Spruce Up Your Summer Salads!

It’s officially summer which means…bring on the summer food! Sure, hot dogs, burgers, corn on the cob and watermelon are the seasonal favorites at picnics and other social gatherings, but one dish that has recently made a splash is the salad! A dish that typically ‘blends in’ on the table is now fun, creative, and colorful, and it becomes the hit of the party! Sometimes, lettuce is even completely left out! Check out these new and creative salads:

Strawberry and Feta Salad
Get those fresh, summer strawberries, and toss them with lettuce, almonds, feta cheese and tangy vinaigrette dressing.

Pear and Bleu Cheese Salad
Toss fresh, leafy greens with brown sugar, bleu cheese crumbles, pears and pecans.

Waldorf Chicken Salad
This traditional salad never gets old with chicken, juicy fruits, celery, nuts and mayo!

Tomato Watermelon Salad
Combine watermelon, tomatoes, onions, arugula, almonds and feta cheese for a refreshing salad.

Fun Facts About the Salad:

• In USA salad is served before entrée. In Europe, it’s served after.
• Coleslaw existed as early as the ancient Roman times. Its modern translation appears to have been derived from the Dutch term koolsalade.
• We produce nearly 40 million pounds of salad per month!
• July 4^th may be our country’s most important holiday, but we can’t forget that it’s also National Caesar Salad Day!

Check out more Salad Fun Facts!

Get creative with your summer salads! And don’t forget to stop at your local Sparkle Market for your fresh, quality ingredients.

America’s Regional Hot Dog Styles

It’s Memorial Day weekend, so pull out the grill and cook up some of your summer favorites! One entree that’s guaranteed to make an appearance at your cookout? The hot dog!

But depending on where you are in the U.S., the “normal” version of a hot dog may be styled differently than the standard ketchup and mustard. Almost every region has a local variation of the American classic. Check out the variety!

New York
One of the most quintessential street foods, New Yorkers love their hot dogs. The Big Apple whips them up in a variety of ways, but the classic comes with steamed onions in a tomato-based sauce and mustard.

Chicago
Windy city residents like their hot dogs dressed to the nines: yellow mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato slices, spicy pickled green peppers, a pickle spear with a dash of celery salt—all huddled up in a poppy-seed bun.

Detroit
Named after the place where hot dogs first arrived on the scene, Michigan’s “Coney Island” is smothered in all-beef chili, raw white onion, yellow mustard and shredded cheddar cheese.

Ohio
Known as the “Cheese Coney,” Cincinnati chili is served on a Coney-style hot dog and topped with cheese.

Kansas City
This hot dog celebrates the Rueben sandwich—topped with melted Swiss cheese and sauerkraut and is packed into a sesame-seed bun.

Atlanta
Georgia peaches order their hot dogs “dragged through the garden,” or slipped into a top-sliced bun and covered with coleslaw.

Houston
Texans like to spice their hot dogs up with chili, cheese and jalapenos!

Seattle
In this west coast city, hot dogs are served with cream cheese and grilled onions on a toasted bun.

How will you be styling your hot dog this holiday weekend? Your location will make all the difference.

Summertime Equals Strawberries

Summer has practically arrived! And that means one thing in the grocery world—your favorite fruits are in-season again! And what’s a more quintessential summer fruit than the strawberry? They’re sweet, juicy and contain many vitamins and minerals that contribute to a healthy and balanced diet! Check out some of these strawberry fun facts to share with family and friends at your next barbeque!

• 94% of US households consume strawberries.
• Americans eat 3.4 pounds of fresh strawberries each year.
• Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the spring.
• Strawberries are grown in every state in the US and every province of Canada.
• Strawberries are members of the rose family.
• Strawberries are low fat and low calorie; high in vitamin C, fiber, folic acid and potassium.
• The average strawberry has 200 seeds.
• In a test, subjects who ate nitrate rich foods, like strawberries, before exercising, burned 100 more calories than those who did not.
• In medieval times, strawberries were served at important functions to bring peace and prosperity.
• There is a museum in Belgium dedicated just to strawberries.

During the summertime, strawberries can be eaten at any meal—with your yogurt at breakfast, a side dish at lunch, on your salad at dinner or dipped in chocolate for dessert! It’s safe to say that you and your family will be consuming a lot of strawberries within the next few months. Enjoy them while you can, and stop at your local Sparkle Market for fresh summer strawberries!!

