Name us two things that are more American, than inviting family and friends over for an NFL game and grilling some delicious food! It’s one of our favorite pass times for sure in the United States, and part of our love for food, family and fun.
Did you make a resolution this year to be the ‘host with the most’ when it comes to the 2019 Football season? We know that celebrating game day is important to you, and when it’s your turn to host everyone at your house, you want to do it like a pro! In this article, we’ll share some ways you can stretch your budget and provide some seriously good (and healthy) grub on game day.
Let’s Start with the Burgers
Full disclosure; we want you to try our Free Graze premium burgers and keep them grilling throughout the football season. Why? Because we have worked hard to create one of the healthiest and most flavorful and satisfying burger available at your grocery store. And we know you are going to love the compliments, when you serve a premium flavored burger from Free Graze.
We’d like to differentiate our premium burgers from other options you’ve already tried on your grill. First of all, Free Graze sources grass-fed beef from agricultural producers we have known for decades. Why does this matter? Because we take the extra time and care to make sure that the beef, we use in our burgers is premiere quality.
It can be confusing when you step into the fresh or frozen meat aisle and see so many brands and options available to you. But unless you are buying premium antibiotic and hormone free, grass-fed beef burgers, you aren’t getting the value you deserve, for your grocery budget.
Grass-Fed Means More Nutrition: How Far Did Your Beef Travel Before Becoming a Burger?
All ground-beef looks the same, with the exception of higher fat content in some economical brands. Frozen burgers follow that same measurement, with lower-fat alternatives being more expensive than economy burgers. But where does the beef come from, in some of the most popular burgers you would find in your grocery store?
Mass produced meat means volume agricultural methods. The goal of the food chain is to provide meat that meats the FDA standards for minimum levels of quality and nutrition. And those requirements can actually surprise you, as some of the recommendations don’t hold food producers to the highest standards of quality.
For example, did you know that beef fat can be added to hamburgers, but not ground beef according to FDA guidelines? A maximum amount of 30% fat is permitted for either fresh ground beef or formed burger patties. The USDA requires that while hamburger and ground beef can have seasonings, no water, phosphates, binders or extenders may be added to the meat. If ground beef or hamburger is found to contain more than 30% fat, they are considered ‘misbranded’ under Federal Law or non-compliant with nutritional standards.
Why does the USDA seal matter so much? Because even ground beef that is imported to the United States from other countries (common for ground beef) must only be purchased from USDA approved nations that meet all safety standards that are equivalent to foods produced in the United States. This is to eliminate food borne pathogens, bacteria and to regulate the types of preservatives that can be used, when exporting meat.
Ground beef can be stored in a freezer for up to four months, for food safety reasons. After that time, the raw meat can become compromised. But did you know that the longer beef is frozen, the less nutrients it retains? The longer meat is frozen, the less nutritional value gets from your meal. And because ground beef is a lower cost meat product compared to other cuts of beef (like steaks), the type used to produce ground beef and manufacture budget hamburgers, can be beef that is on the cusp of being of low nutritional value.
Imported beef is traditionally feed lot raised. That means that cattle may be allowed access to a crowded pasture, but they are not tended in a natural agricultural way, which involves pasture raised and free roaming cattle who can graze openly. Because this is not a natural way for cattle to live, they tend to be stressed and more prone to illnesses and infections. To eliminate this problem, feedlot or high-volume cattle producers use heavy antibiotics as a preventative measure.
Since profitability for beef manufacturers depends on raising cattle to the age and weight for market (as quickly as possible), feed lot raised cattle are also provided with growth hormones. Some of these hormones are natural supplements, while others are artificial hormones designed to increase body weight for the cattle as quickly as possible. This expedites the market model, and profit margins for factory farms.
What is in that economy burger? Beef imported from another country. Meat that has been raised with antibiotics and artificial hormones that can contribute to health risks, when consumed by humans. When you start with a locally resourced grass-fed burger from Free Graze, you are getting 100% beef (no fillers, binders or artificial preservatives). And grass-fed beef that is more delicious (and loaded in healthy nutrients) for your family.
That’s starting with the right kind of burger!
Game Day Grill Out Preparation
Do a head count and consider that each adult will want about two Free Graze patties. Because our American Style Kobe beef patties are a satisfying 1/3 lb. patty, and our other burgers like our Free Graze Organic Grass-Fed Burgers are 1/3 lb. thick, budget one patty per child. And of course, you can just happen to mention that you will be grilling Kobe burgers. (You may have to buy extra).
Next, think about the flavors that you want to offer everyone, to make for a successful and tasty grill out! Are there any members of your squad who are reducing the amount of red meat they eat? If so, grab a bag of our free-roaming and vegetarian fed Turkey Burgers. There are always a few in the crowd who like a spicy kick, so get a bag (or two… because they are really popular) of our Free Graze Spicy Jalapeño patties, with 100% grass-fed beef and Non-GMO Jalapeños.
One of the great things about Free Graze burgers, is how easy the beef or turkey patties separate, when you are ready to grill. There is no need to thaw your patties, they go straight from the product bag in your freezer to the grill and cook in under nine minutes (please follow food safety and cooking directions).
Plan It Like A Pro: Our Best Game Day Grilling Tips for Hosts
1. A little short on seating? Tell everyone to bring their camp chair with them. If the weather is not in your favor, bring those comfy camping chairs inside and everyone will have a seat!
2. Set up a beverage station for mix and non-alcoholic beverages. Dispensers are not expensive, and you can create a large two-gallon beverage like sweet tea, limeade or other refreshing drinks that can also be used as mix in a pinch.
3. Stick to paper plates but choose the ones that can be recycled. That can help reduce garbage can overload, and any additional charges from the City for excessive bags on pick-up day. Encourage people to bring their own reusable insulated cups to reduce plastic waste.
4. Use galvanized buckets for condiments. They are cheap, cute and much easier when you are trying to feed a big crowd, than dealing with breakable jars, or a mountain of plastic condiment bottles on the table. Check out this picture for some inspiration or use silicon muffin baking trays to organize (and refill) your condiments. What is great about the mini buckets, is that you can set one inside another with ice on the bottom, to help keep your condiments fresh and cool.
5. Theme your desserts to the NFL to get everyone in the spirit. The challenge? What if you have family or friends cheering for a different team? It’s your party… they can eat a cupcake with your franchise colors on it. Or you could organize your own field like this great idea on Pinterest.
6. Choose your side dishes well. You want something that does not require constant refrigeration, and a side that presents no food safety risks. Some side dishes to consider are Mexican Street Corn, grilled sweet potato, a healthy green salad, or a pasta salad with balsamic vinegar and seasonings (rather than mayo).
Have you hosted an NFL game day party and served our Free Graze burgers? Or maybe you are planning to this Fall! If you have, we’d love to see your pictures or hear your comments about our premium quality grass-fed (hormone and antibiotic free) burgers. And watch our blog for more helpful suggestions from the grill.
