American Heart Month - 5 Tips to Eat With Your Heart in Mind
Ellie Wilson
MS RDN, Manager, Lifestyle and Wellness
February is American Heart Month, and at Price Chopper/Market 32, we have many resources and tools that can support your efforts to enjoy a Heartsmart lifestyle.
The 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans has a great tagline that can guide how you make food and health decisions – “Make Every Bite Count”. This energizer is meant to help you look at the food choices you make for the benefits they bring to eating well and preventing disease. That can be challenging for many reasons. We have some shortcuts in our stores and pharmacies that can help put smart choices, budgets and wellbeing together more easily.
- Start small by using the Know Your Colors nutrition guides at the shelf and the Shops Online section of the Price Chopper/Market 32 website. These guides highlight products that meet HeartSmart and Low Sodium criteria, making it quick and easy to find and check the label for the information you need. The coordinating colors make it easy to use – red for HeartSmart, yellow for Low Sodium, with many items having both! Learn more at on our website.
- Enjoy more seafood, especially omega-3 rich salmon, trout, and tuna. Seafood twice per week is recommended by the American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines – reel in the benefits of the great fresh and frozen seafood options that go from pan to plate in less than 20 minutes!
- Add Market 32 walnuts to salads, snacks and meals with American Heart Association Certified Heart Healthy recipes featuring walnuts! Check out the display in Produce and find a great BOGO coupon for Chobani Greek Yogurts.
- Double up on produce intake, whether it be fresh, frozen or canned – all bring benefits and Americans have plenty of room to add more to meet daily recommendations. Explore new takes on traditional foods, such as lentil pasta – combined with regular pasta to add the flavor, fiber, protein and nutrient benefits of pulses, in an affordable and delicious way. Add some extra canned PICS No Salt Added tomatoes and PICS Canned Beans for a flavor, protein and veggie-boosted meal that is easy on your time and budget!
- It is easy to find Low Sodium tagged tomatoes and other items throughout the store – the Know Your Colors nutrition guide helps you see where you can trade up to low sodium ingredients that connect the dots to smart choices for recipes and family meals.
Our Pharmacy team has great resources and programs – learn more about how to check blood pressure at the PharmaSmart kiosk, and how the Pharmacy app can help you keep blood pressure and heart medications on track!
Heart Health: Who Should Take Aspirin and CoQ10
Megan Hwaszcz
Pharmacy Intern
How many of you can remember the saying an aspirin a day keeps the doctor away? Most of us can say yes within a few seconds. However, many of us don’t know that it may not be the case anymore. Previously, aspirin was either prescribed or self-prescribed to prevent heart attacks, stroke, or other cardiovascular events1,2. Recent studies have shown that it may be doing more harm than good. You may be asking yourself, wait I take a daily aspirin. But wait, this new recommendation does not apply to everyone.
These new findings do not apply to individuals who have history of heart disease, stroke, those who underwent bypass surgery, or those who had a stent placed1. Patients with diabetes and have at least one other heart disease risk may be started on a low dose aspirin by their healthcare provider2. If you fall into any of these categories, you should continue to take low-dose (81 mg) aspirin daily, or as recommended by your health care provider to prevent another event1.2. For healthy individuals, studies on taking a daily low-dose aspirin are not consistent so what is currently recommended is to avoid taking a low-dose aspirin as there is no clear benefit but rather more potential for harm; including but not limited to increased risk of bleeding1,2. If you fall into this category and feel like you could benefit from a low-dose aspirin, speak to your healthcare provider or local Price Chopper Pharmacist for more information.
If you are otherwise a healthy individual, you can protect yourself in other ways with healthy habits1. Three simple steps include eating a heart-healthy diet, participating in regular exercise, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol1. Before taking a low dose aspirin, always ask your healthcare provider before starting!