Ice Cream vs. Fro-Yo—Which is Actually the Better Frozen Treat?

As the weather gets warmer, there’s nothing better than treating yourself to a cool dish or cone of ice cream. However, it is really no surprise that ice cream tends to be high in calories and fat. And lately, there has been a new and “healthier” cold dessert on the scene—frozen yogurt.

Is this the end of ice cream? Hardly. Even though frozen yogurt is considered the better option, many question if it really is. In general, frozen yogurt is a healthier alternative to high-fat ice cream, but when compared to low-fat ice cream, they have the same nutritional value.

Check out the nutritional breakdown of the two:

Calories

Both ice cream and frozen yogurt are made from dairy products. If both are made from whole fat dairy, the calories will be similar. One half-cup serving of vanilla ice cream has 130 calories, and a half-cup serving of banana frozen yogurt has 121 calories.

However, the calorie and fat content in ice cream will be a lot higher if it’s made with cream. A half-cup of fat-free, sugar-free frozen yogurt has only 80 calories, while the same serving of low-fat fudge ripple ice cream has 120 calories.

Fat

The American Heart Association does say your diet requires a bit of fat each day, but that doesn’t mean you can run to the store and stock up on frozen desserts—no more than 7% of your fat calories should come from saturated fats.

One serving of vanilla ice cream contains 7 grams total fat with 5 grams of saturated fat, while the same serving of banana frozen yogurt has 2 grams total fat with 2 grams of saturated fat. A half-cup of fat-free, sugar-free frozen yogurt contains no fat.

Carbohydrates and Sugar

While carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy, sugars in processed foods, like those in ice cream and frozen yogurt, offer little to no nutrition and add on the calories. According to LIVESTRONG, “MayoClinic.com recommends limiting sugar calories to 260 for a 2000-per-day diet.”

One half-cup of vanilla ice cream contains 17 grams of carbohydrates and 10 grams of sugar, while a half-cup of banana frozen yogurt has 22 grams of carbohydrates and 12 grams of sugar. However, fat-free, sugar-free ice cream has neither carbohydrates nor sugar.

Sodium

Also an essential nutrient, too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and heart problems. Ice cream, frozen yogurt and other processed foods have added sodium.

Ice cream and frozen yogurt do contain similar amounts of sodium per serving. A one-half cup serving of vanilla ice cream contains 45 milligrams of sodium, and the same amount of banana frozen yogurt cream has 67 milligrams.

All in all, there isn’t a solid answer on whether ice cream or frozen yogurt is the healthier frozen dessert—it all depends on the types you’re comparing! Frozen yogurt dominates when compared to high-fat ice cream, but ties with low-fat ice cream.

Lesson learned? Whether you prefer ice cream or frozen yogurt, stick to the frozen desserts with the lowest calories and amount of fats. The best options are low-fat or no-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet. And try to avoid those unhealthy toppings—they pack on the calories quick!

For more nutritional information on ice cream and frozen yogurt, check out LIVESTRONG!

Make Time for Family Dinners!

Late night work meetings, soccer practice, tutor sessions, etc.—these and other activities that make your schedule hectic make sitting down for a family meal seem impossible. It seems more common that families on-the-go are eating portable granola bars for breakfast and stopping at drive-through’s for dinner.

But according to the Importance of Family Dinner IV, a report from National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, “59% of families report eating dinner together at least five times a week—an increase from only 47% in 1998.”

So if you’re not part of the 59%, here are some reasons why you should make time to sit the whole family down for dinner more often:

Relieves Stress

A ruthless boss, back-to-back meetings and a workload piled up to the ceiling—if you have a demanding job, finding time to eat with your family may leave you feeling less stressed.

In 2008, researchers at Brigham Young University conducted a study of IBM workers and found that “sitting down to a family meal helped working moms reduce the tension and strain from long hours at the office.”

You Control Your Portions

Going out to a restaurant can seem more convenient for your time, but it’s definitely not convenient for your health. As the portion sizes grow, so do the number of calories (the average restaurant meal has 60% more calories than a homemade meal). And when you’re presented with more food, you eat more food…even when you’re not truly hungry.

