Our Attachment to Applegate

You might know them as cold cuts, luncheon meats, sliced meats, or deli meats; but no matter what they are called, they certainly create one of the most convenient totable meals. With no cutting or cooking required, even young kids can manage to make their own creation. But, as with most things, convenience can come with a price; many processed meats are high in sodium, saturated fat, and nitrates/nitrites.

As a staple for many school children, we set out to find better-for-you cold cut options. And, we were so excited to be able to partner with APPLEGATE®. They do things differently than other conventional sliced deli meat companies (even the ones you’ve been told are “supposed to be the best.”) For more than 30 years (just like us), Applegate has been on a mission: “Changing The Meat We Eat.” It’s commitment to offering high-quality natural and organic products means focusing on where food comes from, how it’s raised, and how it’s made. Applegate doesn’t cut corners, and neither do we, which was why aligning with them was such a clear choice. Serving Applegate sliced turkey and ham to our students means serving products produced with:

No Antibiotics. Ever.
Why is that important? More than 80 percent of the antibiotics in the United States are used on farm animals, and mostly used sub-therapeutically,“ a fancy way of saying to prevent disease from spreading. Applegate believes the overuse of antibiotics isn’t just bad for the animals, but for us. Studies show it’s contributing to the increase of antibiotic-resistant bacteria or superbugs. At Applegate, if an animal becomes ill, it is treated with antibiotics as prescribed by a veterinarian and the animal is then sold to a supply chain outside of Applegate. However, as a result of Applegate’s superior animal practices like clean barns, fresh air, and more space, few animals need to be treated in this way.

No Growth Promotants. Ever.
Applegate allows animals to grow as nature intended. They do not allow any kind of drug or medication to speed an animal’s growth or increase lean muscle mass.

Humane Practices. Always.
One hundred percent of Applegate products are third-party certified by Global Animal Partnership® or Certified Humane®. Applegate’s humanely raised practices are defined by animal species and include important factors such as more room to roam free, more natural and safe environments, and higher quality feed. Applegate animals are either vegetarian-fed or grass-fed to promote natural growth and animal by-products in feed are prohibited. Applegate products are also made without GMO ingredients and are free of chemical nitrites, nitrates or phosphates, artificial ingredients or preservatives.

The practices that Applegate follows are not the industry norm. Just as the simple, tasty and nourishing meals your children receive are not the school food service norm. We believe, as does Applegate, that there are always better-for-you choices to be made, choices that you can feel good about and that we feel good about offering.

When selecting animal proteins for your family, look for products that are produced in systems with no antibiotics ever and high animal welfare standards. You can visit globalanimalpartnership.com and certifiedhumane.com to find products and brands that follow high animal welfare standards. 

Be sure to try Applegate’s kid-approved recipe below where turkey take the place of rice:

Turkey “Sushi” with Lemon Miso Dressing
serves 4

Ingredients
8 slices Applegate Roasted Turkey Breast
1 small cucumber, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced into 16 pieces

For the dressing
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions
1. Lay a piece of turkey on a work surface. Arrange a small handful of the cucumber and carrot along the bottom third of the turkey.
2. Lay 2 slices of avocado over top. Starting from the bottom, roll up tightly to enclose the veggies. 
3. Lay the roll seam-side down and cut into 6 pieces. 
4. Repeat with the remaining turkey and veggies. Serve with the dressing.

For the dressing
1. Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.