There’s lots of talk about eating gluten-free this month. We just had our first Holiday Gluten-Free day October 15th (the first of three) and our Oct/Nov newsletter is a special gluten-free edition. But many are still hazy on what it means to eat Gluten-Free.

What is it?

A gluten-free diet eliminates wheat, barley, and rye (and often oats). These grains contain a protein called gluten.  For people with Celiac Disease even a small crumb of one of these grains can cause damage to the small intestines, which can lead to immediate discomfort and serious health problems.

Celiac Disease

According to Celiac.org:

Celiac Disease (CD) is a lifelong, digestive disorder affecting children and adults. When people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. Damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no symptoms present.

Is a gluten-free diet healthier for everybody?

Abstaining from gluten can improve the health of many people, but eating a gluten-free diet does not make you healthy. Exercise and eating a balance of foods from all the food groups is still necessary. Reading labels is key to understanding what you are placing in your body.

So what can you eat?

On a gluten-free diet your range of food choices might at first feel minimal, but it’s actually quite large. Our staff nurse Eileen Johnson wrote in the Oct/Nov issue of This is Living Naturally:

"Shop the perimeter of the store to find foods that are easily seen as gluten-free: fresh fruits and vegetables; unprocessed meats; raw nuts; dried beans; and gluten-free grains like rice, quinoa and millet."

There are also many packaged products in our store. Our GF items have a special red  shelf tag. We have baking products, breads, crackers, snacks and frozen meals. There are many options and more just keep on coming.

Want to make an appointment with our registered nurse Eileen Johnson? Stop by customer service or call 952-891-1212 to make a free appointment.

To learn more about Celiac Disease, please visit: www.celiac.org

Stop by the store every third Thursday of the month for Gluten-Free sample day.

What do I need to do?

Members, we you want you at the Annual Member Meeting held on October 12.

RSVP by October 11 AND come to the meeting. We’ll give you a 15% discount in lieu of your November member discount. That’s how much we want you there.

RSVP at customer service or e-mail membership@valleynaturalfoods.com

–Not a member? Join by Oct 11, RSVP and you may attend the Annual Member Meeting and vote.

It’s your last chance to RSVP AND the polls are about to close!

Polls Close at Noon on Oct 12

Voting for board members closes at noon on October 12. Members, this is your last chance to participate in the democratic process that makes our cooperative a unique business model. Your voice matters to the way the business is run. Get online and vote now!

Equal Exchange wants us to know, that after nearly 25 years, they haven’t sold out. Scott Patterson of Equal Exchange says in “Building a Cooperative Economny Together”

“…the one member, one vote and profit sharing backbone of co-ops protects against greed and promotes ethical entrepreneurialism better than any business model I have seen to date.”

Continuing in their cooperative spirit Equal Exchange, a cooperatively owned business, decided to take on the daunting big-wig-dominated banana industry. In the process their co-op highlights the values and meaning of what it is to be a cooperative business:

“Together, both with international and local farmers, our collective work is one of creating food chains that stand for our values.  The beauty of co-ops and these supply chains is that they are transparent; you can get to know something real about the 80 farmers who are growing your bananas.  And with shared ownership and decision making, when you as a shopper support cooperatively owned companies on the shelves of your store, you are sharing your power and creating authentic change.”

Patterson goes on to say that we shouldn’t only be proud of labeling standards, but let’s be proud of the business model itself. Our cooperatives should make us stand tall. ,

“I ask for your amazing, continued loyalty to your co-op and to Equal Exchange, and that you join us in holding our collective feet to the fire. Remember, your grocery store has been an innovator and is able to carry the products you want because it is a co-op!  As you shop the aisles of your natural foods store and think about your routine purchases, why not keep asking for more companies that are cooperatively owned – and in this way remove the incentive for companies to sell out.”

We love our cooperative business model too and are proud of our co-op members and shoppers.

Look for this coupon book display near the produce department at Valley Natural Foods!

Valley Natural Foods is a participating retailer for the Unconventional Angels Promotion throughout the month of October.

