I realize it’s called the Natural Products Expo for a reason – a compromise to sell space to the spandex-clad women who hawk supplements and colon cleansing.  But the true purpose must be to get everyone excited about natural and organic food…real, honest-to-goodness, food that matters.  Unfortunately, this year’s show was dominated by bars/water/chips being sold as nutrient carrying devices and touting the benefits of the super fruit du jour.  The only thing in short supply was real fruit.

To be fair, Earthbound Farms was displaying fresh salad mixes and Alexia was sampling yummy sweet potatoes fries.  Industry stalwarts Organic Valley and Applegate Farms were there, too.  But for the most part, the aisles were filled with people and companies competing to sell empty calories.

Obviously, some of our cookies could be considered “empty calories”.  But in everything we do, we make real food with simple ingredients and offer better-for-you alternatives to our counterparts.  That’s the beauty of organic – every ingredient is real.  You’ll know we’ve “jumped the shark” when we start selling “energy bites with ginko”.

It should surprise no one that the Natural industry is in the same boat as mainstream producers.  Since we collectively produce far more calories than we could (or should) possibly consume, selling food in the U.S. is a zero-sum game.  Growth comes from stealing “share of stomach” from the next guy by figuring out how to sell more calories, whether we need them or not.  This explains why we can buy food virtually all day and anywhere.  As an expandable consumable, food has become the growth vehicle that is driving ever expanding waistbands and obesity rates.

So while I’m disillusioned, I expect I’ll attend future shows with an eye out for the interesting developments in real food (and eating my way around the world of dark chocolate).  As for hydration systems, I’m happy to fill my reusable bottle from the tap.

Rising food prices impact everyone on some level, but there are things you can do to minimize the impact.  It only takes a little forethought to create big savings.  So before your next shopping trip consider…

How you eat.  Meals prepared at home tend to be less expensive than eating out.  Even prepared food from the grocery store is more expensive than do-it-yourself alternatives.  So dig out those old cookbooks and plan a weekly menu.  You’ll save on your overall food bill and spend some quality time with your family.

Where you shop. While food is available nearly everywhere today (Toys R Us …really?!), concentrate your purchases in places that specialize in groceries.  Conventional grocers have the scale to reduce costs and offer regular promotions to lower prices.  Likewise, natural food co-ops work hard to minimize overhead and pass the savings on to their members.  Recently, savvy internet retailers like amazon.com have gotten into the grocery business, offering significant value and free shipping.

What you buy. With over 50,000 choices in the average grocery store, it’s too easy to spend money when shopping.  It helps to start with a list (see “How you eat” above) and stick to it.  Calorie-for-calorie, the best deals are on the perimeter of the store, where the less-processed, calorie-dense whole foods reside.  However, don’t forget to check out the bulk aisles for everything from cereals to snacks.  Finally, look for products with multiple uses in the kitchen.  For example, canister oats are not only an economical breakfast for the whole family, but can also be used in myriad recipes.

So while rising food prices may be inevitable, with a little effort you’ll save big.  Planning ahead allows you to prepare economical, tasty meals for your family and at the same time benefit from eating less processed, healthier meals.  After all, spending any more than necessary is for the birds!

Access to better-for-you food matters to us.  That’s why last year, with the help of our Facebook friends, we  delivered more than 5,000 bowls of oatmeal to food shelves.  This year, we’d like to double that number and give the gift of breakfast to thousands of people in need.

As part of our commitment to make organic foods accessible to everyone, we’re asking people to “like” us on Facebook and help us send organic oatmeal to food shelves which desperately need the help.  For each new fan between today and January 5, Country Choice Organic will donate five bowls of organic instant oatmeal to Hope for the City.

Become a Country Choice Organic fan on Facebook today and help others start the new year hunger-free.

Happy holidays,

Your Friends at Country Choice Organic

Most experts agree that less than 3% of the population may have celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which consumption of gluten (proteins in wheat, barley, and rye) causes the body’s immune system to attack and damage the small intestine.  Celiac sprue is a nasty disease to be sure, but it sure feels like many manufacturers, like moths to a light, are blindly throwing products into the market with little concern for efficacy or even taste (not unlike the low-carb bubble from a few years ago). 

At Country Choice Organic, we’ve watched this irrational exuberance from the sideline, wondering if we should get in the game or even if the world needs another GF ginger snap.  (For the record, we are all in agreement that the world could use a great tasting GF ginger snap, as current offerings are not very tasty.)  

