza is easy to make and perfect for celebrating National Dairy Month!
Lucky Charms Frozen Yogurt Pie: Looking for something fun to make for your July 4th celebration? This frozen yogurt pie is flavorful and festive. Beware: This will go fast!
Philly Cheesesteak Dip: Take your homemade dip to the next level with this Philly Cheesesteak Dip!
Composting Tips & Tricks
Reduce waste through composting! Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Food scraps and yard waste are examples of compost, but usually these items are thrown away, rather than being composted. Making compost keeps these items out of landfills where they release methane and take up space.
All composting requires three ingredients: browns, greens, and water. Browns being dead leaves, branches, twigs. Greens being grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, coffee grounds. And the right amount of water.
Any time is a good time to start composting, but spring is particularly advantageous. In spring, you can use the warmer weather to your advantage along with the increased activity of microorganisms and creatures. By composting, you will enrich your soil by retaining moisture and suppressing plant diseases and pests. You will also reduce your need for chemical fertilizers and methane emissions from landfills, lowering your carbon footprint.
For backyard composting, select a dry, shady spot near a water source for your compost pile. Add even amounts of browns and greens, making sure the larger pieces are shredded or chopped. For dry materials, make sure they are moistened as they are added to the pile. Once you have built your compost pile, mix grass clippings and green waste in and bury fruit and vegetable waste under 10 inches of material.
If you don’t have a proper space for outdoor composting, you can do so indoors with a specialized composting bin. When properly managed, an indoor bin will not attract pests or give off an unwanted scent.
Check out some more composting tricks:
- Fats, pet droppings, or animal dropping should not be compost. They will attract pests and can spread disease.
- Shredded newspaper or plain white paper works great as compost!
- Plants that have been treated with pesticides should not be used.
- Straw is an excellent source of carbon for your compost pile.
- Kitchen waste such as vegetable peels, fruit rinds, coffee grounds, tea bags, and egg shells can be fed to worms. Meat and dairy products should be avoided.
- Woody stalks or corn cobs usually decompose slower, smash with a hammer to make it easier for the microorganisms in your pile to break them down.
- Too many browns will make your pile hard to break-down. Too many greens will make your pile too smelly. Try layering each evenly.
- The more you add at once the quicker your pile will heat up. One big meal is better than several small snacks.
- When finished your pile should look, feel, and smell like rich, dark soil. The items you added should be unrecognizable.
- Relax, and stick to the process. Eventually you will make a great compost!
Sources: https://www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/tips/ – http://www.carryoncomposting.com/416920199 – https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home
Did you know that our Genesee Street location recently became a Market 32? We are ecstatic about this new change, and have our incredible team to thank for all their hard work and efforts. We want to spotlight a few of these teammates for all they have done. Without further ado, let’s go meet the team!
Tim Turner, Store Manager
Tim started in the Grocery Store industry in 1998 as a bagger and has worked his way up to Store Manager over the years. Tim worked for Harris Teeter for 19 years in Charlotte, North Carolina, and The Giant Company for 3 years in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania before Joining Price Chopper in 2018. Tim is a very high energy store manager that engages with our customers’ needs by offering excellent customer service. Tim noted that best thing about working in the grocery store industry is to be there for your teammates, customers, and the community. Tim looks forward to meeting everyone on this great opportunity to bring Market 32 to Utica, NY and all the offerings and customer service to go along with it!
Katrina Kozlowski, Co-Manager
Having joined Price Chopper Supermarkets in 1998 as a cashier, Katrina has held many roles over her 24 years with the company. She has worked in several locations as a Customer Service Manager and has been a Co-Manager for the past 7 years. Katrina was a part of the Genesee Street Price Chopper when it opened in 1999 and is excited to be a part of the grand re-opening today.
Katrina was born and raised in Utica, NY and graduated from T.R. Proctor High School in 2000. She was part of the Young Scholars Liberty Partnership Program (YSLPP), which helped develop and motivate her to expand her education and career goals. She furthered her education by earning a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Fine Art, and a master’s degree in Studio Art.
Community involvement has always been a meaningful part of her life. She has volunteered with several different organizations throughout the community. She is happy to be a part of the Boilermaker 15K road race, and this year will mark her 21st year participating in the race.
