Dinner Just Got Easier with This New Subscription Delivery Service

by Erica LoopMay 3, 2019

Your grocer’s frozen foods section just got a new twist, and it’s sent straight to your door! Mosaic is a new service that’s changing the way subscription boxes are done and in the best way.

Forget about scrambling to make dinner after a busy day or thawing out a chemical-filled, so-called entree that’s been sitting in the freezer for the past few months. With Mosaic, you get fresh, frozen meals that come straight from nature—and not from a preservative-filled lab.

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Former Blue Apron senior director of operations Matt Davis, and friend and business partner Sam McIntire, founded Mosaic as a way to bring frozen fresh foodie finds to customers homes. In a market that’s saturated with pre-portioned, pre-prepped meals, Mosaic is making it even easier to put dinner on your fam’s table.

So what makes Mosaic different from the other boxed delivery services? It’s frozen! Of course, that brings us to another question—what makes Mosaic’s meals different from what you can find in just about any grocery retailer’s freezer section?

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Mosaic doesn’t make meals with cheap ingredients and you can expect more from their products than you would from the regular ole grocery store finds. The subscription service is actually quite reasonably priced compared to similar services, with meals ranging from $8.99 to $12.49, depending on how many meals you order in each box.

Mosaic’s current menu includes savory selections such as a Greek Jackfruit Bowl, Peanut Tofu Bowl, Harvest Beet Bowl, Miso Tempeh Bowl, Smoky Southwest Bowl and Tuscan Pesto Bowl. To check if this cool-foods company delivers to your area and order meal, visit Mosaic’s website here.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Mosaic Foods via Instagram

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These Are the Best Grocery Stores in the Country, According to Consumer Reports

These Are the Best Grocery Stores in the Country, According to Consumer Reports

by Shahrzad WarkentinMay 2, 2019

When you’re fueling up your family or shopping with kids in tow, where you shop can make all the difference. Consumer Reports‘ latest data ranks the best grocery stores in the nation.

Published in the April issue of Consumer Reports, the grocery store lists rankings for 96 retailers across the United States and among the top 10? Fan-favorite Trader Joe’s and Costco.

photo: Markus Spiske via Unsplash

The report was based on responses from over 75,000 people. Consumer Reports’ survey asked questions regarding cleanliness, price, food quality and variety, checkout speed and staff helpfulness, selection of healthy options and locally produced foods.

The majority of the other top spots went to regional retailers, with the number one rank going to Texas-based grocer Central Market. The second place spot went to Wegmans, which serves the mid-Atlantic and New England regions, and third place was Heinen’s, which is located in northeast Ohio and Chicago.

The only national chains to break the top ten were Trader Joe’s coming in at fifth and Costco at 10th place. Other popular national chains topping the list were Publix at 11th, Sprouts at 20th and Aldi at 23rd. Even with the recent Amazon takeover, Whole Foods came in at 54th.

Now, about that Two-Buck Chuck…

—Shahrzad Warkentin

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Recall Alert: Some Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Flavors Have Undeclared Tree Nuts

by Erica LoopApril 17, 2019

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced a recall of Ben & Jerry’s Coconut Seven Layer Bar bulk and Chunky Monkey pints due to an undeclared tree nut allergen issue. According to an emailed comment by a Ben & Jerry’s spokesperson, the Coconut Seven Layer Bar bulk portion recall only extends to Scoop Shops/franchises.

The spokesperson also noted that while the Chunky Monkey pints are labeled with “may contain other tree nuts,” only walnuts are included in the ingredients list. If you, your child or anyone else in your household has a tree nut allergy, read on for more information on this recall.

Recalled Product Description: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

The current recall only includes Ben & Jerry’s Coconut Seven Layer Bar bulk and Chunky Monkey pints. The Coconut flavor is sold to Scoop Shops/franchises in 2.4 gallon tubs—meaning that you can’t find this product in your grocer’s freezer section. The Chunky Monkey product is sold by the pint at numerous retail locations.

Why the Ice Cream Was Recalled

These flavors may contain undeclared tree nuts, including almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts. While the products do include “Contains Walnuts” and “May contain other tree nuts,” the above mentioned nuts aren’t specified.

How to Tell If Your Ice Cream Is Part of the Recall

The affected Ben & Jerry’s Coconut Seven Layer Bar bulk ice cream has the Consumer UPC of 076840104246 and best by date of SEP1520BJ4.The Ben & Jerry’s Chunk Money pints have the Consumer UPC of 076840100354 and best by dates of AUG2820BH2, AUG2920BH2, or AUG3020BH2.

What Parents Can Do

If you have the affected products and your child (or any household member( has a tree nut allergy, don’t eat it. Keep the container and call 833-236-1237 for what to do next.

—Erica Loop

Photos: Courtesy of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration

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This New Ice Cream Will Help You Get to Sleep (Yes, Really!)

by Shahrzad WarkentinMarch 12, 2019

If you love dishing up a bowl full of ice cream before bed, then you might want to check out this new ice cream sleep aid that promises to turn your sweet treat into even sweeter dreams.

