It’s November 5th and Thanksgiving Day is exactly three weeks away. (Cue Psycho-esque scary music here.) Whether you will be serving a house full of guests or a special dinner for two, preparing your kitchen ahead of time and thinking through your entertaining plan of action now can definitely save last-minute hassles on the big day.

Here are some of our ideas and tips for getting ready for the impending holiday crunch. Read the rest of this entry »

Busy, busy, busy – that’s what it’s been like around here as we tested recipes, searched out unique gifts and pulled together our very best tips to help you get ready for a memorable holiday season. Here’s a sampling of what we’ll be sharing with you on our blog over the coming weeks. Check out our introductory holiday video featuring Top Chef Season 5 winner Hosea Rosenberg and explore our great tips, recipes and creative ideas for taking this holiday season to a new level of taste.

Find meaning in the present with our fantastic selection of holiday gifts.

Everything to do your party good, from wine pairings to holiday decor.

Helpful tips that will make your holidays easier & your guests happier.

Get the goodness in every bite with our holiday recipes and menu ideas.

All Things Good. We hope you’ll make us your “go to” bookmark for all your holiday needs.

Have you heard about The Prince’s Rainforests Project? His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales is asking everyone to help send the world’s biggest SOS on behalf of the rainforests before the international climate change meetings are held by the United Nations in Copenhagen this December.

Read the rest of this entry »

Whole Foods Market was one of the major sponsors of Fun and Fit in the City, part of the Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival last weekend. Fun and Fit in the City is a groundbreaking event focusing on family health, nutrition and fitness and took place at the Harlem Children’s Zone, an innovative and unique community-based organization, offering education, social services and community building programs to children and families since 1970. Over 700 community members participated in the health expo featuring Chef Ann Cooper, local vendors Red Jacket Orchards, Honest Tea and Munchies Cookies, and a rooftop garden tour for children with vegetable lifecycle and composting stations. A panel discussion on Healthy Eating was moderated by Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times, with special appearances by NBA star Allan Houston, Rachael Ray and Dr. Mehmet Oz. The panel discussion was preceded by Former President Bill Clinton who addressed the crowd on the topics of diabetes and obesity facing the community.

Whole Foods Market, in partnership with Weight Watchers and Share Our Strength(R), also sponsored the Good Food Gardens that were installed permanently at the Harlem Children’s Zone rooftop providing sustainable healthy food options for children and a platform for nutritional education.

Since we all couldn’t be there for this fun event, we’ll share some of it with you in pictures. A thousand words, don’t you know?

Chili. That’s what sounds good to us right now (it’s been rainy and cold in Austin lately) and that’s what we are focusing on for this edition of “Best Meal of the Week.” Some chili recipes simmer away all day on the stove; others can be tossed together quickly on a weeknight. For this post, we’re providing links to recipes from our website as well as tips and favorite additions from our team members. What’s your best chili made of? Let us know in the comments section below.

Chili Faves

My chili, whether I do a quickie version or an all-day cook, always includes a little bit of ground clove for depth of flavor. I also add some oregano or marjoram, but not too much or it will taste like spaghetti sauce! And I often use beer for some of the liquid.
—Susannah Read the rest of this entry »

Every month, we are pleased to add many new products to our shelves that have passed the testing and tasting and met our strict Quality Standards. And each month, we choose a dozen or so to call to your attention. Look for the “what’s new” poster and shelf signs for new products — or new varieties of old favorites — that we think you’ll especially enjoy.

Cascal
Non-Alcoholic Effervescent Sodas
Upgrade your lunch or dinner with handcrafted Cascal, an ingeniously delicious bubbly born in France and fermented for a “grown-up” taste. Available in Crisp White, Light Red and Fine Dry.

Coconut Secret
Organic Coconut Aminos
Made from the nutrient-rich “sap” of the coconut tree, these are raw, gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan alternatives to soy sauce, dressings and marinades with less sodium and more beneficial ingredients.

Dr. McDougall’s
Ready-to-Serve Soups
Delicious and filling with whole pieces of vegetables, beans and pasta, but limited calories and salt. BPA-free, eco-friendly packaging sourced from FSC certified forests. Try Lentil, Vegetable, Black Bean, Chunky Tomato, Split Pea, Minestrone and Roasted Pepper. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a coffee drinker, why not do some good in the process of getting your morning cup? With every purchase of Allegro Coffee Company’s Kanyovu light roast coffee, shoppers support efforts to reforest the area around Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park, a preserve in the region where the coffee is grown, ultimately sustaining the area for local farmers and restoring habitat for endangered chimpanzees.

