Tags: produce

Revol Greens Greenhouse: An Inside Look at Local Greenhouse in Owatonna, MN

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Coborn’s Inc loves supporting local and today we’re excited to give you an inside look at Revol Greens!

In Feb. of 2021, our Registered Dietitians took a field trip down to Owatonna, MN to explore how a local MN grower can provide fresh, leafy greens to our stores 365 days a year. We toured the facility with Chayla Balko, Director of Business Development at Revol Greens, and are giving you the inside scoop on their growing practices including the varieties they grow and their sustainability efforts. Check out the full video for more information and to see the inside of the greenhouse!


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How large is the greenhouse?

Revol Greens greenhouse is 10 acres (equivalent to about 7 football fields!) Although smaller than a traditional farm, their ability to grow leafy greens 365 days a year is extremely advantageous.

How are the leafy greens grown?

Revol Greens grows leafy greens using a hybrid-hydroponic system. This combines the best of all farming methods. They use a small amount of soil to get nutrients to the plants right away, but rather than planted in the ground, they are “planted” on a pond. The roots grow into the water to soak up nutrients while they float through the pond. (The video provides great visuals to how this works- check it out!) From seed to harvest, it takes an average of 3 weeks for these leafy greens to grow.

What sustainability efforts are in place at Revol Greens?

Revol Greens is proud of their strong commitment to sustainability. First off, as a local grower, once their leafy greens are harvested, they are packaged at their facility and sent directly to our stores. This allows the fresh product to be on your dinner table in a matter of days, and reducing the total miles that the produce has had to travel.

Another incredibly sustainable practice they have in place is using recycled water. Revol Greens actually captures and UV sterilizes MN rain water and snow, and can utilize that inside the greenhouse. It’s a win-win! On the days when it’s sunny, the greenhouse windows let in natural light for the crops. On overcast days, the Revol Greens team has LED and HID lights to provide the light and nourishment needed to keep their crops growing strong 365 days a year.

Revol Greens is a great choice!

Eating more vegetables is always encouraged! Revol Greens provides a variety of products that meet the needs of all our guests including both a conventional and organic line. Of course, their products have great nutrition, too! Leafy greens are packed with vitamin K, and also include fiber, vitamins A & C, magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, and antioxidants.

We hope you enjoy the full video to give you an inside look at the greenhouse and more tips from Chayla, their Director of Business Development.  Revol Greens can be found at Coborn’s, Cash Wise and Marketplace Foods stores.

 

Tips For Reducing Food Waste

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Let’s talk food waste.

Many families stocked up on groceries in the beginning of this pandemic and are now doing their best to limit extra trips to the grocery store. Although we may be enjoying more meals at home with our family, many of us are also struggling with food waste. Below are some great tips to keep your produce lasting longer, plus we’re sharing a delicious recipe that can have dinner on your table in less than 20 minutes!

Proper Storage

Clean and organize your fridge. Simply organizing your refrigerator may help you from wasting food. Always be sure that your food is visible! If you can’t see it- you’ll likely forget about it and it will spoil before you find it again. When bringing home groceries, always be sure the older items are closer to the front, and the newer items in the back. We call this the FIFI Method (First in, First Out).

Where do I store what?

When it comes to fresh produce, it can be tricky to know what items to store where in order for them to last longer. Here is a breakdown:

  • On the Counter
    • Bananas
    • Cucumbers (FYI -if you store them in the fridge, they are best within about 3 days.)
    • Garlic
    • Grapefruit
    • Lemons/Limes
    • Onions
    • Potatoes
    • + others
  • In the Fridge:
    • Apples
    • Asparagus
    • Berries
    • Cherries
    • Leafy Greens
    • Cilantro
    • + others

Don’t forget about ethylene producing foods! Apples, Avocado, Bananas, Cantaloupe, tomatoes, + more give off an ethylene gas. Be careful to place to not store these items next to each other or other ethylene sensitive produce items like cucumbers, lemons/limes, potatoes and grapes. Why does it matter? Produce that is stored incorrectly, will spoil quickly!

Plan your Weekly Menu

We’ve created a great Meal Planning Guide that will walk you through the HOW to meal plan, AND it even gives you a 7 day meal plan including recipes and shopping lists! (Can you say, “Yes, please!”)

Since we are all home more often, don’t forget to have a plan for breakfasts, lunches, and even snacks.

My favorite tip: Check your inventory (the refrigerator, freezer and pantry!) Plan your meals with the food that you already have on hand. For example, if you already have sweet potatoes, frozen corn, and a can of black beans, you already have some of the main ingredients for a simple recipe like our Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

And if you REALLY want to make grocery shopping and meal planning easy… shop ONLINE from your HOME! It’s the best of both worlds…check your inventory as you shop and only purchase what you need! (Shop in-store or order online for pickup at all locations! (Or delivery if you are in the St. Cloud or Elk River area!

Featured Recipe Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

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How does Date Labeling Impact Food Waste?
 
We’ve turned to Kim, our Food Safety and Nutrition Manager, Registered Dietitian to talk about this.

Do you ever wonder when you go grocery shopping “what do those dates on the packages actually mean”? Best if Used By, Sell By, Use By….what are these dates telling us?? Well, let me help explain.

