Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets

Though the days are still warm, the nights are getting chilly, and sunset is earlier – fall is approaching! We have wonderful fall squash tumbling into the stores – pie pumpkins, acorn, butternut – they are so delicious! Cut and peeled in our produce department, you can enjoy them braised, roasted or stewed in less than half an hour. Squash does have tough skin – but there are a lot of easy ways to get around that.
  1. Embrace it – Slice, scoop out seeds, and roast, steam or bake in the skin.
  2. Microwave it – slice off the top and bottom, microwave for 3-4 minutes, and easily peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler. (Skin really just slips off, and you have also shortened your cooking time with this method!)
  3. Buy it peeled and cut from our produce department – it can be cooked quickly and added in to your weekday crunch time menus. Season with some ginger or cinnamon, and you have a wonderful side.
Farmer Mary Lou Zimmerman chops butternut squash into large cubes, and seasons with olive oil, pepper, garlic powder and salt. Roast on an oiled sheet pan at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. This is a great side to Balsamic Honey Chicken Skewers, made with Ken’s Lite Balsamic dressing. Get the squash in the oven, and prepare and grill the chicken skewers, and enjoy your dinner 30 minutes later. This one is a great choice for company too, and takes advantage of the lovely peppers and onions that are also fresh in the stores. Check the blog for more of our farmer’s recipes – we have a lot more to share! Balsamic Honey Chicken Skewers IngredientsBalsamic chix skewers 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 2″ cubes ½ cup Ken’s® Lite Balsamic Dressing ½ cup honey 12 cherry tomatoes 1 onion, quartered 1 yellow pepper cut into 2″ pieces Directions Combine Ken’s® Lite Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing and Honey and set aside. Thread chicken, tomato, onion and pepper onto skewers that have been soaked in water for about ½ hour. Brush skewers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly oil hot grill rack, then grill kebabs, covered, turning occasionally, until chicken is just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Baste chicken with Balsamic and Honey for the last 3 minutes of grilling. Written by Sara Lilkas, Marketing Intern  Rosh Hashanah, which means “Head of the Year” in Hebrew, is the beginning of the Jewish year will be observed September 13th through September 15th. Rosh Hashanah is one of the two High Holy Days in the Jewish religion (the other being Yom Kippur) and there are many traditions and rituals that take place during the holiday. As with every major Jewish holiday, women and girls light candles on each evening of Rosh Hashanah and recite the Jewish blessing Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.” One Rosh Hashanah tradition involving food is to eat apples dipped in honey to represent a sweet New Year and round challah bread to represent the cyclical nature of a year. Raisins or apples are also sometimes added to the challah bread to represent the sweetness of a new year in addition to the apples dipped in honey. iStock_000013879490_MediumDifferent families have different traditions surrounding the holiday that have been passed down throughout the years. After the traditional apples dipped in honey and challah bread are shared there are many different foods prepared for the Rosh Hashanah celebration. Main dishes can vary depending on what your guests enjoy. Some families enjoy chicken dishes, while others may have a more traditional brisket. Side dishes can vary from matzo balls and other traditional foods (Gefilte Fish anyone?), to other dishes that complement your main dish. There’s often roasted vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, but tart foods are generally avoided on this holiday with an emphasis on sweet flavors. As with the apples dipped in honey, sweet flavors are represented throughout the dinner to symbolize the desire for good things in the upcoming year.  One of those sweet side dishes you will see featured in most Rosh Hashanah dinners are tzimmes. There are many different variations of this dish, but they are all delicious! If you aren’t sure where to start with your tzimmes here is an easy recipe to follow! Apples often appear on the dessert menu during the Rosh Hashanah holiday both because of their symbolic significance and because apples often taste sweeter in the fall. There can be everything from apple cakes, pies, or tarts! It ultimately depends on what your family likes to eat. A fun idea is to have people bring different deserts so there is variety, but it also relieves some of the pressure off the host or hostess to prepare a fabulous meal. For more Rosh Hashanah dinner inspiration check out our Pinterest board! We wish all of our customers observing Rosh Hashanah a Happy New Year! L’shanah Tovah! Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