Now onto the next heart health drug, CoQ10. Some of you may be thinking what is that? Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is an antioxidant and natural substance found in your body with the highest amounts found in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas3,4. Your body uses CoQ10 for growth and maintenance4. This is considered a dietary supplement and with dietary supplements, it is important to note that these are not federally regulated by the FDA.. There are many things that CoQ10 has been rumored to aid in; including the prevention of heart disease, reduction of heart failure symptoms, a decrease in high blood pressure, reducing the risk of complications after heart surgery, and reducing high cholesterol levels. Numerous studies have examined the effects of CoQ10 in these areas; however, were found to be inconclusive and unclear3.
Is CoQ10 safe to take? CoQ10 is assumed to be safe with few adverse effects4. It may be beneficial to treating conditions like congestive heart failure. But it is notably important to discuss with your healthcare provider before starting. With supplements, it is always important to ask your doctor or pharmacist before starting due to potential drug interactions. CoQ10 has a possible interaction with anticoagulants, like Coumadin or Jantoven, making them less effective and increasing the risk for a blood clot4.
Should you take CoQ10? If you fall into any of the categories listed above; high blood pressure, heart failure, recent heart attack, or heart disease, speak to your healthcare provider or local Price Chopper Pharmacist before starting to make sure it is safe for you to start!
References:
- Avoid daily aspirin unless your doctor prescribes it, new guidelines advise [Internet]. www.heart.org. 2020 [cited 26 August 2020]. Available from: https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/03/18/avoid-daily-aspirin-unless-your-doctor-prescribes-it-new-guidelines-advise
- Should you take a daily aspirin for your heart? [Internet]. Mayo Clinic. 2020 [cited 26 August 2020]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/daily-aspirin-therapy/art-20046797#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20Preventive%20Services%20Task,over%20the%20next%2010%20years.
- Coenzyme Q10 NIH [Internet]. Nccih.nih.gov. 2020 [cited 26 August 2020]. Available from: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/coenzyme-q10
- Coenzyme Q10 Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Clinic. 2020 [cited 26 August 2020]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-coenzyme-q10/art-20362602
Citrus Celebration!
Mouthwatering, aromatic, energizing – Citrus is the genus name for the many varieties of delicious fruit we enjoy all year, and have in abundance when most are in season over the winter in North America.
The orange, perhaps the most well-known citrus fruit to Americans, is an ancient hybrid, a cross between a pomelo and a mandarin, thought to have originated in the region now known as Southern China and Northern India. The first mention of the sweet orange was in Chinese literature in 314 B.C.!
The fruit, juice and peel of the sweet orange are all flavor and benefit components of this citrus superstar – over 70% of citrus farming is for sweet oranges, per 2012 data. In 2017, 73 million tons of oranges were grown worldwide. Sweet oranges, including the Hamlin (juice oranges) and navel (easy-peel) oranges are grown in the USA in Florida and California.
The Citrus family includes oranges, Cara Cara oranges, blood oranges, lemons, Meyer lemons, limes, Key limes, mandarins, pomelos, tangerines, and tangelos – a beautiful, delicious and colorful family of fruits that bring aromatic flavor, color and texture to all types of meals and snacks. All are good sources of Vitamin C, essential to immunity and skin health. They also contain phytochemicals like polyphenols, terpenes and tannins – those active compounds have both health and flavor benefits, and research is ongoing to understand their full benefits.
The acidity of citrus fruits is the secret to their charm – the different levels of acidity bring flavor and balance to foods and recipes, and can create texture and tenderness. In order, from highest to lowest acid content, are lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges. We will be sharing more blogs, culinary tips, science and health, recipes and more during this peak citrus season as it rolls out from January to April. Single and bagged displays and great values will help you energize your cart and your plate with fresh, delicious citrus fruits all season!
Kick off with this Citrus Glazed Fruit Salad recipe – squeezed fresh orange juice amps up the flavor, and you can mix in orange, mandarin and grapefruit segments anytime!
