New Products to Stock Up On
It’s a new year and a good time to stock up on fresh, healthy foods. The next time you hit the supermarket, take a good look around—you’ll see many new products on the shelves. Here are some of our favorite finds.
Besides the basic pale yellow color, quinoa can be found in a vibrant shade of red. Several companies including Eden Foods, Trader Joe’s and Quinola sell them. You might see black quinoa on the market as well.
This ancient grain is derived from young green wheat. It cooks up similar to wheat berries and is a great way to mix up your daily grains. It does take a bit more time to cook than rice-- so cook up a double batch to use throughout the week in dishes like soups, salads and pilafs.
Frozen yogurt has gone Greek, which means more protein per serving. Ben and Jerry’s has epic flavors though it's still around 200 calories per ½ cup (comparable to ice cream). If you’re looking to cut calories, Ciao Bella makes Greek frozen yogurt bars for around 75 calories each.
You’ll find all types of chips made from lentils and beans hitting store shelves. Mediterranean Snacks Lentil Chips have about 30 fewer calories, half the fat, and more than twice as much protein than traditional chips. A one ounce portion for 110 calories can be dipped in 2 tablespoons of hummus for a filling snack.
So many varieties can now be found of these yummy snacks. One of my favorite newby is Go Vida Foods with a diversity of flavors like Kiwi & Mango, Strawberry & Dulce de Leche and Dragon Fruit & Cape Gooseberry. They’re high in antioxidants like vitamin C and have 70 calories or less per serving.
My husband went gaga over these single-portioned cheeses by Alouette. Perfect for a snack with crackers or to spread on your morning whole-wheat toast.
String cheese has moved to a whole new level. Get your calcium fix by snacking on flavors like jalapeno, cracked pepper or a combo of cheeses (like Colby and Jack).
Upfront Nutty Granola doesn’t play any games -- as the name indicates, the nutrition facts and ingredients are on the FRONT of the label. The first ingredient is organic whole-grain oats, followed by pecans and almonds (yum!). The single-serving packets are the perfect size for a quick on-the-go snack.
It’s not just about the percentage of cocoa any longer -- if you want to indulge on an ounce of dark chocolate, you may be overwhelmed at the delicious choices -- you'll find the chocolate flavored with herbs, citrus peel, nuts and even cayenne pepper. One of my favorite flavores is Chocolove’s Almond and Sea Salt.
These brightly-hued sprinkles sold at Williams-Sonoma are derived from edible plants like spinach, beets and red cabbage. They’re perfect for an indoor baking activity with the kiddos during these cold winter months.
The combo of sweet Marsala wine with Mission figs is perfection in this vinegar. Use to flavor salads, grilled veggies, meats and poultry.
Spice up dishes like chili and stir-fries with dried chili peppers. Choose from mild to fiery hot— Penzey’s does a great job differentiating the varieties and is one of our favorite places to order from.
Although almond milk has been around for a while, it’s becoming more mainstream. Keep your eyes peeled for this dairy-free milk at your grocer. It comes in original, vanilla, chocolate and coconut flavors.