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EAT YOUR GREENS
Leafy snack foods are the latest way to get the veggies we need
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Educating people on the value of good food has become such a serious business that even Cookie Monster promotes healthy eating habits.
And when it comes to all-important green vegetables, foodies are no
longer content with a plate of broccoli, opting increasingly for
spinach, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, and seaweed in their diets.
Indeed, it seems that eating a diverse selection of vegetables has
become a competitive sport, whether that means spending extra money at
a gourmet market, joining a CSA or growing your own.
But since no one has yet to invent a mobile steamer, those striving to
enjoy a plentiful dose of vitamins will need a more portable way to get
their daily greens. Here are a few we like:
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Kale Chips:
Eating a bag of Doritos now may be akin to smoking cigarettes on the
list of Things That Will Kill You, but not all chips are created equal
these days. In fact, kale chips may be the next snack trickery for
health-conscious parents to stuff into their kids' lunchboxes. Already,
dehydrated kale has become an entrepreneurial success story for
Brooklynite Amy Hamberry who sells her raw vegan chips to some of the tophealthfoodstores in NYC. LA's Chef Rawsheed (of SunPower Natural) has also made his mark on the kale chip scene with his Spicy Kale Munchies
seasoned with onion, garlic, cayenne, and tamari. If the price tags on
these labors of love make your heart skip a beat, you can always
bake your own.
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Sea's Gift Korean Seaweed Snack:
When we were in elementary school, the cool kids brought Fruit Roll-Ups
for snack time, but now these roasted nori sheets are becoming a
coveted munchable among the tween set. Parents are so delighted that
their kids are craving such a healthy alternative to potato chips that
they're bloggingabout
it. Admittedly, this trend seems to be stemming from affluent families
that shop at Whole Foods, but since the oft polarizing taste of seaweed
is well disguised, it could catch on to a broader audience. Maine-based
seaweed farmer Kacie Loparto even contends that the dulse variety has a flavor not too dissimilar from bacon, which could be reason enough for even the most ocean-phobic eaters to give sea veggies a shot.
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Sea Chips
These seaweed chips from Maine Coast Sea Vegetables have become a popular mid-afternoon
snack in our office. Although it does involve another pricey trip to
Whole Foods, we think these chips may be worth fighting the lines and
extending our budgets for. Unlike
most savory snack foods, they have no added salt, yet still have a
distinct sodium flavor thanks to the sea veggies' natural mineral
salts. They're no substitute for a hijiki salad, but at least the guilt
factor is far lower than that experienced after polishing off an entire
canister of Pringles.
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* References to products and services in trendcentral do not imply our endorsement, but rather are intended to provide objective insights into emerging trends and examples of those trends. trendcentral is published by The Intelligence Group, a trend research and consumer insights company focusing on youth culture. For more information on our services, or to subscribe to our syndicated Cassandra Report studies, please contact Noelle Weaver at 212-277-5244 or via email at nweaver@intelg.com.
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