December 2015

Chad's thinking of a New Year's grab & go party idea: his Smoked Salmon Dill Dip, sold in the meat department. When you meet Chad, who works in our meat department, be ready to laugh until you cry because this guy is beyond entertaining and hilarious. He perhaps missed his calling as a stand-up comic because his witty, amusing stories could brighten even the dreariest of days. To say that his humor and flair for amusement may have gotten him into a bit of trouble as a young country boy growing up on a farm, perhaps is an understatement. However, his now 92-year-old Grandma was always there to keep this country boy in line. Chad recalled fond memories of Grandma going around the kitchen with a spoon in her hand saying, “Get to work or get out of the kitchen!” When

Jane Gess, who works in the HR Department at Valley Natural Foods, may be the first self-proclaimed cheese ball fanatic. Her fascination with cheese goes back to childhood where she used to make pictures on the table and floor using cheese puffs! Her love for cheese as an adult has become a bit more sophisticated as she relishes in coming up with creative ways to serve the co-op’s holiday cheese balls at gatherings with family and friends. Now is also a great time for you to be creative with the deli’s holiday cheese balls because they are only $5.99 through January 5 as part of our Fresh Deals program! “Working at Valley Natural Foods, it is fun to be creative and explore new foods, not only for health reasons, but just to learn how to do fun things to good food,” adds Gess. This

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,

A grin lightens her face and her eyes open wide with excitement when I ask her about her meal planning skills. The one thing you will soon learn when you are around Brittany, who has worked in the co-op’s grocery department for two years, is that she is always bubbly and enthusiastic.  What’s great is that her effervescent personality is infectious and you will find yourself smiling and laughing more when talking to her. Brittany’s wonderful sense of humor bleeds into how she talks about meal planning, proclaiming that she has almost no ability to cook. This inability has made her gravitate toward easy-to-make meal products at Valley Natural Foods. One of her absolute favorites is Near East rice pilaf, of which select varieties are on sale December 2-15 and select varieties of Near East couscous are 3 for $5 during that