Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Yogurt Popsicles

The warm temperatures this week have me yearning for springtime.  I can't wait for long flowy dresses and wedge sandals.  I want to head out to the countryside and pick berries.  I'm ready for winter to release its grip from the Northeast so boyfriend and I can spend out weekends on our bikes, enjoying picnics under shady trees.

While giving our kitchen a good, post-new years cleaning, I came across my popsicle molds.  The day was cold and dark and I was sad to realize it would be months before I would be filling the molds with fresh berry purees and citrusy juices.  The molds went back into the cupboard, waiting for their chance to shine again.

It was this warmer week that brought the popsicle molds back to the front of my mind.  That, along with boyfriends Chobani week, gave me the inspiration to bring you these beauties - Chocolate chip cookie dough frozen yogurt pops.  Maybe with the first set of popsicles, spring will follow soon after?  Like the groundhog of the food world.  Let's hope, because I'm ready for floaty chiffon tops and trips to the farmers market.

These yogurt pops bring our Chobani week to an end, because you can't finish your day without a tasty dessert!  Boyfriend has taught us a little something about the grocery business and the secret world that is behind those swinging doors.  And he's learned quite a bit about yogurt and all the great things you can do with it!

Are you ready for spring?  Or maybe you live in one of those temperate regions of the world, where if it drops below fifty degrees people break out the winter coats.  Seems like we will have a few more chilly weeks here in the tri-state region, doesn't mean I won't be eating these popsicles, just means I'll be curled up on the couch under a blanket when I do eat them!

Wilde Week #2

1. DSW is dangerous.  Especially when you are in the very near vicinity of one every single day.  You all know I commute through Penn Station.  Did you also know that they opened a three-floor DSW (that's designer shoe warehouse to the cave-dwelling people out there) right across the street.  It's awful, it's tempting and I must force myself to the NJT and not up the 34th street stairs.

2. 2013 is the year of the heel!  The high heel that is (this may go along with thing #1).  I have made a resolution to wear more high heels.  I think I'm making up for my seven years in sneakers in grad school/postdoc training.  Though as a 5'9" woman, wearing 3-inch heels makes the people at my work say "You're a tall today."  And when you wear these heels...

They call you a giant, and I love it.
3. I'm obsessed with all things kelly green.  See shoes above.  You'll find me this weekend searching for green jeans.  (Not to wear with above shoes, that would be over the top)

4. This weeks book - Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.  I've read her other two books (Gone Girl and Dark Places) and was excited to read this last one.  A murder mystery with a kinda messed up female protagonist, I was done with this book in only two and a half days.  I wanted to find out who did it so bad that I avoided people at lunch so I could read at my desk.  My only complaint, it wrapped up really quickly.

5. No more 30 Rock!  I didn't start watching it until the third season, but with the magic of Netflix caught up.  This weeks series finale of the show was well done.  A little sappy, a lot of funny and a good wrap up for seven years on the air.  At least Community returns next week, finally.

6. Waffle sandwiches.  The best breakfast on the go ever.  Waffle-peanut butter-sliced banana-waffle.  This is what makes my morning commute bearable.  That and my kindle.

7. Rifftrax.  I miss the days of Saturday morning Mystery Science Theater 3000.  It was a simpler time of homework and nights out with friends.  Ahhh, high school.  Anyone else out there remember MST3K? 

Chobani Protein Drink

There is a whole secret world happening behind the scenes (or shelves) of the grocery store.  From Frozen Pizza to Bleach and even delicious bacon, there is an army of people who work to get the products you love on the shelf of your local grocery store - even more work to get you to buy them!

Boyfriends job title is "Food Broker."  In his role as food broker, he plays the middle man between the manufacturers of products and the grocery store buyers. From planning Sunday ads, to fighting for eye level placement on the shelf, it is his job to make sure the brands he represents get into your shopping cart.

I'm sure you also realize we live in a highly digitized world.  Manufacturers, grocery stores and brokers alike use the massive piles of data available to them to help sell to us, the consumer.  Here are some fun facts about how we spend our precious dollars at the grocery store.  I was surprised at quite a few of them!

- The average monthly budget for groceries is $311
- 37% of U.S. Shoppers use technology for grocery shopping
- Half of shoppers decide what to have for dinner the same day

Do you make a shopping list before going to the store, here's how the average U.S. shopper writes it:
- 45% write the product type
- 6% write the Brand name of the product
- 1% write the Brand name and specific type
- 29% write a combination of the above
- 19% don't typically write a shopping list

When you go to the grocery store, do you go alone?
- 46% Shop alone
- 32% Shop with their Spouse/Partner
-10% Kids under 5
- 8% Kids 6-12
- 6% Kids 13-17
- 5% Adult children
- 3% Other relatives
- 2% Friends
- 1% Roommate
- 1% Someone else

Next time you go to the grocery store and stand in front of that shelf of yogurt, you will have a new found understanding of all the work involved to get it there!

Help show your support of BF's job campaign by tweeting Chobani:

Let @pitchCHObani sell me @Chobani yogurt so @WildeKitchen keeps posting delicious Chobani inspired recipes #InterviewOverYogurt