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!

No doubt, your valentine will appreciate the flowers, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and romantic dinner.  However, nothing shows your love like waking up your special someone with a steaming bowl of oats.  Add a little flax or fresh fruit and you’ll jumpstart your morning, as well as fuel your passion throughout the day.

So, surprise your loved one with oatmeal this Valentine’s Day.  It’s a positive step to a longer lasting love.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Country Choice Organic!

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

The real news here is that Congress is finally waking up to the reality that we are feeding our kids to death.  This action acknowledges that the high calorie, low nutrition processed foods that pass for lunch at most schools is contributing to the obesity epidemic we face today.  And they are offering significant dollars to upgrade the menu.  While current nutrition programs receive about $16 billion annually, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010  provides an additional $4.5 billion over ten years for expanding and adding programs that:

• Help Schools Improve the Nutritional Quality of School Meals
• Create National Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools
• Promote Nutrition and Wellness in Child Care Settings
• Connect More Children to Healthy Local Produce through Farm-to-School Programs
• Strengthen Local School Wellness Policies
• Support Breastfeeding in the WIC Program
• Improve School Food Financing

The OTA release expresses it well, “As we all recognize, the health status of our children is crucial to the well-being of our nation’s future, and the food that they are fed in schools is key to that status.”  These words ring true whether or not the food is organically grown.

Click here to read more about the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 http://ag.senate.gov/Legislation/CN%20budget%20framework-%20nutrition.pdf

Jamie Oliver, British-born chef cum reality television star, has taken to main street USA to tell Americans they are too fat, which is somewhat ironic, given the UK is one of the few countries that can match our collective girth thigh for thigh.  He’s set his sights on Huntington, West Virginia, the least healthy community in the union, and his message is simple: we are feeding our kids to death.  And it’s hard to argue his point, when he shows us young kids suffering with “adult” diseases like heart disease and diabetes or reviews the weekly diet of an obese mom and her three obese kids.

The sad (or frustrating or maddening…your pick) thing is his message isn’t new or something we all don’t already know.  We have spent the last 30 years literally eating ourselves to death and in doing so, created the first generation of kids whose life expectancy is shorter than their parents. 

Oliver’s putting his cooking skill where his mouth is, working with the local schools to improve lunch menus, building basic nutrition into curriculums and spreading the gospel throughout the community…all under the spotlight of a reality television series.  While cynics may question his motivation, there’s no denying the problem is real and the need is great.  So what if it takes a cockney voice to alert us to our problem?  I say jolly good show, old chap!  With any luck, Oliver’s efforts will give a new generation cause to appreciate “When I’m 64”.

Click here for more in formation on Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

All that changed on November 2 when we introduced Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats.  Same whole grain goodness; same nutty, chewy texture, but with a 5-minute cook time puts Steel Cut Oats on your daily breakfast menu.

Look for Country Choice Organic Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats in your favorite store.  The name’s a mouthful, but worth remembering.  After all, you’ll get to enjoy a steaming bowl of steel cut oats everyday…just like Oprah!

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/