ATKINS STONE FIRED PIZZAS

Atkins stone fried pizza

Don’t have time to cook?  In just a few minutes you could be enjoying delicious Atkins Frozen Stone Fired Pizza. Mouth-watering frozen pizza for weight loss tame your cravings to help you lose weight.  Atkins Frozen Entrees and Pizzas are a great way to learn the basics of Low-Carb eating, in a simple, convenient and delicious way. Add a simple side salad or extra serving of vegetables to ensure you meet your daily vegetable net carb goals! Try an Atkins Stone Fired Pizza today made with premium ingredients like pepperoni, Italian sausage and bacon with shredded cheese and a zesty garlic pizza sauce on an artisanal stone fired crust. Look for Atkins Stone Fired Pizzas in the Frozen aisle.

vitatop energy loavesVITATOPS and ENERGYLOAVES from VITALICIOUS

You’ll love “vital and delicious” Vita Tops and EnergyLoaves from Vitalicious.  Loaded with whole grains, fiber and protein, these products are ideal for breakfast or snacking on the go.  Vitalicious products are made without preservatives or artificial coloring, fully baked and flash frozen to deliver that freshly baked taste any time. Vita Top flavors include Wild Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, Deep Chocolate and Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip.  Try America’s #1 frozen muffin brand in extra-fudgy and decadent Deep Chocolate to satisfy your chocolate cravings, delicious Wild Blueberry, with twice the antioxidants of regular blueberries and the sinfully-delicious American classics, Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip. Vitalicious EnergyLoaves are available in Banana Nut and Apple Cinnamon Crumb.  With combined benefits of protein, fiber and B vitamins in each EnergyLoaf, you get nutritious, sustained energy that makes you feel fuller for longer than less nutrient-dense food.  Individually wrapped and ideal for breakfast or anytime snack on-the-go. Look for Vita Tops and EnergyLoaves from Vitalicious in the Frozen aisle. Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets We have been getting great produce from our local farmer partners, and the sweet corn has been outstanding! We have plenty, and will continue to showcase it in stores. Our Produce department is very innovative, and they have worked out some wonderful regional partnerships with our farmers. Several farms across our six states help bring local produce together from smaller farms. This ensures the freshest corn and produce from local farms gets to local stores at its peak, and also that we are getting the highest quality, best tasting local produce to our communities. Our farmers have shared that they love this system – when they had to deliver to multiple stores themselves, they had to do it at night, after a long, hot day of farming. Now they can add back some of that travel time into their busy schedules. Win for you, our guests, win for the farmer and win for the produce team. It’s hot, and we know you want to grill if you have to cook. From Heather Eckhardt at Kinderhook Creek Farm in Stephenstown, NY, a great method for grilling corn is outlined here. We also have a delicious kabob recipe from Hillshire Farm – full of fresh veggies, they are easy eats on a hot summer night. grilling corn Recipe adapted from Hillshire Farms Zesty Italian Sausage Kabobs 4 servings, 1 ½ kabobs per serving 1 pkg. Hillshire Farms Lite Smoked Sausage or Turkey Kielbasa 2 ears sweet corn, husked and cleaned, broken into thirds 3 small red potatoes, halved 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces 6 cherry tomatoes 2 small zucchini or summer squash, cut into 1 inch slices 6 large fresh mushrooms 1 cup Italian salad dressing 1 clove garlic, minced Combine salad dressing and garlic, set aside. Boil corn and potatoes for 5 minutes, until barely tender, drain. Slice sausage into one inch slices – thread sausage and vegetables on 6 skewers. Brush dressing on kabobs. Grill over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning often and basting generously. Enjoy! Corn grilling secrets from sweet corn farmers, Heather and Larry Eckhardt Pull the husks down and remove all of the silk. Soak in water for one hour. Drain, pull the husk back up and tie the top with a strip of husk or twine. Place ears on a grill over hot coals or low flame, and roast slowly for 20-25 minutes. Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

MILK-BONE GOOD MORNING DAILY VITAMIN TREATS

Introducing the NEW Milk-Bone Good Morning Daily Vitamin Treats! Tastes like a treat – works like a Vitamin. New Milk-Bone Good Morning Daily Vitamin Treats provide dogs with a specially formulated blend of nutrients that are not found in most dog foods. Available in the following varieties:Milk-Bone-Dog-Treats vitamins -Total Wellness -Healthy Joints -Healthy Aging Look for Milk-Bone Good Morning Daily Vitamin Treats in the Pet Aisle