Better Grades

According to the CASA report, 20% of teens that eat with their family fewer than three times a week get C’s or lower on their report cards. Family meals give children a chance to have conversations with adults. Not only does this give them an opportunity to observe how adults use words with each other, but it builds their vocabulary, too.

Saves You Money!

According to the national Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2007, the average household spent $3,465 on meals at home, and $2,668 on meals outside of the home. However, that $2,668 spent on meals at restaurants and fast food joints only accounts for about 30% of meals in the year. That’s about $8 per meal outside the home, and only about $4.50 per each meal made in your own home.

So no matter how exhausting your day at work was, change your night schedule, skip the fast food and have your family sit down to a home-cooked meal. Both you and your family will reap the benefits in no time.

Check out CNN.com for an extended list of the importance of family dinners.

Best Summer Foods for Weight Loss

Summer is just around the corner, and you’re not exactly ready to put on those shorts or swimsuit quite yet. No need to try a wacky diet or starve yourself for that beach body. The secret to shedding off those extra winter pounds is to choose healthy foods, and it’s easier than you think! While heavy, high-calorie foods seem more appealing in the colder weather, people are more drawn to light, refreshing foods in the hot summer months.

Experts say that the single, easiest way to trim calories from your summer diet is to load up on nature’s bounty. Besides being low in calories, fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Produce is at its best in the summer, so you can actually enjoy your foods while trimming your waistline! And when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, you can forget about portion control! It’s hard to pack on the pounds when these foods are so nutritious.

Check out some of the best summer foods that can help with weight loss!

Chilled Soups

Who wants a hot bowl of soup when it’s hot outside? Not only will cold soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill help keep you cool, they also contain lots of vegetables, are low-calorie and are a great way to start a meal! According to Susan Moores, RD, “Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal.”

Watermelon

Ah, watermelon—the epitome of summer fruit. Half of the watermelon comes from water, so not only will it quench your thirst, it will keep you hydrated, too! Plus, it’s a great low-calorie dessert alternative when you’re craving something sweet.

Grilled Vegetables

Try keeping your refrigerator stocked with onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant and asparagus. You can make a variety of delicious dishes like grilled vegetable pitas, grilled vegetable and goat cheese salads and grilled vegetable, ricotta and fresh herb pasta. It’s easy to see that grilled vegetables are a must-have.

Low- and No-Calorie Beverages

It’s most likely that you’ll be consuming more smoothies, sweet teas, iced coffees and sodas to help keep you cool from the hot temperatures. But the calories add up and usually don’t make an impact on your hunger. If water seems too boring, try infusing a pitcher of water with sliced fruits or vegetables, concoct a juice spritzer (mix 1 ½ ounces of your favorite juice with eight ounces of soda water) or stick to teas and sodas with low sugar and calorie content.

So as the summer months come closer, stop by your local Sparkle Market to pick up your fresh, healthy produce!

And check out 6 Best Summer Foods for Weight Loss for more pound-shedding food ideas!

Building a Healthy Sandwich Step by Step – Part 2

Here is the continuation of the steps to building the perfect and healthy sandwich for you!

Veggies

Avoid:

• Pickles: When it starts as a low-nutrition cucumber and then soaks in vinegar, we really shouldn’t be surprised that pickles are high in sodium and nutritionally weak. Limit yourself to a few slices on your sandwich, and don’t eat those extra pickle spears on the side!

Try These:

• Tomatoes: What can’t this vegetable do? Loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant that fights off cancers, tomatoes also improve cholesterol and protect your skin from UV rays.
• Red Onion: Red onions contain potent antioxidants called anthocyanidins, the same flavonoids that give blueberries their cognitive-boosting capabilities! They’re sweeter than their white counterparts and mild enough to eat raw!
• Arugula: Substitute your nutritionally weak iceberg lettuce with arugula! It has a spicy, peppery bite and is packed with cancer-fighting flavonols!

Cheese

Avoid:

• Cheddar: Even though it’s packed with calcium, cheddar is one of the fattiest cheeses—with more than a third of your day’s saturated fat in one serving.

