Years ago imported pineapples were exotic and their sweet flavor was uncommon in Europe and colonial America. From pineapple-themed door mats to carved bedposts to door knockers, this coveted commodity became a symbol of welcoming and hospitality. Today, of course, acquiring a pineapple is as easy as a trip to the grocery store. However, whether it’s served as a tasty complement to meat dishes or simply cubed, sweet, succulent pineapple still makes a very welcome addition to menus from sunrise to sunset.

From a morning fruit smoothie to a grilled after-dinner dessert, here are 12 of our favorite ways to enjoy pineapples.

Read the rest of this entry »

Spring has lots of wonderful garden surprises. Among them is the brief but fragrant (and colorful) appearance of sweet peas. The plant in my yard has seen robust growth starting late last year thanks to the mild winter. The first few buds are just starting to emerge, and this marks the start of several exciting changes in my springtime diet. It’s about the time artichokes and shelling peas start showing up regularly at my local store and farmer’s market.

The season is not lost on my family. My kids go crazy for sweet peas and practically every room in my house gets a bud vase full of the delicate blooms. Delilah and Aidan both know this is their Grammy’s favorite spring flower too, so every visit is accompanied by a hastily assembled bouquet in a shameless attempt at scoring brownie points.  It’s hard not to love this flower – its subtle fragrance, soft color and fragile beauty is so easy to appreciate.

Read the rest of this entry »

When I was about nine years old, a family acquaintance made my day. He was a very distinguished older gentleman, a banker I believe, and came bearing roses for my great-aunt. He plucked one from the bouquet, turned and handed it to me and said, “a beauty for a beauty.” It was probably the first time I’d ever received a flower and to this day that memory makes me smile.

It’s plain and simple, people like flowers. Their purpose in our lives is pretty obvious: to bring in some beauty and make us smile. Whole Foods Market® has a one-day sale that will hopefully do just that. Stop by our US and Canadian stores this Friday, April 27, because Phalaenopsis orchids in four-inch pots are on sale for $9.99.

Sale valid in our US and Canadian stores, while supplies last. Availability and limits may vary by region, so you can contact your store for details. Most of our stores do not provide rain checks for sales like this.

Phalaenopsis (pronounced fayl-eh-NOP-sis) is a scentless multi-bloom variety that comes in a dizzying range of colors. It’s low-maintenance so it’s perfect for budding orchid aficionados. These plants grow well near bright windows with no direct sun light. You’ll find more care tips on the American Orchid Society’s website.

Orchids are pretty special plants and not just because of their stunning blooms. Did you know that the orchid family of plants is extremely old, with fossilized evidence dating back more than 15 million years? They grow in a remarkable range of climate zones: from the equatorial tropics to near the north and south poles. The plant has a practical side as well – vanilla, a common commercial flavoring, owes its origins to the orchid family of plants.

Stop by on Friday and pick up a Phalaenopsis orchid for yourself and another for someone else. I assure it will bring a smile to whoever gets to enjoy its beauty.

Are you an orchid lover? What’s your favorite variety?

Once, after a tortuous bowl of ultra-spicy soup at an Indian feast, I thought I would die. I sure kept my distance from all chili peppers for a good long time after that! Yet when I lived in Texas, I gradually learned that jalapeños are peppers that my palate enjoys. I’ll bet yours will, too.

Although chili peppers are used by experienced cooks the world over, if you’re a heat novice, jalapeños are a great place to start. Ranging in color from bright green to red, they’re up to three inches long and rank fairly low on the Scoville scale, a measure of the units of heat produced by the capsaicin, the natural compound in peppers that makes them spicy. To put it in perspective, bell peppers rank zero Scoville units; jalapeños rank 5,000 Scoville units; and habaneros, some of the hottest peppers in the world, rank up to 300,000 Scoville units.

Jalapeños are incredibly versatile. You can enjoy them fresh, roasted, stuffed, pickled, canned, jarred and dried. Once dried and smoked, they develop a deeper, sweeter flavor and are called chipotle peppers.

Fresh jalapeños should have nice tight skin with no bruising or soft spots. They are best used fresh or stored in the fridge in a plastic bag for up to two weeks. Don’t wash until you’re ready to use them, and remember that the ribs and seeds contain most of the heat. For milder, less spicy taste, remove both.

Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s a big day for us. Not just because it’s Earth Day but because as of today, in support of healthier oceans and to help reverse overfishing trends, Whole Foods Market® will no longer carry red-rated wild seafood. From now on, all of the wild-caught seafood we carry will be from fisheries certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), or green (best choice) or yellow (good alternative) species rated by Blue Ocean Institute (BOI) and Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA). A number of years ago we stopped selling several extremely depleted stocks, such as orange roughy and bluefin tuna; now we’ll no longer offer species rated red by BOI and MBA. Species such as Atlantic halibut, grey sole, skate wing, sturgeon and turbot, among others.

Watch this video to understand why this is an important (ahem) sea change.

If one of your favorite seafood species is red-rated, fear not. There are other fish in the sea! Here are tips and recipes for a seafood swap out. Ready to go green (rated that is)? We’ve got lots of fabulous recipes for you to try; plus, a little seafood shopping incentive.

Still a little murky? Our seafood page is your compass to navigating seafood sustainability in our stores and our talented fishmongers are your capable captains, happy to answer any of your questions.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day! Hopefully your day includes doing something outside – riding your bike, cleaning up the neighborhood park or finally starting that compost pile – but we also suggest taking the celebration online. After all, today we’re launching the Do Something Reel™ Film Festival, an online collection of provocative, character-driven films that focus on food, environmental issues and everyday people with a vision of making a world of difference. Simply put, it’s a celebration of people who understand that small steps can create big change. How appropriate for Earth Day, right?

Each month the festival will launch a new film. Do Something Reel marks the first time these documentaries will be available to purchase and stream online, so make sure to watch them while they are available.

The festival opens today with The Apple Pushers. Narrated by Academy Award nominee Edward Norton, the film follows five immigrant streetcart vendors who are offering fruits and vegetables in New York City neighborhoods where fresh produce isn’t widely available. The film chronicles these vendors’ participation in a unique urban experiment called The NYC Green Cart Initiative and sheds new light on the nation’s food crisis and skyrocketing obesity rates. The film will be available on the festival’s web site until April 30.

Intrigued? Watch a preview.

We’re also marking the festival’s kick off today with a live screening of The Apple Pushers, followed by a panel discussion in Austin. Additionally, theaters in Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh and San Francisco will host simultaneous screenings and will stream the panel discussion. (If you live in one of these cities and are interested in attending, get screening details and purchase tickets online or contact your local store for more information. Seats are subject to availability.) The panel discussion will also be live streamed for free to online viewers.

Beginning in May, a new film will be launched online on the first of each month. Prices vary by film with proceeds helping to fund two $25,000 AFI Silverdocs grants for filmmakers in the green genre. There is one viewing per purchase.

The films slated from May through August are:

Watershed – Directed by Mark Decena, executive produced by Robert Redford and produced by his son, James Redford, the film illustrates the Colorado River’s struggle to support thirty million people across the western U.S. and Mexico as the peace-keeping agreement known as the Colorado River Pact is reaching its limits. (Available May 1)

Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us? – A profound, alternative look at the bee crisis from Taggart Siegel, award-winning director of The Real Dirt on Farmer John. (Available June 1)

Ian Cheney Retrospective: The Greening of Southie and Truck Farm – Each of the films Cheney has created or co-created spotlights an important environmental or food issue, from mobile gardens to the subsidized crops fueling our fast-food nation. (Available July 1)

Lunch Line – Co-directed by Ernie Park and Michael Graziano, this film offers a fresh perspective on the politics of food and child-nutrition through an examination of the surprising past, uncertain present and possible future of the National School Lunch Program. (Available August 1)

Visit Do Something Reel’s web site for additional video, behind-the-scenes talks with filmmakers and other materials free of charge.

Since there is no better time than Earth Day to appreciate and connect with the world around you, we hope you’ll include a viewing of The Apple Pushers in however you mark the day.

Do you planning on watching The Apple Pushers for Earth Day or have you already seen it? Tell us what you think.

With more than 78 million dogs, 86 million cats and 212 million “other” pets in the US, it’s no surprise that our animal companions create their own carbon “paw print.”

