Andrea's Column

Introducing Healthy Ideas!

Many of us want to live a more healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods and exercising.

But the fact of the matter is, most of us are time-pressed, and need solutions to make choosing healthy foods easier.

As a busy mom, I can certainly relate!

Based on your feedback, we have developed a solution to choosing healthy foods as you shop in an easy, simple way.

Just look for the healthy ideas symbol on shelf labels and on Giant brands, and you can be confident that you are choosing healthy foods for you and your family.

I hope that the program helps you by making it easy for you to find healthy choices that fit your lifestyle. I welcome your comments and questions. Also, if you would like more detail on the strict criteria for the symbol, we would be happy to share it with you! Please visit our website, email me through the Contact Us page on our website or call at 1-888-469-4426.

I'd love to hear from you!

Ringing in the New Year

Are you hosting a New Year's party or potluck this year? We want to help you ring in the New Year with party planning ideas:

• Use one-stop shopping to pick up paper plates, condiments, food and drinks, party platters, balloons and New Year's decorations.
• Choose your favorite recipes that can be prepared in advance or use prepared foods and party trays to give you more time to enjoy your guests.
• Serve food buffet-style. Great staples for holiday buffets include our wing platters, deli meat and cheese platters, meatball trays and wrap sandwiches.
• Place a variety of drinks in a tub with ice so guests can serve themselves.
• Ask family or friends to make a food item for the buffet table or keep the party simple with snacks, desserts and drinks.
• Have snack foods like pretzels, cheese and crackers, and nuts handy. Our veggie and fruit trays are great for healthy snacking too.

Here's to a happy and healthy New Year!

The Holiday Change of Pace

During the holidays, many families have more opportunity to have time to relax and have fun together. While it is easy to become couch potatoes, especially during the cold winter season, think of fun physical activities you, friends and family can enjoy. If it snows, you can certainly take off with sleds for the closest hill. But if not, bundle up anyway and go for a simple walk in your neighborhood or to the nearest park; visit a local recreation center or Y to shoot hoops or swim; walk around exhibits at local museums and art galleries; ice skate at an indoor or outdoor rink; or take the gang bowling! Then return home for a mug of warm hot cocoa. You will feel refreshed, energized and less susceptible to the winter blahs.

Make this holiday a real change of pace for the entire family, and prepare for a happy and healthy new year.

Holiday Helpers

The holiday season is special, especially for children. But as a mother, I know that young children can also be a handful when rushing around, trying to prepare for the holidays.

Here are a few tips I use that help make life a little easier:

• As you rush around shopping for gifts, odds are you will get caught in long lines-bring along treats like, stickers and snacks, to keep the kids occupied.
• Give children the task of helping with the holiday cards. Allow them to either place stamps on envelopes or for smaller children, to decorate each envelope with a holiday sticker.
• Include the children in simple baking - let them stir ingredients or make extra dough just for them so they can have fun making shapes with cookie cutters.
• While visiting family and friends, remember that their homes may not be child-proofed, so keep an eye out for danger spots and bring along favorite books, coloring books and crayons or toys to keep them happy and busy.
• Ask for a suggestion with the holiday menu and make their favorite dish - even if it is not exactly traditional!
• Put them in charge of place cards for the table - small kids can decorate and practice writing letters.

Enjoy your holiday preparations and creating wonderful memories with your children!

Holiday Time Savers

To save time during the hectic holiday season, do your holiday shopping while you food shop! We want to help and have great choices for gifts, decorating and entertaining:

• Fruit and holiday gift baskets are beautiful gifts that everyone enjoys.
• Pick up stocking stuffers like batteries, small toys and health and beauty care items.
• Visit our seasonal aisle for candles, decorations, holiday candy, gourmet treats and small gifts for babysitters and teachers.
• Make party preparation a breeze with party platters from Giant Food. Try popular holiday platters like the Deviled Egg Platter, Sliced Fruit Tray and Dip Ahoy with fresh, crunchy vegetables and sour cream or yogurt dip. You can order in-store at right from home using giantfood.com or 1-888-4MYGIANT.
• Give the gift of food with Giant gift cards. We also have a wide selection of gift cards to your family and friends' favorite stores and restaurants. They make it easy to choose exactly what is wanted and take advantage of post-holiday sales!
• Instead of baking, visit our bakery and decorate pies with whipped cream or add ice cream when serving - they are delicious!