Try These:

• Swiss: The bigger the holes, the better the cheese. Eat This, Not That says, “The bacteria in the cheese release carbon dioxide during the aging process, and the bigger holes signify conditions more favorable to flavorful cheese.” The bigger the holes, the fewer the calories!
• Pepper Jack: If you can stand the heat, you’re in good hands. While the cheese is filled with protein and calcium, the jalapeno peppers in Pepper Jack have a dose of fiery hot capsaicins, phytochemicals that boost metabolism and lower bad cholestrol.

Accents

Avoid:

• Mayonnaise: Mayo has nearly as much fat as pure vegetable oil…because it is nearly pure vegetable oil. And when combined with egg yolks and lemon juice, it becomes the most evil in the condiment world.
• Oil & Vinegar: The vinegar isn’t the problem—it’s its counterpart. The uneven distribution of low-grade soybean oil not only makes your bread soggy, but also adds more calories than needed/wanted.

Try These:

• Pesto: Made with olive oil, basil, garlic and pine nuts, pesto is one of the healthiest alternative sandwich spreads!
• Hummus: Looking for a mayonnaise substitute? Hummus is your spread! It’s nearly as creamy, has a milder flavor and has about 90% less fat! Plus, it fights down blood sugar!
• Cranberry Sauce: You eat it with your Turkey at Thanksgiving, right? Why not add it to your everyday turkey sandwich? With 50% more antioxidants than blueberries, cranberry sauce can help preserve your cells.

For more sandwich ingredients to try and avoid, check out Eat This, Not That!

Building a Healthy Sandwich Step by Step – Part 1

Sandwiches. They’re the staple to your everyday lunch. When made the right way, sandwiches can be packed with nutrition and can keep you full throughout your day. But sometimes making your own sandwich can seem like another chore, and buying it seems like the easy way out. However, according to Eat This, Not That, “…most stackers prepared anywhere other than your kitchen counter are caloric catastrophes.”

So head to your neighborhood Sparkle Market’s deli and make your perfect – and healthy – sandwich!

Below is the sandwich component breakdown from meat to cheese to condiments. By the end of this two-part blog, you’ll know what to (and not to) squeeze between those two slices of bread.

Bread

Avoid:

• Sourdough: Sourdough is refined wheat with a bacteria culture—meaning it lacks fiber. Taking a big bite of this bread has a similar effect on your blood sugar as to eating a doughnut.
• French Roll: When it comes to any type of roll, size matters. If you don’t portion control, this bread alone can add up to more than 300 calories!

Try These:

• Rye Bread: With its sharp and sour flavor, rye bread has a good amount of fiber and a number of nutrients, including: manganese, selenium and tryptophan, an essential amino acid that helps your brain regulate serotonin levels.
• Whole-Grain Pita: Not only are pitas high in fiber, but they also take your sandwich to a whole other level by transforming it into a wrap! Get inspired by the Mediterranean culture and stuff your pita with hummus, cucumbers, feta cheese and tomatoes. Who knew a veggie sandwich could be so fun…and delicious?

Meat

Avoid:

• Tuna Salad: The amount of mayonnaise in store-bought tuna salad can increase your sandwich with more calories than an entire pound of turkey. Don’t discard tuna entirely—it has tons of protein and healthy fats. Just make a lighter version at home with celery, onion, lemon juice and olive oil.
• Bacon: It may have a lot of protein, but it’s outweighed by the high fat and sodium content. If you have to have that BLT, limit your sandwich to two-three slices, on whole wheat bread, stacked with lettuce and thick tomato slices.

Try These:

• Turkey Breast: It’s really no surprise that turkey made the list. It’s lean and packed with tryptophan, a serotonin-boosting amino acid that helps fight off depression and anxiety and helps regulate sleep cycles.
• Roast Beef: Who knew? Many would think roast beef was high in calories and fat, but, in fact, it’s lean and low calorie. It even has more protein than turkey and less sodium than ham!

“All-Star” MLB Ballpark Foods

With the MLB season opener last week, thousands of people all over the country put on their best caps and jerseys and ventured to the stadium of their choice to see their favorite teams kick off the 2012 baseball season.

And let’s be honest, they didn’t eat a full meal before they left the house. Half of the fun of attending a baseball game is the food! Whether you’re craving traditional fare like hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn, or something more different or upscale, MLB’s 30 ballpark stadiums are sure to please.

Check out some of these cuisines from “The All-Star Ballpark Menu!”