Or rather, we create it for them – through the animal waste we don’t pick up, through the plastic toys that fester in landfills, through chemically harsh pet shampoos and – STOP!

It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?

But minimizing our pets’ damage to the environment doesn’t have to be so daunting. There are a few simple steps you can take today that aren’t only better for the Earth but can make a difference in the health and happiness of your pet, too.

Read the rest of this entry »

Spring is the season for saving lots of green. The latest issue of The Whole Deal value guide makes it easy, by sharing how to avoid spring spoilage and reap the spoils with these money-saving tips.

1. Shop at home. Build shopping lists around what you already have in your pantry and fridge. With our iPhone recipes app you can find dishes that use what you have on hand. Then add the remaining ingredients to your mobile shopping list.

2. First in, first out. Rotate items in your fridge and pantry so the oldest items are at the front. Put the new milk behind the open container; you’ll be more likely to use them one at a time before they expire.
3. Counter, pantry or fridge? Did you know that storing tomatoes in the refrigerator can ruin their flavor and cause a mealy texture? Use our fruit and vegetable guides to learn proper produce storage. That way it’ll be in mint condition and have maximum flavor for recipes, like our Quick Pizza Margherita.
4. Stock up. Save food today. Save money tomorrow. Freeze leftover ingredients now for making stocks, soups, smoothies and baked goods later. This Vegetable Bean Soup is a great way to use up leftover ingredients.
5. Hit the bar. Do you have a recipe that requires only a handful of jicama sticks or a few cherry tomatoes, like our Pasta Primavera? Shop our stores’ salad bars when you need very small amounts of vegetables.

Turn to the The Whole Deal value guide for $48+ in coupons, more than a dozen Sure Deals, 11 budget-friendly recipes and many more money-saving tips like these.

There are lots of ways to save. How to you prevent spoilage to stretch your dollar?

What I lack in crafty talent, I make up in friends who excel in creative crafting. For them DIY goes far beyond knitting a toaster cover. They are creating everyday items where style meets function and saving their bank account and the environment at the same time. Take something simple thing like an old wine cork. Where I see something that already did its job, my friends see homemade bulletin boards, place card holders, stamps, candleholders and wreaths. (Yes, I’ve seen all of those objects created from corks.)

Inspired? Me too. After all, cork is a renewable, recyclable material, which means it doesn’t belong in our landfills. However if you’re like me, you know that no matter how many wine corks you collect, you’ll likely never make a coaster, trivet or bath mat from them. But there is something very easy you can do – no talent required. Bring your corks to our stores and drop them in the handy Cork ReHarvest boxes.

Whole Foods Market partners with Cork ReHarvest to make it easy to properly dispose of natural cork at most of our stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Since 2008, the nonprofit and Rainforest Alliance-endorsed Cork ReHarvest has led the cork recycling movement in North America, helping to collect and recycle some of the 13 billion natural corks that are produced each year. Cork recycling helps to reduce demand placed on cork plantations while maintaining the delicate ecosystem of the Mediterranean forests, and helps thousands of producers maintain a sustainable income to support their families.

Read the rest of this entry »

Niman Ranch and Whole Foods Market® have been working together for almost 15 years and we’ve developed a great partnership. In mid-February, Whole Foods Market and Niman Ranch came together to work on a new program called Niman East, supplying pork products to our Mid-Atlantic stores from a small group of East coast farmers.

“Typically Niman Ranch farmers are from the midwest, but over the years we’ve been contacted by East coast farmers who want to work with us. We thought it would be a great opportunity to bring together farmers in Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Delaware and create a small program exclusively for Whole Foods Market. Our Niman East Program consists of a small group of about 20 farmers from the area. Plus, Niman Ranch’s CEO, Jeff Swain, is originally from Pennsylvania so he had an avid interest in making this work!” says Lori Lyon of Niman Ranch.

Jason Belleau, our Regional Meat Coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic, shares, “The Niman East Program is something we were very eager to support here. Niman is a leader in the pork industry, supplying us with great-tasting, locally sourced pork raised on small family farms.”  In addition to the pigs being raised on the East coast, they’re processed in the same area, at a small plant in Souderton, PA.

Read the rest of this entry »