Food and Beverage
Beyond Protein: 2 Nutrients Your Plate Might Be Missing
Nutrients: Everyone is talking about protein these days whether watching their weight or managing a disease like type 2 diabetes. However, fiber and healthy fats are nutrients many people are overlooking. One food that makes it easier to invest in your health, according to nutrition experts: avocados.
Beyond Protein: 2 Nutrients Your Plate Might Be Missing
(Feature Impact) Everyone is talking about protein these days whether watching their weight or managing a disease like type 2 diabetes. However, fiber and healthy fats are nutrients many people are overlooking. The latest reports show most Americans already meet or exceed recommendations for protein while nearly all (about 95%) do not eat enough fiber, and many people consume too much saturated fat versus unsaturated fat, according to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Prioritizing ways to get more fiber and healthy fats on your plate could be key to managing weight and type 2 diabetes goals this summer.
One food that makes it easier to invest in your health, according to nutrition experts: avocados.
A growing body of research and materials from Avocados – Love One Today, a science-based resource, suggests fresh avocados offer weight management benefits, help with type 2 diabetes management and are good for blood sugar management.
According to a study* of more than 27,000 adults published in the journal “Internal Medicine Review,” people who ate just over half of an avocado per day weighed 7.5 pounds less, had smaller waist sizes and tended to have healthier overall eating habits, including higher intakes of fiber and healthy fats, compared to people who didn’t eat avocados. Among the list of benefits, this delicious and healthy fruit uniquely contains fiber and healthy fats in each nutrient-dense bite which slows digestion, helping you feel satisfied and fuller longer which can help you consume fewer calories overall. In fact, if you’re using a GLP-1, avocados are one of the foods to add to your menu to make small meals feel more filling and satisfying while supporting nutrient needs.
Scientists also recently took a second look at the largest study* about avocado consumption to-date involving close to 1,000 adults, per the journal “Current Developments in Nutrition,” and found that consistently eating one avocado every day for six months (no other diet changes required) significantly reduced dietary glycemic load (GL) by nearly 14 points, a metric that evaluates how what you are eating is affecting your blood sugar levels. GL may be an important consideration in the management of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. By slowing digestion, fiber and healthy fats also support stable blood sugar levels.
There are many ways to enjoy avocados, including chopped, sliced, mashed, blended, in baked goods or even frozen. Avocados add flavor, variety and nutrition across the day.
Try these recipes for Avocado and Blueberry Chia Pudding, Avocado Breakfast Bowl with Leafy Greens for your next breakfast or snack.
*Remember: Small, consistent food choices can add up over time. Research suggests regularly eating avocados may support weight management and blood sugar targets while providing the fiber and healthy fats that many Americans are overlooking. These studies were supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center. While these findings are encouraging, the studies highlighted show an association, not cause and effect, and thus more research is needed to confirm these findings in other populations.
To explore evidence-based avocado nutrition information, along with practical tips and easy recipes, visit Avocados – Love One Today, a leading resource for avocado nutrition information.
Avocado and Blueberry Chia Pudding
- 1 1/2 cups plain, unsweetened soy milk (or milk of choice)
- 1 ripe, fresh avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
- 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
To Serve:
- 1/3 cup granola
- 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 kiwi, chopped
- 1/2 fresh, ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped
- In blender, puree soy milk, avocado, blueberries, yogurt and maple syrup until smooth. Pour mixture into storage container or bowl and add chia seeds. Whisk well to combine. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight, until thickened.
- To serve, divide into bowls and top with granola, fresh blueberries, kiwi and avocado.
- Notes: Use any milk (dairy or non-dairy) that you prefer in pudding. Use fresh blueberries or conventional frozen blueberries. Other topping options include: nuts, seeds, hemp hearts, sliced banana or strawberries, or nut butter.
Avocado Breakfast Bowl with Leafy Greens
Bowl:
- 1 medium sweet potato, chopped (about 1 3/4 cup)
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup water, plus additional for boiling eggs, divided
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 ripe, fresh avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled red onions
Avocado Tahini Dressing:
- 1/2 large avocado
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 lemon, juice only (2 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Add chopped sweet potato to baking sheet. Spray with cooking oil then add smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. Toss to coat in spices. Bake 22-25 minutes, or until tender.
- In medium saucepan, add quinoa and water. Bring to simmer and cover, cooking 12-15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and fluffy.
- Fill small saucepan with water and bring to boil. Use slotted spoon to lower eggs into water. Cook 8 minutes then transfer eggs to bowl of ice water to cool before peeling.