Katrina advocates for the kind treatment of animals, and volunteers in her community giving back her time, talent, and treasure. She leads her teammates with the same compassion in her heart. She loves working in the diverse area she grew up in and is proud she can give back to her community.
Alem Dzebo, Center Store Team Lead
In our culturally diverse community, Alem is an asset to the Price Chopper/ Market 32 team. Alem moved to Utica, NY from Bosnia in 2003 with his family and quickly taught himself English. He has been with Price Chopper since 2008 and has succeeded in every position he has held. His ambitious, hardworking, and caring nature is what makes him a great leader. Being multilingual has allowed Alem to build a culturally diverse team which has created fresh ideas and perspectives.
Alem has a genuine gift for working with both his teammates and interacting with customers. People just adore him. His coworkers respect, appreciate and hold him in high regard. When customers need assistance from finding an item to diffusing a problem, Alem is always there with a smile.
Alem brings the same drive and determination when it comes to his community. He volunteers in several different organizations and loves to coach youth basketball and soccer.
Eh Wah, Front End teammate
Eh Wah moved to Utica, NY from Thailand with his family in 2005 he started with Price Chopper in 2015. Eh Wah doesn’t allow his hearing impairment to hold him back. Eh Wah is one of our star teammates! His drive and ambition sets the tone for the rest of the team.
Lara Johnson, General Merchandise
Lara started with Price Chopper in 2010. Her hard work and dedication sets her above the rest!
Sherry Lipinski, Assistant Team Lead Deli
Sherry started with Price Chopper in 1975. Throughout her 48 years with us, her talents and efforts have helped our success. Her performance is always top-notch! Sherry’s exemplary work ethic is recognized every day and is an inspiration to the whole team.
Nate Meeks, Pharmacy Tech
Nate moved to Utica, NY three years ago from Virginia and we have been lucky enough to have worked with him ever since. Nate exemplifies the meaning of customer service. He is a star employee that takes the initiative to go the extra mile, and always does so with a smile.
Nathan Broedel, Meat Team Lead
Nate started with Price Chopper in 2010. His talent and fierce ambition is what led him to become a master at his craft.
Be on the lookout for these all-star teammates when you check out the new Genesee Street Market 32. This store is located at 1917 Genesee Street Utica, NY 13501.
Mia Teal
Paid Media Marketing Coordinator
Calling all Vegetarians – this week is for celebrating YOU! At Price Chopper and Market 32, we want to highlight some delicious vegetarian options we have to offer. We supply a variety of plant-based meats including PICS veggie burgers, Beyond Meat, tofu, tempeh, and so much more. Be sure to check out the collection below and browse.
While we are celebrating our Vegetarians all this week, next Friday, May 19th is National Pizza Party Day. We have a bunch of meatless pizza recipes below that you can be sure to make for a pizza party celebration. Without further adieu, let’s get cooking!
Meatless Pizza Recipes:
Grilled Tortilla Pizzas: Looking to change up your traditional cheese pizza? Then these Grilled Tortilla Pizzas are the way to go! This pizza is loaded with feta cheese, hummus, and veggies. Needless to say… this recipe does not disappoint!
Margherita Pizza Waffles: These waffles take pizza to a whole other level! Fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella? We will have it all!
Southwest Veggie Flatbread: It’s a fiesta with your tastebuds! With fresh avocado, corn, salsa, and cheese, this will be your next favorite meatless flatbread.
Grilled Fruit Pizza: Fruit and pizza? Ok, here us out. There is nothing like grilled fruit on a spring or summer day. Put it on Market 32 pizza dough and there you have it. This is a must-try!
Other Meatless Recipes:
Instant Pot® Coconut-Curry Lentils with Tofu & Vegetables: This hearty meal is full of tofu and veggies which makes for a delicious and filling recipe.
Hidden Veggie Mac & Cheese: Take your mac & cheese to the next level with this recipe! Shredded cheese, cream cheese, and veggies make for a fantastic meal.
Roasted Fennel & Brussel Sprouts Salad: This salad is perfect for lunch, dinner, or as a side dish. The sweet apples with the saltiness of the cheese is a dream!
Black Bean, Quinoa, & Grilled Veggie Tacos: Here’s your next meal for Taco Tuesday! Thank us later.
