Andrea's Column

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.

Mom, What's for Dinner?

What's for dinner?  As a mom, I hear that question on a daily basis and the cheers or groans that follow depending on my answer.

To help you with dinner ideas that receive rave reviews from your family, we have easy recipes you can make with Nature's Promise products on sale this week.  Nature's Promise products are our own brand of wallet-friendly natural and organic foods.

Try our Caesar Chicken with Penne with a delicious cheesy sauce or Mexican Mini-Turkey Loaves made with ground turkey with a kick of salsa.

I hope you and your family enjoy these easy, quick meals!

An Ounce of Prevention

Want to lower your chances of getting the flu? We want to help!

Many of our pharmacists are trained by the Pharmaceutical Association to administer flu shots, and we have also arranged flu shot clinics. Visit your pharmacy during October and November or visit our website for a full schedule.

Other steps to stay healthy during flu season include:

• Wash hands frequently.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
• Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains.
• Include a good source of vitamin C each day. A six fluid ounce glass of 100% orange juice provides the daily value for vitamin C and is a good source of potassium too!

Pride in our Products

At Giant, we carry thousands of national brands, but we are especially proud of our own products. Our Corporate Brands team works with top suppliers to provide the highest quality products at a good value. For example, we offer our exclusive Nature's Promise brand of wallet-friendly natural and organic products. We also provide Simply enjoy! gourmet products from around the globe, such as different and interesting varieties of pasta, olives, sauces and gourmet desserts. We also have an extensive new line of prepared foods such as quiche, potpies, side dishes, pizzas, pastas, sauces, and more.

Purchasing our exclusive products is a great way to get more value for your money. We take pride, and stand behind all of our Giant products and hope you enjoy them.

This week, Nature's Promise snacks are on sale, so it's a great time to give them a try!

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Giant is committed to honoring and celebrating the culture, achievements and history of those who trace their roots to diverse Spanish-speaking nations. Food plays an important role in many family traditions, and in the United States, we enjoy an infinite variety of cuisines from many cultures.

To celebrate and share the cultural diversity of those from the nations of Mexico, Central America, South America, Spain and the Caribbean, we're offering a free booklet highlighting authentic recipes such as Roasted Plantains, Stuffed Peppers with Green Chile Spanish Rice, Red Bean Soup and Honey Flan. By experiencing foods originating in different regions of the world, we can share each others' traditions and celebrate our own country's rich cultural diversity.

We invite you to explore this selection of authentic Hispanic recipes and enjoy them with your family.

Supporting Local Farms

Whether it is concern about the costs of transportation, the environment, support of agriculture or simply quality and freshness, there are a variety of reasons that many customers are looking to buy more local products. But did you know that a great way to support local farms is by way of the dairy aisle? Ninety-nine percent of the dairy farms in our country are owned and operated by farmers and their families who work hard to bring you fresh, wholesome dairy products. At Giant, we support local dairy farms by providing a wide variety of great tasting dairy products, but you also support these local family farms by providing fresh, delicious milk, cheese and yogurt to your family.

And of course, calcium-rich foods support your bones too. Low-fat and fat-free milk are good sources of the bone-building nutrients, protein, calcium and vitamin D. Yogurt and reduced fat cheese are also good choices.

Dairy ~ local food that is always in season!

Good for the Wallet; Good for the Family!

Today, with increasing food prices, many of us are cooking more and eating out less. Not only can cooking at home help save money, but eating at home as a family is an effective tool in helping keep kids substance free according to research from Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance. Monday, September 22, 2008, is Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™, a national movement to inform parents that the parental engagement fostered during frequent family dinners is important to children's well-being.

At Giant, we are committed to helping families with meal solutions by providing new prepared foods; quick, economical recipes; and suggestions on how you can make mealtime a family time more often:

• Try our new, Bourbon rotisserie chicken and prepared foods for easy pick-up meals on your way home.
• Pick a fun dinner theme such as Breakfast at Dark (serve breakfast for dinner), Sub Saturday (enjoy deli meats on toasted rolls) or Mexican night.
• Keep meals simple. Make one-dish casseroles and crock pot meals, or use convenience foods such as frozen vegetables and bagged salads.
• This week look for boneless skinless chicken breast on sale and try our easy, tasty and economical Ranch Chicken and Pasta recipe!