By COLlive reporter
Devorie Blasberg wants to make eating healthier a little bit easier for locals in the Crown Heights neighborhood.
Herself on a gluten free and sugar free diet, she is aware of the challenge to have healthy snack alternatives readily available. She uses lots of dried fruits, nuts and nut flour in her recipes, which she found to be quite costly, wherever she shopped.
To meet the demand for more affordable dried fruits and nuts, the Crown Heights native, along with her husband Yosef, is opening “Fruits ‘N Nuts” in the basement of her President St. home.
“The store is located in our home, so our overhead is very low,” Blasberg explains. “Our goal is not to make a huge profit. The goal of the store is to provide a service to the community.”
The boutique store will offer a variety of dried fruits, such as mangoes and dates, and nuts, like pecans, cashews, almonds and more from companies like Klein’s and Nutty Natural, both under the OK hechsher.
“Nuts are heart-healthy,” says Blasberg. “One ounce of almonds, walnuts, peanuts or pistachios provides about 8 grams of protein and makes a nutritious snack. A serving of nuts makes a healthier snack choice than potato chips or candy,” she explains.
The store will also offer nut flour, an alternative to regular flour and great for cupcakes and almond bread. Other specialties will include their own house made pecan nut bars and energy balls made of fruits and nuts.
“Many people in our neighborhood are becoming more health conscious, but these items are usually very costly and possibly not affordable for some,” Blasberg says. “Our prices will be the lowest you will find anywhere – most items even cheaper than Costco,” she says.
The store will be having a grand opening on Sunday, Lag B’Omer, 1-4 pm.
1607 President St. Bet. Troy and Schenectady
Regular store hours will be flexible, with afternoon and evening hours available. (2 pm – 9 pm)
For more information and appointments call 347-450-1722.
Having everyone discuss health will bring more attention to healthy eating and your business. Good luck you two!
PS everyone would do good eating healthy snacks, nothing to do with diet or gluten free!
Whether ur gluten free, celiac, intolerant or non of the above, you can always benefit from a yummy healthy snack
Why do we have to jump and bash a good idea ,especially at such great prices? The owners are not here to force a gluten free diet on anyone, just providing a great option for a delicious snack and a cheaper way to buy nuts and fruits.
Kol Hakavod!
I will definitely be buying some 🙂
Hatzlacha
Doctor who essentially discouraged a gluten free eating habit, you don’t know what you don’t know. Also, to suggest that someone will lack various minerals etc from a lack of >gluten< is foolish. There are plenty of other sources for the vitamins, minerals and fiber found in "gluten bread", in our everyday diet. Fruits, veggies etc. Furthermore how could you link increased sugar intake to decreased gluten?!!! What is surprising to me is, you apparently have not done any research on the affect GMO foods have in damaging organs, or the affect of eating today's mostly lifeless food (food having… Read more »
Mazal tov and Bahazlocho from ShlomoG Melbourne Australia
Kudos to you for starting the trend and educating the community. All gluten today is gmo!!! A step in the right direction! I hope to see more ready.made healthy foods so that we can compete with the unhealthy fast food!
with a gluten free diet,a person need a a very good nutritionist to balance the body so they receive there needs,as for myself,any greens from market place /whole food with any seeds,lemon quality olive oil and himalaya salt,marketplace,some people need cooked salt,a little boil water,in salt then add in salad,taste just like the reg way only able to handle it better,grate raw sweet potatoe asparagus,check for bugs,i cutthe tops off,broccoli,zucchini,be creative,anything corn off the cobb right into the salad,if you would like stream is good to,just dress it,if you would like to add spices,all the best,this is very filling,it does… Read more »
I follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and every time we come to Crown Heights I search for something to treat myself to. This is so exciting to know that I will have somewhere to go to next time I am in Crown Heights.
Dr Lang thank you, good to know
I just set the timer on my dehydrator … Will want up with fruit peels all ready for the kids.
I personally think people should research all the other junk in your food. GMOs, artificial food dyes, hydrogenated oils, kosher food producers fill their products with fake food.
This is an excellent start.
I live out of town, but I can’t wait to visit you on my next trip to C.H.. I hope you will carry organic and non-gmo products if you don’t already! Gluten-free in my opinion is great!
