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How to Make Higher-Quality Choices at the Grocery Store

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(Family Features) Grocery shopping can be stressful when there are so many options, especially if you’re making a conscious effort to make high-quality food choices while you shop. Arming yourself with a plan and plenty of information can help you make smarter choices and feel good about the meals you prepare for your family.

According to the Food Marketing Institute’s Power of Meat Report, 62% of consumers are looking for better-for-you meat and poultry options. Consider these ways you can pick up higher-quality products on your next trip to the grocery store.

Make a list and stick to it. Going shopping without a plan is a surefire way to make the trip to the grocery store less productive. Creating a list and identifying high-quality products that fit your needs can help you avoid impulse purchases. Plus, list-making can also help save money if you plan meals that let you use ingredients across multiple recipes for minimal waste.

Pay attention to labels. Food labels contain insightful details that can help you make well-informed decisions about the foods you buy. Especially when it comes to fresh products, like protein, you can learn a lot about how the food was raised, simply from its label. For example, Perdue’s “No Antibiotics Ever” label is the gold standard when it comes to reducing antibiotic use in chicken farming, compared to the “no hormones or steroids” label, which shows adherence solely to federal regulations.

“You can feel good about purchasing our products labeled No Antibiotics Ever knowing they were raised and fed in such a way that no antibiotics were ever needed,” said Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown, senior vice president of technical services and innovation at Perdue Farms. “In order to achieve No Antibiotics Ever raised chickens, we worked hard to change our feed and care approach over the last 20 years.”

Know how to select fresh foods. If you find yourself overwhelmed when it comes to selecting produce and fresh meat, you’re not alone. When choosing fruits and vegetables, you generally want produce with a consistent color that is firm but not hard to the touch. Many fresh fruits and veggies emit an appealing fragrance at their peak ripeness.

When it comes to meat and poultry products, you can use a similar approach. For example, if you’re shopping for chicken, press down on the chicken in the package. If it’s plump and somewhat resilient, reverting to its shape, it’s a fresher pack. Also be wary of excess liquid in the pack, which can dilute the flavor or contribute to a soggy texture. You may also wonder which cuts are best. For a formal family meal, consider cooking a whole bird, which offers white and dark meat to please all appetites and can serve as a beautiful mealtime centerpiece.

Take some shortcuts. Even if you aim to prepare fresh, home-cooked meals most nights, there are sure to be some evenings when you need to squeeze in a quick meal around work, school and extracurriculars. Having a few simple go-to recipes can help. For example, an easy stir-fry with fresh chicken and frozen veggies can shave off prep time while still providing a hot, well-balanced meal. If you’re meal prepping for the week, marinate pre-cut chicken thighs or legs in different spices and seasonings to make cooking throughout the week simpler. Or try an option like Perdue’s Short Cuts, which include a variety of ready-to-eat, roasted, perfectly seasoned chicken breast strips.

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Shop the store’s perimeter last. In most stores, fresh foods are located in refrigerated sections around the perimeter of the store. This is where you’ll find produce, fresh meat, poultry and dairy, giving you most of the essential ingredients for wholesome, well-balanced meals. Saving this section of the store for your last stop can help ensure perishable items spend less time away from refrigeration before you check out.  

Find chicken recipes and poultry shopping tips at perdue.com.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

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SOURCE:
Perdue Farms

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Food and Beverage

A Loaded Casserole That’s Quick and Comforting

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Casserole

(Family Features) It’s tough to beat an easy dinner that’s equal parts comforting, convenient and delicious. This Loaded Hamburger Potato Casserole is no exception – just brown ground beef then mix in a casserole dish with potatoes, bacon, cheese and more before baking for an hour. Find more casserole recipes and beyond at Culinary.net.

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Loaded Hamburger Potato Casserole

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy
Servings: 4-6

  • 1 pound ground hamburger
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 bag (1 1/2 pounds) tri-colored baby potatoes
  • 1 can (10 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup fried onions (optional)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 1/2 ounces bacon pieces
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • chives or green onions, for topping
  1. Heat oven to 375 F.
  2. In skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef with garlic powder; drain and set aside.
  3. Cut potatoes into small pieces. In casserole dish, mix beef; potatoes; soup; sour cream; milk; fried onions, if desired; cheese; and bacon pieces. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake, covered, 50 minutes then uncover and bake 10 minutes.
  4. Top with chives or green onions.

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SOURCE:
Culinary.net


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Food and Beverage

Savory Pork Chili Fresh from the Slow Cooker

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Savory Pork Chili Fresh from the Slow Cooker

(Family Features) If you’re hunting for a cool-weather warmup or just need a break from the kitchen, the slow cooker is a perfect tool to make dinner a breeze. This Barbecue Chili recipe from “Cookin’ Savvy” offers a hearty meal that serves a crowd.

