This week marks the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. I had promised myself not to write about it, but alas, found that unavoidable. March 10, 2020 was the last time I saw our fearless leader Jeff Metzger in person, which is weird given that I used to see him much more often. It was also the last day I traveled for work (a Sprouts opening with Dan Croce) for three months, which is even weirder as those of you who know me, know that I am always somewhere seeing someone for some reason. The next day, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 virus a pandemic. Yes, life changed in the blink of an eye. Meetings and events were canceled. My adult children began working from my home, which required adjustments as we navigated the new normal. On March 8, 2020 Dr. Fauci told us that masks were not necessary. The next week, they were necessary. Today, after one year, we have been told to double-mask. (Whatâs the correct number? Who knows, just wear one.) By week two, gloves, masks and disinfectant wipes had their own station at our front door so anything that came in was cleaned. By week three, I had to get out of the house, so I took a ride in my car (aptly dubbed the impermeable âPope Mobileâ) into what looked like an uninhabited planet. It took a long time to adapt to this new normal which changed constantly. Were we okay socializing with four people, or 10? Family or not? More important was the extremely serious but confusing and changing news every minute of every day that created anxiety and fear that remain with us all to this day. One of the biggest questions was, how do we do our food shopping? Was our food safe? Will there be enough to feed everyone? Those in every aspect of the food industry came through big time during the pandemic. Donations to those without means to feed themselves exploded. This generosity continues even now, making sure those in the hard-hit restaurant industry donât go hungry.
And so here we are, with many still in fear and locked down while others are living a COVID-free lifestyle. This deadly virus continues to mutate, keeping the scientists on their toes. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though. Thanks to Operation Warp Speed, the vaccine development and approval process was accelerated, and states began to inoculate the most vulnerable by mid-December 2020. The process is different in each state and quite frankly, itâs been a mess in Pennsylvania. But, chin up, everyone, weâre almost back to normal, whatever that may be.
One complaint from many folks after being locked down in their homes during the pandemic was âCOVID 15,â referring to the weight gain many people experienced as they stayed home and cooked, indulging in good old fattening comfort food. Well, if you fall into that category, ShopRite might have just the right program for you. March has been deemed National Nutrition Month and the retail dieticians at ShopRite are embracing the annual eventâs 2021 theme, âPersonalize Your Plate,â by offering shoppers a range of customized, online services that promote healthy eating choices. National Nutrition Month is an educational campaign organized every March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The organization is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics. âEver since we began offering dietitian services in our stores nearly 15 years ago, our goal has been to support our shoppers by offering personalized healthy eating advice,â says Natalie Menza-Crowe, director of health and wellness at ShopRite. âThis year weâre expanding our reach by offering a combination of both in-store and online services that support a customerâs dietary health needs. Weâre excited that our mission aligns perfectly with the theme of this yearâs National Nutrition Month, âPersonalize your Plate.ââ Founded in 2006, ShopRiteâs in-store registered dietitian program has dozens of registered dietitians servicing ShopRite locations in the communities they serve. They teach shoppers how to better understand ingredients and food labels, make healthy recipe substitutions, and take small but meaningful steps toward living a healthier lifestyle. This year, ShopRiteâs dietitians are celebrating National Nutrition Month with numerous in-store and virtual events geared to help shoppers personalize their health and wellness goals. Some of these events include offering customized food and nutrition advice using the RD virtual chat box available at https://dietitians.shoprite.com/. Since the chat was launched last year, dietitians have conducted more than 16,000 one-on-one chats with customers. Dieticians will be hosting in-store/online events and classes for shoppers and offering personalized consultations, available by appointment. To top that off, ShopRiteâs dietitians will host weekly online cooking segments on its Facebook and Instagram channels. ShopRiteâs team of chefs and dietitians also provide weekly better-for-you meal ideas and how-to videos at shoprite.com/mealsmadewell. Customers can search for additional recipes at The Recipe Shop on ShopRite.com â which offers thousands of delicious meal ideas and recipes, and easy integrations with ShopRiteâs online digital services. Shoppers can create a virtual shopping list and grocery order based off their favorite recipes that can be delivered or picked up in store using ShopRiteâs âShopRite from Homeâ service, accessed by visiting ShopRite.com. Additionally, on March 10, in conjunction with National Nutrition Month, ShopRite celebrated Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day. For more information about National Nutrition Month at ShopRite, please visit www.ShopRite.com.
