Fresh Squeezed Living

Food: Locally Known Helps You Save Some Green on Your Next Salad

Is your wallet feeling a bit ill over the soaring gasoline prices? If you are like many others, to keep your wallet off life support, you’ve had to make some adjustments in your discretionary spending habits. Maybe you’ve redirected some funds from one area of your budget to cover the higher costs for necessities.

Did you give up your daily Starbucks designer coffee drink? Do you find you are making less visits to your local movie theatre? Maybe you’ve decided to head over to your local public library to check out those bestsellers.

If you are like me, you haven’t come upon much relief to your wallet at your local supermarket either. The unexpected pricing trends across a variety of categories prove that higher costs for corn, ethanol and gasoline are affecting us on so many different levels.

All Tacos Are Not Bad

As you already know, Fresh Squeezed Living is all about sharing a fun serving of food, fitness, healthy lifestyle and relaxation ideas with busy professionals.

Today, I’m excited to share the good news about some new “tacos”. Over the years, Mexican inspired foods and drinks have grown exponentially (especially) here in the U.S. Seven in ten surveyed households use Mexican food/ingredients in meals prepared at home. Tortillas and salsa are the most popular Mexican foods. The category as a whole represents a $52 billion market. Forecast shows sales will grow to a shocking $63 billion. Mucho dinero.

It’s time to welcome in the substitutes

Do you remember how news that a beloved teacher was absent would quickly spread through the school hallways? I do. I also remember during my early school days that soon after that rumor hit my ears feelings of dread would begin to set in. Oh no, not the substitute. I believe it is almost a reflex reaction to respond negatively to most things considered a substitute for what we really want.

In the end, the substitute really was not nearly as awful as we forethought. If we even allowed ourselves to be open (even a little bit), we realized the substitute was really okay and just another regular person.

The same is true for us now as adults, just being a little open to substitutes can lead us on a pathway of discovering healthier eating habits that are also (not God awful) but okay and very beneficial.

Be a Good Samaritan. Give a Shoe. Change A Life.

Are you looking for a special way to express compassion and love through giving this holiday season? While the upcoming holiday season will be a joyous time for many families (and especially young children), it will be a very difficult time for those that are impoverished due to circumstances beyond their control such as war, natural disasters and religious persecution.

I recently learned of Samaritan’s Feet, which is an international ministry that is inspiring hope for millions of young people in over 15 countries by providing a most basic need…a pair of shoes. Many children around the world are currently shoeless. Life is not very easy for them because their only form of transportation is on painful and blistered feet.

Holy Cow, Will Powdered Milk Make A Comeback?

Have you experienced sticker shock in the last few months as you’ve visited the dairy case at your local supermarket? Apparently, milk the drink that "does a body good" is proving harmful to the health of checking accounts.

Traditional Turkey Receives Competition for Annual Thanksgiving Feast

We all know competition is everywhere.  There are more choices now in every sector of industry and categories across the board.  No product or business is safe from the threat of being knocked out of the top spot and/or losing market share.  However, everyone thought the traditional turkey was safely in position for the annual Thanksgiving get together.

Well word is the traditional turkey has received no immunity from competition either.  Who would have ever imagined the turkey would be under pressure to remain in the top spot and primary focus of the annual Thanksgiving feast?  This is yet another reminder that times are changing.

Designer Insulated Lunch Bag for $9.95 from Lean Cuisine®. $5.00 goes to Susan G Komen Foundation

Just wanted to share this news with everyone. These lunch bags are just so cute, I’m going to pick up a few to share with  friends. All three lunch bags are just so perky, it's so hard to choose which one to keep for myself. What a great cause to support as well.

Do Something Good for the Cure^™

This is the sixth year that LEAN CUISINE® has partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to raise funds for breast cancer research, prevention and treatment. Our hope is that in our children’s lifetime, researchers will find the Cure.