Catalina H.

About

Catalina H. became a Publix associate in 2012 and has thought of it as a home away from home ever since. When choosing what to write about, she thinks about her own life and what she wants to know more about – that way she can learn something new, too! Although her favorite Publix brand product is the Bakery Carrot Cake, you’ll probably find her snacking on peppers and drinking lots of water when writing her blogs. Outside of work, Catalina enjoys fitness, reading, crafting, and exploring new things (do you see a theme here?).

Posts by Catalina H.

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Independence Day is right around the corner and we’re ready to celebrate! Are you? We put together some easy and festive decoration ideas. Pick one, or pick ‘em all. Cake Using food as a centerpiece serves as both décor and a tasty treat! A great centerpiece for any party is a Publix cake.  Don’t know … (Read the full story)

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According to a report from Mintel, world leading market intelligence agency,  94% of Americans snack at least once a day. It can occur at any time and it can happen often, increasing the overall frequency of eating for the average person.  Because snacking often occurs amidst the hecticness of your everyday life it can easily become a mindless habit that affects your diet and nutrition. Publix Corporate Dietitian, Jennifer Patzkowsky MS, RDN/LDN, , has put together three simple measures you can take to become a smarter snacker.

 

1.     Controlling Your Portions

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, portions have gotten larger both in restaurants and for grocery products. This directly influences calorie consumption as studies show that we unintentionally consume more when faced with larger servings. How do you beat this? Portion out your snacks ahead of time! Be sure to take time to package your foods so that you are meeting your dietary needs. To learn more about what and how much to eat, visit My Plate’s SuperTracker.

Use this simple hands-on chart to calculate your servings:

 Palm=  3 ounces of meat
 Fist=  1 cup of rice or pasta
 Handful=  1 ounce of nuts
 Thumb=  1 Tbsp. of salad dressing
 Thumb tip=  1 Tsp. of oil, butter, or mayonnaise

 

2.     Choosing the Right Foods

Think of snacks as an opportunity to add nutrients to your diet. Ditch the vending machine potato chips and opt for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.  Making small shifts is key to being a smarter snacker.

To include smart foods in your snacks, choose 2-3 out of 5 food groups. Find some tasty options below! For portion suggestions, visit My Plate’s SuperTracker.

Protein Vegetables Fruit Dairy Grains
Hardboiled egg Carrot sticks Melon cubes Low-fat cubed cheese Whole wheat mini pitas
Hummus Celery sticks Berries Low-fat yogurt Air popped or
low-fat microwave popcorn
Sliced turkey Sliced squash/ zucchini Apples slices Low-fat string cheese Whole grain tortilla chips
Nut butter Sugar snap peas Orange slices Low-fat smoothie drink Whole wheat crackers
Edamame Sliced pepper Banana Low-fat cottage cheese Whole grain, low sugar, cereal
Dried fruit
(varieties without added sugar)
Granola bar made with whole grains

*In the table above, for the protein choices refer to https://www.choosemyplate.gov/protein-foods for suggested serving sizes providing a one ounce equivalent from the protein foods group. Quantities for items vary by individual dietary needs.*

 

Use your imagination when combining these to form tasty treats. For example, low-fat yogurt and berries or hummus with apples, celery, and carrots for dipping.

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3.     Satisfying Your Cravings

Why has snacking become as culturally prominent as meals are? According to the report done by Mintel, 62% of Americans say they often snack to satisfy a craving. We’re here to help you balance taste and nutrition. Try these tips on snacking for specific cravings and remember to check out My Plate’s SuperTracker for serving sizes that fit your dietary needs:

 

Sweet

Trail mix,  (as listed under the crunchy category.)

Low-fat yogurt with fruit.

Publix cut fruit salad.

 

Salty

Roll up: Lean deli meat with slice of low fat cheese.

Pretzel sticks dipped in nut butter.

Whole grain tortilla chips with salsa.

 

Sweet and Salty

Apple or other fruit with cheese.

Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit.

Peanut butter with apple slices.

 

Savory

Air popped or low fat popcorn dusted with spice blend of cumin,  garlic powder, and chili powder.

Hummus (look for varieties made with vegetables) with whole grain crackers.

Savory yogurt based dips (available in Produce) with vegetables.

 

Crunchy

Apple slices with almond butter dip. (recipe)

Vegetables: carrots, bell pepper strips, celery, and sugar snap peas with Publix deli hummus .

Trail Mix: Publix toasted oats, dried fruit and unsalted nuts.

Dried bean snacks made from beans including chickpea snack.

Deli Edamame hummus with baby carrots and seedless grapes.

Produce snacks including unsalted nuts and dried vegetable chips.

 

Remember, you can avoid letting snacking get out of hand by controlling your portions, choosing the right foods, and satisfying your cravings. If you need more advice on how to build your diet, check out classes hosted by your in-store dietitians (in the Tampa, Florida area) or ask our corporate dietitians questions online. Do you have any go-to smart snacks? Share below to help each other!

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We know just how complex party planning can get, so don’t tackle the upcoming big game day all by yourself. From our easy-to-order platters that will satisfy all to an aisle full of party essentials like paper plates and plastic ware, your local Publix is here to help make things run a little more smoothly. And we’re also available online with some easy football themed ideas to make this year’s party one that everyone remembers.

 

The Food

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Dips can be a great way to feed large crowds. Our Aprons Chefs have a plethora of recipes your guests are sure to love, from our Queso Blanco Dip to our Better Choice Spinach Avocado Dip, we have something for everyone’s taste. You can even prepare some in advance to save time!

 

 

Are you searching for ways to give your party dishes a big game feel? When in doubt, turn your food into a football. Get creative by adding this shape to the food you’re serving.

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Deli Grab and Go Deviled Eggs: Deviled eggs already have the desired oval shape, so how do we add a little flair to turn it into your classic pigskin? Simply use some chives to draw out the laces and voila— your first finger food is ready to be served!

 

 

Meatball Bundles: Instead of serving the more traditional “pigs in a blanket,” make this hearty appetizer for your guest to enjoy. Transform these meatballs into footballs by using the dipping sauce to draw laces onto the bundles!

 

The Decorations

There are many different ways to make your own party décor!

Pub Sub Jerseys

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  • Publix sub platters are always a crowd favorite, but how can you make them football themed? Give them their own jersey with these three easy steps!
  • Grab a square paper napkin and cut a semicircle at the seam to form  a neck.
  • Cut small rectangles at the bottom left and right sides to give the napkin a shirt shape.
  • Use a marker to give each party guest their own customized Pub Sub jersey.

 

Silverware Holders

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We’re all about being sustainable and re-purposing common household items. For this fun and easy craft, you’ll need to save your used coffee cans and paint their exteriors to look like footballs. It may seem simple, but these festive tins serve as great silverware, napkin, or straw holders while also decorating the party table.

 

 

Play-by-Play Balloons

Balloons are great ways to fill up space and bring life to a party. You can pick up a bundle in your favorite team’s colors at your local store. To add a little pizzazz to your decorations, use a permanent marker to draw some football plays on each one and really embrace the theme!

 

The Drinks

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It’s all about the details when it comes to the drinks. For our big game party, we decorated water bottles with a simple chalkboard sign reading “water break.” Details like this tie the party idea together.

Another easy way to make sure the drinks seal the deal is printing black and white-striped paper and wrapping it around your water bottles to give them a referee look! You can even add whistles around them to serve as party favors.

 

If you’re looking for more awesome game day ideas and tips, follow our Game Day Winners Pinterest board. Our team is always looking for new inspiration to help make your big game party a hit! Share your game day decorations with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #PublixGameDay