Here’s the deal. Right now, and until supplies last, with a Whole Foods Market gift card purchase of $100 or more (whether you purchase one $100 gift card, five $20 gift cards or any other combination), you’ll receive a free The Perfect Sip gift box to treat yourself.**

The Perfect Sip contains three thoughtfully selected bags of whole beans from Allegro® Coffee. Besides being great beans, these roasts also help coffee-growing communities thrive. Here’s how:

• Allegro® African Blend: These beans are sourced from African coffee co-ops that are recognized as Good for All by the Jane Goodall Institute. The Jane Goodall Institute seeks to contribute to the preservation of great apes and their habitats by combining conservation with sustainable livelihoods in local communities.
• Allegro® Costa Rican Dota: This coffee is grown in a high mountain valley region of Costa Rica, of which 87% is a forest preserve. Our nonprofit partner, EARTH University, is dedicated to education in the agricultural sciences and natural resources in order to contribute to sustainable development in the tropics.
• Allegro® Rainforest Blend: This coffee is grown on Rainforest Alliance-certified farms in Guatemala, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Rainforest Alliance farms meet standards for environmental protection, social equity and economic viability.

The Perfect Sip as well as our Snack Express gift boxes are also available to order online, so you can send a treat to your loved ones across the miles. Waking up to a really nice cup of coffee, now that’s a thoughtful Valentine’s gift and a sweet way to treat yourself.

** Receive a free The Perfect Sip gift box with every gift card purchase of $100 or more. Online, new cards only (does not apply to gift card reloads). Offer is only available in the US, while supplies last. Free gift box will be shipped to the billing address of gift card purchaser.

Curious about Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax? Here’s how Universal Pictures describes the movie:

From the creators of Despicable Me and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the 3D-CG feature Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, an adaptation of the classic tale of a forest creature who shares the enduring power of hope.  The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams.  To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

In hopes of spreading the eco-message of the film, we’ve partnered with Universal Pictures on our Kids for Our Planet contest as well as on pre-screening events and ticket giveaways in some of our stores. (Check here to see if your store’s included.)

Whether it’s saving Truffula Trees and Brown Bar-ba-loots or protecting the planet locally, the Kids for Our Planet essay contest celebrates kids who are doing more than their fair share to protect the planet. Help us celebrate their commitment to the environment by nominating them in the Kids for Our Planet essay contest. Parents and teachers are invited to share how a kid or group of kids they know are using their energy and creativity to make our planet a better place.

To enter a hero, visit our Kids for Our Planet contest on Facebook. (You’ll need to have your own Facebook account and “follow us” to enter.) You’ll be asked to write a short essay, no more than 350 words, describing the efforts of a child or group of children who are making a positive impact on the environment. Feel free to include links to web pages, Facebook pages or other online locations that help tell the story.

The essay contest will be judged based on:

• expression of the contest theme “Kids Making a Difference for the Planet” — 50%
• creativity of the submission and clarity of the description of the efforts — 20%
• impact the efforts had or are having on the environment — 30%

You can only nominate a specific kid or group of kids one time, so make sure you tell their story the best way you know how. You can nominate more than one kid in separate entries, though. (Oh, and by “kid” we mean ages 5 to 14.) For a full list of contest rules and criteria, visit the Kids for Our Planet Facebook contest page.

Submissions will be accepted online from January 25 through February 8; and winners will be announced on February 15. One Grand Prize Winner will receive a private screening of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax for up to 200 friends and family in your local movie theater the night before the movie’s official release to the public! (That means the pre-screening will be on March 1^st .) Three 2^nd Prize Winners will receive The Lorax eco-friendly gardening tote set with stainless steel tools and a copy of The Lorax book tucked inside.

One of the great things about the Lorax is that his powerful message still resonates and inspires kids today, years after Dr. Seuss created him. Whole Foods Market has a long history of supporting our environment and we are really excited to partner with Universal Pictures to celebrate real kids who are doing more than their part to protect the planet. We hope you’ll take the time to share their story!

Are you familiar with the Martha Stewart Living Daily Giveaway? Each day visitors to their site can enter to win some great stuff. This month, the daily prize is a $50 Whole Foods Market Pantry Staples Stock Up. Yeah!

Awarded as a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card, winners can stock their pantries with our list of staples to keep on hand for healthier meals and a healthier budget. Running the gamut from beans, grains and oats to broths, diced tomatoes and pasta sauce, you’ll be fully stocked and prepared to drive past that drive thru in favor of healthy meals at home. Just add some fresh ingredients and spices and you’ll have everything you need to cook 14 of our favorite recipes.

