Fruits and Vegetables from a typical shopping trip for my family.
I am grateful that my entire family loves fresh fruits and vegetables. It makes me a very proud mom when I see my kids grab for some baby carrots or an apple over a handful of chips or cookies.
From a very young age I stressed the importance of eating fruits and vegetables daily. In fact my daughter prefers her vegetables raw (I usually steam my vegetables at dinner time). That is fine with me. I don’t care how my kids eat their fruits and vegetables, as long as they eat them.
I look forward to spring and summer when our local farmer’s markets are overflowing with a bounty of beautiful produce. I like shopping from local farms because the quality of produce is usually better and fresher, its cheaper and you know where the produce comes from.
Did you know that most produce you purchase in grocery stores comes from THOUSANDS of miles away – usually South America or other foreign locations. There are some products that can’t be grown in the United States, but most fruits and vegetables can be.
Think about it. If you purchase apples sourced from another state or another country it means tractor trailers had to transport the food to it’s retail location. That means using up valuable resources (gasoline) and all the unecessary toxic emissions that come from trucks and even boats. It makes better sense to purchase foods sourced locally. Not only that it helps to boost your local and state economy.
I use the fruits and vegetables in my kid’s lunches. They also snack on them when they get home from school. For that reason I always have plenty on hand.
I also like to offer my kids different things to go along with them to keep them interesting, like a dip for the baby carrots or adding peanut butter and raisins to celery.
Check out this cute recipe using Organic Baby Carrots found at BJ’s Wholesale Club.
Heart Dippers
- Holding a knife at an angle cut a few Organic Baby Carrots in half
- Rotate the carrot halves so they form a heart shape
- Pressing firmly, thread a few “hearts” on small, wooden cocktail skewers
Tip- cut the ends of the skewers so they don’t have a point
Too cute! I’m thinking these would make cute appetizers at a party too.
Speaking of BJ’s Wholesale Club, have you heard that BJ’s uses locally sourced produce? I just learned about that recently.
Consumers are increasingly more aware that fruits and vegetables that are in-season, harvested closer to their peak ripeness, and transported shorter distance retain more nutrients. However, according to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, it is estimated that the average American meal still travels about 1,500 miles to go from picked to plate.
In fact, the National Grocery Association’s 2014 Consumer Panel found that more locally grown foods and price/cost savings topped the list of the improvements desired most among the shoppers surveyed.
Today, BJ’s Wholesale Club is shortening the distance from farm to table by buying fresh produce from local New York farms and getting it onto New York club shelves in under 24 hours – watch the amazing process here.
BJ’s local produce sourcing is at the lead of a growing trend. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), industry estimates suggest that local food sales in America have nearly doubled in recent years, jumping from $5 billion in 2008 to $11.7 billion in 2014.
In New York, BJ’s is offering Yellow Squash, Zucchini Squash, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Corn, Peppers, Green Beans and Eggplant from Tony Emmi Farms in Liverpool; Juliano Farms in Utica; Tassleberry Farms in Westmoreland; Kubecka Farms in Kirkville; C & M Farm and Greenhouses in Valatie; Kinderhook Creek Farm in Stephentown; Reeves Farms in Baldwinsville and Eden Valley Growers in Eden.
I’m in New York. When I was at our local BJ’s Wholesale club a week ago I looked for the locally grown produce. I found several. They were easy to spot because they had a special label on them.
I applaud BJ’s Wholesale Club for doing this. I think it’s a wonderful idea. I wish more stores would follow their lead and rely more on locally grown products then ones that are shipped from thousands of miles away.
In addition to wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables, BJ’s is the only warehouse club to accept manufacturers’ coupons for even greater savings and provide their own coupons as well. I’m all for saving money.
BJ’s Wholesale Club is your one-stop shopping destination for brand name high-quality food and general merchandise at everyday low prices including fresh produce and USDA choice meats, all-natural and organic foods, consumer electronics and appliances.
They also have over 150 organic items and numerous gluten free options. I know a few people with gluten issues. It’s nice to know they can find plenty of products at BJ’s.
If you would like to find a location near you visit www.BJs.com. You can also find the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. The links are found at the bottom of their website.
What do you think about BJ’s bring locally grown produce into their stores? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Kimberly
*I received a gift card in exchange for my participation. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
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