Parents, do you need help cooking a healthy meal for your family? Well, look no further than your preschooler!  You probably are thinking, “What!?”

However, it is true. It is easier to get your kids interested in eating healthy if they are actively involved in helping cook family meals early on.  So how do you go about it?

Do consider bringing your child, ages 3-6 to our Preschool Sous Chef class at Valley Natural Foods on February 15th from 5:30-7:00 p.m.  Kids will learn how to help their Mom and Dad in the kitchen by exploring concepts of where food comes from, how to make healthy choices, learning kitchen safety, eating the rainbow, and incorporating numbers, letters, shapes and colors into cooking.  This is a fun, hands-on class where children will be demonstrated the process of assisting in meal preparation.  The goal of the class is to make parents feel more confident about allowing their preschooler to help out in kitchen along with teaching families that cooking healthy is easy and affordable. All recipes prepared during the class are vegetarian; only one will include dairy.

This class is taught by Michelle Horowitz, an instructor from Urban Baby. Urban Baby is a nonprofit Minneapolis organization that empowers families to grow and cook fresh foods for babies, toddlers and young children.

The class fee is for one adult and one child.  Parents can bring more than one child but will need to pay for an additional registration.

Register in person at customer service, by calling 952-891 ext 221, or online.  If you register in-store, use our education  coupon for $3.00 off each class purchase.

If you register online, enter “HEALTHYCOOKING” in the box after “Have a discount code, enter it here” and save $3.00.

By Loris Sofia Gregory, Healthy Kitchen Coach, Apple Valley, MN

“A chickpea leaps almost over the rim of the pot where it is being boiled. ‘Why are you doing this to me?’ The cook knocks him down with the ladle. ‘Don’t try to jump out. You think I am torturing you. I’m giving you flavor, so you can mix with spices and rice and be the lovely vitality of a human being. Remember when you drank rain in the garden? That was for this.’” And so goes “Chickpea to Cook” by renowned Sufi poet Rumi writing in the 13th century. What a lovely vision of soft garden rain bringing us vitality. And considering their nutritional punch, there simply is nothing in our co-op that is healthier for you and your pocketbook than the legumes—the dried peas, beans and lentils found on our bulk trail.

Remember to  sign up for the FRESH & LOCAL: Easy Healthy Meals on the Bulk Trail Class!

Read More

By: Loris Sofia Gregory, Healthy Kitchen Coach, Apple Valley, MN

If “eat healthier,” “try new foods” and “save more money” are on your list of resolutions for 2012, consider the dazzling diversity of our bulk foods trail from nourishing soups to energizing nuts. Our new helpful booklet, available in mid January, entitled “Discovering Bulk Foods: A Cooperative Guidebook” and my FRESH & LOCAL classes from January through March will show you how to easily buy and prepare package-free and earth-friendly bulk foods, while saving an average of 30 to 50% on our 300+ choices.  You can now register for these classes online.  Most of us are not looking to “get bulkier” in this New Year. So what’s the real story behind “buying bulk”? Read more to realize the benefits of shopping on our bulk trail.

First of all, don’t confuse “bulk foods” with buying in bulk from a big box store. For instance, when you purchase eight cans of soup in bulk at a big box store, you might get the soup in cans that are usually placed in a half box, and then wrapped in plastic. When you purchase fresh bulk foods out of package-free bins, you buy as little or as much as you need. Bulk foods are economical, fun to explore, easy to use and guarantee less waste for you and the earth.

Read more about the benefits of shopping the bulk foods department..

It’s that time a year where everybody is thinking about new year’s resolutions and what they will be doing differently next year.

Usually thinking of a resolution is easy but the follow-through is difficult. However, Valley Natural Foods can help with that!

If your resolution includes committing to eating healthy and exercising more, we recommend taking our Let’s Cooperate to Prevent Diabetes Class.

During this four-week coaching session you will get the personalized attention you need from Valley Natural Foods experts, Eileen Johnson, RN, and Naomi Lundberg, BS, DTR, to develop a healthy lifestyle change that works for you.

This class will not only educate you and give you the tools needed to live healthy, it will also help you implement them and stick to them.  Learn about the foods that help cut the risk of Type 2 diabetes, along with other diet, exercise and stress relief techniques.

This class is for anybody–whether it is someone with prediabetes, or a family history of diabetes or simply somebody who just wants to learn how to commit to everyday healthy living.

Sign up now! The class runs 4 Monday nights in January-the 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.  It’s important to attend all four sessions as our experts will help you with the implementation process and assess your progress, helping you make the healthy steps necessary toward your goal.

Cost is $50 for members and $60 for non-members for all four sessions.  Save $3.00 with an online coupon. Call 952-891-1212 ext 221 to register or stop by customer service.

The hectic holiday season is almost over so it’s time to refuel and replenish with Emergen-C.

This vitamin powder mix, available in our wellness department,  is the ultimate immune-boosting formula during the cold and flu season.  Each packet contains 1000 mg in Vitamin C – 20 times more than the average size orange (45 mg). Its 7 B vitamins and electrolytes provide a natural energy boost without caffeine’s  crash and burn effect.

If you get bored of drinking Emergen-C, it’s time to get jiggling by making gluten-free Emergen-C Gelatin! This simple, fun recipe, created by Valley Natural Foods’ wellness manager, Naomi Lundberg,  is a sure-fire way to get your children to want their daily dose of vitamin C.

Emergen-C is available in many awesome flavors including Super Orange, Raspberry, Cranberry-Pomegranate, Acai Berry, Tropical, Lemon-Lime and Tangerine.