To date, we remain committed to offering better-for-you organic hot cereals, cookies and bars.  And while we create many wheat-free products, we are aware that oats are sometimes cross-contaminated with wheat and have therefore steered clear of the GF label (although many wheat sensitive customers tell us they have no problems with our organic oats and Soft Baked cookies). 

As for the future, we look forward to the FDA’s long awaited announcement for a GF standard of identity.  Until then, we’ll most likely “ride the pine” and wait for the inevitable market correction.

Our parent company, Grain Millers, the largest miller of organic grain in North America, shares this concern and has developed a novel way to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and help the local community.  In partnership with the local school district and private enterprise, Grain Millers donates oat hulls to heat a middle school in St. Ansgar, IA., home of one of Grain Millers largest oat mills. 

This is the first school in Iowa to be heated with biomass energy, which replaces the natural gas previously used to fuel the school’s boilers.  “We use biomass in our facilities to replace fossil fuel consumption with renewable energy sources,” says Steve Eilertson, Grain Miller president.  “Extending the opportunity to our local community partners lets us broaden our impact.”

So next time you sit down to a hot bowl of Country Choice Organic oatmeal, your breakfast might be fueling more than you. It might be sustainably heating a classroom in Iowa, which is a warm thought to start the day. 

Read more about heating St. Ansgar Middle School here.

Notables^® by Mission Nutrition, creates a grab ‘n go breakfast that kids eat at their desk.  There are NO TABLES involved (get it?).  Each Notables breakfast, when paired with milk, exceeds the minimum federal School Breakfast Program nutrition requirements by pairing shelf-stable whole grain foods and fruit products in a fun bag. 

They are committed to offering only the highest quality foods in a convenient, kid-friendly manner…which is where we come in.  Notables is currently using specially formulated Oatmeal on the Run bars in two of their bags, meaning kids get all the nutrition of a bowl of instant oatmeal right at their desks.

Our teams are busy looking for other healthy ways for kids to eat and will update you with our progress.  In the meantime, make sure your kids start their day with a notable breakfast…no matter where they eat.

You’ll find more information at http://www.notables.com.

I was reminded the next day, spending time with a third generation Maine lobsterman.  We joined Herman and Monique aboard the Jocelyne K under a warm afternoon sun (much appreciated considering their day started at 5:00 a.m.) and spent a few hours motoring around Mackerel Cove.  We listened to lobster stories, learned about a lifestyle passed down to generations and heard the pride these “farmers of the sea” take in providing real food to people.  We stopped along the way, dining on lobster stew, mussels, steamed lobster and fried clams.  Nothing fortified, not a goji berry to be found…and yet I never felt healthier.

Learn more about Maine lobstermen at http://lobstersonthefly.blogspot.com/

When it comes to “Natural”, however, companies’ commitments are sometimes lacking.  While it’s generally accepted that natural products contain no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors, the definition of artificial remains a little fuzzy. That’s because there is no natural products standard, leaving manufacturers to write their own rules and shoppers left reading the fine print. A “natural” label offers no insight into how the ingredients were grown, so natural growers can use persistent and toxic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, sewer sludge, GMOs…you get the picture.  This lack of commitment to the process allows for cheaper ingredients, but at what cost?

This confusion is on sale daily in “Natural/Organic” sections of grocery stores everywhere.  The serenity of fake wood floors and soft lighting blurs the real differences between natural and organic products and makes it difficult to know what you’re buying.  In an ideal world, agriculturally unique organic products would have their own section and natural products would live with their conventional cousins.  However, we don’t live in an ideal world, which means each of us needs to make informed buying decisions for our families.

Complicated food labeling and lack of natural standards only harms shoppers, as natural foods are becoming even more pervasive. In a recent article, the Chicago Tribune tackled the increasing popularity of natural labeling, “When the “natural” label is applied to processed foods, the picture grows even more complicated. According to market research firm Mintel International, “all natural” was the second-most common claim on food products launched in 2008. But with few regulations, the term is pliable enough that many brands apply it to products with ingredients not available to the average home cook.”

For the record, Country Choice Organic is committed to organic agriculture and believes choosing organic products benefits our customers and the Planet.  This belief is displayed on every carton in the form of the USDA Organic seal.  What about you…are you ready for a commitment?  Share your personal food commitments by sharing what matters to you and your family below.