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No matter what your team loyalty, everyone likes a “Game Day” party. And due to licensing issues, our team members have the opportunity to get really creative during our preparations for the Big Day. We can’t say “Super Bowl” or “Super Sunday” or a host of other licensed names in our marketing displays, and that makes for a lot of fun. Keep an eye out for the unique euphemisms throughout the store. Referring to everybody’s favorite Sunday as Game Day, The Big Game, or The Day New England Will Win Another Championship are just a few of our options here the North Atlantic region. Of course, leading up to that one particular Sunday is the playoff season, and at our stores we take full advantage of the fun. We encourage team members to honor their favorite teams by wearing team hats on game day, create tailgating themed displays, and hold themed events. For example, at my store we are holding a special tasting event in honor of Coach Appreciation Week – a nice complement to playoff season. Our team members will dress in sports themed attire and create a tasty sample worthy of any athlete – we’ve even invited some local coaches to come to the store to enjoy the event. We’re also playing up our Touchdown favorites with some creative merchandising – wings anyone? Party platters and extreme value deals are in abundance, so everyone can put together a great Game Day feast. One thing that can be tough for some folks during this part of football season is the food. We’ve all over-indulged — at least a little — during the holiday season, and might be trying to watch our calories a bit. In our stores, we’ve been focusing on our Health Starts Here program and looking to our healthy eating team members to help us lighten up traditional favorites. In my store, Turkey Chili, Salsa with Lentil Chips, and Nachos made with naturally-light Fromage Blanc are just a few of the healthier options available.  A new recipe this year is Tandoori Chicken Wings with Yogurt Sauce — still satisfying but a little lighter than a typical buffalo sauce and blue cheese combination. Personally, I’m a Pittsburgh fan, so on that fateful Big Game Day, I’ll be rooting for the Black and Gold. Who will you be cheering for…and what will you be eating?