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How to Use Veggies in Low-Carb Snacks and Meals

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Are you tired of feeling weighed down by carbs and looking for ways to incorporate more vegetables into your diet? You’re not alone! Many people struggle to find low-carb meals and snacks that don’t sacrifice taste and satisfaction. However, the good news is that there are plenty of tasty and satisfying ways to replace carbs with veggies in your meals.

Ideas for Low-Carb Snacks and Meals

If you’re looking to improve your health and cut back on carbs, keep reading for some innovative dishes you can try.

  1. Veggie Lasagna – Lasagna is a classic comfort food, but it’s often packed with carbs from pasta noodles. Instead, try making a veggie lasagna using thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant as the noodles. Layer the veggies with your favorite tomato sauce, cheese, and other veggies like spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers.
  2. Veggie Stir Fry – Stir fry is another dish that can be high in carbs if you use lots of rice or noodles. To make a low-carb version, swap out the rice or noodles for veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, and bok choy. You can still use a flavorful sauce and protein like chicken or tofu to make this dish just as tasty as the traditional version.
  3. Veggie Tacos – Who says tacos have to be filled with meat and topped with cheese and sour cream? Try making veggie tacos using roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, avocado, and salsa. You can still use a tortilla or opt for a lettuce wrap to keep it low-carb. This is a great way to get in more fiber and plant-based protein.
  4. Low-Carb Breakfast – Breakfast can be a tough meal to make low-carb since many traditional options like cereal, toast, and pancakes are carb-heavy. As an alternative, make a veggie omelet with spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers. You can also try a low-carb breakfast bowl with cauliflower rice, avocado, and scrambled eggs, or a classic kale smoothie.
  5. Low-Carb Snacks – Snacks are often where we tend to reach for carb-heavy options like chips or crackers. Instead, try snacking on veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or celery with hummus or guacamole. You can also make kale chips or roasted chickpeas for a crunchy and low-carb option.
  6. Low-Carb Desserts – Desserts are usually loaded with carbs and sugar, but that doesn’t mean you have to skip them altogether. There are low-carb desserts that use veggies like avocado or zucchini. You can make avocado chocolate mousse or zucchini brownies that are just as indulgent as the traditional versions but without all the carbs.
  7. Plain Ol’ Low-Carb Vegetables – Of course, the easiest way to replace carbs with veggies is simply to eat more vegetables! Some of the lowest-carb options include spinach, kale, cauliflower, and bell peppers.

Whether you’re looking for new meals to make for yourself, for a restaurant you own, or whatever else you may need these tips for, there are many delicious and satisfying ways to replace carbs with veggies. So next time you’re thinking of making a carb-heavy meal, try swapping it out for a veggie alternative instead!

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is a beloved local food distributor, delivering farm-fresh food to Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and reliably farm fresh produce and provisions every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and reliable delivery service as top priorities along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Want to get reliable, quality fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today for a full list of available bulk food items and how we can work together to get everything you need delivered on time!

Kids getting healthy school meals in the cafeteria

What The CDC Says About Healthy School Meals

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes that schools play a vital role in shaping the dietary habits and overall health of children. In order to ensure students are receiving the proper nutrition needed to support growth and development, the CDC has developed the following guidelines for healthy school meals. 

How to Keep School Meals Healthy

So, what exactly is recommended for healthy school meals? Let’s take a closer look.

  1. Use the Dietary Guidelines for Americans – According to the CDC, school meals should be based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products. School meals should also be low in sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars.
  2. Update Menus If Needed – To meet these guidelines, cafeteria food suppliers may need to make some changes to their menus. Rethinking the way food is prepared, swapping out processed food for fresh produce, and opting for methods that are lower in fat and sodium, such as baking or steaming instead of frying, are just some ways a school can take steps toward healthier meal options. 
  3. Promote Healthy Eating Habits – In addition to providing healthy food options, the CDC also recommends promoting these nutritious eating habits in schools. This can be done by creating a positive eating environment, such as making mealtime a pleasant experience for students and educating them about the importance of healthy food. 
  4. Take Advantage of Programs – There are several programs available to schools to help support their efforts to provide healthy meals to students. For example, the National School Lunch Program provides funding for schools to offer healthy meals at a reduced cost or for free to students who qualify, and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides funding for schools to offer fresh produce as snacks throughout the day.

