In honor of Weis Markets at Brunswick Crossing, we're offering our neighbors and friends weekly Kitchen Wisdom to take into your new home.
This week, in conjunction with our second Be Wise event about the deli meat at our grocery store, we're talking about how to incorporate our deli into your meal planning. Check it out below:
Deli meat is a great way to introduce healthy meals into your family's diet. From turkey and chicken to ham and roast beef, plenty of options exist for everyone in your family. Here's how to include Weis Markets' deli meat into your meal planning:
Think about dinner. Many people assume that deli meat and cheese is reserved for lunchtime sandwiches and salads. Switch it up by incorporating these ingredients on your dinnertime menu. Check out The Modern Commonplace Book's dinner recipes for Mexican pizza, paninis, stuffed peppers, pasta salad, and more.
Check out Weis Markets' specials. Each grocery store service deli offers a certain variety of meats each week. Go to the store on Sunday or Monday and check out what they're offering. When you find out the list of go-to meats, create your meal plan around that. It's like someone already did the work for you!
Avoid prepackaged meat. If you're leaning toward the prepackaged meat and cheese for convenience and cost, skip it. These foods add hidden preservatives, including sodium nitrite, to stay on grocery store shelves for a longer period of time. The preservatives have been loosely linked to cancer and lung disease, though a deeper study is required.
According to Livestrong, prepackaged meat can also become contaminated with listeria, which is harmful for those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, children, and the elderly. This form of food poisoning can cause muscle aches, fever, nausea, and more.
When you take the time to visit the deli in Weis Markets at Brunswick Crossing, you'll see friendly faces, and you help locally sourced farmers in Maryland succeed for generations to come.
While you can purchase low sodium or no-salt prepackaged meats, deli visits also avoid the risk of preservatives and contamination because Weis Markets regularly chooses fresh meat and cheese for our neighbors.
Use the freezer. Did you know that you can put deli cheese in the freezer to make it last longer? When you're ready, thaw it completely on the counter before putting it back in the fridge.
You can also put breakfast and lunch sandwiches in the freezer for a time saver during busy back-to-school mornings. It keeps the meat cold, and you can separately pack condiments and veggies to add by lunchtime.
Pick up sides. Many deli counters also have healthy side options nearby, including fresh fruits and vegetables, macaroni or potato salad, and pasta. This helps busy parents create full meals within minutes of getting to the grocery store. Amid the hustle and bustle of life, you can also pick up a whole rotisserie chicken to save time.
Understand what you're getting. If your family is health conscious, it's important to research which deli meats are best. Generally, bologna is the least healthy. As it's sausage made of cured beef and/or pork with added spices, salt, and chemicals, it's best to stay away.
As for turkey, roast beef, ham, and others, the type of process (oven smoked, roasted, etc.) doesn't make much of a difference. What you should ask about is whether it's grass-fed, certified organic, and pesticide-free.