This Citrus Basil Spritzer is a sweet and herbaceous take on agua fresca sparkles with fresh flavors!
Pretty and delicious – this yummy Spinach Pomegranate Orange Salad with Quick Pickled Red Onions winter salad includes in-season oranges and pomegranates! Some fresh Pulled Roasters Rotisserie Chicken from the Food Service case makes it a meal!
8 Ways to Love A Bag of Oranges (or Citrus)
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN Manager, Lifestyle and Wellness
The cheery view of a bowl of fruit on your counter in the winter is also a good way to remind yourself (and your family) to eat more every day! Americans have plenty of room to enjoy more fruit as part of their healthy habits – here are some fresh ideas for enjoying a bag of oranges (and other bagged fresh citrus options) that will color your plate with great!
- Sweet and Simple – Peel a fresh navel orange and indulge in the fresh, juicy goodness! You can also slice them into wedges and share, a good idea for smaller children. Surprise them with the aromatic, juicy Cara Cara orange, with its spectacular rosy color! There may be a few seeds, so check before sharing!
- Slice any citrus fruit into rounds, and place on parchment paper on a sheet pan. Freeze, and then bag for use in water or as fun garnish for beverages, desserts, seafood – your call!
- If you are juicing an orange, or any other citrus, roll it first to max extracting juice from the pulp – the little juice vesicles in the fruit segments. That will ensure you get as much juice as possible. Then, toss the spent halves into a bag in the freezer, to use for zest and a few other ways we will share – keep reading! Check out the kitchen section in stores for great citrus press to make it easy!
- Segment an orange, mandarin, minneola tangelo, grapefruit or pomelo, and add to any fresh salad. Oranges, mandarins and tangelos pair beautifully with peppery arugula (rocket) greens and vibrant radicchio. Fresh baby spinach is mild and pairs with all citrus. Grapefruit and pomelos like sweet, buttery lettuces, with a sweet dressing, like a light raspberry vinaigrette. Check out your favorite fresh salad kit – add mandarin segments to chipotle cheddar, orange segments to honey pecan, and grapefruit to enhance poppyseed. A squeeze of fresh lemon on a bagged Caesar salad brings some added zing to that savory staple!
- Sweet salvage – Those leftover peels and halves are good for some, such as dried for potpourri (easy to drop into a small crockpot with a cinnamon stick!), or zested into sugar or salt and used for seasoning. For those who prep early – there is just enough acid in the spent citrus halves/peels to minimize browning in cut apple or potato – just drop one of the frozen halves in the water before you cook/serve them.
- Citrus serves up flavor, color and energy in spritzers, smoothies and spirits. Cocktail and mocktail drinks with lime, lemon and orange are plentiful, with quite a few on the recipes link at Pricechopper.com. Don’t forget the grapefruit – brighten up your day when you slice them up and garnish grapefruit drinks, sparkling waters, and grown-up only shandies and hard seltzers.
- Sassy salsas – Chopped orange, grapefruit, or mandarin, with some chopped onion, garlic and herbs (rosemary, parsley, cilantro, basil all work) and zest from the fruit make a super salsa topper for chicken, turkey, pork or seafood.
- Clean up time – If you are exploring cleaning with white vinegar, consider dropping a few solid peel slices into the vinegar first – they should infuse for about a week. The peel will release its acid and aroma into the vinegar, adding a little cleaning energy and fresh scent to the spray. A 50/50 mix of infused vinegar and water in a spray bottle will arm you with a fresh way to clean up!
Snowman Breakfast Pizza by Jodie Fitz
PICS cauliflower pizza crust (two pack)
2 cups fresh baby leaf spinach
8 PICS eggs, large
1/4-cup PICS low fat milk
8 oz. PICS sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Fresh veggies
PICS nonstick canola cooking spray
PICS canola oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Coat a baking sheet with a nonstick cooking spray. Lay the two pizza crusts onto the baking sheet overlapping them slightly to create your snowman shape.