With the help of the CDC’s guidelines and resources available, schools can make healthy school meals a priority and ensure that their students are well-nourished and ready to learn.

Other Tips to Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle for Students

We’ve also compiled a couple of other tips to ensure schools are supporting students and their healthy eating habits in the best way.

  1. Choose the Right Food Supplier – One key aspect of providing healthy school meals is selecting the right food suppliers for schools. Cafeteria food suppliers should be knowledgeable about the nutritional needs of children and offer a variety of healthy options that are both tasty and affordable. Consider factors such as the quality of ingredients, the nutritional value of menu items, and the availability of fresh, seasonal produce. 
  2. Work with a School Nutritionist – These trained professionals provide guidance on developing healthy menus and ensure that school meals meet the dietary needs of students. They can also work with food suppliers for schools to identify healthy and affordable options that meet the guidelines set forth by the CDC.

Ultimately, the goal of healthy school meals is to ensure that children have access to nutritious food that supports their physical and mental health. By working with food suppliers and school nutritionists, schools can create menus that meet the guidelines set forth by the CDC and provide students with the foundation they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is a beloved local food distributor, delivering farm-fresh food to Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and reliably farm fresh produce and provisions every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and reliable delivery service as top priorities along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Want to get reliable, quality fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today for a full list of available bulk food items and how we can work together to get everything you need delivered on time!

young barista taking a restaurant customers order

3 Tips to Retain Your Restaurant Customers

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It’s no secret success in the restaurant industry comes with plenty of challenges, especially when making it past the first few years. From the moment you open your restaurant doors, you’ll want to make every effort to retain your customers and develop a loyal base of regulars who naturally spread the word about your amazing restaurant. 

Attracting new customers is one thing, but convincing them to come back time after time is a whole other challenge. If you have any concerns about retaining your restaurant customers or are just interested in having a little bit of inspiration, keep reading! We’ve got some great ideas on how to ensure your restaurant is consistently chosen over your competitors. 

Retaining Restaurant Customers 

Follow these tips for retaining your list of loyal restaurant patrons. 

1. Improve your Waiting Areas

There’s nothing worse than having a long wait time in a less than inviting waiting area. Improve your waiting areas, ensuring there is plenty of seating and ensuring the arrangement of the benches, chairs, stools or tables is pleasant for the customers. Consider improving the lighting, plants, mirrors and anything else that would be more inviting and attractive as a place to wait. 

You also want to keep the flow of communication between the hostess and those on the waiting list organized. This is key to developing a strong relationship with your customers and retaining them long-term. 

Unless your food is incredibly distinct and a one-of-a-kind dish to crave among all the others, the waiting areas can be an obstacle that many people opt out of when deciding to wait or find another restaurant. 

2. Invest in a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM)

CRM’s might be more common in regular business and office settings, but you should have a way of connecting with your customers and keeping them aware of any specials or updates. Yes, social media is one of the best ways to accomplish this, but also investing in a more polished and organized system of CRM software can really make a difference. It allows you to better track, monitor and understand your customer’s needs and preferences. You’ll have insight into the demographics you serve the most and develop targeted marketing ads to better engage and solidify your customer relationships. 

3. Develop a Branded Customer Loyalty Program

These are common and for good reason: they work! But you don’t have to be like everyone else. Be unique and creative with how you decide to benefit your customers when they sign up and engage in your loyalty program. You want them to continuously return and that’s exactly what loyalty programs offer. Besides just racking up points, you can offer special birthday menu items, discounts on catering and so much more!

The list goes on, but hopefully these quick tips are enough to get the ball rolling on some new actionable steps toward customer retention and loyalty. Start making some changes now and see where you are this time next year! 

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is a beloved local food distributor, delivering farm-fresh food for Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and reliably farm fresh produce and provisions every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and reliable delivery service as top priorities along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Want to get reliable, quality fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today for a full list of available bulk food items and how we can work together to get everything you need delivered on time!

