Forget clouds, in this 51st issue of The Snack Magazine, we have our head in the leafy greens. How could we not when the varieties span some of the healthiest vegetables in the produce aisle? From kale to spinach, arugula to romaine, the leafy greens category might look like a rainbow, but the pot of gold at the end is rich, natural hues in-store and on the plate. Clearly, we could talk about how much we love this leafy category until we’re green in the face, but we’ll leave it to these produce experts to woo you over...
“We have started producing our new Legacy and Sweet Legacy blends. At first glance, these blends may seem like a traditional spring mix, however, the leaves have more vigor, loft, and stronger texture. Our Legacy blend, which is more of a traditional blend, has sweet varieties with some of the chards mixed in, while the Sweet Legacy has only sweet varieties. Whether it be new products, like Legacy and Sweet Legacy, or traditional leaf lettuces, I believe these items are here to stay. The only thing changing is how we are presenting and packaging them while continually staying ahead with the best varieties.”
“Pete’s ‘bread and butter,’ you could say, is our Living Butter Lettuce. Butter Lettuce is truly lettuce without limits. It goes well beyond the traditional salad and serves as the perfect low-carb alternative for burgers, tacos, and beyond. And because our Living Butter Lettuce is still connected to its roots, this means less food waste for the consumer and less shrink for our retail partners.”
“Leafy greens are an essential category for any produce department, especially with consumers looking for inspiration to add these nutrient- and flavor-packed fresh vegetables to their lifestyles. Not just for the salad bowl, leafy greens can be used in stir-fries, smoothies, sandwiches, taco wraps, and so much more. My personal favorites are romaine hearts and red leaf with the occasional arugula. I grew up in the Salinas Valley of California and am lucky enough to be able to eat leafy greens literally from farm to table.”
“Rainbow chard might not start on the shopping list, but its bold shape and bright color command attention and have consumers adding this lesser-known leafy green to the cart. A hearty bunch with white, green, pink, red, or yellow stems, rainbow chard’s impressive flavor always has me coming back for more. Chard is a member of the beet family, so its broad leaves are tender, with a taste similar to beet greens while the stems offer sweet flavor and texture similar to bok choy. My favorite is sautéed rainbow chard with garlic and lemon, but you can also add chard to soups or use the raw leaves for wraps and summer salads.”
“Misionero’s Garden Life line of value-added leafy greens is convenient and ready-to-use. The lineup includes: Deli Leaf, Lettuce Boats, Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Romaine, and Red Romaine, which are all available in retail and foodservice pack styles. While all of these leaves are easy to use, my current favorite is the Deli Leaf. Garden Life Deli Leaf is the perfect size for any sandwich or is great to cut into pieces for taco toppings or salads.”
“So far, 2020 is a year for the history books! In times like these it is even more important to reduce stress and maintain healthy eating habits. Controlled Environment Agriculture-grown leafy greens are the perfect tasty prescription! Perusing the produce section and seeing salad mixes that highlight a safely grown, harvested, and often pesticide-free product makes choices quick and easy. Unique blends that include powerhouse greens—like Miz America mustard, Flash collard, Peppermint Swiss chard, or Li Ren Choi pak choi—not only increase the visual appeal of that easy summer salad, but add the extra nutritional punch to those smoothies.” 