CHEERIOS – NOW GLUTEN FREE

At General Mills, they believe Cheerios should be enjoyed by everyone.  Currently, 1% of the population is celiac and as much as 30% of the population is avoiding gluten.  They felt it was important for them to remove gluten from Cheerios so that these large groups could enjoy Cheerios too. General Mills also wants what matters to go into their products and by removing stray wheat, rye and barley, they are delivering a more pure version of Cheerios.cheerios gluten free So, this Fall, Yellow Box Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, MultiGrain Cheerios, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios and Frosted Cheerios will all be going gluten-free.  Just look for the special seal. As a dedicated Gluten-Free facility, General Mills has created a process that allows them to remove the wheat, rye and barley from the oats they purchase, making Cheerios gluten-free. Best of all, all Cheerios flavors will have the same great taste that they have always had! Look for Gluten-Free Cheerios in the Cereal aisle. Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets “Cool as a cucumber” – you can be all that enjoying the farm- fresh cucumbers in the stores right now from farmers like Walter Czajkowski and Mary McNamara at Plainville Farm in Plainville, CT. Cucumbers have a clean, mild flavor and they can star or be a supporting player in salads, salsas, and pickles. Have you ever made your own pickles? It is so easy – try Mary’s easy bread and butter pickle recipe. Everything you need, including the mason jars, are in your store. Sterilize 3 jars by covering them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Pack cucumbers and onions in layers a wide mouth mason jar. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Store in the refrigerator. For the first 2 days shake jar to mix well. Enjoy! Those same cucumbers are great in a cucumber and onion salad – just slice cucumbers and onions thinly (try sweet onions for this salad!). Add Ken’s Light Italian dressing and serve. Couldn’t be easier! kens-logo-presentation Summer is also grilling time, so putting together a quick and easy grilled meal for friends and family is fun and fresh! Peppers are also coming in – our friends at Blackhorse farms have beautiful peppers in the stores, and they can be enjoyed in this super summer recipe from Eating Well. The shrimp is on sale, and all of the ingredients are waiting for you. https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/9816/Grilled-Shrimp-Cocktail-with-Yellow-Gazpacho-Salsa Delicious, and my favorite part – it is all really good and good for you. Enjoy! Written by Sara Lilkas, Marketing Intern It’s that time of year again! School is starting up and the lazy days of summer are gone for another year. As a partner to local communities, Price Chopper believes in giving back to schools and helping to enhance the learning process for local students. The Tools for Schools program runs from now until March 26th, 2016. At the end of the school year Price Chopper will distribute $500,000 in school supplies among schools in the program. Earning points is easy, once your AdvantEdge card is registered into the program online or at the Guest Services desk, every dollar you spend is one point for your school of choice (alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, lottery tickets, gift cards, stamps, tickets to go, tax, and bottle deposits are excluded) earns points. Double points are earned every Price Chopper or Central Market Classic brand product purchased. You can see how many points you’ve earned for you school on the bottom of your Price Chopper receipt every time you shop! TFSlogo-blue.epsThere will be opportunities and contests built into the program for schools to earn bonus points throughout the year! Make sure to visit Price Chopper Facebook page on September 1st for the opportunity to earn 5,000 bonus points! Your school’s coordinator will comment on the Tools for Schools post made that day with the name of your school and the schools code (the code is what is used to register your AdvantEdge card into the program.) Schools receiving over 100 likes will earn 5,000 bonus points! Coordinators! Make sure you have your bonus points checklist handy so you never miss an opportunity to earn bonus points for your school! As part of the Tools for Schools program, Price Chopper will be hosting our annual school supply drive.Now through September 12th, school supplies you purchase can be donated by placing them into the bins in the front of your local store. At the end of the drive, the Salvation Army will collect the items and distribute them to students in need. To check if your school is enrolled, simply stop at the Guest Services desk or check at pricechopper.com. If your school is not yet in the program, talk to school officials and they can get the school enrolled in the program. Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

mayer bros fresh pressed apple juice  MAYER BROS. FRESH PRESSED APPLE JUICE

Mayer Bros. is pleased to provide you and your family with the finest premium apple juice around.  Five generations family-owned heritage drive their vision to respect and support their local farmers, sustain their communities and produce the finest apple juice you’ve ever tasted! -Made from 100% New York State apples -Never from concentrate -No artificial ingredients, sweeteners or preservatives -Non-GMO -Gluten free Look for Mayer Bros. Fresh Pressed Apple Juice in the Juice aisle.

