This post is sponsored by Wegmans Food Markets.
Charlottesville got its first Wegmans grocery store a little over a year ago, and it has been a game changer for our town. Our store is massive and has everything you could possibly think of to make for dinner. (Even fresh lobster!) Mazen loves the train that cruises along the ceiling and the drivable shopping carts. I like the huge variety of grocery offerings (There are things like their herby organic basting oil that I can only buy there) and the hot and salad bars (the Asian section is my weakness!)
We almost always do our grocery shopping on Sundays, and often I will take a short cut and pick up a halfway-made dinner. Think: rotisserie chicken, a side from the hot bar, or a special loaf of crusty bread to go with soup. You guys know that Sunday is our day to r e l a x (when we’re not playing soccer!) and this hack saves us a little time in the kitchen.
Wegmans reached out to me about a post to showcase their new oven-safe packaged entrées. Designed to easily feed a family, these entrées go right into the oven in the packaging! Wegmans also recommends two healthy sides to make it a meal and a beverage pairing that complements the flavors. Everything is made from real food and is preservative free. The entrées are available in a variety of Wegmans recipes, so there are plenty of meals to try.
On the menu for my meal: Brown Sugar BBQ Pork with seasoned green beans and carrot puree, and a Belgian-style beer pairing: Ommegang Rosetta.
The oven-safe package is made from Mylar, a food-safe polyester film designed for cooking. The properties of the film will not burn or melt in temperatures below 425 degrees. This cooking film has been around for a long time and has been extensively tested for safe direct contact with food by the FDA and two universities with packaging studies programs: Virginia Tech and the Rochester Institute of Technology. It’s also made without any added BPA.
I think the packaging is genius because no one looks forward to soaking and scrubbing pans. Cook and clean-up all in one. I also love that they have done all the marinating and seasoning for you. Just remove the labels, pop it on a sheet pan into the oven at the recommended temperature or in the slow cooker for some entrées, and set a timer for the recommended cook time. These will also keep up to two weeks in the fridge or freeze right in the bag, so you have all the meal plan flexibility you need.
I served the two vegetables – green beans and carrot puree – on the side. At first glance I didn’t know how the carrot puree would be, but it was DELICIOUS! The ingredient list included butter and spices like ginger. (I learned that Wegmans also makes zucchini and cauliflower purees that can be eaten on their own or mixed into soups and sauces.)
When the pork shoulder was done making our house smell amazing, we took it out to pull apart.
We then drizzled on more Brown Sugar BBQ sauce.
Dinner is served!
We were blown away by the food, and it made so much we had it enthusiastically two nights in a row! The pork was melt-in-your mouth tender, and we loved the sauce. It tasted so good, it could have been from any BBQ restaurant in town. The green beans were solid, and the carrot puree was like a lighter, smoother version of mashed sweet potatoes, but with a distinct carrot flavor.
One of my college friends is from upstate New York and talked about Wegmans all.the.time, so I knew it was a beloved grocery store before I ever set foot in one. Now I know why! What do you love about Wegmans?
Thanks to Wegmans Food Markets for sponsoring this post!
Apriori says
Oh, gosh. I lived in Baltimore from 2/2010 – 5/2011 before moving back to Kansas and LOVED Wegmans. I would gladly drive out of my way to go. It was glorious. I loved all their healthy options! Lucky! Plenty of wonderful options in Lawrence, KS for groceries, but Wegmans remains a favorite! 🙂
Martha says
I LOVE Wegmans! I actually grew up in the town where it was started and it is a huge part of our community. I now live in Maine and the closest one to me is two hours away, but if it ever came to Maine, I would be dancing in the aisles. My favorite part of Wegmans is what they do for the community. They are HUGE community supporters and actually give college scholarships to every high school student who works there (they have to have been with the company for a certain amount of time and work a certain number of hours a week – I think they also need to go back during school breaks and work to keep their scholarship).
KathEats says
That is awesome! Everyone I met was super nice.
Louise RD says
I’m SO envious! I live in NY and have always heard about their high quality grocery stores, but sadly for me, they’re all situated upstate 🙁 I love the fact that they were one of the first grocery chains to employ registered dietitians:-) You guys seem to have it all in Charlottesville!! Enjoy:-)
Linds says
I worked as a Wegmans cashier for over 2 years in college. I hated the work (one time a customer left my lane because I wasn’t smiling enough) but it’s a great company that pays its people well. I ate many Marco Polo (olive oil) bagels in my time there! We have one around here and I love it because it has many hard to find ingredients. But in the battle of the grocery stores, Aldi is sill my jam 😉
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Oh, yum! What a scrumptious looking dinner, Kath! So healthy too! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Laura Swanson says
Growing up in NY we had a Wegmans and I loved it! My sister also worked there for a period of time in high school and it was a great place to work. We don’t have one in NC near us but one is opening soon and I cannot wait! I love the their pizza and subs from the hot bar area and the herb basting oil is amazing! How much would it cost to buy the pork, beans and carrots listed in your meal?