Buy a single packet for 49 cents or a box  of 30 for $11.99! Save on the 30-packet boxes with a $1.00 off  manufacturer’s coupon, available at the point of sale. Buying a box   over singles  saves you over 10 cents per packet or a total of $3.71 (including the coupon)!

Tuesday, December 13th was Community Night at the Co-op at Valley Natural Foods from 5-7 pm.  Children and families from District 196 schools, Northview and Westview, were invited to learn more about how to eat healthy along with enjoying a meal and fun samples as a family. This month’s Community Night was extra special as we engaged staff from each department to create recipes for kids to sample. The kids were charged to vote for their favorite recipe. The clear tasty favorite created by Ken Harrington in the meat department  actually makes for a wonderful,  simply  holiday meal  or new year’s party idea: Gluten-Free Ham with Pineapple Juice & Cloves.  Simmered for two hours in pineapple juice and maple syrup, this ham is so juicy and richly flavored, you won’t be able to get enough of it.

Did you miss out all these yummy samples? Stop by our second December Community Night at the Co-op for District 191 schools, Gideon Pond and Sioux Trail on Tuesday, December 27 from 5-7pm. Not only will you get to taste Ken’s ham but you can also try some other tasty recipes made by Valley Natural Foods’ employees.  These include  seven-layer Mediterranean  dip, breakfast pigs in a blanket, kale chips,  amazing peachy pie and Emergen-C  gelatin.  Of course, don’t forget your slider night (hamburger) meal from our deli department!

“Little Switzerland” is at Valley Natural Foods!  Of course, not literally but  you will be able to find some European-style specialty cheeses from the Roth Kase cheese factory based in Green County, Wisconsin. This area is known for its long-standing Swiss heritage and cuisine.  Award-winning Roth Kase has rich Swiss roots too. This family business began in 1863 when Oswald Roth started crafting and curing cheese in Uster, Switzerland. It wasn’t until 1991 when Roth cousins, Felix and Ulrich brought the business to America’s Dairyland.

Roth Case Harvarti Horseradish and Chive cheese is a great complement to meats such as roast beef and Bambina Fontina is excellent in most Italian dishes.   Harvarti is a semi-soft Danish cow’s milk cheese that comes in  many flavored varieties.   Harvarti Horseradish and Chive has a sharp, spicy taste, which is great to awaken one’s senses during these dreary winter days. Bambina Fontina is  a rich and tangy cow’s milk Italian cheese. It goes great in risotto, flatbreads, pizza, Italian subs and paninis. Both cheeses are also good for snacking!

Do think about including these cheeses as unique, fun appetizers for your Christmas or New Year’s party and be sure to check out all your cheese options in our deli department. They are sure to give your guests a flavorful mouthful!

Nature and local producers collaborate to bring us fresh succulent green and red gifts this month. Even after we have been gifted with a moisturizing blanket of pure white snow, local producers still deliver FRESH & LOCAL, including lush deep green upland cress, crisp bright green and white bok choy, crinkly red bib lettuce and juicy rich red vine-on tomatoes.

Look closer at the bunches of upland cress (the hydroponic version of native watercress and also called winter cress) in the produce department and you’ll notice long white roots have grown in water rather than soil. Hydroponics is the official name and it’s a splendid way for us to be gifted with fresh local produce through our winter. Michele Keller, owner of LaBore Farms of Faribault, Minnesota, has been growing chemical-free hydroponic greens since 2004. Her co-op and restaurant customers are amazed and satisfied, proclaiming these water-loving winter veggies, including her upland cress and red bib lettuce, to be crisper, fresher, tender and sweeter.

Read more including ideas for healthy holiday eating…

It is the busiest time of year with the holidays approaching! With about a month to do your holiday shopping, the colder weather, and everyday stresses, it is easy to see why you might end up with the sniffles!

This year, nip both your holiday shopping and sniffles in the bud by attending our December 7th “Last Minute Essential Oil Gift Ideas and Healing Wellness Blends” class at Valley Natural Foods.  This hour and a half session, starting at 6:30 p.m. will teach you how to create 3 wellness blends and a unique soothing perfume that you can give away as stocking stuffers using Veriditas Botanicals Essential Oils. These healing wellness blends can naturally treat colds, flus, sore throats, fevers and other general maladies.

So join instructor and Veriditas Botanicals rep, Terra Johnson on December 7th and walk away with not only gifts but a way to keep yourself well long past the holidays! Meet Terra Johnson next week  on November 23rd from 3-6pm at our education kiosk (located just beyond our produce dept) to learn more about the class and essential oils.

Call 952-891-1212 ext 221 to register or stop by our customer service counter. Cost is $28 for non-members and $25 for members.

“You Canned Do It” on Thursday, November 17th!

Your generosity can help those in need!

On this day, Valley Natural Foods is teaming up with Burnsville’s  Commonplace to help sponsor a rap benefit concert featuring  touring artist Kosha Dillz at The Garage Community Center. The Garage is located at 75 Civic Center Parkway, Burnsville.  The concert goes from 3:00-6:00 p.m. and  is free with donation of a food shelf item ( any canned or boxed food item). Food shelf items will benefit those in need within Dakota County.  Come show your appreciation and thankfulness this holiday season by donating FOOD on November 17!

This event is part of many other activities  hosted by The Garage to help promote National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, November 12-20. The culminating event on November 18th will be the  “Grate” American Sleep Out, where youth members will  raise at least $20 a piece by sleeping outside in cardboard boxes.

The National Coalition for the Homeless reports that fifty million Americans live in food insecure households and  millions of children go hungry each day. The coalition anticipates that three and a half million Americans will experience homelessness this year alone, including many U.S. military veterans.

Locally, 360 Communities‘  network of 5 food shelves in Dakota County, reports a  9% increase in the number of people served over last year. The demand for emergency food is also rising.