- To make dressing: In small blender, puree avocado, tahini, lemon juice, water and fresh chives until smooth. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed, to thin until pourable. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Assemble bowls, each with 1/2 sweet potato, 1/2 cup quinoa, 1 egg, 1 cup arugula, 1/2 avocado, 2 tablespoons pickled red onion and 3 tablespoons dressing. Reserve remaining dressing in refrigerator.
Heart-Healthy Frozen Avocado Banana Paleta
- 1 ripe, fresh avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
- 4 cups orange juice
- 2 medium bananas, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 8 paper cups (5 ounces)
- 8 wooden craft sticks
- In blender, blend avocado, orange juice, bananas and lime juice on high until smooth. Divide into paper cups. Cover cups with aluminum foil. Insert one stick through center of each foil. Freeze 4 hours until firm.
SOURCE:
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Food and Beverage
ALDI Rolls Out Its First-Ever Line of Ready-Made Meals
ALDI is entering the ready-made meal market with seven fresh, refrigerated dishes priced under $15. The rollout begins in October, with nationwide availability expected by January 2027.
Busy shoppers looking for a quick dinner option will soon have something new waiting in the refrigerated section at ALDI.
ALDI is launching its first-ever collection of fresh, ready-made meals, introducing seven single-serve and family-size dishes designed to combine convenience, affordability and familiar comfort-food flavors.
The new meals begin rolling out at select ALDI stores in early October, with additional markets receiving them throughout the fall. ALDI expects the entire collection to be available nationwide by January 2027.
Seven New Meals — Ready to Heat and Eat
Unlike frozen dinners, ALDI says its new meals are delivered fresh and sold refrigerated in easy-to-heat trays.
The initial lineup includes five single-serve meals priced under $8:
- Beef Bolognese Spaghetti
- Beef Brisket with White Mac & Cheese
- Butter Chicken & Rice
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Two larger family-size meals will be available for under $15:
- Chicken and Bacon Mac n’ Cheese
- Meat Lovers Pizza Bake
ALDI says the recipes were developed around ingredients including chicken breast, smoked beef brisket, real cheeses and made-from-scratch sauces.
The single-serve meals contain between 30 and 46 grams of protein per serving, according to the company. Family-size offerings provide between 16 and 22 grams per serving.
Convenience Without the Restaurant Bill
The move puts ALDI more directly into the growing market for prepared refrigerated meals — an increasingly attractive option for consumers who want something more substantial than a frozen dinner but don’t necessarily have the time or desire to cook from scratch.
ALDI cited the 2026 International Food Information Council Food & Health Survey, which found that 61% of Americans consider convenience an important factor when purchasing food.
“Our shoppers are looking for meals that fit into busy lives without sacrificing quality or stretching their budgets,” Joan Kavanaugh, Vice President of National Buying for ALDI U.S., said in the company’s announcement.
ALDI supplier Kitchen Food Company said hundreds of recipes were tested while developing the new collection.
Dinner in Just a Few Minutes
Convenience is a major part of the concept.
Depending on the variety, ALDI’s single-serve meals require roughly 3½ to 4½ minutes in the microwave. The company instructs consumers to heat the meals until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
The larger family meals can be prepared in a conventional oven at 350 degrees, with approximately 40 minutes of total cooking time.
Shoppers will find the meals in the refrigerated meals section near the front of participating ALDI stores.
More Meals Are Coming
The seven dishes are only the beginning.
ALDI says it plans to introduce additional ready-made meals through its rotating ALDI Finds selection every month during the next year. That could allow the retailer to experiment with additional recipes, flavors and seasonal offerings while expanding its presence in prepared foods.
The timing also makes the rollout noteworthy. With restaurant meals and takeout competing for household food dollars, prepared grocery-store meals occupy a middle ground: more convenient than cooking from scratch while potentially costing considerably less than feeding a family through restaurant delivery or takeout.
For ALDI shoppers, that means the familiar question of “What’s for dinner?” may soon have a few more answers — and they could be waiting just inside the front door.
Source: ALDI, September 22, 2026
Sources & Related Links
- ALDI — Official Announcement: ALDI Launches First-Ever Collection of Ready-Made Meals
- Original Press Release: ALDI Ready-Made Meals — PR Newswire
- Consumer Research: 2026 IFIC Food & Health Survey — Convenience Outranks Healthfulness
- More ALDI News: ALDI U.S. Newsroom
- More Food & Drink Coverage: STM Daily News Food & Drink
Hungry for More?
Looking for more easy dinner ideas, meal-planning inspiration, and affordable meals? Explore STM Daily News Food & Drink for the latest recipes, food news, restaurant stories, culinary trends and more.
A poached egg may look fancy, but it is surprisingly easy to prepare. With a tender egg white and warm, runny yolk, it makes a delicious addition to toast, salads, breakfast bowls or avocado toast.