SARGENTO BALANCED BREAKS

Real cheese people have a new way to snack.  Introducing new Balanced Breaks. Balanced Breaks are creamy natural cheese pieces carefully paired with crunchy roasted nuts and sweet dried fruit. Balanced Breaks are available in four varieties: Natural Sharp Cheddar Cheese with Cashews and CranberriesSargento balanced breaks Pepper Jack Natural Cheese with Peanuts and Cranberries Natural White Cheddar Cheese with Almonds and                                Cranberries Natural Sharp White Cheddar Cheese with Cashews and                      Raisins These four varieties have seven grams of protein and less than 200 calories.  Balanced Breaks are a great snack for all ages and provide a healthy snack alternative. Look for Balanced Breaks in the Dairy aisle Chunk Cheese section. Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

                              McCAIN CRAFT BEER BATTER THIN CUT FRIES

Now you can have your favMcCains Craft friesorite Craft Beer Batter Fries at home! McCain Craft Beer Thin Cut Fries are Crafted with American Pale Ale and are the perfect complement to any meal or to pass around for any occasion.  McCain has answered the call from Millennials and Gen Xers alike and captured the Craft Beer experience in their fries! Leave it to McCain to create a unique delicious Craft Beer Batter French Fry that everyone will love!  You can always count on McCain to provide plenty of choices to please the family.  With various seasonings, shapes and varieties like new Craft Beer Batter Thin Cut, you can wow your family with a different potato every night.  Even the pickiest eaters will find something to love. You can find these delicious McCain Craft Beer Batter Thin Cut Fries alongside the other Great McCain Fries in the Potato section of the Frozen aisle. outshine-yogurt-peach

                                             OUTSHINE SIMPLY YOGURT BARS

Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars are the first of its kind – made with 100% Grade A yogurt that happens to be frozen!  Grade A yogurt is the first ingredient – no other frozen yogurt snack can say that! They have been able to create these refreshing and filling snacks without any of the grainy texture from freezing refrigerated yogurt and without using ANY fillers.  Outshine Simply Yogurt Bars use real fruit, keep live and active cultures and include the functional benefit of 54 grams of protein that the disciplined health seeker is looking for. Strawberry and Peach Outshine Yogurt Bars are available in the Ice Cream section of the Frozen aisle.

Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets

peach melbaPeaches are rolling in and we have great choices and varieties in the stores! Peach, nectarines, plums and pluots – stone fruits are delicate and delicious and enjoying one is like getting a big kiss from summer. Ripe peaches have a wonderful aroma, and a sweet, delicate flavor. Peaches are very versatile, and can be part of any meal. Peaches can even be grilled – check out the recipes below for two grilled peach ideas. Peaches, as well as their nectarine cousin, also pack a nutrition punch – they contain Vitamin C, fiber, Vitamin A, potassium and niacin. High in lutein and zeaxanthin, cousins to the more familiar beta carotene, they are antioxidants that can help reduce risk of macular degeneration. Cooking makes the antioxidants easier to absorb, so the recipes we have shared here will be both delicious and extra nutritious! They are also naturally a great single serving, and have about 65 calories per fruit. Any stone fruit could be used in these recipes.Summer Fruit Tarts Peaches and nectarines ripen easily, and you can speed that up by keeping them in a paper bag. They get more fragrant as they ripen, so choose fruit that is colorful without any green or very soft spots, and prepare a great summer treat! https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/7241/Ginger-Peach-Melba https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/7681/Summer-Fruit-Tart https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/7959/Marinated-Grilled-Salmon-with-Ginger-Peach-Salsa https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/9390/Grilled-Peach-Sundaes https://www.pricechopper.com/recipes/9278/Fresh-Peach-Cobbler