SMORGASBORD: Less is less . . . Go nuts . . . Go tangy . . . Frozen faves

Less is … less

With so many choices now showing up in the 24-ounce entrees-for-two section of the freezer case, T.G.I. Friday’s — already well-represented there — is adding a bunch of entrees for one, including chicken and broccoli Alfredo and sizzling chicken fajitas.

At one store, where the 24-ounce versions of those entrees are priced at $8.99, the 12-ounce entrees for one sell for, surprisingly, $3.99 — 11 percent less per ounce.

Go nuts

Wacky names aren’t the only appealing thing about Lord Nut Levington’s line of seasoned peanuts. The spices are nice too, especially when munched with a cool brew. Tasters’ favorites? Rebel Mary (garlic, tomato, Worcestershire), El Cheddarales (cheese, jalapeno) and Cinnapplooza (cinnamon, apple). The Texas makers also have Mamma Mia (think Italian) and Thai Dyed (Thai curry, lemongrass).

An 8-ounce can is $5.49 at lordnut.com

Go tangy

Slather Inglehoffer Sweet Hot Mustard with Honey on hot dogs, burgers or sandwiches. Brush a bit on chicken or steaks for grilling. Or use as a dip for pretzels. Honey soothes the fire; vinegars temper the sweetness.

A 4-ounce jar is $1.50 at beavertonfoods.com or grocers nationwide.

Frozen faves

Right now, you can use farm-fresh local strawberries to make smoothies. Blueberries and peaches will follow in due course. But smoothies can be enjoyed year-round thanks to frozen fruit. In fact, frozen fruit can make an even better smoothie than out-of-season fresh fruit. Here’s why:

Fresh fruits destined for the market are usually picked before they are fully ripe because a dead-ripe fruit can turn into a bruised fruit or a rotten fruit long before it reaches the store. But fruits destined to be frozen can be harvested at peak ripeness since they only need to travel from the field to the freezing plant.

Frozen fruits are every bit as nutritious as their fresh counterparts, if not more so, since the longer fruits and vegetables “stay out,” the more nutrients they lose. Vitamin C, for instance, is destroyed by light, air and oxygen.

When shopping for frozen fruit, select packages that are clean, dry and fresh-looking. When you shake the package, the fruit should rattle; if it doesn’t, it may have thawed and been refrozen.

Tags: life, food, smorgasbord