You will reduce holiday stress and spend more time with family and friends!

Looking for a great gift?

We have a great selection of gift cards. In today's economy, Giant gift cards are a smart gift because family and friends can buy both essentials they need and small luxuries to treat themselves.

In addition to our own gift cards, we provide many gift card options and offer these suggestions: For those with home improvement needs, a Home Depot gift card; for music lovers, an I-Tunes or Best Buy card; for the tea or coffee lover, a Starbucks card; for the movie-lover, a cinema gift cars and for a couple or almost anyone, a gift card to a favorite restaurant or clothing store.

Enjoy giving the gift that family and friends need and are sure to enjoy!

Turkey 101

Whether you're a novice or just need a refresher course, here are some basic guidelines for preparing the centerpiece of a delicious holiday meal, the turkey.

1. Make sure you have a roasting pan large enough to hold your turkey and a meat thermometer.
2. Purchase 1 to 1 ¼ pounds of turkey per guest to guarantee plenty at the dinner table.
3. Thaw frozen turkey in the refrigerator. Allow 2 days for a 10 pound bird; 4 days for a 20 pound bird.
4. Fresh turkeys will keep in the refrigerator up to the sell-by date. All turkeys in the store now can be kept in the refrigerator until Thanksgiving.
5. After unwrapping, remove neck and giblets from the cavity.
6. For optimal safety, cook stuffing in a separate dish. If cooking in the turkey, fill loosely.
7. Place turkey in oven set no lower than 325 degrees.
8. Turkey is done when a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone. Stuffing should reach 165 degrees also.
9. Remove turkey from the oven and let "rest" for 20 minutes.
10. Plan to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
11. Carve and enjoy!

Download and print a complete Thanksgiving checklist.

Easier and Tastier

Short on time, but want to serve a juicy, tender, full-flavored turkey with traditional sides and a delicious dessert? Then, let Giant do the cooking!

Our traditional feast includes a fully cooked Butterball turkey with Giant's new, traditional sides - the best we have ever offered! Your family will enjoy home style mashed potatoes, sage stuffing, turkey gravy, fresh cranberry relish, soft rolls and a baked apple, sweet potato or pumpkin pie to top it all off!

We also offer a delicious Super G Spiral Ham dinner with Giant's home style mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, soft rolls and one of your family's favorite baked pies.

You will enjoy less time in the kitchen, more time with family and friends and a scrumptious meal!

Order your turkey dinner online or call 1-888-4-MYGIANT.

Fight Hunger

For over 25 years, Giant has been a proud supporter of local food banks.

This year, the need is greater than ever as many face difficult economic times. Please join us in supporting our local food banks this holiday season and meeting our goal of raising $300,000 to help feed the hungry.

Participating is easy! You can contribute at checkout by purchasing paper turkeys in denominations of $1, $3, or $5. The paper turkey can be displayed with your name, or that of a loved one, in your store if you wish.

Donations will support local food banks near your store and in your state. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to our community!

Rely on Giant for Help with Diabetes

Over 23 million Americans have diabetes and many are undiagnosed. The good news however, is that diabetes is a treatable condition with the right foods, tools and resources. If you or someone you care about has diabetes, we want to help. Our in-store pharmacists can answer your specific questions and educate you about supplies and services to manage diabetes effectively. For example, our pharmacists can assist you with available tools to monitor your blood glucose which is key to controlling blood glucose levels. Our pharmacies also carry many products that help diabetics to keep comfortable and prevent infection and complications.

And since food plays a critical role in managing diabetes, we are offering a new guide for customers: "Diabetes: A Guide to Shopping and Meal Planning." This new updated online version will help you make smart choices while shopping, preparing meals and eating at home.

This month, in select stores, we are also offering diabetes tours for National Diabetes Month.

At Giant, we want to help our customers with diabetes and I hope these resources help you, your family and friends.