The Hammer - Turner Field, Atlanta Braves

Named after legendary slugger, Hank Aaron, this “soul food” inspired sandwich doesn’t disappoint on the crunch. Sandwiched between two waffles, a fried chicken patty is adorned with fried onion straws, two strips of bacon, pepper jack cheese and a lightly sweet, maple mayonnaise.

Rocky Mountain Oysters - Coors Field, Colorado Rockies

This regional novelty food is not for the faint of heart. Besides getting over the fact that they’re not really oysters, visiting fans also should be warned that what they’re really consuming is fried bull testicles. Fans say that they’re very tasty, though, comparing them to calamari or (real) oysters.

Primanti Bros. Sandwich - PNC Park, Pittsburgh Pirates

This is for the person that loves complete meals and hates plates and silverware. With grilled meat and fresh Italian bread, cole slaw and french fries are also inserted inside the sandwich, too! It’s a whole meal in one bite.

Ichiroll - Safeco Field, Seattle Mariners

Eating sushi at a ballpark seems a bit “hoity toity” to most, but it’s pretty common to see fans munching on the Ichiroll in the Safeco stands. It’s a standard extra spicy tuna roll combination and has a bit of wasabi to add that extra kick. Each is prepared in front of you by real sushi chefs. It’s also a healthier option over the typical fried foods sold at the games!

Fish Tacos - Petco Park, San Diego Padres

If you’re in the mood for Mexican, you’re in the right ballpark. Rubio’s famous Baja-style fish tacos have tons of flavor—crispy beer-battered fish, shredded cabbage, salsa and tangy white sauce combined on a soft or hard flour tortilla.

Cheese Coney - Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati Reds

This isn’t your average chilidog. Its unique ‘Cincinnati Style’ chili has a touch of cocoa, and its spiciness is balanced by a massive pile of cool shredded cheddar cheese. Add mustard or onions and you have yourself a local favorite!

Hungry for more? Check out Sports Illustrated for the full menu…just avoid the calorie count on the right.

A School Lunch that Moms and Kids Will Love!

Kids’ lunches—they may be an extra chore on the list of things to do, but they can make all the difference. Sure, it’s easy to hand them a few dollars and tell them to buy their mid-day meal from the school cafeteria. But if your kids are in charge of the money, it’s highly unlikely they’re going to reach for that apple over the bag of potato chips.

If you pack your children’s lunches, you’re not only ensuring they’re receiving their daily nutrition, you’re also able to cater to his/her likes and dislikes; meaning there’s a greater chance they’ll actually eat their lunch rather than throwing it away or bringing it home in its entirety.

Below is a step-by-step guide to packing the perfect school lunch.

Drink: Rarely do parents think about this, but the drink you pack can make all the difference. A multitude of kids’ beverages have nearly as much sugar as soft drinks, and kids can gain 3-5 extra pounds by the end of the school year! Try drinks that are zero or low-calorie and high in nutrition:

• Water
• Lightly sweetened iced tea
• Low-fat milk
• 100% juice drinks

Main Course: Avoid a lunch with refined carbohydrates—they burn quick and will leave your children with low energy and attention for the rest of the school day. Protein, fiber and healthy fats will keep them full and their metabolism running high. Try packing:

• Turkey or roast beef and Swiss on wheat bread (skip the mayo)
• Thermos of hot soup
• Grilled chicken breast
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Tuna tossed with light mayo, mustard, celery and carrots

Sides: According to Eat This, Not That, only one in four kids consumes the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Packing a produce in their lunch is a perfect way to add those much-needed nutrients into their diets! As long as you have at least one serving of fruits or veggies, adding a second crunchy snack is fine. When you’re at your local Sparkle pick up:

• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• Olives
• Bananas, pears, peaches or any other whole fruits
• Almonds
• Raisins
• Small snack bags of pretzel sticks

Dessert: Being healthy doesn’t mean you need to void your kids from sweets entirely. However, the desserts you pack should have no trans fats, less than 12 grams of sugar and no more than 100 calories:

• Fruit leather
• Low-fat, low-sugar chocolate pudding
• One Rice Krispie square
• One sugar-free Jell-O cup

Are you kids hungry for more? Check out Eat This, Not That for more healthy school lunch options!