ALONG COMES MARY

(Thanks to Fresh and Easy for sponsoring today’s discussion!)

If you’re in California, Nevada or Arizona, chances are you have encountered a Fresh and Easy Market. I first started shopping at one back in the day when I lived up north in Cali & one opened in Lompoc; “What’s that new market?!” My Mom & I wondered, but we soon discovered they had products for me AND my folks, who had 2 different kinds of diets going on. My first obsession was their pepper jack cheese & coffee, still favorites today 😉

When they invited me to feature them, I had so much fun browsing the aisles & seeing how far they have come. Here are just a few of the reasons for you to check out Fresh and Easy!

1) The “7-11 convenience” in a “Wild Oats Organic” setting

I don’t know about you, but sometimes, especially wanting to follow a gluten-free & mostly vegetarian diet, it can be intimidating to go into the posh-er markets offering you foods to fit your lifestyle. My wallet gets quite a workout when I go to some stores & thus, I don’t always feel as good as I should about eating right. Fresh and Easy offers the BEST variety of organic & gluten-free foods in an environment that also offers you name brand sodas, candies & favorites you will find at your corner grocery store.

2) Meals ready in 10 minutes that might as well be home-made

Lately, as I am working full-time, spending time with my boyfriend, managing the blog, still trying to see my friends & family, & take care of my pup, some nights it’s too much to think about a solid, home cooked, healthy meal. Fresh and Easy has you covered! They have loads of chef-made meals ready to grab & go. While a lot of them are meat or wheat based, they also have great side dishes that are A-OK for my diet, like their Spanish rice, perfect for a Mexican meal.

They also offer microwaves right there in the shop for you, so take advantage of their dishes on a work or school break, too!

3) Loads of Gluten-Free fare

This makes my heart sing! Their Fresh and Easy brand offers a huge variety of GF baking flours, as well as some of my favorites like Pamela’s, Amy’s & a new fave I had not seen, Cowgirl Cookies….try them, trust me 😉

Another great company that I have not seen available in enough stores is Lyfe Kitchen. We met at Expo West ’13 & I love what their vision is all about. Fresh and Easy carries their line of frozen dishes so check them out.

4) Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf!

Can you tell this is a “Mary Made” market?! Like most modern grocery stores, Fresh and Easy boasts a self-serve coffee bar in their locations featuring Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf….you know I have stopped there a few times! They also sell their own brand of delicious, fair trade, organic ground coffees. This past Fall, they had a Pumpkin Spice blend which I am lucky enough to still have back-up bags of, & my main fave is French Roast

5) Wine

From their “Big Kahuna” wine for $2.99, to 9 point selections, they have a vast variety of wine, spirits & beers to go with your dinner or party. On your way to a special event & want to bring flowers? they have gorgeous bouquets, too.

6) Fresh Produce

Summer is the best season for fruits & I picked up all my must-haves like watermelon, peaches & cherries. They also offer many bags of fruits & veggies at a great price to help keep your house stocked for the week.

I already cannot wait to head back to Fresh and easy for my next shopping adventure. I hope you will check out yours & report back to me what you think!

Find out where your nearest Fresh and Easy Market is HERE!

(Disclosure: I am being compensated for this post. All opinions are my own & I have loved Fresh and Easy for years!)