Baste the crusts with a very light layer of canola oil.
Chop the spinach into small pieces and evenly distribute that on top of the pizza crusts.
In a microwave safe bowl coated with nonstick cooking spray, whisk the eggs, milk, sea salt and pepper. Microwave the mixture for 2 minutes, remove and stir. Repeat until the eggs are cooked, using two-minute intervals, 4 to 6 minutes total.
Spread the scrambled eggs onto the pizza crusts.
Top it off with the shredded cheese.
Add fresh veggies to create a snowman by adding two eyes, a nose, a mouth and buttons.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
More About Making this Recipe!
Pizza Dough? You can use traditional or whole-wheat pizza dough, if preferred. Simply separate the dough into 1/3 and 2/3 pieces, then roll out the larger piece into an oval (the body) and the smaller piece into a circle (the head) and place them onto a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Follow the rest of the directions listed above, and bake for 20 minutes.
Bake the pizza at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and enjoy!
Where’s the Dough? 2-pack PICS cauliflower pizza crusts are found in the pizza section of the freezer aisle at Price Chopper/Market 32. Traditional dough is located in the dairy aisle.
PICS? PICS is the preferred brand of Price Chopper/Market 32 Supermarkets.
Cooking with Kids! Every recipe has great lessons to focus on that encourage life skills in the realm of cooking.
- Rolling dough
- Fractions
- Chopping
- Knife safety
- Shredding
- Grater safety
- Layering
- Basting
- Baking
- Oven safety
- Following directions
National Bagel Day 2021
National Bagel Day is January 15, 2021. Bagels have a history that is richer than your favorite cream cheese spread! These rounds of dough can be found just about anywhere: breakfast joints, coffee shops, or for the best bagels around stop at Price Chopper/Market 32 Fresh Bagel Shops on the 15th.
Price Chopper started making real bagels in 1991. And now 29 years later all 130 stores make fresh baked delicious bagels daily.
There is nothing as satisfying and delicious as a hot bagel just out of the oven and at Price Chopper we have them coming out all day long. Bagels are full of the “good” complex carbohydrates which fill you up without adding a lot of calories and they are also fat free. With the abundance of flavors we have there is no reason why anyone would walk away without a bag full and a smile on their face.
Bagels have a long and highly documented history that travels from the Jewish families of Poland in the 1600s to wrapped up in parchment paper in your hands today. And, unlike many things created nearly five-hundred years ago, bagels are remarkably unchanged. Sure, cream cheeses and butters and flavors and toppings may have evolved over time but bagel is a beigel is a beygal.
Bagels made the jump to America with a massive Polish-Jewish immigration in the 1800s that firmly entrenched itself in New York City where it thrived. In fact, an entire union was created in the early 1900s called Bagel Bakers Local 338 to support the growing, immigrant-led industry. That also begat the “bagel brunch,” that we still enjoy to this day with little to no changes: lox, cream cheese, capers, tomatoes, and red onions.
While bagels were hugely popular in New York City almost immediately, they didn’t make their way to the national scale until the mid 20th-century where automation and bread slicing (the coolest thing!) made mass manufacturing much more efficient. Since then, bagels have taken off to include a variety of flours, toppings, dips and smears but still remain – by and large – exactly as they were in the 1600s.
Check out the bigger & better bagels in our Bakery Department!
The Melted Snowman Smoothie by Jodie Fitz
3 cups ice
1½ cups low-fat milk
6 oz. PICS low fat vanilla yogurt
1 banana
3 tablespoons PICS honey
1 ½ teaspoons PICS vanilla extract
Add all ingredients to a blender, blend well and serve.
Create a Snowman Mason Jar! This craft is simple and fun. Here are the supplies you will need:
Mason jar
Ribbon
2 buttons
Double stick tape
Scissors
Decorative Paper Straws (optional)
Measure, cut and tie ribbon around the jar rim and adhere two buttons to the front of the jar with double stick tape. Serve your Melted Snowman with a colorful paper straw.