Sunday, March 14 is National Potato Chip Day. Millions of consumers across the U.S. will stock their pantries with one of Americaâs favorite snack foods, the delicious potato chip. Over the last 75 years, food lovers have enjoyed more than 300 varieties of this crave-able snack from Pennsylvania-based Herrâs, the nationâs largest family-owned snack maker. Since introducing their first potato chip flavor, barbeque, in 1958, the company remains at the forefront of flavor innovation. On March 15, Herrâs celebrated its landmark 75th anniversary, and to commemorate this milestone, the company has released a limited-edition Homestyle Kettle-Cooked Potato Chip and launched 75 days of celebrations to give back to the Philadelphia communities and fans who have supported Herrâs through the years. From April 11-May 14, Herrâs is launching the #ChipInChallenge campaign to help the Philadelphia community and small businesses who struggled during this past year. To jump-start the âchip it forwardâ movement, Herrâs will surprise and delight consumers across Philadelphia neighborhoods by buying their lunch, including a bag of chips, and encouraging them to join the #ChipInChallenge by paying it forward to a fellow Philadelphian. To help build momentum for this random act of kindness, those who take the challenge are encouraged to share on social media with #ChipInChallenge. âIt takes all of us to come together during these difficult times to help each other. Hard times like these are when Philadelphia shows its best self and sometimes a small act can go a long way to help our neighborhoods and small businesses stay afloat,â said chairman and CEO Ed Herr. âWe want to continue helping the city and our consumers that have supported us for 75 years. With this in mind, we are contributing to the Salvation Army to help them provide food assistance for thousands of families, as well as starting the #ChipinChallenge, an initiative to chip in a little for someone else at your favorite stores across Philadelphia.â The limited-time 75th anniversary Homestyle Potato Chip has its roots in Herrâs first potato chips, which were originally hand-cut. Launching the week of March 15 in stores and online, the new chips are thick cut and kettle cooked to deliver a satisfying crunch, seasoned with simple herbs and spices. The Homestyle Potato Chipâs vintage package design is reminiscent of the companyâs founding in 1946 by 21-year-old Jim Stauffer Herr with a $1,750 investment. In addition to charitable giving, innovation has also been an important focus for Herrâs since the early days of the company. Celebrating a history of flavor innovation, which began in 1958 when Herrâs introduced its first flavored potato chip the company is giving fans the chance to vote for their favorite unique Herrâs flavor. For more information about the variety of Herrâs flavors visit www.herrs.com, and follow Herrâs 75th anniversary celebrations on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Happy 75th birthday to the Herr Family!
A tip of the hat to NJFC president Linda Doherty. Every year, two New Jersey business publications, NJBIZ and ROI-NJ, unveil their lists of some of the most influential political and business leaders in the state of New Jersey. Doherty once again made both influencers lists. Accompanying her on the lists are food industry leaders Anthony Calandra of Calandra Enterprises, Mark Clouse of Campbell Soup Company, Joseph Colalillo of Wakefern Food Corp., Richard Saker of Saker ShopRites, and Bob and Peter Unanue of Goya Foods. Congratulations to all!
Celebrating another trip around the sun this March are: Dan Croce, Sprouts Farmers Markets; Bill Sumas, Village Supermarkets; Jeff Brown and Sandy Brown, Brownâs Family Markets; Ed Burda, Utz Snacks; Bill Carter, Knauss Foods; Dave Andrews, Kreider Farms; and Bob Unanue, Goya Foods. Buon compleanno a tutti!
Quote of the month: âLearn to trust the flow of your life for sooner or later, every sunset turns into a sunrise.â Madalina Coman
Maria can be reached at [email protected]
