Nutritious choices made simple®
Orange root vegetables aren’t quite as emblematic of fall as are the various squashes we discussed last week, but they’re an important part of the team. If you want orange in your diet, sweet potatoes and carrots in particular are popular for good reason. They’re delicious. They’re also remarkably flexible in the kitchen.
No one wonders why children countdown the days until Halloween. Trick-or-treating is a magical experience. You wear a fun costume, pretend you are someone/something else, and travel from house to house, through dark neighborhoods filled with spooky creatures and decorations. Along the way, you amass a treasure of treats (mostly candy) before getting home, perhaps past bedtime, to tally up your haul.
Nicole Friedman from Retail Business Services, one of our valued clients, interviewed me about why potato chips earn Guiding Stars. We discussed some of the specific nutritional qualities in different potato chips that separate star-earning chips from chips that don’t earn stars. I also shared a few tips on including potato chips in your diet. Finally, we discussed our new Surprising Stars page, which is dedicated to explaining some of the questions we hear often.
Orange is one of my favorite colors (I use it as an accent color in my kitchen year ‘round). Frankly, I like a lot of foods that are orange, too! I’m not talking about puffed cheese snacks or candy corn (I don’t care for either). I’m going straight for the produce aisle here. If you need a refresher on why you should be putting all that golden goodness on your plates right now, this is it.
Pumpkin pie is one way to eat pumpkin. I guess. Between you, me, and the internet, however, I don’t get it. If I’m going to indulge in a sweet treat, pumpkin pie is pretty low on my list of choices. And frankly, there are SO MANY DELICIOUS THINGS you can do with pumpkin or squash puree. Let’s play.
We’re pleased to congratulate our clients at Ahold Delhaize USA (ADUSA) for their commitment to Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). ADUSA has committed to improving the nutritional quality of the products sold throughout their grocery brands. ADUSA uses Guiding Stars to measure nutrition in their products. By 2025, at least 54% of ADUSA’s private label and unbranded bulk items will earn one, two, or three Guiding Stars.
In addition to eating plenty every day, health professionals recommend eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables because it’s the best way to get all of the vitamins, minerals, and nurients you need. Each color group of produce is rich in specific nutrients that help form a well-balanced diet. No single fruit or vegetable – not even superfoods – can provide all of the nutrients you need. Since Halloween is in just a few weeks, we thought we would dig a little deeper (perhaps 6 feet below the ground…) on the color orange. In this edition of Surprising Stars, we will discuss why the color orange is important for our health, share some ways to eat more orange fruits and vegetables and get clear on colors in the Guiding Stars algorithm.
There are many messages we’ve heard for so long that we just believe them to be truth. “Wear a jacket or you’ll catch a cold.” “Cracking joints causes arthritis.” These are two examples (and incidentally, are myths) that come to mind. But what about carrots and eye health? Are carrots good for your eyes, or is that another health message we’ve been led to believe? Carrots are delicious, versatile, and ideal for a variety of snacks and sides, but are we increasing our odds for 20/20 vision when we enjoy them? Let’s take a closer look (sorry, couldn’t resist).