Product dating is truly up to each manufacturer. Federal regulations actually do not require food products to be labeled with a date, with the exception of baby formula. If a food manufacturer does choose to date a product, this is where the requirements kick in. If using a calendar date, it must include both the month and the day. They must also include a year if it is a shelf stable or frozen item. In addition, this date needs to include a statement such as “Sell By”, “Use By”, etc.

 Interesting Tidbit – Although Federal regulations do not require dating on product labels, dating of select food items is required in 20 or so states, Minnesota and North Dakota are among those.

Product dating can be presented in basically two ways. Either through what is called Open Dating or Closed Dating. Open Dating is essentially calendar dating which is easily understood by the consumer. As I talked about earlier, this will include a month and a date and often the year. Closed Dating, on the other hand, also known as coded dating, is just that….a code. These codes can be presented in various forms including random numbers and letters which are not intended for the consumer to understand. These codes allow the manufacturers to track their products and may often represent the date of production, which manufacturing plant the product was produced in, etc.

A little more about open dating and the words typically used (from USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service):

  • Sell By – tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
  • Best if Used By – recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
  • Use By – is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.

As stated above these dates refer to the quality of the product not the safety which is a common misconception. Foods impacted by spoilage bacteria may exhibit changes in flavor and appearance and may have an off odor, these products should not be used due to poor quality. It is important to note that spoilage bacteria do not impact the safety of the food. Pathogens (organisms that will make you sick) do not give off any odors nor do they make food taste or look badly. It is also important to remember that mishandling of the product can cause rapid bacterial growth and if pathogens are present at even the slightest level this mishandling can cause the levels to grow and then foodborne illness can result. So, it is very important to handle foods properly, specifically those food items that are perishable (requiring refrigeration). Some examples of mishandling include:

  • Allowing product to sit too long in the Danger Zone..…remember “The Danger Zone”?? this is from 41°F-140°F
  • Thawing product at room temperature – this should always be done under refrigeration or if in a hurry under cool running water or in the microwave and cooked immediately afterwards

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Happy & Healthy Eating!

  • Amy, MS, RD, LD – Supermarket Registered Dietitian
  • Kim, RD, LD, CP-FS – Food Safety Manager, Registered Dietitian

 

Jackfruit

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Have you ever walked past one of those dinosaur eggs in the produce department and wondered what the heck it was? Or how on earth you would eat it? Those dinosaur eggs are actually a jackfruit!

Jackfruit is the largest tree-grown fruit and can weigh as much as 80 pounds! Most of the ones you’ll find in our stores are right around 20 pounds though, and a lot of times you can find them cut down into much more manageable slices.

Jackfruits are one of my favorite fruits to talk about because there are so many interesting things about them. A few fun facts I’ve learned about them are:

  • If you ate a whole jackfruit, you would have enough nutrition in your body to not have
    to eat for two days.
  • Other than the core and the skin, everything else is edible. (Some parts are less desirable as they can be bitter.)
  • Jackfruits with brown skins are riper. Ones with green skins have a paler fruit
    inside and have a less powerful flavor. Green ones are more commonly used in cooking since they take on the flavor of everything else.
  • A ripe jackfruit should give off a sweet smell and yield to gentle pressure.
  • They are rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Low in calories and sodium and do not contain any cholesterol or unhealthy fats.
  • You can freeze jackfruit pods.
  • Jackfruit seeds, when cooked down, taste similar to a potato, but have more nutrients than potatoes do.

When cutting a jackfruit, I like to start by cutting it into 8 pieces. It makes it much more manageable and easier to get the core out so you can access the fruit pods and seeds. Although it takes a little time to do, it’s actually much easier than you would think. Check out the video above to see just how easy it is!

Bridget,
Farmer’s Market Manager
Isanti, MN

Eat Apples… For your Health

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Apples help boost Brain Power!

It’s no secret that people who are the healthiest among us enjoy a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Health experts everywhere agree that we should be eating more for our better health. Over the years research has shown us that some foods can help prevent heart disease, cancers, high blood pressure, and a wide variety of other more minor ailments. Now, health experts are finding that some of these “Superfoods” can even increase brainpower. There is a whole category of “Brain Food”. Pretty cool right! Continue reading →

The Truth About Fruit Juice

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The Truth About Fruit Juice www.cobornsblog.com

Emily

Emily

Hello! I’m Emily, one of your newest Supermarket Registered Dietitians here at Coborn’s! I’m a self-proclaimed foodie and love breaking down the facts for you on the latest nutrition trends. This month’s topic: to juice or not to juice. While juicing is gaining popularity among foodies and health enthusiasts alike, as a Registered Dietitian, I’m leery about recommending this health trend. What can be so wrong with eating your days’ worth of fruits and veggies in one sitting? It encourages consumption of these nutrient powerhouses, right? This is true, however, there’s one important thing missing here: fiber. Continue reading →

Next-Generation Coborn’s Store – Part 1

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www.cobornsblog.com - Family, Friends & Food with Jayne

Jayne

I’m so excited to introduce you to our “new” Next-Generation of Coborn’s stores in Isanti, MN. So many people have asked me what makes it so different and I thought why we don’t just go shopping. So I took a trip to the new Coborn’s Marketplace store so that I could walk you through it and introduce you to some of the employees that work there. Continue reading →