Setting Up Your Fridge with PICS
Welcome to the neighborhood! One of the very first steps of moving is finding the right grocery store for you and your family. You may have heard of Price Chopper and Market 32, but there’s so much to learn, unpack and explore with our stores. Firstly, we offer our very own PICS brand featuring a wide variety of quality items. The convenience of one name offering so many essential products makes filling the fridge easy. Here are some ideas to start you on your way to your best fridge yet!
Essentials:
PICS Eggs: Eggs are a vital part of the refrigerator, often having their own drawer. Our PICS line features a ton of eggcellent choices.
PICS Cheese: Say cheese! PICS is there for any cheesy meal or snack your heart desires. That’s certain to make you smile.
PICS Condiments: Condiments are a key factor in setting up the fridge. Luckily, PICS has it covered.
Beverages:
PICS Water: PICS Water comes in a number of different flavors and enhanced varieties like sparkling water. No matter how you enjoy it, water is a necessity in the fridge.
PICS Milk: Regular or chocolate. Dairy or almond. Our PICS line carries all types of milk.
PICS Juice: PICS also includes all of our favorite juices. We prefer orange juice to get the day started on the right foot.
Fruits and Vegetables:
PICS Vegetables: Make mom proud. Eat your PICS Vegetables.
PICS Fruits: PICS offers easy ways to get your fruit fix. Check out our selection.
Dessert:
PICS Ice Cream: Yes, ice cream belongs in the freezer. But we couldn’t leave you without a sweet treat. Try out PICS Ice Cream for a yummy dessert.
We have a lot to offer at Price Chopper and Market 32, and one of the things we’re most proud of is our PICS brand. We hope you try out the options above and that they help you feel welcomed in our stores. Our PICS brand includes something for everyone so enjoy exploring all of its variety for you and your family!
I love homemade freeze pops! They are easy, creative and delicious to make. July is one of my favorite times to pull out my Creamy Blueberry Freeze Pops, whip them up and keep a fresh batch in the freezer to snack on in the hot weather.
These freeze pops have a triple layer of flavor to savor while enjoying them for a summer cool down. They are packed with fresh blueberries and made with a base of Greek yogurt.
Making freeze pops is a great way to spend time with the kiddos in the kitchen and make memories as you complete a recipe together. It’s a also a great recipe to make without turning on the oven.
Creamy Blueberry Freeze Pops by Jodie Fitz
12 oz. Greek vanilla yogurt
1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries
1/2 of a lime
2 tablespoons honey
4 – 5 oz. paper cups
4 wooden craft sticks
Makes 4 pops
Rinse the blueberries. Divide the blueberries by measuring and placing 3/4 cup of blueberries into a bowl and the remaining 3/4-cup of blueberries into a mini chopper, food processor or blender. Chop the 3/4-cup of blueberries until they are finely chopped.
Divide the yogurt into two bowls, 6 oz. in each.
Extract the juice from the lime using either citrus squeezer or your hands. It will yield approximately 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Divide the lime juice, approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons, into each bowl of yogurt.
Add 1 tablespoon of honey into each bowl of yogurt.
Add the chopped blueberries into one of the bowls of yogurt. Fold the ingredients together in each bowl using separate spatulas or spoons. Keep the two yogurt mixtures separate.
Line up your paper coated cups.
Layer One: Evenly distribute the vanilla mixture into the cups.
Layer Two: Evenly distribute the whole blueberries into each of the cups.
Layer Three: Evenly distribute the blueberry yogurt mixture into each of the cups.
Add a wooden craft stick into the center of each cup. Place the cups into the freezer and freeze overnight.
More on making these Creamy Blueberry Freeze Pops
Greek Yogurt: Use your favorite. Mine is currently the Cabot Vanilla Bean located in the dairy aisle of your local Price Chopper/Market 32 stores.
Removing the Cup: Remove the cup from the freeze pop by simply snipping the edge of the cup and peeling it from the cup. DO NOT wet the outside to remove it, the yogurt will melt quicker.
Wooden Craft Sticks: These can typically be found at your local Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets in the school supply aisle or a craft store.
Can you use freeze pop molds? YES! It may make more or less pops depending on the mold and size.
Saving the extras: If you have extra pops, simply keep them in the freezer in a snap and seal style freezer storage bag. Keep them in the cups until you are ready to use them.
Lessons with making Creamy Blueberry Freeze Pops for Kids:
- Measuring
- Folding
- Chopping
- Extracting lime juice
- Following directions
- Making freeze pops
Camping Essentials
In this summer of social distancing it’s challenging to find ways to enjoy the season while remaining safe at the same time. Camping is an excellent way to get outdoors while taking the necessary precautions. If you’re planning a camping trip for the first time, we’ve put together a list of some of our essentials to make your trip a success!
Simply Done Household Products: Our Simply Done brand has everything you need to make your trip easy. From cutlery to trash bags, all the necessary household products are included on our website so you can rest assured that you did not forget anything. You will be all set for the entirety of your trip!