Homemade corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day

What to Serve on St. Patrick’s Day

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As a successful local food distributor, we know exactly what to stock up on for the holiday orders we get. With St. Patrick’s day just around the corner, we’re noticing a hustle to get orders in for the most popular food and drink items in celebration of the Irish holiday.

What are restaurants, hospitals and even schools choosing to add to their menus this holiday? Find out what flavors and items are most popular and perhaps you’ll gain some inspiration for creating your own special day of celebration!

St. Patrick’s Day Foods in High Demand

The following items offer key insights into what’s popular right now and how you can put your own unique spin on items in high demand. 

‘P’ is for . . . 

We all know the answer . . . potatoes! Yes, this single vegetable basically saved the Irish civilization and remains an easily associated food ingredient for the Irish. This highly versatile food item can be used in a million different, delicious ways. Whether you slice, dice, chop, bake, fry or boil, adding potatoes to your St. Patrick’s Day menu gives the respect owed to this much-loved vegetable that quite literally helped sustain the lives of countless Irishmen and women. It’s also just really delicious.

‘C’ is for . . .  

Cabbage! Yes, good ‘ol cabbage is another high priority in St. Patrick’s Day menu creation. Like potatoes, cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables in Ireland and is served in many traditional Irish dishes. Its flavor is relatively neutral and easily combined with other ingredients to pull off a winning menu side item. 

Great-tasting duos with cabbage include:

  • Bacon
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Butter
  • Carrots

Cabbage is also highly versatile and easy to incorporate in a multitude of creative ways. 

And then there was . . . Corned Beef

Along with bacon, corned beef is a big food item in demand for this green holiday. Historically, corned beef is an Irish-American substitution for the traditional combination of cabbage and bacon. Corned beef became a comforting, slow-cooker alternative that offers a similar flavorful experience. 

Irish Soda Bread

Another traditional Irish favorite is soda bread. You might consider an Irish soda bread bowl with Irish stew or Irish soda bread rolls, breadsticks, etc. There are plenty of ways to recreate this timeless dish, make it your own, and pair it with a main course.

Other honorable mentions include:

  • Shepherd’s pie
  • Apple tart
  • Soda bread pudding

If you need more inspiring Irish food ideas, there are a number of ingredient combinations to celebrate the luck of the Irish this 17th of March. Whatever you decide, remember to make it an experience your patrons and guests will remember. What makes food service providers so successful is their ability to connect with the needs, wants, and wishes of their customers. Enjoy the challenge of matching foods with the holiday spirit! 

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is a beloved local food distributor, delivering farm-fresh food to Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and reliably fresh goods every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and dependable delivery service as top priorities along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Looking for reliable, fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today for a full list of available bulk food items and how we can work together to get you everything you need delivered on time!

Gen-Z Restaurant Industry Trends

How Gen-Z is Changing the Restaurant Industry

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Gen-Z is having an undeniable impact on the trajectory of today’s restaurant industry. With more and more tech-driven habits taking over, restaurants are forced to embrace these changes to keep up with competitors and remain viable dining options for younger diners. 

Modern innovations are not going away and the sooner restaurants embrace these trends, the better off they will be long-term. What exactly does the future look like for the restaurant industry? Let’s take a look at what’s trending and how Gen-Z is leading the way!

Gen-Z’s Tech-Driven Restaurant Changes

How food is received and paid for is getting an upgrade and will continue to impact the future of the restaurant experience.

Alcohol Delivery Options

Over 70% of Gen-Zers (ages 21-25) reported an increased likelihood of ordering from restaurants that allowed alcohol to be added to a delivery or takeout order. The option of alcohol delivery was made largely popular during the pandemic as alcohol sales restrictions loosened up to help struggling restaurants survive the lockdowns. Gen-Zers prefer these accommodations to stay in place for the future. Studies show the convenience of grabbing your drinks along with your food appeals more to a younger crowd.

Tableside Tablet to Order and Pay

No more waiters or waitresses? That’s what Gen-Zers are favoring after another poll showed more than half of Gen-Z diners would prefer sitting down at a restaurant that allowed them to order through a tableside tablet and pay the same way. 