Gluten causes tremendous problems.
Almost people suffer from non celiac gluten sensitivity.
Wheat rye and barely are completely different nowadays
in regards to gluten. The two primary systems that are affected are the nervous system and skin. Try to strictly avoid
gluten for 2 months and you be the judge. In the meantime wash on oat bread.
Good Luck!
Kol hakavod devorie for undertaking this project! I’m sure it can’t be easy
How about an apple or grapes for our kids snacks?? Dried fruits are full of sugar!!
Your bars look incredibly good, and they are so cheap! in Sydney we pay $ 3.00 for one kosher date/nut/whey protein (kosher) healthy energy ball….if you package them, I will bring them back to Sydney and sell for you!
Too many ppl not eating healthy. Thos will help people in so many ways. Get a booth by the health fair on sunday b4 shavuos
Read wheat belly also written by a doctor. Today’s wheat has been genetically modified and turns into sugar immediately. Sugar causes inflammation which in turn causes most if our diseases. If we would refrain from sugar and wheat we would see a dramatic shift in our health for the better
You guys are awesome, exactly what people need! Wish we had that in milwaukee 😉 Hatzlacha and may the business and community interest only grow!
G’Avi Slutzkin
Best of luck in your endeavor.
Unless your celiac there is no guarantee to help your health ..
loads of hatzlacha
just started to be gluten free and grain free so i love the idea of your store near by..i am sure you will serve many of us who needs some health improvment.
thank you..cant wait to meet you.
Why the negativity? While you might be right that scientifically, we have only been able to establish the benefits of a gluten-free diet in certain situations, nevertheless, many people report feeling significantly better when off gluten.
Regardless, I think even you agree that nuts and dried fruit are considered to be healthy snacks. As such, and especially being that you are a physician, you should applaud this endeavor.
I, for one, am very excited to sample the different treats and wish Yosef and Devori the utmost success.
Yes I am a Doctor. I have been a practicing Gastroenterologists for 10 years and involved in celiac disease research for over 5 years.
For people with celiac disease, or a form of gluten intolerance, then a gluten-free diet is essential.
But for others, a gluten-free diet can lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and can increase sugar intake dramatically.
ישראל -פאוויי
don’t decide from what you read? lol, then why should I read your post?
Wow! Hatzlocha!!
Devorie this sounds incredible! Wishing you and Yosef much hatzlacha with your new store. Looking forward to become a costomer 🙂
ur amazing!!!!!! bring healthy food 2 ch woooow!
Does the store have hashagocho? It might be good if they can post recipes in the store
Hope you will offer organic products as well.
Good Luck
Are you a doctor?
don’t decide from what you read.
People with other stomach issues, such as chron’s and colitis will feel much better if they stay away from all grains.
besides
People could benefit from eating healthy snacks even if they are not off gluten.
Do the dried fruits contain sulfur or are they naturally dried without anything added? That’s always my problem when I want to buy dried fruit – no chemical additives!
Looking forward to coming. Best of luck
Gil of Crown Heights Florist
it is coming up soon
Iwould like to mention for people who have a sugar problemn nuts are fine but dried fruit are not good for diabetics.
Very cool. Really looking forward to coming. Best of luck
Unless you have celiac disease or a lesser form of gluten intolerance, there are no health benefits to a gluten free diet.
Wow the prices are really really cheap thats awesome
I agree!!! every prize is food! All they serve is oily food! The focus in school is FOOD!
Hatzlacha. This stuff is great!!
Wishing you the best of luck!!
Great idea.
Good luck Yosef!
Kol hakavod devori!
great! I hop you can make the kind bars and be less expensive than the $2.25 local store selling price for a 1.5 oz bar – that is $24 per pound !!! if you can make it for $10 per pound, that would be about 65 cents per bar equivalent. they seem to be nuts and dried cranberries, or bluberries and honey, which are all under $10 per pound wholesale.
I am so impressed and so happy! Finally our community is starting to focus on health a bit. Very much needed in crown heights. Good luck.
Looking forward!
I have tasted both the energy bars and the fruit and nut balls , they are outstanding!
Wishing you much mazel.
RLE
Good luck!
do you do international shipping?
Maybe they should sell it the school as well our kids are getting obese because school don’t know how to feed them healthy…….