Regardless of whether you win a prize, our Pantry Stock-Up List is designed to make you a winner when it comes to fixin’ dinner.

• 1 lb black beans
• 1 lb lentils
• 1 lb quinoa
• 2 lbs brown rice
• 3 (32-oz) boxes vegetable broth
• 1 (32-oz) box chicken broth
• 1 lb rolled oats
• 2 cans cannellini beans
• 1 lb orechiette pasta
• 1 lb pasta, your favorite kind
• 1 can black beans
• 1 jar unsweetened applesauce
• 1 (32-oz) box unsweetened soymilk
• 1 (32-oz) box unsweetened almondmilk
• 1 (5-oz) can tuna
• 3 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 package no-oil sundried tomatoes
• 1 jar pasta sauce

Now that you have a well-stocked pantry, just add fresh ingredients, herbs and spices to be able to cook all of these recipes:

• Simple Black Bean Soup
• Beef and Quinoa Meatballs
• Zesty Quinoa with Broccoli and Cashews
• Lentil Chili
• Brown Rice with Chicken and Broccoli
• Oatmeal-Apple Pancakes
• Overnight Oatmeal
• Tuscan Tuna Salad
• Mexican Taco Stew
• Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe, Sundried Tomatoes and White Beans
• Almond Brown Rice Pudding
• Learn to Cook: Brown Rice
• Learn to Cook: Quinoa
• Simple Oatmeal

So head on over to the Martha Stewart Living Daily Giveaway; you can enter every day of the month for a chance to win. Please note: no magazine subscription purchase is required to enter the giveaway. If you accidentally subscribe, please email dailygiveaway@marthastewart.com. Good luck and good eating!

To celebrate the New Year, we want to show you that eating healthy can be affordable. Make your choices count by picking up our list of pantry staples — that rings up at about 50 bucks — and you’ll be set for healthier meals and a healthier budget. Running the gamut from beans, grains and oats to broth, diced tomatoes and pasta sauce, you’ll be prepared to drive past that drive thru in favor of healthy meals at home. Just add fresh ingredients and spices to have everything you need to cook 14 of our favorite recipes (we’ve listed them below).

To get the party started, we’re giving stuff away! All you need to do is send an email to pantrycontest@wholefoods.com by January 31st telling us what healthy foods are “must haves” for your pantry. We’ll select random emails in February for our pantry-focused giveaway. You might win:

$50 Pantry Staples Stock Up – We’re giving away 31 stock ups. Winners will receive a $50 Whole Foods Market® gift card along with a list of suggested pantry staples needed to make 14 of our healthy recipes.

Five grand-prize packages include:

• Pantry Staples for a Year – Each grand-prize winner will receive a Whole Foods Market gift card for $599 to use for stocking your pantry for a year.
• Customized elfa® pantry system from The Container Store ($500 value) – Each grand-prize winner will receive a customized pantry design from The Container Store and a $500 elfa Store More Card to makeover your pantry.

Regardless of whether you win a prize, our Pantry Stock Up List (download the list as a PDF) is designed to make you a winner when it comes to fixin’ dinner.

• 1 lb black beans
• 1 lb lentils
• 1 lb quinoa
• 2 lbs brown rice
• 3 (32-oz) boxes vegetable broth
• 1 (32-oz) box chicken broth
• 1 lb rolled oats
• 2 cans cannellini beans
• 1 lb orechiette pasta
• 1 lb pasta, your favorite kind
• 1 can black beans
• 1 jar unsweetened applesauce
• 1 (32-oz) box unsweetened soymilk
• 1 (32-oz) box unsweetened almondmilk
• 1 (5-oz) can tuna
• 3 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 package no-oil sundried tomatoes
• 1 jar pasta sauce

We priced these in our 365 Everyday Value® line and the list came in around $50. Feel free to visit our bulk department and keep an eye out for sales for even more value.

Now that you have a well-stocked pantry, just add fresh ingredients, herbs and spices to be able to cook all of these recipes:

• Simple Black Bean Soup
• Beef and Quinoa Meatballs
• Zesty Quinoa with Broccoli and Cashews
• Lentil Chili
• Brown Rice with Chicken and Broccoli
• Oatmeal-Apple Pancakes
• Overnight Oatmeal
• Tuscan Tuna Salad
• Mexican Taco Stew
• Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe, Sundried Tomatoes and White Beans
• Almond Brown Rice Pudding
• Learn to Cook: Brown Rice
• Learn to Cook: Quinoa
• Simple Oatmeal

Some of these recipes make six servings and some make four. Altogether you’ll get a total of 66 servings with some leftover ingredients for future recipes.

