The Challenge: Find Healthy Food at the Piggly Wiggly

by Peter K in Healthy Traveling, Nutrition, Peter K's Blog

The Challenge: Find healthy food at the local Piggly Wiggly

How did I find myself in this predicament?  The wonderful Episcopal Clergy of Mississippi challenged me to do it after I pontificated on the benefits of eating organic, grass fed, etc .

Pros

• I found fresh fruit and vegetables
• I found canned wild Alaskan Salmon and organic milk
• I found healthier items like salsa, frozen berries, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, extra virgin olive oil, nitrate free deli meat

Cons

• I only found one organic product- milk
• no organic and hormone, antibiotic free, grass fed beef or poultry (I asked the butcher and he said sadly, no)
• Much of the fresh fruit and vegetables came from Mexico or Peru and did not look appetizing

Recommendations

• Supplement Piggly Wiggly shopping with
  • local Mississippi farmers markets- https://www.mdac.ms.gov/bureaus-departments/farmers-market/
  • monthly/bimonthly trip to Whole Foods, Costco, Krogers
  • plant a kitchen garden
  • join a co-op or CSA- http://www.growingpower.org/produce/rainbow/

   

Healthier Choices and Tips

Tomatoes

• chop and toss with fresh greens or salad
• make salsa- http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/restaurant-style-salsa-recipe.html
• make fresh pasta sauce- http://shopcookeatrealfood.com/recipe-marinara-sauce/
• add to tacos, fajitas, sandwiches
• roast in the oven, 300 degrees, for 2 hours, season with salt, drizzle with olive oil

Green Cabbage

• saute with onions, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt
• make wild fermentation sauerkraut- add salt, let ferment- http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/

Chicken Broth

• make chicken/vegetable soup
• add to white wine, olive oil, onions, garlic, to make chicken in white wine sauce- http://shopcookeatrealfood.com/recipe-lemon-chicken-with-white-wine-caper-reduction/

Wild Alaskan Salmon- Canned

• toss over a green salad- http://peterkfitness.com/2013/03/09/recipe-super-simple-salmon-salad/
• make salmon croquettes- http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/salmon-croquettes-0
• make like tuna salad

Whole Wheat Pasta and Bread

• toss pasta with homemade sauce, seasonal vegetables, or extra virgin olive oil and garlic
• make sandwich with nitrate free deli meat, mustard and tomato

Yogurt, 100% Maple Syrup

• Breakfast- yogurt, maple syrup, nuts, fresh fruit

Deli Meat- preservative free (nitrate), no additives

• sandwich on whole wheat bread
• Chef Salad- chopped and toss over green salad

Frozen Berries

• fruit smoothie- berries, maple syrup, water or yogurt, bananna, (spinach or kale optional)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Drizzle on salads,
• Use in place of butter for cooking, sauteing