Sunscreen: When it comes to spending time in the great outdoors the sun is one of nature’s biggest threats. It’s important to stay protected with sunscreen while having fun in the sun. Luckily, we offer a number of brands for you to choose from.
PICS Snacks: Our PICS brand offers an awesome variety of snacks, including our new and improved PICS chips line which features four new flavors. PICS offers plenty of items, keeping you stocked up and satisfied all trip long!
Beer (21+): Beer always makes a nice addition to a getaway. Stop by your local store where we offer a wide range of local brews for your convenience. There’s something for everyone to enjoy the trip.
Things may be different this year but we are still finding ways to get out and enjoy the nice weather. A camping trip is a quiet, fun time with the family. Perfect for this particular summer. We recommend checking out all of these options to make your trip the ultimate success!
Innovative in the Kitchen with Rotisserie Chicken
Save time in the kitchen with our Market 32 rotisserie chicken! Our new rotisserie chicken is 15% bigger, with tender white meat that’s antibiotic free. Enjoy this convenient kitchen staple in mouthwatering flavors, including Original, Zesty Lemon Pepper, Savory Rosemary Garlic, All-Natural and Authentic BBQ. Plus, we’ve added a new flavor for a limited time only: Sweet Thai Chili. Now, there’s even more reason to taste this delicious and versatile family favorite.
Rotisserie chicken is great on its own and adds an abundance of protein and flavor to countless recipes. Try these clever ideas for using rotisserie chicken in your menu repertoire.
Apps & Snacks
Ready-to-use rotisserie chicken adds ease to prepping quick snacks and appetizers. Incorporate it into any dip in need of a hearty protein boost or use it in loaded homemade sweet potato fries topped with rotisserie chicken, chopped bell peppers and feta. Lettuce wraps filled with a combination of our Authentic BBQ rotisserie chicken, BBQ sauce, pineapple, coleslaw and red onion are sure to satisfy a small group before the big meal. Go bite-size with trendy Oven-Baked Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders or Buffalo Ranch Chicken Wonton Bites that both offer a tangy kick of spice.
Winner, Winner Chicken Dinners
There are infinite dinner possibilities involving rotisserie chicken! Use it in an Open-Faced Chicken Melt featuring a healthy take on chicken salad topped with apples and melted cheddar. It’s also ideal for dishes such as fajita bowls, noodle bowls or this Chicken Banh Mi Bowl. You can also use rotisserie chicken to create the classic “chicken parmesan” flavor profile and use it as a filling for inventive Grilled Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats. Making Chicken Pot Pie is typically an intensive process, but with rotisserie chicken, this beloved comforting meal becomes as simple as pie. Or revive pizza night and add rotisserie chicken to flatbreads like this Chicken Cobb Salad Naan Flatbread recipe, for another savory pie sensation.
When you’re short on time, rotisserie chicken allows you to create extraordinary entrées with minimal effort. For more ways to creatively use our rotisserie chicken, click here!
Checking Out - Almond Breeze Yogurt Alternatives
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN Senior Nutritionist
Creamy, crunchy, packable and snackable! The world of plant-based dairy alternatives continues to evolve, with new yogurt alternatives closely following the introduction of alt-dairy coffee creamers and frozen desserts. Blue Diamond, an agricultural cooperative of over 3000 family-owned almond farms, is ramping up innovation with new single serve flip-cup flavors and two 24-ounce offerings of original (almond) and vanilla-flavored almondmilk yogurt alternatives.
Blue Diamond is over 100 years old, started in 1910 by 230 almond growers. A pantry staple that has pushed boundaries of product development and almond education, it now has an international presence, distributing almonds in over 80 countries. It is also a leader in food safety and sustainability.
The flip cups will appeal to those exploring plant-based foods, vegetarian and vegan items. Fun combinations of honey-roasted and toasted almonds, dark chocolate chips, and crunchy oat clusters are some of the flip cup toppings that are ready to add to the 5.3 ounce individual servings of vanilla–flavored almond milk yogurt alternative. I am very partial to adding flavor, texture and benefit with nuts, berries and granola to yogurts. These flavor combos will delight whether seeking non-dairy items for health concerns or exploring plant-based options and new food adventures.
Most of the flip cups are a good source of fiber and calcium, and an excellent source of Vitamin E, a naturally occurring nutrient found in almonds. The flip cups range from 180-210 calories, the original and vanilla flavors around 110-150 calories per serving. They also contain 5 live and active cultures, and have a creamy, silky texture very similar to traditional yogurt. They have a higher water content that will create a great base for chia pudding and overnight oats recipes – great way to explore using the 24-ounce vanilla and original flavor items. Get inspired by some of their recipes. Find them all in the Dairy case at Price Chopper and Market 32. Enjoy!
Much like our Supermarket Word Find, our coloring sheets are fun for everyone!
To print these, just save each image to your desktop and print.
Happy coloring! Be on the look out for more activities in the coming weeks.