The convenience of this method is similar to replacing cashiers with self-checkout lines. It’s clear that Gen-Zers are all about fast and convenient options that put them in the driver’s seat as much as possible. Restaurants are wise to implement these options in their dine-in areas along with traditional waitress/waiter style options to accommodate the change in culture.

Delivery and Takeout

As a general trend, Gen-Zers are opting more for delivery and takeout than any other demographic. Nearly 80% of Gen-Zers are more likely to order from restaurants that allow easy delivery or takeout options. Whether it’s game night with friends or a live stream watch party, there are plenty of reasons for Gen Z-ers to make it a casual night-in with their favorite foods from nearby restaurants.

Robots

Robots are getting tasked with the usual human demands when it comes to the restaurant industry. Drones, robots and self-driving cars are the preferred choice for food delivery methods among Gen-Zers and even Millennials. Less human-to-human interaction feels less complicated to this younger demographic and it’s worthy of being embraced by more restaurants. 

Undoubtedly, restaurants are challenged to meet the needs of all age demographics. However, they cannot neglect the tech revolution and how this influences their future success. Implementing accommodations for Gen-Zers would be wise for any food establishment. Tech trends do not go away; they only continue to develop and those that keep up with them have a stronger future in an ever-competitive market. 

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is a beloved local food distributor, delivering farm-fresh food to Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and reliably fresh produce goods every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and dependable delivery service as top priorities along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Looking for reliable, fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today for a full list of available bulk food items and how we can work together to get you everything you need delivered on time!

How Restaurants Can Level Up This Valentine's Day

How Restaurants Can Level Up This Valentine’s Day

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If you’re a restaurant owner, you know the holidays that really draw a crowd, and Valentine’s Day is one of them. In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, the day of roses and chocolate ranks as the second most popular holiday for dining out just behind Mother’s Day. 

Depending on your customer base, loyalty, marketing and reputation, you could reap big financial benefits on this one night alone. With plenty of competition and financial gains at stake, there are some things you should know about up-ing your game this upcoming Valentine’s Day. 

Restaurant Ideas for Max Earning Potential and Guest Experience

Consider incorporating the following ideas for creating a memorable night for your guests and a more profitable outcome for your restaurant. 

An Extra Special Menu 

You can’t skimp on this aspect of customizing your restaurant for the big night. Give extra attention to each detail of your menu, ensuring your ingredients are fresh and you are prepared for a well-running roll-out of appetizers, main dishes and desserts. Preparation is everything to succeed on Valentine’s night and to secure your reputation as the place to dine for many years to come. Whether you are keeping a simple 3-course or 5-course menu listing, keep it straightforward and mouthwatering from beginning to end. Your menu doesn’t have to be complicated to be a winner. It just needs to be well thought out to delight your guests on their special night. 

Always Have Wine Pairings Available

When selecting the items for your menu, always keep in mind the best wine pairings for each dish option. Couples don’t go out on Valentine’s Day expecting to save money and sip on water all night. It’s expected for restaurants to go all out and for guests to reciprocate in the amount spent. Pushing wine pairings is a great way to boost your food and drink sales. Keep a good selection of mid to high-level wines on hand. 

Don’t Be Shy About Promoting Your Restaurant

It’s fine to save on marketing and promotions on other holidays, as long as it means investing in the second largest dining-out holiday of the year. So, don’t hold back once you have a stellar menu and drink selection, made any extra touches to your dining room or perhaps even hired a live band for the evening. Whatever you decide is best for the big night, make sure you promote what you’re offering on every social media channel, radio, television, billboard, and word of mouth with your regulars.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, take these key tips to fuel the experience of your guests and boost your restaurant’s earning potential. If you’re new in the business, you need to work even harder to establish your restaurant as the go-to place and make the most of every holiday and opportunity to roll in the money.

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is the go-to farm-fresh food supplier for Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and farm-fresh produce every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and reliable delivery service first along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Want to get reliable quality fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today to see how we can help you get the food you need to be delivered fresh and on time!