Vegan Veggie Casserole: If you are vegan or know someone else that is, try out this recipe! It is quick, easy, and filling.
Easy Black Bean Burger: This recipe makes six servings and cooks within 20 minutes. Quick & easy!
Mia Teal
Paid Media Marketing Coordinator
There is nothing like sitting by the pool on a warm summer day, drink in hand, and not a care in the world. We want to make sure you have what you need to kick back, unwind, and make the most refreshing drinks that are ideal for any summer occasion. What better way to try a new fruit cocktail (or mocktail) than today, National Fruit Cocktail Day?
At Price Chopper and Market 32, we have a large variety of PICS seltzers, sparkling water, and club soda in all sorts of fun and fruity flavors. With both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options at hand, we have what it takes for the best summer possible!
Bourbon Cherry Smash: This drink is bursting with different flavors including cherry, lemon, lime, and orange. Be sure to pick up your favorite PICS seltzer in the water aisle and our PICS lime juice in the produce department.
Tart & Juicy Sparkling Punch : Fruit galore! Try this mix with or without alcohol. You won’t be disappointed!
Citrus-Basil Spritzer : This non-alcoholic drink is nothing short of refreshing on a summer day!
Spring Cocktails : Blueberries, raspberries, lemon, lime, and basil…what combination could be better?
Shop Our Summer Drinks and Seltzers
Interested in trying these drinks? Check out our Price Chopper and Market 32 Youtube Page to learn how!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
The love of a pet is like no other. After all, pets are family who we cherish and adore. On National Pet Parents Day, we want to give a special shoutout to all the pawsome pet parents out there. Thank you for all you do to keep your little friends happy and healthy.
We want to call out some ways in which you can keep your pets safe around the house. This time of year, we like to fill our homes with all the beautiful colors of flowers and plants. However, some can be toxic to our pets. These include: lilies, azaleas, marijuana, amaryllis, tulips, aloe, and daffodils. Check out other toxic and non-toxic plants here.
Other ways to keep your pets safe is by ensuring that they are not ingesting human food or chemicals from the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure that when you are preparing a meal, all scraps are picked up and properly disposed of. Some foods that may be harmful to pets include chocolate, macadamia nuts, onions, garlic, chives, raisins, and grapes. Read more here to learn about other harmful human foods.
Regarding chemicals and other cleaning supplies, it is a good idea to keep all of these on a high shelf. Additionally, if you do need to keep your supplies low to the ground, consider child-proof latches for these cabinets. As we know, pets can be very curious!
Consider checking out these sources below for any further information!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
Spring is a time for new beginnings. All around us, trees are blossoming, the birds are chirping, and life is getting more beautiful by the day. Another important aspect of spring that we like to honor is Earth Day. Even though the day has passed, we want to help you make Earth Day, everyday! Part of helping out our planet is by lessening, or eliminating food waste in the household. Did you know that over 100 billion pounds of food is wasted in the United States each year? Those numbers are nothing short of frightening. Luckily, we have ways to help you combat the fight against food waste. What better day to start than today, National “Stop Food Waste Day?”
- Freeze/Store Leftovers: There are so many products that can be frozen. For example, if you bought too much meat this week, you can freeze it instead of throwing it away. Other items that can be put in the freezer include bread, fruit, vegetables, and more! If you do make too much one night, try storing it for your lunch or dinner the next day.
- Meal Plan: Set a day each week to sit down with your family and meal plan. For example, you could create a dinner outline to map out what the main course meal will be, what sides you plan to have, and any refreshments. Do this for each day of the week so that when you go to the grocery store, you already know what to buy and how much.
- Check expiration dates: How many times have you gone through your refrigerator, only to find an expired product that you completely forgot about? We’ve all been there. Regularly going through your refrigerator and pantry to check expiration dates is a huge step in the right direction! A helpful tip would be to locate items that are expiring soon and move them towards the front.
- Make a meal from a meal: There are always options to use your leftovers to make another meal. Examples of this include soup, sandwiches, and salads. Check out our recipes website or our Price Chopper Ready website for delicious meal ideas that can be made from your initial meal.
Donate: The next time you go through your pantry and find food that you no longer want or need, consider donating these products to your local food bank. Unsure of where to drop off your food? Check out Feeding America’s website to locate a food bank near you!