Dairy allergies? Substitute your favorite dairy free yogurt and milk alternatives. Coconut based products help keep this recipe thick and creamy.
Cooking with Kids! Every recipe has lessons, small and big, that encourage life and cooking skills. Here are a few to focus on:
- Measuring ingredients
- Peeling a banana
- Blending
- Blender safety
- Pouring
- Following directions
Winner, Winner, Market 32 Free From Chicken DInner
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN
Chicken is definitely a winner when it comes to making a delicious dinner! Or lunch, or snack – versatile and available in so many easy-to-cook cuts, you can make tried and true family favorites, explore global cuisines, or just stick to quick and easy when Market 32 FREE FROM Chicken is on your list.
Market 32 FREE FROM Chicken has all of the flavor and quality shoppers are looking for – carefully sourced by the Market 32 FREE FROM Team from the first family farming operation in the world to earn the American Humane Certified ™ verification, they live in open houses, allowing them the ability to live a stress free life without the threat of predators, exposure to diseases from migratory birds or harm from the elements which would all impact flock health. They are fed a high quality diet of pesticide-free, American-grown, Non-GMO grains, specifically planned by vets and animal nutritionists, with an unlimited supply of clean water and fresh feed along with plenty of fresh air and room to roam. The farm has been raising chickens for over 50 years – they have learned that ensuring a good environment for the chickens, including water and soil testing, delivers a good quality of life and results in a safe, delicious product. They take even more care with their employees, which they call their best asset, ensuring they have company-provided PPE, regular screenings, work area safety standards, and more. Price Chopper/Market 32 customers can be confident they are bringing a great choice home to their families and friends.
Fresh Market 32 FREE FROM Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is also a lean choice when choosing skinless chicken tenders, thin-sliced cutlets or skinless chicken breasts. Market 32 FREE FROM Chicken is available in a range of cuts and package sizes, and lends itself to any number of recipes and serving ideas. Casseroles, soups, salads, sheet pan and skillet meals are all on the menu.
There has been a lot more cooking going on at home over the last six months or so, and we are hearing from customers that they are looking for some inspiration to get past cooking fatigue. We can help! Combine Market 32 FREE FROM Chicken with a delicious Culinary Tours item like Szechuan Style Peanut Sauce, or season with PICS Everything Spice Blend for a quick and easy meal. Check out the recipes below from our website and YouTube channels – you are sure to find some new favorites, and more than one way to win the dinner dilemma!
Honey Garlic Skillet Chicken | White Chicken Chili | Buffalo Chicken Salad | Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos
Kodiak Cakes - Energize a Protein and Whole Grain Habit!
Ellie Wilson
MS RDN Manager, Health and Wellness
New Year’s resolutions to embrace healthier habits inspire shoppers to look for new products and ideas. So many are working and managing school from home these days, I love finding solutions that connect the dots including easy-to-make, kid-friendly, travel-friendly, versatile and nutritious. The Kodiak Cakes products are delicious solutions with unique benefits to explore.
Power Cakes
The signature flapjack and waffle mixes, in Buttermilk and Honey or Dark Chocolate flavors, are a great starting place. Just add water, and these mixes will kick the day off with over 5 grams of protein per serving, (up to 14 gms in the Dark Chocolate mix!), 100% whole grains, and a good source of fiber to stay full and focused on the morning to-do list. Make extra and freeze them – they make a great lunch, snack or “breakfast-for-dinner” treat. These mixes can also be used for muffins, even batter for chicken nuggets or veggies (did someone say air fryer?). Bonus – both mixes earn the Know Your Colors nutrition guide tags for Protein Smart and Whole Grain!
Frozen Waffles and Flapjacks
The same whole grain goodness and even more convenience when you add these to the basket! Flavors adults and children love, and something older children/teens can make themselves, so super for beyond breakfast snack attacks! All three flavors – Buttermilk Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, and Blueberry Chia make the grade for Know Your Colors Whole Grain and Protein Smart.