2023 Food Trends

5 New Food Trends for 2023

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Remember when stuffed crust pizza and hot pockets were all the rage? Maybe they still are in your home. Sometimes food trends never go out of style, but there are definitely some foods that hit peak popularity in each decade and year. For example, there was a time when everyone and their mom were taking deviled eggs and sherbert punch to the neighborhood Tupperware parties.

Food trends have a way of rising and fading with the passing years, and 2023 is no different. This year has its own food trends on the rise and you’ll want to try each tasty new item on the list!

Food Trends in 2023 You Should Know About

If you know how popular oat milk and White Claw were yester-year, you’ll want to know this year’s new emerging trends. Below are only some of the many in-demand foods you’ll see landing on the menu and the grocery aisles‌ more than ever. 

1. Tinned Fish Dish

Consumers are jumping on the latest fad of eating tinned fish thanks to a viral TikTok video. The amazing health benefits that haven’t been as mainstream as now are becoming a big deal in the food scene. Tinned fish could include anchovies, sardines, tuna, mackerel, cod, etc. You’ll likely see more trendy restaurants offering tinned fish dishes on their menu.

2. Spicy-Sweet Food Combinations 

“Swizy” food is the combo of both of these polar opposite worlds. The sweet and spicy taste elements are present in trending foods such as:

3. Kelp

Just as kale was all the rage not that long ago, kelp is the new green food popping up in grocery store aisles, including the pasta aisle, as an alternative to traditional pasta. Kelp chips, kelp noodles, you name it: kelp is on the rise. A double bonus is its climate-friendly contribution.

4. Upcycled Food Products

The concept behind this trend is to utilize and repurpose ingredients from other foods during processing that would’ve otherwise ended up in the waste bin and landfill. Reducing food waste with innovative solutions is what 2023 is all about. Be on the lookout for more converted foods like potato skins repurposed into potato chips or baking flour. 

5. Going ‘Damp’

This new term basically describes the big trend of cutting back on high alcohol consumption. No alcohol or low levels of alcohol are trending big time in 2023. More consumers are opting for a more healthy lifestyle with beverage choices that support this. 

Some no or low-alcohol drinks include:

  • HopTea
  • SinZero Cabernet Saven
  • Zuzu Calamansi Lime Margarita
  • Atopia Spiced Citrus

It’s exciting to see what’s hitting the food scene across restaurants, bars and grocery stores everywhere. If you haven’t given some of these tasty food and drink items a try already, you’ve got all year to see for yourself what all the hype is about!

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is the go-to farm-fresh food supplier for Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and farm-fresh produce every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and reliable delivery service first along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Want to get reliable quality fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today to see how we can help you get the food you need to be delivered fresh and on time!

New Year's food resolutions

Jump Start Your New Year’s Food Resolutions

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New Year’s is a perfect time to dedicate yourself to making healthier food choices through diligent intention. With a little advanced planning and reminders throughout the year, you are capable of making better food-related decisions that you’ll be proud of. 

Keep reading to get some winning ideas on what food goals to consider committing to this year.

Food Resolutions for the New Year

The following list is for anyone serious about prioritizing their health with food at the center of this year’s goals. 

Start Cooking from Home More Often

Cooking from home more often is a great way to save money and hone your cooking skills. You might take inspiration from your favorite cooking shows, blogs, or chefs. Wherever you find your enthusiasm for cooking, making homemade meals is a deliciously satisfying endeavor.

Choose a Cookbook and Make Every Recipe 

Why not pick out a cookbook collecting dust on your shelf or buy one that you can follow cover to cover? This approach takes discipline, but is exciting when you’ve tried out each and every recipe and learned a wealth of new meals to cook. 

Start Regularly Meal Planning and Prepping

The New Year is the perfect time to get serious about your meal planning and prepping. It may take a little time to invest in organizing your monthly meals and budget, but it’s so worth it. Pretty soon, you’ll become a pro at keeping an organized and predictable flow of various meals coming out of your kitchen. You don’t have to find yourself staring into the fridge with no idea about what to make for dinner. Keeping a spreadsheet or checklist on your phone doesn’t take much effort and will be tremendously helpful.