KathEats says
I’m not sure on the exact prices, but I think the pork was around $15, the beans and purees maybe $15 all together? (But I had enough to feed 10 people, and we ate the leftovers for days!)
Colleen says
I live in Baltimore and Wegmans is our go-to grocery place! We love the quality, the prices, and the variety!
Kori says
My gosh, I wish we had a Wegmans near us!! That meal looks so classic but with a fun twist including the carrot puree. I am so impressed by their packaging design! I love the overhead shot of your table; so vibrant and pretty! Awesome post, Kath!
KathEats says
Thank you!
Kaci says
This sounds & looks incredible! Also, your table decor and flatware are so pretty. You are welcome to come decorate my kitchen or house for that matter any time. ha
KathEats says
: )
Ellen Denizard says
Wegmans is top down my favorite grocery story. The have everything you need and most of their name brand groceries are reasonably priced. I shop at Aldi’s to get my basics but always swing over to Wegmans to get meats, cheeses and specialty items. Their prepared foods are more pricey…the salad bar gets me every time, but nothing compared to Whole Foods. I am a die hard Wegmans fan all the way. Even told my husband when we were looking for a new house it had to be near a Wegmans. We are near three!
Kate says
omg, WEGMANS! I was born and raised in Rochester, NY, which is where Wegmans was founded. I moved away twenty years ago AND I STILL MISS IT. They are the best grocery store in the world, and I’m so glad/jealous that Charlottesville has one now!
KathEats says
People love it!!
Martha says
I’m from Rochester, NY as well! The East Ave one is the mothership!
Michelle says
Since I grew up in western New York, I absolutely LOVE Wegmans. I’m definitely that person that talks about it all the time. I used to love to choose a Brie And petite toasts from their large cheese selection. And I also love their single serve desserts. So good! Unfortunately I live overseas now, and I miss it so much!
Jana says
Yum, that dinner looks amazing! I love that you can pop the pork into the oven without even opening the package! Where did you get the marble and, is it mahogany, table? I’ve admired it in your other posts as well. Absolutely gorgeous!
KathEats says
Thanks it was my parents’ table, and maybe have been in the family before that (Mom?) It lived in the upstairs hallway of their house for 30 years before they gave it to me in project downsize.
Linda @ the Fitty says
Oh gosh that looks good! The green and orange side by side looks so vibrant.
Jenna says
I love everything about Wegmans and am so thrilled that they’ve come to town. Having said that, I’ll admit it’s odd seeing a sponsored post here since I thought you were a Whole Foods fanatic and didn’t really like Wegmans. The only times I remember you talking about Wegmans you said you preferred the Whole Foods hot bar and thought Wegmans was too big. And honestly, this is why I don’t trust that sponsored posts contain honest opinions.
KathEats says
Well I’ve been a WF fanatic for years because I had never had a Wegmans in my town until now! WF is closer to me, but I alternate which store I’m going to based on where I am running errands or the things I need (Wegmans has a much wider variety of snack foods, picnic foods, etc). Wegmans IS huge, but the more I have gone the more I know where things are. And I also think our store has gotten better in the year or so since it’s been open with more local products and expansions on their grass-fed dept, etc.
alan says
Loyalty to grocery chains is what they love to hear. We have Wegmans where I am, but I still tend to shop based on the sales and/or the convenience of where I am. Why was it a game changer to CVL? Other than the prepared foods and food bars, is there anything else that garnered your loyalty?
Following you for so long, I know you used to shop at Whole Foods a lot–has Wegmans replaced that? If so, why? (Whole Foods also has a lot of prepared foods and nice produce/meats, etc)
KathEats says
Ours are on opposite sides of town, so I go to both depending on what I need. I also circulate in Trader Joes, Fresh Market, and HT from time to time. Again, all depending on what I need and where I am! WF is closest to my house, but Wegmans is cheaper, so it’s always just dependent on who is doing the grocery shopping where we go! I feel they are very comparable.
Karen M Monson says
did maze eat the carrot dish?
KathEats says
He did! Not a ton, but some!
Laurie says
Im from Rochester, home of Wegmans.We moved to Florida last year and all I can say is I miss Wegmans! I love their marinades, the bulk foods, the bakery, the cheese, the beer selection. I miss it all 🙁
Tonya says
I love their hot bar of course. Also their burger bar which also has Falafel and veggie burgers and shakes, Etc. Also I love their organic section and that I can find a lot of specialty items there. Oh yeah and the bakery! Also there is one up here that has live jazz music, and there have been events for singles
Anne @ fANNEtastic food says
Yum! Pretty photos – looks delicious and easy!