Landlocked residents don't have to wait until a beach vacation or drive thousands of miles for fresh seafood from U.S. coastal waters.
It's as close as your local Hy-Vee store, says Chris Fernau, seafood manager at Crossroads Hy-Vee. "Absolutely, our customers have a lot of interest in fresh seafood. We do a lot of sampling to introduce shoppers to the flavors and different ways to prepare fish and do Fresh Fish Fridays. Our seafood is flown in fresh — from the boat, into the box and FedExed directly to the store."
With increased interest in healthy eating and the Blue Zones project, designed to improve community well-being and encourage healthier lifestyle choices, home cooks are venturing out of their pork and beef comfort zones. Most fish, often characterized as "brain food," provide such health benefits as omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the heart. Two seafood meals per week are recommended by the American Heart Association and U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
Cable TV cooking shows also have introduced techniques for preparing different types of seafood, and there are shows like Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" that give viewers a taste of life aboard fishing vessels.
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