An impromptu picnic begins at the grocery store...and so does a well-planned one. When was the last time you went on a picnic? If you have to think about it for more than a minute then it was too long ago, for sure. So this month, get your grocery store to help with all the details as you remember how much fun it is to go on a fresh-air picnic! Grocery Store Basics for a Picnic Make your list with what looks good below and you'll be in and out of the store quickly with just what you need. Bread, whole wheat Something to put in the bread (choose 1-2:) A pouch of tuna Some … [Read more...] about A Grocery Bag for a Simple, No Worry Picnic
The Sweet Story of Melon and 5 Easy Snack Ideas
There's a lot you can do with a melon and I became a big fan of it while in Spain. If you are a fan of local fruit from a farm near your home then you might agree that summer is the best time of year to buy melons. After all, during July and August they are in-season. The choices of sweet and juicy melons doesn't stop with watermelon, even though it is a big favorite. Branching out to cantaloupe and honeydew melon and Crenshaw melon and Christmas melon (called a toad-skinned melon in Spain) and more is a fun adventure of flavors that everyone can enjoy. Melon Nutrition Since there are … [Read more...] about The Sweet Story of Melon and 5 Easy Snack Ideas
Cool Foods Make Summer Better and 5 Options to Try
One important food lesson I learned while living in Spain last year was that cool foods like soup can make a hot day much better. Cool Tomatoes In Spain, one of the universally favorite foods to enjoy during summer and early fall is soup and it's refreshingly cool. Being in Spain was wonderful (pre-novel corona virus) and taste testing cool tomato soup was even better. My favorite, cool tomato soup is called Salmorejo and it's a specialty of Cordoba in the southern part of Spain where the summer heat is basically unbearable. Guess what? Sipping cool tomato soup makes everything … [Read more...] about Cool Foods Make Summer Better and 5 Options to Try
Simple Ingredients Make Great Flavors in Tomato and Basil Soup
If you think seriously about flavor, there are certain food pairs that work together in perfect harmony. For example, tomatoes and basil. There are many Mediterranean recipes that combine tomatoes with basil - and, almost always there's some extra virgin olive oil included, too. Here's an easy-to-make soup that works all year round, hot or cold. Out of fresh tomato season (fall, winter, spring,) use canned tomatoes for the best results and dried basil. In fresh tomato season (summer) get the best flavor by using both canned tomatoes and fresh ones, along with a big handful of fresh basil … [Read more...] about Simple Ingredients Make Great Flavors in Tomato and Basil Soup
A Grocery Store Tour Goes Virtual!
The grocery store is a powerful place to learn about nutrition so bring consumers along virtually as a great starting point. 5 Ways to Connect Consumers to their Grocery Store on a Virtual Tour Introduce a few big-picture learning messages before getting into specifics Talk through real aisles of the store as an orientation Show real foods and/or packages of foods as demos Mention an easy recipe you like to make as a way to highlight specific foods Give tips to save time & money along with your nutrition-themed topic 5 Foods to Show Consumers on a … [Read more...] about A Grocery Store Tour Goes Virtual!
Breads, Cookies and Muffins with Quality Nutrition and 3 Recipes
Baked goods with carefully chosen ingredients can fit everyone's good nutrition plan if you keep an open mind. Baking Best Practices There are a few best practices to rely on when you want to bake a healthy loaf of bread, a dozen muffins or a batch of cookies. Taking time to work these out will give you a perfect starting point for better nutrition. Why? Because you'll have new items for your grocery list and other items you may take off your grocery list or buy less often. It's always smart to plan ahead. Here are my favorite best practices: Keep it simple Make substitutions … [Read more...] about Breads, Cookies and Muffins with Quality Nutrition and 3 Recipes