King Kullen Celebrates Family Fun Month

Summer days spent with family are priceless. Since August is Family Fun Month, King Kullen, Long Island's original family-owned supermarket, has put together suggestions for enjoying the season of sunshine. Add trying something new to this summer's bucket list. Whether it's a new recipe or activity, everyone in the family can join in on the fun.

Try Something New

Choose an activity the whole family will enjoy, whether that's visiting a nearby state park, biking the nearest trails, having a picnic, attending a concert or catching an outdoor movie. Backyard campfires are a blast, too. Build a bonfire or fire up the grill to roast hot dogs on sticks, make popcorn and end the night with gooey s'mores.

Kids love rollercoasters, waterslides and rides, and summer is the ideal time to spend the day at Adventureland or Splish Splash. Or on hot, humid days visit a local museum like Cradle of Aviation, Long Island Children's Museum or the Vanderbilt Museum to cool down.

Summer is the ideal time to pick up a new hobby. Gardening is fun and practical, and the whole family can get involved. Each family member can pick their favorite flowers, herbs or veggies to plant and take care of all summer long.

Make Frozen Treats

After a day of family fun, take time to cool down with a refreshing popsicle. Everyone has a favorite flavor, and with homemade popsicles, the flavor combinations are endless. King Kullen has a few suggestions.

This Watermelon Popsicles recipe (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670935543369/) has three layers of fruity sweetness. Tangy and sweet flavors come together for this Cherry Limeade Popsicles recipe (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670935304060/). Plus, with only four ingredients to shop for, it's an easy, inexpensive treat. Have extra fruit in the fridge? Don't let it go to waste. Instead, get tropical with this recipe for Strawberry Pineapple Popsicles (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670934293476/).

For more popsicle inspiration, take a look at King Kullen's Pinterest board (https://www.pinterest.com/kingkullen/popsicles/).

Plan a Beach Day

Beach days are fun for the entire family, and Long Island's beaches are beyond compare. Before leaving to soak up the sun, start the day with a hearty breakfast, and remember to hydrate all day long. Pack the cooler with lunch and snacks for the day and frozen water bottles. Grab all the other necessities, including chairs, umbrellas, sunscreen, baby powder and a first aid kit. Also, be sure to bring plastic sandwich bags to protect electronics and valuables. Remember, the earlier the better when it comes to claiming the best spot on the sand.

Fire Up The Grill

Any day is a great day for grilling. King Kullen's Director of Produce, Floral, Meat & Seafood, Rich Conger, has tips to share for this year's grilling season.

Start the day by grilling for breakfast. Scrambled eggs are easy, simply place them in an aluminum tin along with cheese, veggies and more and bake on the grill to make a breakfast casserole. Scrambled eggs can be made in foil packets, too. Whisk eggs, milk, Salt and Pepper and divide amongst aluminum foil. Add in bacon, ham, hash browns or spinach, fold and seal foil packs and cook on the grill for about 10 to 15 minutes. Have picky eaters at home? Each foil packet can be customized with different toppings so everyone's happy.

Everyone loves pizza, especially when it's breakfast pizza. For something new and different, try this recipe for Grilled Breakfast Pizzas with Pesto (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670941008324/). No matter the toppings, grilled pizza is a must-try for pizza lovers.

Plan a BBQ

Summer only lasts a few months, so be sure to take advantage of the warm weather while it lasts. Invite friends and family over for a neighborhood potluck. Gathering together means everyone gets to try each other's favorite recipes.

While hot dogs and hamburgers are always a crowd-pleasing favorite, it's more fun to think creatively. Try something different this summer. Skewers are an easy, fun choice, especially when feeding large groups. Plus, they're easy to clean up.

Pick a protein. Chicken, steak and seafood can all be paired with fruits and vegetables for tasty meals the whole family can enjoy. BBQ chicken and pineapple, chili lime shrimp, steak and potato, seasoned chicken with peppers and onions, salmon and lemon - these are just a few of the endless possibilities for kebabs. Vegetable side dishes can also be prepared in the same fashion. Mix and match a variety of vegetables onto a skewer and season with different herbs, spices and marinades.

Try New Recipes

New recipes mean new flavors, and King Kullen has some suggestions worth trying this summer. Prep a surf and turf dinner with this Herb Butter marinade (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670940891269/). It can be used on both steak and lobster, as well as chicken, vegetables and various seafood dishes. No matter the entrée choice, it's sure to be absolutely delicious.

Pick up fish fillets and throw them on the grill for the next Taco Tuesday. For something different, try new slaws or salsa. Peach, watermelon, strawberry and cantaloupe can all be turned into sweet and spicy salsas to liven up any average dish.

Corn on the cob is a classic summertime favorite. For a spicy twist on the classic, try this Spicy Mexican Grilled Corn recipe (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670941364260/).

Complete any barbecue with tasty desserts, fresh off the grill. Try Grilled Strawberry and Nutella Quesadillas (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670941008285/) because everyone loves the sweet combination of berries and chocolatey hazelnut.

Grilled Peaches are also a delicious summer BBQ treat. Grab peaches or nectarines, halve them and brush with oil before throwing on the grill. Rotate peaches for about 10 minutes and drizzle with honey and sea salt before topping with vanilla ice cream.

For quick and simple desserts, place fruits on skewers, grill and top with a glaze or syrup. Try strawberries and cubes of pound cake to start!

For more summer grilling recipes, visit King Kullen's Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/kingkullen/summer-grilling/).

Switch Up Side Dishes

Every party needs the classic dishes everyone loves. For a creative twist on the cookout staples, try King Kullen's suggestions. Potato salad is a cookout favorite. Need to save time? Pre-diced refrigerated potatoes make it even easier. Try this recipe for Classic Potato Salad from Simply Potatoes (http://www.simplypotatoes.com/recipes/classic-potato-salad/). For a healthier take on coleslaw, try this Chobani's Cole Slaw recipe (http://www.chobani.com/culture/recipes/coleslaw/), which uses very little mayo and plain Greek yogurt instead. Mac salad is a must, but dicing, slicing and chopping up vegetables is time consuming. Save time by using a bag of Steamfresh Mixed Vegetables and follow this Classic Birds Eye Macaroni Salad (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/199917670941004156/) recipe.

Visit King Kullen

Get the whole family together to celebrate Family Fun Month this year. Find everything needed for these summertime recipes at the nearest King Kullen store.

About the Company:

Headquartered in Bethpage, New York, King Kullen Grocery Co., Inc. is recognized by the Smithsonian Institution as America's first supermarket. Michael J. Cullen opened the doors of King Kullen in 1930. Today, four generations later, King Kullen is still family owned and operated. It remains a leader in the supermarket industry. From that very first store in 1930, King Kullen today operates 32 supermarkets and five Wild by Nature stores across Long Island. In addition to traditional grocery, King Kullen features a large catering and prepaRed Foods department, freshly-baked breads and sweets, and healthy and organic areas, with pharmacies and online shopping in many stores as well.

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