 Valley Natural Foods Shoppers can participate by:

•  Redeeming coupons from the Vitamin Angels coupon book (located in a display near the produce department)
• Donating $1, $3, or $5 at the registers (let cashier know you would like to donate)

 By participating in the Unconventional Angels Coupon Promotion, you are helping Vitamin Angels reach their goal of saving the lives of an additional 4 million children.  Every time you redeem one of these valuable coupons, Vitamin Angels and their generous partner organizations can save the life of one more child.

For more information, visit  www.vitaminangels.org

Our openings go fast.  Check out our job postings online and apply through the online application.

Our mission is a healthy community.

To keep our competitive edge, we set high standards for what we offer and how we present ourselves to our members and customers. Complete customer satisfaction is our goal.

Read more about employment at Valley Natural Foods on our Web site and find our current job openings here.

Do you ever have wheat envy? You know, when you watch someone eat a sandwich or pizza and you know it’s made right, but you can’t participate because you’re on a gluten-free diet?

But avoiding frequent stomach aches, chronic fatigue and coping with Celiac Disease by  following a gluten-free diet for many people is more than necessary, it’s relief.

A gluten-free diet is becoming more and more common, and it’s bringing better tasting food  made without wheat, rye and barley to the shelves of our grocery stores. It’s also bringing more awareness to the under-diagnosed Celiac Disease. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation 1 out of 133 Americans has celiac disease.

This month at Valley Natural Foods we have extra sales, extra samples and an extra special gluten-free edition of our newsletter, This is Living Naturally. Pick up a hard copy in the store or read it online.

Gluten-Free Day on October 15 kicks off a three-part GF holiday cooking series. November 19 and December 17 follow with holiday baking and snack tips. Check out the Co-op Demo Calendar on our Web site.

Also check out our weekly GF recipe below as well as our gluten-free day every third Thursday of the month.

It’s Co-op Month! Our member-owners shape Valley Natural Foods,  just as the National Cooperative Business Association says:

“Co-op’s represent a truly honest way to do business. With seven organizing principles that shape all co-ops, you’ll find cooperatives to be highly transparent organizations that value input from their member owners.

Co-ops proudly emphasize that people come before profits; as a member-owner your voice speaks louder than the bottom line. Co-ops don’t have to answer to shareholders; they care more about meeting their members’ needs.

When you’re part of a co-op, you know exactly what the co-op stands for. And exactly where the money goes. That’s what we mean when we say “Co-ops turn values into good business.” www.go.coop

Members, don’t forget to turn your values into business by voting and participating in the annual member meeting. Vote online now

Learn more about membership and its benefits by visiting us online.  And ask anybody in the store about the value of membership!

Last August and September you may have noticed the cash collection cans at each check-out register in the store. Valley Natural Foods collected loose change from customers and staff for Dakota Woodlands Homeless Shelter. Because of your generosity, we collected over $250.00 in loose change to benefit Dakota Woodlands! Thank you for all your support.

Now Dakota Woodlands is preparing for their annual Flying Home Event.

Dakota Woodlands Flying Home Event

at the beautiful Ecolab’s Schuman Center in Eagan

October 10, 2009

7:00-11:00 p.m.

 ”Flying Home is an amazing event which benefits Dakota Woodlands supportive services.  The night features our own special type of live and silent auctions with hand painted birdhouses paired with fabulous gift packages. There will be great food, entertainment and an opportunity to learn more about Dakota Woodlands. Families at Dakota Woodlands are all in flight.  They are flying off to better housing, better education, better jobs, and a brighter future for their families.  Dakota Woodlands provides basic needs and supportive services to help them ‘fly’ home.“  – Dakota Woodlands

To learn more about this special event or to purchase tickets, please visit  Dakota Woodlands Flying Home Event.

In addition to collecting cash, Valley Natural Foods donated a gift basket for the event’s silent auction which contains a Valley Natural Foods Travel Mug, Gift Card, Coffee Beans, Tea and a birdhouse decorated by Valley Natural Foods staff. This basket will be available for bidding at the event.