Ingredients
- 1 large fresh egg
- Water
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar, optional
- Salt and black pepper
- Toast or English muffin for serving, optional
Instructions
Fill a saucepan with about 2 to 3 inches of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Avoid a rolling boil, which can break the egg apart.
Crack the egg into a small cup or bowl. Add the vinegar to the water if desired—it helps the egg white hold its shape.
Gently slide the egg into the simmering water. Cook for about 3 minutes for a runny yolk, or 4 to 5 minutes for a firmer center.
Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and place it briefly on a paper towel to absorb excess water. Season with salt and pepper, then serve immediately.
Quick Tip
Fresh, cold eggs usually produce the neatest poached eggs because their whites are thicker and stay closer to the yolk while cooking.
Simple, satisfying and ready in minutes, a poached egg is an easy way to make an everyday breakfast feel a little more special.
recipes
Fiber is Trending: Sorghum Makes it Simple
One whole grain quietly gaining recognition for its impressive nutritional profile and versatility in the kitchen is sorghum. This Sorghum Fall Harvest Salad makes it easy to add more fiber to your plate, pairing whole-grain sorghum with seasonal produce like kale, butternut squash and apples.
Fiber is Trending: Sorghum Makes it Simple
(Feature Impact) Protein has long dominated nutrition headlines. Now, dietitians encourage people to pay close attention to another important nutrient: fiber.
One whole grain quietly gaining recognition for its impressive nutritional profile and versatility in the kitchen is sorghum. It’s a naturally gluten-free whole grain that provides both fiber and protein, contains naturally occurring antioxidants and supplies essential nutrients including magnesium, iron and B vitamins.
One reason sorghum is attracting attention is its fiber content. Whole-grain sorghum contains a type of fiber called resistant starch, which research has shown can contribute to healthy body weight and improved insulin resistance.
Unlike many refined gluten-free products that are lower in fiber, sorghum delivers the benefits of a whole grain while remaining naturally gluten-free. Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or simply want to enjoy a wider variety of whole grains, sorghum is an easy addition to your menu.
Another reason nutrition experts are taking a closer look at sorghum is its antioxidant content, specifically its health-promoting polyphenols.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is how easy sorghum is to cook with. Whole-grain sorghum offers a mild, slightly nutty flavor and pleasantly chewy texture, making it a delicious alternative for brown rice, quinoa or farro in grain bowls, soups and salads.
Pearled sorghum cooks faster, making it ideal for busy weeknights. Sorghum flour can replace wheat flour in pancakes, muffins and quick breads, while popped sorghum creates bite-sized crunchy kernels for a fun snack or topping for yogurt, soups and salads. For example, this Sorghum Fall Harvest Salad makes it easy to add more fiber to your plate, pairing whole-grain sorghum with seasonal produce like kale, butternut squash and apples.
Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean following the latest trend. Sometimes it simply means rediscovering nutritious foods that have stood the test of time. With its combination of fiber, protein, antioxidants and naturally gluten-free, whole-grain goodness, sorghum is an ancient grain worth adding to your pantry.
You can find dozens of recipes, cooking tips and meal ideas at SorghumCheckoff.com/recipes.
Easy Sorghum Swaps for Everyday Dishes
If you’re looking for ways to add more sorghum to your meals, these easy swaps make it simple to enjoy this versatile grain in recipes you already love.
- Replace rice. Use cooked whole-grain or pearled sorghum instead of white or brown rice in grain bowls, stir fries, burrito bowls and side dishes.
- Swap for pasta. Stir cooked sorghum into pasta salads or use it in place of small pasta shapes in soups for a hearty twist.
- Mix into salads. Add cooked sorghum to green salads, grain salads or vegetable salads for extra texture and whole-grain nutrition.
- Boost your breakfast. Stir cooked sorghum into oatmeal, yogurt parfaits or breakfast bowls then top with fruit, nuts or cinnamon.
- Bake with sorghum flour. Replace wheat flour in pancakes, muffins, cookies, waffles or quick breads with sorghum flour for a mild, slightly sweet flavor.
Sorghum Fall Harvest Salad
Recipe courtesy of Sorghum Checkoff
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash, cubed
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for drizzling, divided
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sorghum syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 4 cups kale, chopped
- 1 cup cooked whole-grain sorghum
- 1 small apple, diced
- 1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup red onions, diced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss cubed butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and golden.
- In a jar or small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sorghum syrup, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper, to taste, until emulsified.
- Add chopped kale to a large bowl. Massage with a drizzle of olive oil 1-2 minutes until tender.
- Arrange precooked sorghum, roasted squash, apple, pecans, dried cranberries, red onion and feta cheese on top of kale.
- Drizzle with sorghum syrup dressing just before serving. Toss lightly to combine or serve dressing on the side.
SOURCE:
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