Visit Culinary.net to find more family-friendly dinner inspiration and step-by-step recipe videos.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

17365 VID Barbecue Chili detail Detail Image embed

Barbecue Chili
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy
Servings: 8-10

  • 1          pork loin (2-3 pounds)
  • 1          can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
  • 2          cups barbecue sauce, divided
  • 1          cup water
  • 1          can (29 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 2          cans (27 ounces each) chili beans
  • 1          package chili seasoning
  • 1          tablespoon barbecue seasoning
  • 1          tablespoon onion powder
  • 1          tablespoon garlic powder
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • sour cream, for serving
  • shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
  • corn chips, for serving
  1. Place pork loin in slow cooker. Cover with diced tomatoes and green chilies, 1 cup barbecue sauce and water; cook on low 4-6 hours.
  2. Cut up cooked meat and place in Dutch oven along with juices from slow cooker. Add remaining barbecue sauce, tomato sauce, chili beans, chili seasoning, barbecue seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and corn chips.

Tip: Add can of beans if serving bigger crowd.

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Culinary.net

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Food and Beverage

Bring Warmth to Winter with a Filling Family Dinner

This winter, enhance family dinners with healthy recipes featuring sweetpotatoes, a nutritious superfood. Try the Cheesy Sweetpotato Casserole for a comforting, flavorful meal that supports overall health.

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Dinner

Bring Warmth to Winter with a Filling Family Dinner

(Family Features) Hearty, comforting foods that go perfectly with cold weather may be some of your family’s favorites, but if all those filling meals are starting to (literally) weigh you down, it’s time for a better-for-you spin.

Add a superfood to your winter menu for cold-weather dishes you can feel good about serving to your loved ones. Sweetpotatoes, known as a “diabetes superfood” by the American Diabetes Association, are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, all of which are good for overall health. They’re a natural sweetener for that “sweet” flavor you crave without the added sugar, making them a perfect addition to this Cheesy Sweetpotato Casserole made with sweetpotato puree, warm spices and ground turkey.

A healthy and easy weeknight dinner, this creative spin on a classic casserole takes advantage of sweetpotatoes’ sweet, savory versatility. They enhance both flavor and nutrition content in simple and elevated recipes alike. Plus, they can be cooked and prepared in several ways, such as on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled, slow cooked or, in this case, boiled and pureed.

Visit ncsweetpotatoes.com to discover more ways to cook better-for-you family meals this winter. https://www.youtube.com/embed/NpMfx1ZUyBo?si=EZZcgfdjC5sFWSNb&controls=0

17309 VID Cheesy Sweetpotato Casserole Detail image Embed

Cheesy Sweetpotato Casserole
Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
Servings: 6

  • 1          medium North Carolina sweetpotato
  • 16        ounces shell pasta (or any kind of noodle)

Ground Turkey:

  • 1          tablespoon olive oil
  • 1          pound lean ground turkey
  • 1/2       medium yellow onion, minced
  • 1          teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8       teaspoon salt
  • 1/8       teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/4       teaspoon powdered mustard

Cheese Sauce:

  • 3          tablespoons tomato puree
  • 1/2       cup chicken broth (or any kind of broth)
  • 1          cup shredded colby jack cheese, plus additional for topping (optional)
  • salt, to taste
  •             nonstick cooking spray
  • fresh parsley, for garnish
  1. Peel sweetpotato and chop into 1-inch cubes. Place in pot and cover with water. Bring to boil over high heat. Cook 13-15 minutes until sweetpotatoes are tender. Drain and let cool 2-3 minutes then puree in food processor or blender.
  2. Bring large pot of water to boil. Add shell pasta. Cook until slightly harder than al dente as it will continue to cook in oven.
  3. Strain pasta, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  4. To make ground turkey: Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. When olive oil is fragrant, add ground turkey. Break turkey into small pieces. Mix in onion, garlic powder, salt, ground pepper and powdered mustard; cook 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  5. To make cheese sauce: Heat oven to 375 F and place sweetpotato puree in blender or food processor with tomato puree, chicken broth, 1 cup shredded cheese and salt, to taste. Blend until combined and sauce is smooth.
  6. Spray 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place noodles, ground turkey and sweetpotato sauce in casserole dish and mix until coated in sweetpotato cheese sauce. Sprinkle with additional shredded cheese, if desired, and bake 15 minutes.
  7. Remove, let cool 10 minutes and sprinkle with fresh parsley.

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SOURCE:
North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission


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