With Allegro’s support, coffee growers in the Kanyovu region can utilize traditional and sustainable growing, harvesting and processing practices that help keep the land healthy and fruitful. Check out Jane Goodall’s personal message of thanks to Allegro and Whole Foods Market shoppers for helping her in protecting the endangered chimpanzees.

Exclusive to Whole Foods Market, Allegro’s Tanzania Kanyovu coffee is a light roast with flavors of blackberry, peach, tangerine and black tea with a sweet honey finish. You can look for the Jane Goodall “Good for All” brand featuring a small green and white logo bearing Dr. Goodall’s picture. By the end of the year, Allegro estimates they will have donated nearly $20,000 to the Jane Goodall Institute.

Not a coffee drinker or just want to do more? Try these other socially responsible products that bear the “Good For All” brand with sales benefitting the Jane Goodall Institute.

• Theo Jane Goodall 70% Organic Dark Chocolate and Theo Jane Goodall 45% Organic Milk Chocolate: Proceeds from the sale of these Fair Trade™-certified chocolate bars benefit cocoa farmers, promote conservation in the tropical rainforest and directly contribute to the Jane Goodall Institute’s initiatives.
• Late July Organic Snacks Mini Sandwich Cookies: Good for the earth and made with real organic cocoa, these chocolate and vanilla cookies feature seven endangered species discussed in Dr. Goodall’s latest book, Hope for Animals and Their World. Ten percent of the proceeds from these treats-which are a good source of calcium and whole grains– is donated back to the Jane Goodall Institute.

Are you ready for fall foods and fresh value ideas? The October/November issue of The Whole Deal value guide is in stores now. Pick up a copy at your local Whole Foods Market store for more than $35 in money-saving coupons, budget recipes, weekly meal plans, shopping list tips and much more!

Here are some of the features you’ll find in this issue, but remember to pick up The Whole Deal in-store guide for the coupons!

Meals for One or Two, Four or More
Whether you’re cooking for the whole family or just yourself, our cost-conscious meal plans offer a week’s worth of menu ideas and recipes, plus tips for getting the most from your grocery budget.

Sure Deals
Sure Deals are not overstocked or discontinued items – they’re high-quality products where you get more of the good stuff for less than you think. Check out our current Sure Deals.

Three Under $3
At $2.99 or less, you won’t find a better value than our selection of Three Under $3 items.

Budget-Conscious Recipes

Keep on top of the season and your budget with new recipes for everyday meals and entertaining.

Turkey Topics

How to get the most out of your turkey, including a comparison chart, money-saving tips and ideas for leftovers!

With the weather starting to change, we find ourselves craving comfort food around here. Here are some of our best comfort food meals from the last week or so. What comfort meals have you been whipping up? Please share in the comments below.

From Christine, a team member:

My best meal of the week was a new twist on an old favorite. Growing up, I cherished the days when I would come home from school to find the smells of stuffed peppers wafting through the house. Ahh… comfort food. I took this old favorite and mixed up the ingredients to make it a healthier and dare I say more delicious dish!

It’s pretty quick and easy too. Start with the ingredients: 4 large peppers (any color will do), plus 1/2 another pepper for chopping, 1/2 onion, 1 jalapeño, 1 pound ground bison, 1 cup cooked quinoa, 1 can diced organic tomatoes, 1/2 can tomato paste, 1/2 cup cooked spinach. Include whatever spices you desire. I prefer garlic, pepper, oregano and basil for this recipe. Read the rest of this entry »

I read a lot of health-related information in blogs, newsletters and magazines. I bet you do too. I’m always reading about something that interests me and I make a mental note to add it to my diet. For example, I read about omega-3 fatty acids and think: “I need to make sure I get those.” I learn about probiotics and I tell myself to get a daily dose. And when I see a piece about fiber, that goes into the mental hopper as well. Where do all those mental notes go? Well, I have to admit that my memory cells just aren’t firing the way they used to. What’s a well-intentioned woman to do? Make lists!

I know…lists aren’t for everyone. Some people like living dangerously (in my opinion) and wouldn’t write a list if their life depended on it. I say: “Good for you, Ms. Flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants. I hope that works for you.” For me, I’m going to write a list. In fact, I write lists for just about everything. You may not want to be as “structured” as me – totally makes sense (my husband and daughter would probably agree). But, if you find that you are consistently missing out on the foods that will help you meet your health goals, then a list is a pretty simple way to make a difference. Read the rest of this entry »