Will you be feeding any millennials (approximately ages 20-35) this weekend?
If so, you may be worried about your Memorial Day menu.
After all, doing so requires a mentality of keeping it simple and leaving Grandma’s nine-step recipe in the little green box with the rest of the outdated index cards.
Farmers’ markets are ideal. But, if you can’t get there between work and the weekend, Remke and Kroger offer a stunning array of fresh vegetables and fruits. The supply of great berries and beautiful zucchini, asparagus, green beans and mushrooms has been consistent since early spring.
Fresh (without fuss) is the key to summertime meals for your favorite millennials. Millennials, now the largest generation in the U.S., want to pay as little as possible for products. If they can find it on the internet, they can get it delivered. But, as the White House Council of Economic Advisers has determined, they will be driving the economy for many years to come.
They value, studies say, specific attributes in food including organic, natural and specialty foods. Forbes magazine says they want it cheap, convenient and not processed. Again, think fresh.
For this weekend’s party, give these recipes a try:
Fresh fruit salad
If the blueberries at the end of the aisle grab your attention, take them home. Rinse and throw in a bowl with fresh strawberries or fresh-cut cantaloupe (a bonanza of vitamins C &A and potassium) for a great sweet treat.
Kale salad
Triple-washed baby kale is perfect in a green salad or to add color and nutrition to your pasta salad. Always cut off the stems. For the pasta salad, blanch the kale just a moment in boiling water; rinse under very cold water and separate the leaves onto a paper towel to dry. Kale adds great color to a pasta salad and few are aware you’ve added a dose of vitamins A, K and C; not to mention the antioxidants.
Skewers of veggies
Marinate for 15 minutes in vinaigrette and a touch of olive oil in a sealed plastic bag or Tupperware. Try the gorgeous red, yellow and green peppers now in season. Mix it up with the tiny onions and small red potatoes you find in the produce aisle. If you can’t resist, and I couldn’t, add blemish-free yellow and green zucchini, cut into half-inch pieces. Skewer and place on the grill. Don’t cook it to death. Just grill until tender and serve immediately.