Don’t forget to send an email to pantrycontest@wholefoods.com by January 31^st to be eligible for our random giveaways. What are your “must have” healthy pantry staples?

The fine print: No purchase necessary. Promotion ends January 31, 2012. Must be a legal resident of the US or Canada (except in Quebec, where it is void) age 18 or older to participate. Taxes on prize, if applicable, are the responsibility of the winner. Employees of Whole Foods Market, Inc., are not eligible. Void where prohibited.

Note: Looking for comments? Due to overwhelming response (yeah for everyone who wants to eat healthfully in the New Year!) and the technical challenges it created with our website server, we’ve changed the contest so you enter via email instead of by commenting. If you entered a comment on this post previously, your entry has been recorded and you don’t need to worry about not seeing it below. Good luck!

We’ve all got memorable dishes and must-make recipes connected to this time of year. Maybe it’s Uncle Charlie’s extra-strong eggnog or Grandma Ruth’s red cabbage sauté. How about your own famous scalloped potatoes or a special-batch baklava you make every New Year’s Eve?

We want to know about your treasured holiday food tradition. Tell us about it in the comments section below by December 21 and we’ll pick a winner at random to receive a $50 Whole Foods Market® gift card.

To get in the spirit, we asked some Team Members to share their favorite food traditions.

From Mara:

“Our family is part Puerto Rican and we celebrate Christmas each year with paella. My mother-in-law spends the entire day cooking and makes her own sofrito as the base seasoning for the rice. While I love Christmas dinner, my favorite is leftover paella — it seems to even be more flavorful the next day.”

From Anna:

“When invited out on Christmas I ALWAYS bring a huge green salad with lots of crispy fresh veggies with mandarin sections and dried cranberries. I use a light lime dressing. It is a tangy wonder that offsets all of the heavy food we love to eat this time of year.”

From Jennifer:

“The children in our Chinese-American family insist on traditional holiday food – stuffing, ham, turkey, cranberry sauce, casseroles — the works! A few years back, one of my cousins who isn’t big on cooking ordered noodles from a Chinese restaurant as his contribution. Now our holiday meals aren’t complete without some takeout Chinese noodles — it’s the one dish at our table guaranteed not to have any leftovers.”

From Elizabeth:

“For the past four years, my nephew and I have baked molasses cookies while listening to the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. The cookies have gotten tastier as he’s gotten older, and now we know the songs by heart.”

From Betsy:

“It’s an unofficial Jewish tradition to go out for Chinese food on Christmas, so last Christmas Eve, my husband, in-laws and I decided to try a hole-in-the-wall Chinese barbecue joint. We enjoyed an amazing feast of Peking duck, hot and sour soup, fried rice, Chinese broccoli and all of the fixings. It was so good we now plan to ring in Christmas every year with Chinese barbecue.”

From Allison:

“My husband’s family in Houston does tamales and chili every Christmas Eve. My mother-in-law makes the chili and the tamales come from our favorite Mexican restaurant down the street, and we open presents with plenty of hot sauce on the side.”

What’s your favorite food tradition of the holiday season? Share it with us by December 21 for the chance to win a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card. We can’t wait to hear about your festive feasting traditions!

The fine print: No purchase necessary. Promotion ends December 21, 2011. Must be a legal resident of the US or Canada (except in Quebec, where it is void) age 18 or older to participate. Taxes on prize, if applicable, are the responsibility of the winner. Employees of Whole Foods Market, Inc., are not eligible. Void where prohibited.

Bring a bright spot of citrusy sunshine to your holiday season with a box of satsumas and gift one to a friend — on us! Leave a comment below by December 13th telling us who you would share satsumas with and why. We’ll pick 10 winners at random to receive a 13-pound box of satsumas along with another box for the giftee of their choice.

A variety of mandarin orange and a cousin to the clementine, satsumas are super sweet, juicy, seedless and easy to peel. They’re only available for a short time (from October to December) so you’ve got to enjoy their sweetness while you can. You can use them in recipes, keep them on hand for easy snacks and as edible table décor…what’s not to love? Find more ways to enjoy satsumas here.