Despite the claim that Nightfood Ice Cream will help you sleep, it is in fact not designed to knock you out. The ice cream contains no drugs or supplements of any kind. Instead the way the ice cream works is by enabling healthier digestion, which in turn leads to a better night’s sleep, according to Nightfood founder and CEO Sean Folkson.

photo: Nightfood

As Folkson explained to USA TODAY, the sugar, fat and calories found in traditional ice cream recipes can trigger micro-awakenings which lead to fragmented sleep. “The insidious part is most people won’t even realize it,” Folkson said. “It’s not conscious tossing and turning. It’s just their sleep quality is poor, and they’re not making the connection… (Nightfood) lowers the glycemic index so there’s no insulin roller coaster.”

Developed in partnership with sleep experts, the ice cream is made with low caffeine cocoa powder and is loaded with protein as well as nutrients like calcium and magnesium. It comes in eight dreamy flavors including Full Moon Vanilla, Midnight Chocolate, After Dinner Mint Chip, Cold Brew Decaf, Cookies ‘n Dreams, Milk & Cookie Dough, Cherry Eclipse and Bed and Breakfast.

Nightfood is slowly rolling out to stores across the country, but it if you can’t find it at your local grocer yet, it’s also available online at $5.99 a pint.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Evan Kirby via Unsplash

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Trader Joe’s New Ice Cream Is Basically Good for You

by Erica LoopMarch 8, 2019

Your New Year’s resolutions may have fallen by the wayside, but that doesn’t mean you have to go all in when it comes to dessert-time. There’s a way to get your sweet fix without totally straying. And pretty soon your fave grocer will have a new option. Trader Joe’s ice cream line is getting an addition—and it includes low-calorie flavors.

In a recent Inside Trader Joe’s podcast, a TJ’s product developer dished on the soon-to-be addition of high-protein, low-calorie ice creams to the store’s frozen foods section. And if you’re wondering why you Trader Joe’s hasn’t already jumped on the low-cal chilled treat bandwagon, according to the product developer, “All the ones on the market have sugar alcohols, which is something we avoid in our private label brands.”

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So what can you expect from TJ’s new high-protein/low-cal treat? Judging by the info from the podcast, the creamy delight will come in two flavors—cookies and cream and peanut butter chocolate. One pint will total just over 300 calories. While it’s not exactly on par with eating a steak, the cookies and cream flavor provides 20 grams of protein and the chocolate peanut butter will have 23 grams.

Even though the podcast promises the debut of the ice cream flavors sometime soon, as of now there’s no word on a debut date.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Adrienn via Pexels

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3 New Starbucks Bottled Frappuccino Flavors Have Arrived & You’ll Want Them All

by Erica LoopMarch 7, 2019

Going grocery shopping just got better. Three new Starbucks Bottled Frappuccino flavors are available now—and you can find them on your local grocer’s shelves! But these bottled beverages aren’t the only Sbucks goodies to hit stores. Check out the new products that the coffee giant recently rolled out in grocery stores across the country.

Frappuccino fans can now get their morning (or any time of the day) jolt with three brand-new flavors: Salted Dark Chocolate, Caramelized Vanilla Honey and Toasted White Chocolate. Along with culinary-inspired ingredients, these sweet selections also come with a splash of Starbucks Cold Brew inside. All three of Starbucks’ new bottled Frappuccino flavors retail for $2.93 (for a 13.7-ounce bottle).

If your busy day requires more than just a little pick-me-up, Starbucks also recently debuted three new Tripleshot Energy drinks. Also available in grocery stores, these canned coffee beverages come in Caramel, Caffè Mocha and French Vanilla flavors.

The canned Tripleshot Energy drinks will run you $2.99 for a 15-ounce can.

—Erica Loop

Photos: Courtesy of Starbucks

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This Is the Most Popular Item at Trader Joe’s & It’s Not What You’d Expect

by Karly WoodMarch 1, 2019

Ask several people what their favorite Trader Joe’s product is and you’ll probably get a different answer each time. But despite the thousands of products available at the grocer, there actually is one that stands out above the rest!

Using a compilation of Google search data on the most purchased and searched for products, customer service company Workwise found that the most popular Trader Joe’s item is its Sweet Chili Sauce. Made with a delicious combo of chilis and garlic, once you try this sweet dipping sauce—especially with some of the retailer’s frozen foods—you’ll never go back.

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We’ve heard the condiment pairs well with Asian-inspired foods like egg rolls, veggie spring rolls, in stir fry dishes and even over eggs! The sauce has its own cult following. Bonus? You can find it year-round in the TJ’s condiment aisle.

The Sweet Chili Sauce was the top product in 13 states including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia. Coming in right behind the condiment in popularity was Trader Joe’s Macaron Variés in 10 states and Everything But The Bagel Seasoning in nine states.