Baking Mixes
You know you have a hit when your 17-year-old decides to make the protein-packed cornbread into muffins he can take to school! With 10 gms of protein per prepared serving, as well as 3 gms fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar, this item hits the mark and aligns with several of the healthier eating recommendations reinforced last week with the release of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans – increase whole grain intake, increase fiber intake, and limit added sugars. Check out the whole line – the brownie and blueberry mixes are also made with whole grains, check the labels for more nutrition information and some great recipe variations on the side of the box.
Oatmeal Cups
Another hit with all age groups – these power 100% whole grain breakfast cups are easy and delicious, with flavors like Maple Brown Sugar – just add water (or milk, for a little extra nutrient boost) and cook in the microwave while coffee is brewing, they are also great for tweens and teens starting to cook, (placed strategically at the front of the pantry to inspire better after-school snacking on a cold day), and are a smart item to keep handy in a desk drawer at work for a power lunch. Bonus – they earn the Know Your Colors Protein Smart guide!
Granola Bars, Protein Balls and More
Kodiak Cakes is a company on a mission to bring whole grains, protein and flavor together in ways that really work for today’s health-seeking shoppers and families – check out their products throughout the store, for more solutions that will energize your whole grain and protein habits!
Cooking Up Well-Being in the New Year
Ellie Wilson
MS, RDN
Can the challenging times of the last year help us approach the benefits of food and medicine differently in the new year? The answer is a resounding YES! The New Year is time for a fresh start when it comes to health, so let’s look at some ways we can move towards that goal from wherever you are starting from.
The Recipe
The Price Chopper/Market 32 website can help you find resources, food items and information – the ‘ingredients” you need to create a more healthful lifestyle. Cuddled up on the couch on a cold January day? One of those couch sessions is a great time to take a digital tour and activate wellness efforts with personalized food shopping and medication management.
On the website, the toolbar at the top offers shortcuts to functions that can help you shop quickly and confidently. The first link is to the Shops Online dashboard, where you can create shopping lists, order online and make choices using the Know Your Colors nutrition guides. These color-coded guides include lifestyle choices such as Gluten Free, Organic, and more. You can learn all about the Know Your Colors program on the Pharmacy Health and Wellness page. The criteria that define the nutrition guides are all based on federal and recognized non-profit Health Association standards that support general nutrition lifestyle goals. The color-coded guides are visible on shelf tags that make in-store shopping quick and easy.
More resources at Price Chopper/Market 32 include the cutting-edge programs, easy-to-use pharmacy app, blood pressure kiosk and more you can find at the Price Chopper/Market 32 Pharmacy. Our Pharmacy teams work hard to ensure patients have the medication they need to stay well. The pharmacy app has many features, including a list for re-ordering, and reminder alerts to ensure meds are not missed. You can also sign up for text notifications to stay connected with pharmacy alerts. Food and medicine together can be a dynamic duo when managing chronic health issues – making it easier to do both is part of our commitment to you.
Make a Great Plate
The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released last week. No surprise, fruits and vegetables lead the recommendations. Including good sources for protein, nutritious dairy, and reducing sugars are all part of the guidance. The Know Your Colors nutrition guides, also based on those guidelines, can help you activate those recommendations as you make food choices throughout the store. Start off with easy changes, such as doubling up favorite veggie servings, enjoying milk with meals, and choosing Low Sodium versions of the foods you usually buy. Each of the Know Your Colors guides can help you explore products that may support your personal health goals throughout the store.
Get Active
There are so many benefits from all kinds of movement. Check out this Think Lifestyle, Not Resolution blog from professional trainer Antoni Favata for some ideas that will help you frame how to think about reaching for your wellness targets in the New Year.
Happy, Healthy New Year from all of us at Price Chopper/Market 32!