How you can contribute to our March fundraiser!
https://youtu.be/1p3iM9iccp8 In March we're raising funds for The Open Door! Watch the video above to learn the easy ways you can contribute!
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Community
Midwest Food Connection: How Your Register Round-Up Donations Help Teach Kids to Eat Well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et1to7Hv8ao "Would you like to round-up?" is a phrase you've likely heard many times if you've been into Valley Natural Foods. This question is a part of our Register Round-Up program where we partner with you to give back to the community. Register Round-Up donations go to local organizations that do fantastic work. These donations go to local food shelves, providing healthy snacks for elementary school students, and a program called Midwest Food Connection. From their website: "Midwest Food Connection (MFC) had its beginnings in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN) when two natural food co-ops started a community outreach initiative in 1993. Four years later a group of committed educators founded our non-profit to bring natural foods education to a broad range of area schools. The programming has grown and flourished ever since." We spoke with Emily Houser, an Educator with Midwest Food Connection to learn
Read More2016-2017 Visual Arts Exhibition
Celebrate art and creativity in our community! On Saturday, November 19th, area Rosemount and Apple Valley High School families and students gathered in-store to take part in Valley Natural Foods’ 15th Annual Visual Arts Exhibition Invitational reception. During the reception, 47 student artists, with fifty-eight art forms now on exhibit around the store, were awarded and recognized for their excellence. The showcased art was juried by two local art professionals, Lavonne Loerch and Beth Torstenson and two Rosemount High School National Art Honor Society members Samantha Jimenez and Kiera Newson. Dr. Roger McGaughey, retired art teacher at Apple Valley High School, is the exhibit coordinator. The Valley Natural Foods Visual Arts Exhibition Invitational fulfills the store’s commitment to serve the arts by supporting the flow of creativity and connectivity that helps sustain our youth and creates a healthy community. The exhibit will be open
Read MoreWe Love Susan’s Fruitcake
Add Susan's fruitcake, sold in our deli, to your LOVE LIST this December. It makes the perfect gift to give this holiday season! Each loaf is $12.99. “There has always been a stigma around fruitcake; either you like or you don’t,” said Susan McGaughey, Valley Natural Foods’ General Manager. One of the most severe cases of disliking fruitcake that McGaughey can remember is when one of her pastors lambasted it from the pulpit several years ago! So in defense of fruitcake, she decided to present him with her homemade version as a gift, and guess what -- he liked it! People have enjoyed McGaughey’s fruitcake so much over the years that they have prodded her to go into business but she shies away from that by saying “it takes some of the joy out of it.” For McGaughey, it is all about having a giving,
Read More3 Nutrition Tips for 5K Training
Last week we focused on 5 basic training tips to get you on the right path for our Run for Hope 5K on May 2, 2015 and now we are on to nutrition tips that will keep your body healthy! Be sure to register for the Run for Hope 5K at www.runforhope5k.com by February 28 and save! Click here to learn more about the race and our race beneficiary. 1. Drink up. We all know that drinking enough fluids daily is important to stay hydrated and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It becomes even more crucial when preparing for a 5K race. However, how much should you drink daily? It’s important to drink half your weight in ounces daily and drinking water provides the best hydration without the unnecessary sugar and chemicals that some sports drinks have. If you find water boring
Read More5 Tips for a Successful First 5K
Okay, we want you to feel encouraged and excited to participate in our Run for Hope 5K at Valley Natural Foods on May 2, 2015 at 8:00 a.m.! You should feel pumped up as not only are you making a great decision for your health, but proceeds from registration costs go toward improving the health of our next generation! Yes, all the proceeds from the Run for Hope 5K will be donated to The Foundation for Early Childhood Family Services (ECFS), helping support Dakota County LANA (Learning About Nutrition through Activities) curriculum and the construction of a playground for children attending classes at the Dakota Valley Learning Center. However, what if you’ve never participated in a 5K before and you don’t know where to start? The important thing that to remember is that you don’t have to be a runner to participate!
Read MoreProtein Powder Guide
Are you shaking up your diet in the New Year? Valley Natural Foods wants to help your diet get off to the right start. However, you may be wondering why you should even consider including protein powder in your diet. Protein powders are a great way to fuel up and provide energy pre or post workout such as when running a 5K, in addition to helping boost energy, burn fat and balance blood sugar. Protein powders can also help promote weight loss because Raw Fit, for example, has soluble and insoluble fiber from certified organic grains, seeds, legumes and fruits, which makes one feel full, satisfying hunger, suppressing one's appetite for longer periods of time. Also, if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet that lacks protein-rich foods, a plant-based protein powder mixed in smoothies, a blender bottle, or other foods may be
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October is Non-GMO Month
Here are some tips for seeking out Non-GMO products at Valley Natural Foods. What are GMOs? According to the Non-GMO Project, “GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.” Easy ways to avoid GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) Look for the USDA certified organic label, because the organic standards do not allow GMOs in certified organic foods. Look for products labeled “100% organic,” “organic” or “made with organic ingredients.” You may also look for Non-GMO claims that are independently verified, for example by the Non-GMO Project. Learn which products contain GMOs According to the Non-GMO Project, the following are considered to be “high risk” crops: •Alfalfa •Canola •Corn •Cotton •Hawaiian
Read MoreJerry Braun: a 360 Communities Volunteer with a Heart
When Jerry Braun was volunteering at 360 Communities’ Burnsville food shelf earlier this year, there was a young woman that came in with her two kids. Apparently, she had been living in her car. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Braun immediately asked her what she needed and gathered as much food as he could along with some mittens and other items for the kids. As he talked about the situation, one could tell how much Braun cares about the families that come to 360 Communities. His caring nature is evident when he mentions that he derives simple satisfaction from just getting a hug from the people he helps. Braun relays that there is often the misconception with food shelves that people are abusing the system. However, in his eyes, if a family is struggling and they are hungry, they just
Read MoreDiscovering That the Co-op is Where You Want to Be: Owner Stories
In the past, residents of Burnsville, Sheryl Haugland and her husband Ross, always passed Valley Natural Foods and maybe stopped in once or twice, but their eating habits were not the best and they didn’t think much about it. It wasn’t until Ross realized that his chronic headaches were related to eating too many processed foods, did the couple seek out some alternatives, one being shopping regularly at Valley Natural Foods. The couple committed to making a healthy lifestyle change as a family. They began by purchasing sprouted grain bread in their desire to stay away from white flour and that led to experimenting and cooking with many other fresh organic foods. Sheryl indicates that organic food not only tastes better than conventionally grown goods, but it makes her feel better too, giving her more energy and mental clarity to make
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