––Karly Wood

Feature photo: Phillip Pesar via Flickr

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by Karly WoodFebruary 22, 2019

It turns out, there’s an actual real reason why people love shopping at Trader Joe’s and it’s not just because of those Hawaiian shirts. In a recent interview with Business Insider, psychologist Barry Schwartz discussed the grocer’s uncanny ability to draw in customers in an almost cult-like following.

We’ve long touted the greatness that is Trader Joe’s here at Red Tricycle, so it comes as no surprise that there have been actual, semi-scientific discussions about just what draws people to its doors in droves. Here’s what we found out.

photo: Phillip Pessar via Flickr

For starters, Trader Joe’s has always been about quality over quantity. Its coordinated branding includes simple and fun labeling, not to mention tasty ingredients that go a long way with customers.

While its stores may not carry hundreds of each type of product, the ones they do carry are tried and true. This plays heavily into not only controlling supply costs but also giving customers just enough variety to feel like they have options, but not so many that they can’t make a decision. Needless to say, it’s a solid business model that is ultimately focused on providing the best customer service.

Photo: Daveynin via Flickr.

Trader Joe’s also has the market cornered when it comes to the frozen food aisle. While most of the country’s grocery stores utilize standing freezers with open-and-shut doors that leave the frozen food aisle chilly and uninviting, Trader Joe’s prefers “coffin cases” that are low to the ground and easily accessible.

All those differences make for a warmer shopping experience, not to mention customers who rather enjoy shopping for freezer goods alongside the adjacent non-frozen treats. Instead of the “get in and get out” mentality, patrons can explore products without a blast of cold air in their face.

And about that packaging? It turns out the whimsical hand drawings and catchy descriptions do more than just make the products look good––they also give that human element we all want in life. They make us feel like we need that bag of birthday cake popcorn—even though we just came in for a bag of organic apples.

Checkmate, Trader Joe’s.

––Karly Wood

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“Toy Story 4” Has Dropped It’s Tastiest Tie-In Yet

by Erica LoopFebruary 19, 2019

The movie might not debut until June, but Toy Story 4 ice cream is will hit the shelves in the freezer section soon. Reports recently surfaced that Edy’s new Pixar-themed flavors are gradually launching in stores around the United States.

Edy’s isn’t just releasing one Toy Story 4-themed flavor. The movie-inspired ice cream awesomeness will come in two fab flavors: Cinnamon Churro Carnival Combo and Chocolate Peanut Butter Midway Mash.

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What can you expect from these from-the-film flavors? The Cinnamon Churro Carnival Combo is a magnificent mix of vanilla ice cream with swirls of cinnamon and churro chunks. The second flavor, Chocolate Peanut Butter Midway Mash, is exactly what the name implies—chocolate ice cream with peanut butter and yes, even more chocolate inside.

Along with the feature film flavors, the packaging also includes some of Toy Story’s most notable faces—and a few new friends, too. Look for Woody, Buzz and Forky (who appeared in the first trailer for Toy Story 4) as well as Bunny and Ducky, new carnival characters voiced by Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key that appeared in the Toy Story 4 reaction trailer.

According to PEOPLE, a rep from Nestle confirmed that the two new flavors are available for a limited time through September 2019. Where can you find the new limited-edition Toy Story 4 ice cream? According to Nestle, the flavors are available now at stores throughout the country, so that means you’ll have to check your grocer’s freezer section—and often!

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Courtesy of Disney Pixar

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Trader Joe’s Newest Treats Are for the Furry Friends in Your Life

by Erica LoopFebruary 19, 2019

Pet parents, rejoice: Trader Joe’s cat treats are almost here and they’re just purr-fect for your furry little BFF.

TJ’s has always had great foodie finds for the whole fam—and now our fave grocer wants to treat your feline family members to something tasty, too.

Photo: Mikhail Wasilyev via Unsplash

It’s no secret Trader Joe’s kind of has a thing for dogs: they even released an advent calendar just for dogs this past holiday season. But according to TJ’s Marketing Director Tara Miller, “We love cats and dogs, and we are introducing two new cat treats: one that’s chicken and one that’s tuna.” Speaking on the Inside Trader Joe’s podcast, Miller added: “Every cat will be happy this year. Not just dogs.”

When can you expect these new chicken and tuna cat treats to hit store shelves? Even though Miller dished on the soon-to-be introduction of these new products, she didn’t provide an exact date. Like the other items included in the “new products” section of the podcast, we only know that the treats will launch sometime in 2019.

Along with the cat treats, Miller also announced a few other new (for human) products coming 2019, including gluten-free pizza dough, more organic cookies, new salad kits, Neopolitan Joe-Joe’s ice cream, outside-in gnochhi (with the sauce inside), Caprese ravioli and a chips and guac snack pack!

Um, is anyone else suddenly starving?

—Erica Loop

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