So go on, share some sweetness — give someone (and yourself!) the gift of satsumas this season. Leave a comment by December 13th to tell us who would you like to share satsumas with and why for a chance to win! Remember to keep your eye out for an email message on December 14th — you’ll need to respond by Dec 15th in order for us to collect addresses and ship the satsumas for the holidays. We can send the gift box of satsumas to the winner for hand delivery to their giftee or we can ship to another US address. Enjoy!

The fine print: No purchase necessary. Promotion ends December 13, 2011. Must be a legal resident of the US, age 18 or older to participate. (Sorry, no shipping on these satsumas to Canada.) Taxes on prize, if applicable, are the responsibility of the winner. Employees of Whole Foods Market, Inc., are not eligible. Void where prohibited.

Read on for a chance to win a 5-CD set of Putumayo’s Christmas music. Dan Storper is the CEO and Founder of Putumayo World Music.

Looking for some new family Christmas music this holiday season?  We are excited to bring you our latest release, Celtic Christmas, an enchanting collection of Celtic music from Ireland, Scotland, England, Canada and United States. Celtic Christmas joins our other Christmas CDs: A Jazz & Blues Christmas, New Orleans Christmas, Christmas Around the World and World Christmas Party, which are sold at most Whole Foods Market stores.

Celtic Christmas offers Celtic interpretations of Christmas classics along with an original recording. The collection begins with the joyful singing of The Albion Christmas Band on “Here We Come A-Wassalling” and moves into Charles T. Cozen’s instrumental version of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.’” The Gothard Sisters update the classic “Little Drummer Girl” with fiddle and guitar, while DruidStones’ rendition of the French carol “Noel Nouvelet” features harp and harmonious vocals.

David Huntsinger adds an original Celtic twist on the classic “Angels We Have Heard On High” while Charles T. Cozens returns with a flute-driven take on “Good King Wenceslas.” Next comes Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola’s original Gaelic recording of “Nollaig Bhan, (White Christmas).” Steve Schuch & The Night Heron reinterpret the seasonal classic “Joy To The World” with playful sounds from the mandolin, while Áine Minogue incorporates the harp and mandolin on “Jezebel Carol.” David Arkenstone’s “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” features flute and strings, and Dougie MacLean closes out the collection with a soulful Scottish rendition of “Auld Lang Syne.”

Do you have a favorite recording of a Christmas song? Let us know what it is in the comments below by December 13^th for a chance to win a collection of five Putumayo Christmas CDs, including our latest, Celtic Christmas. I was thrilled to learn about more than 20 exceptional singer-songwriters that I hadn’t heard of before in your comments on our post about Acoustic Café.  I’m hoping your comments here about your favorite recordings of Christmas songs will help us put together future Christmas compilations.

We’re also excited to offer a $1.00 off coupon for any Putumayo CD in The Whole Deal value guide in Whole Foods Market stores and printable online here. Remember to use the coupon if you pick up one of our CDs at your local store — I hear they make great holiday gifts!

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and peaceful holiday season.

Wow! What an overwhelming response! We were moved (moved to tears in some cases) by your heartfelt stories. Congratulations to Yessenia T. from Florida who was randomly selected to win a $50 gift card. There certainly is so much to be thankful for and we hope that everyone had a memorable Thanksgiving.

Several years ago, I set myself the November challenge of posting on my Facebook page one thing I was thankful for every single day of the month. It surprised me how simply focusing on gratitude shifted my perspective and lightened my mood. And sharing that gratitude was uplifting to my friends and family, too!

In honor of thankfulness, we’re holding a contest. For a chance to win a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card, all you have to do is respond in the comments section below by November 24 (which just so happens to be Thanksgiving!) with a few sentences describing “The Thanksgiving I’m Most Thankful For.” The winner will be chosen at random so you don’t have to be an English major, just willing to share your story of gratitude with the rest of us.

To inspire your efforts, here are a couple of Thanksgiving tales from our very own Team Members:

L’aura:

“Nearly two decades ago, a bunch of Team Members (most of us without local family) decided to celebrate Thanksgiving at someone’s house in Palo Alto. Because of the holiday, the drive down from North Bay on a Thursday was unnaturally quiet and peaceful. I entered a house full of people and food, including eight different kinds of pie and the first turducken I had ever seen. After dinner we went for a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the beautiful autumn weather. Back at the house, a co-worker got out his guitar and we lounged around the living room listening to music and talking till the sun went down. I’m thankful for the memory of such a peaceful day spent with like-minded souls in a beautiful part of our country — and that I work with such friendly people who welcome all like family.”