Learn New Recipes from a Different Culture

If you love eating Thai food, Greek or any other food from a totally different culture, you might want to consider taking those menu favorites home with you and begin making them yourself. Learn a different style of cooking, using different types of kitchen tools, sauces, and methods that are completely foreign to you. Pretty soon, you’ll know just how to whip up some homemade pad thai or baklava when the cravings strike.

Come up with Your Signature Dish

If you don’t already have a signature dish that you are known for, make 2023 the year you have a signature dish or dessert. Try out different ones and see which recipe you really enjoy perfecting and making your own. Take your dish to all the events you’re invited to and start making it something you’re known for and everyone loves partaking in!

Share Your New Bakes with Others

Deciding to be more generous is always a good New Year’s resolution. And that might be best by sharing your meals with others. You might want to prepare some meals to share with your friends, neighbors and work colleagues, and as charitable acts in your community. 

The ideas are nearly endless when it comes to food goals in the New Year. But either way, make sure to prioritize your health and happiness through higher-quality nutrition.

Peddler’s Son is Arizona’s Top-Quality Food Supplier

Peddler’s Son is the go-to farm-fresh food supplier for Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and farm-fresh produce every day. 

We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and reliable delivery service first along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Want to get reliable quality fresh foods for your restaurant, school, or business? We can help! Contact us today to see how we can help you get the food you need to be delivered fresh and on time!

Healthy Foods for Hospitals

How Hospitals Can Promote and Serve Healthier Food

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When you think of hospital food, what comes to mind? Banana pudding? Stale bread rolls? Questionable casserole? Probably not anything you’d ever crave after you leave. Hospital food doesn’t have the greatest reputation.

Unfortunately, when you are suffering from an illness or injury, mealtime rarely provides any relief to your discomfort, and may even increase it. But when your medications demand you eat, there’s little you can do but cooperate if you want to get well soon.

Hospitals are also in a difficult position since they have to cater to a large number of people. Keeping food bland helps serve a wide range of individuals. Regardless of the patients who prefer strong spices or variations, hospitals are obligated to serve food that would avoid worsening any medical conditions or causing an immediate bad reaction.

Creative Ways to Have Healthier Hospital Foods 

With this in mind, there are things hospitals can do to ensure healthier foods are served at mealtime. The following are creative ideas to make this happen.

Be Intentional About It

If you are in a position of influential power in your medical community and hospital settings, be intentional about changing the game when it comes to food. Advocate and strategize to rebrand your hospital as one that prioritizes healthier eating. Both food and pharmacological technology are medical interventions essential to a patient’s road to recovery. 

Host a Farmer’s Market 

Show your community and the individuals you serve your new intentions to promote quality foods in your hospital by hosting a farmer’s market. Encourage your food services management and staff to participate and select fresh homegrown foods to incorporate into dishes. Have the menu highlight the seasonal fruits and vegetables chosen from the farmer’s market.

Replace Fast Food with Whole Food 

Fast food – in general, but especially in hospitals – are not in the best interest of the person consuming it. Fast food is known to contain higher amounts of calories and saturated fats, making pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other chronic issues even worse. It’s better to provide small marketplace options with whole food items or minimally processed foods available. Supplying an on-site foods market, bakery, or small local eatery with keto-friendly, paleo, gluten-free and vegan food options encourages better health for anyone looking to grab a bite and avoid the negative consequences associated with fast foods. 

Support Local Fresh Food Distributors

Consider doing business with your local fresh foods distributor. These companies are experts at collecting and supplying high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients to feed large quantities of people. You’ll be supporting a local business while supplying better-quality fruits, vegetables and other food items to your hospital. 

Breaking the stereotype of hospital food being unhealthy and unpleasant might start a chain reaction with more effort to revolutionize how food is regarded and implemented in the hospital care setting.

Peddler’s Son Has What you Need

Peddler’s Son is the go-to farm-fresh food supplier for Arizona restaurants, hospitals, schools, and more. Family-owned and operated since 1988, Peddler’s Son brings you honest pricing, unparalleled customer service, and farm-fresh produce every day. We believe in quality and that’s what you’ll get when you rely on us to deliver high-value foods for your dishes. We put our food quality and reliable delivery service first along with the customers we serve all across the state. 

Contact us today to see how we can help you get the food you need delivered fresh and on time!

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