Getting Creative with Sargento’s Cheeseburger Challenge

I try to get my kids to eat a healthy, well balanced diet. We’ve tried everything, it seems-even “hiding” veggies into their normal routine of happily eaten foods. And, while that isn’t a method that I found very productive or successful, I have discovered ways of enticing them to eat things that are slightly out of their comfort zone. My challenge lately has been getting them to eat proteins, especially making the proteins that I know they already like more interesting and exciting.

Now that summer is upon us and the excellent assortment of fruit and veggies are plentiful at the farmer’s markets, we make sure to take advantage of visiting them weekly. I’ve even started shopping for some meats and fish at the markets, which has opened the doors for changing our routine dinner meals and introducing new foods to the kids. Depending on where you live, chances are you can find a year-round farmer’s market full of all of the freshest and healthiest fruits, vegetables, eggs, and even meats from your local farms and dairies. I’m happy to be getting the best products and supporting the farmers at the same time. And? The kids even enjoy our weekly visits.

Los Gatos Farmer’s Market

One of their favorite dinners that has withstood the test of time and phase is turkey burgers. I find that I can make turkey burgers and they will eat them-most of the time sans the bun. The one thing the burgers must have: Cheese. I can slice them in strips, square and skewer them, turn them finger foods with toothpicks and even slap a whole wheat bun on them and 9 times out of 10 they will be happily devoured-as long as they have cheese on them.

I’m looking forward to expanding their foodie horizons and trying salmon patties (with cheese!) or some other type of fish/fillet in lieu of our usual turkey or occasional beef burgers. There’s no better time to try than when the weather allows for bbqs and grilling time.

This summer, to celebrate the cheeseburger and spotlight their natural, unprocessed Sliced Cheeses, Sargento has partnered with chefs in five cities (New York, Miami, Chicago, Milwaukee and San Diego) to create the “America’s Ultimate Cheeseburger” contest on their Facebook page. More than three in four Americans can’t imagine eating a burger without cheese! Makes sense… I’m one of them. Cheese makes everything better, doesn’t it?

Cities and burger joints we challenged include:
• Brooklyn, NY: 67 Burger “Pastrami Spiced Swiss Burger”
• Miami, FL: The Filling Station “The Filling Station Cheeseburger”
• Chicago, IL: Butcher & the Burger “Drill Sargento Burger”
• Milwaukee, WI: Sobelman’s “Bacon Double Cheeseburger”
• San Diego, CA: Crazee Burger “Crazee Cheeseburger”

For the contest, each restaurant drew on local culinary flair to create their city or regions ultimate cheeseburger recipe featuring at least one variety of Sargento all natural, never processed cheese. The grilling gurus now leave it up to America’s discerning palate to crown the nation’s preeminent juicy cookout creation!

Support your local restaurant by visiting the “America’s Ultimate Cheeseburger” tab on the Sargento Facebook page to cast your vote! Fans can also join in on the cheeseburger love by submitting their own cheeseburger recipe.

I’m going to be posting my own recipe (meat or fish to be determined) in the following weeks after scouring our local farmer’s market in New York City. Here’s hoping the kids are up to the challenge as well. I know I have to be sure that the cheese is included.

I received products and compensation from Sargento Foods Inc. and The Motherhood as part of my participation in this campaign. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.