Liz:

“Years ago two friends and I had just moved to Galveston, Texas, where we rented a beach house. Thanksgiving was approaching, so we each invited one new co-worker for dinner along with their partners. The plan was seven of us for dinner. Just before our guests were due to arrive I went to the phone booth across the street to call home. A dog followed me and on the way back I met a man without dinner plans, so I brought him and the dog with me. Eight for dinner. Moments later a car filled with six people stopped to ask directions. I didn’t know where they were headed but asked if they wanted dinner, and if so to come on in. They did. Fourteen. One roommate brought two more people he met on his walk on the beach, and the dog invited a cat. We had a lovely celebration with a patchwork of new faces.  Isn’t that what Thanksgiving was originally about?  Communion with people who are strangers. It will live in my memory as the most unique and wonderful Thanksgiving ever.”

Who and what do you remember from the Thanksgiving you are most thankful for?

Tell us in a few short sentences in the comments section below by November 24 for a chance to win a $50 Whole Foods Market gift card.

If you’re still in the sharing mood, stop by our Holidays hub and share your holiday snapshots with the Whole Food Market community and show us how you celebrate. While you’re there make sure to check out our festive recipes, cooking tips and entertaining guides.

What could be more fun than voting on mouthwatering recipes for a good cause? Here’s a sampling of a few of the recipes you’ll have a chance to vote on:

So visit YumSugar and cast your vote for your favorite holiday recipes and sign up for their newsletter for a chance to win a $1,000 Whole Foods Market gift card. And tell us, what are some of your favorite things to cook up for Thanksgiving dinner?

Each month, I share a few of the products we’re most excited about so you can try something new, too. A lot of these products are only available in our stores, and you’ll be the first on the block to try them. Take a minute to tell us and other shoppers what you think by rating and reviewing them on our product pages.

Without further ado, here’s what’s on our list for November. Add them to your online shopping list with a few clicks of the mouse.

Harmless Harvest Organic 100% Raw Coconut Water

• Nothing is added (or subtracted!) from this pure and organic raw coconut water
• Made from a responsibly harvested, exceptionally sweet and fragrant coconut variety native to Thailand
• A cutting-edge, heatless, high-pressure process guarantees it is truly raw while ensuring food safety

Kettle Brand Organic Krinkle Cut Potato Chips

• Organic potato chips with crunchy golden ridges and bold flavors
• Kettle-cooked in high-quality oils with no added trans fats
• 3 Flavors only at Whole Foods Market®: Sea Salt, Sweet Chili Garlic or Roasted Tomato

KIND Healthy Grains Clusters

• Delicious blends of grains and superfoods: amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, blueberries, walnuts, chia seeds and flax
• Unique, snackable clusters can be enjoyed on the go, over yogurt or with milk
• Choose Peanut Butter Whole Grain, Vanilla Blueberry with Flax Seeds, Cinnamon Oat with Flax Seeds, Maple Walnut with Chia & Quinoa, Dark Chocolate & Cranberry or Oats & Honey with Toasted Coconut

Method White Rosemary All Purpose Spray and Floor & Surface Cleaner

• Delivers a mighty cleaning punch with powerful ingredients that respect the environment
• Floor & Surface Cleaner is concentrated and dilutable
• Fresh fragrance makes cleaning enjoyable
• Bottles are made from 100% recycled material

Method Ginger Yuzu Liquid Dish Refill

• Double refill is a great deal for you and the planet too
• Easy-pour handle means no mess
• Delivers a mighty cleaning punch with a fresh fragrance and powerful and ingredients that respect the environment

Sea Tangle Snacks Roasted Seaweed

• Experience the benefits of seaweed in a convenient, crunchy snack
• Also use it as a topping for soup or rice.
• Lightly roasted with sesame oil before adding a pinch of sea salt

Van’s Power Grains Waffles

• Packed with 10g protein per serving
• A convenient way to get whole grains, including cracked red wheat, steel cut oats, millet and brown rice
• Top with fresh fruit or spread with peanut butter for an on-the-go breakfast

Van’s 8 Whole Grains English Muffins

• Delivers 5g protein and 3g fiber per serving
• Made with eight delicious grains and seeds, including millet, buckwheat, flax and sunflower seeds
• Simply defrost, split and toast for a wholesome breakfast

What new products have a spot in your cart? Let us know in the comments below!