If you’re staying in, here’s a fun activity for both kids and adults. We’ve taken a few of our store departments and turned them into word finds. We’ve hidden words like FLORIST and TOMATO in these: can you find them?
To print these, just save each image to your desktop and print.
Be well, and stay tuned for more activities in the coming weeks!
Essentials: Prepping for Health and Wellness
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN Senior Nutritionist
If you have been to our stores, you know that they are busy, and folks are grabbing items they feel they will need to manage during this unprecedented time. Given that it is still cold and flu season, it may be wise to include some of the list below on your shopping list. Those with chronic issues like diabetes or high blood pressure should follow health care provider recommendations and check with your pharmacist for personal information.
Consider adding these items to your list:
- • Clear liquids
- • Broths/clear soups
- • Clear soda, such as ginger ale
- • Ice pops/lollipops
- • Clear juices, such as apple juice
- • Dry cereal, such as PICS Toasted O’s
- • Saltines/Oyster Crackers
- • Tea – tea bags and prepared bottled tea
To assist with managing mild symptoms after diagnosis and promote social distancing if someone in your home becomes ill:
- • Acetaminophen/Tylenol
- • Ibuprofen
- • Cold medicine*
- • Pedialyte/Gatorade
- • Hand soap
- • Cough medicine* or cough drops
*Check with your pharmacist or health care provider if on medication for high blood pressure, or you have concerns regarding interactions.
Follow all health guidance from local authorities and your health care provider. Follow good hand washing and food safety guidelines as we all work together to keep well. We will all get through this together!
Green Beer on St. Patrick’s Day: What’s the Story?
Two of the most popular associations with St. Patrick’s Day are beer and the color green. People love to enjoy their favorite brews while celebrating in festive green attire. It’s all well-known tradition. However, what’s perhaps lesser known is the combination of the two that is becoming a St. Patrick’s Day hit!
Green beer is a fun option for some St. Patrick’s Day creativity and Americans have latched on to the idea. It’s super easy to make, and anyone can do it at home. Simply crack open a light-colored beer and add a drop of green food coloring. It doesn’t change the flavor or any of the beer’s characteristics, only its color.
Surprisingly, the idea of colored beer originated a while back. It is said that in 1914, coroner’s physician and eye surgeon Dr. Thomas Curtain first colored beer for a St. Patrick’s Day party at the Schnerer Club of Morrisania in the Bronx in 1914.
Today, the idea lives on, even beyond St. Patrick’s Day. Green Beer Day began at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Participants dye their beer green and commonly begin festivities as early as 5 AM. It’s celebrated annually on the Thursday before Spring Break.
When it comes to choosing the right beer, light-colored brews are best for getting the strongest green coloring. However, if you play around with a darker beer you will see an interesting effect. Stouts and dark beers are too dark to show off much of a green hue, but the head will take on the green coloring and turn the foam green: although it may not last long it’s cool to try.
If you haven’t jumped on the green beer wagon yet, give it a try this year. Not only is it creative and fun, it’s an easy way to find more holiday spirit. Don’t forget to stop by your local store for all things St. Patrick’s Day: we have food coloring and beer, plus lots more festive foods like scratch-made Irish Soda Bread!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
21+. Please drink responsibly.
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN Senior Nutritionist
The Family Fruit Bowl
The family fruit bowl, fresh and fragrant, can make enjoying fruit easy and accessible for everyone that encounters it. Teach kids and cue your own appetite for wellbeing by creating that fresh display in your home every week. March is National Nutrition Month – what better way to kick off a delicious and nutritious spring than creating a beautiful fruit bowl full of flavor and benefits!
Many nourishing fruits need a little time to ripen before you can enjoy their best flavor. Pears do not ripen on the tree, they only ripen after they are picked. In addition to pears, avocados, bananas, and mangoes can all benefit and promote ripening together. The few days generally needed to finish ripening makes pears uniquely suited for that fresh fruit bowl – including a variety of fruit at varying stages of ripeness each week will ensure you can enjoy something every day!
Pears are a powerhouse of flavor and fiber, and perfect for some sweet and savory meals that energize the transition from winter to spring. Chilly mornings that still merit a warm breakfast create a perfect setting for PICS Oatmeal with chopped pears, ginger and pecans. Roast American Heart Association Certified Pork Tenderloin with crushed rosemary on a sheet pan alongside acorn squash stuffed with pears and baked to tasty tenderness. They earn a quick drizzle of PICS Maple Syrup or Honey to finish – yum! Take that Market 32 Honey Turkey panini to the next level with sliced pears and brie – the heat melts it all together into a delicious combo you can share (but you probably won’t!).
Some pear varieties change color from green to gold as they ripen, others do not, so check the neck for ripeness – a little give means you get their best flavor. Join in the fun and share an Instagram picture with #whatsinyourfruitbowl. Learn more here and you might win some great prizes. Check out more wonderful pear recipes at cms-uat-pch.unataops.com/recipes.
Enjoy!