PCC announcements

This article was originally published in January 2009

Gluten-free at PCC
PCC is delighted to announce completion of an easily accessed database of gluten-free foods sold in our stores.

The gluten-free database is on our Web site, making it easy to identify hundreds of gluten-free products. From baking ingredients and breakfast bars, to pasta and pizza, you’ll find delicious and healthy foods for every taste.

You can search by keywords or brand names and browse by category, from baking products to frozen foods. You also can narrow your search to identify only organic, gluten-free items.

Visit pccmarkets.com/glutenfree. This database will make feeding family and friends a little easier!

PCC Cooks: sustainable changes

We’re also pleased to announce that a goal we’ve been striving for since 2006 has been met. With more than 60 percent of our PCC Cooks class registrations occurring online, we’re able to discontinue mailing the catalog as an insert with the Sound Consumer each quarter to member households.

We’ll continue to print the catalog for store and community distribution to accommodate people without Internet access.

The reduction in quantity means a savings of 35 trees, 15,600 gallons of water, 32 million BTUs of energy, 1,000 pounds of solid waste and 1,800 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions — each quarter!

Thank you for being a part of this sustainability effort by using www.PccCooks.com.

Please note: Registration for the Winter quarter starts December 29 at 9 a.m..

Local produce for schools

Courtesy of the new Local Farms-Healthy Kids legislation in Washington state, students at Van Asselt Elementary on Seattle’s Beacon Hill now dine on locally grown fruits and vegetables every afternoon as a delicious, healthy snack. The school received a $29,248 grant to buy produce from local farmers for the students, including a high number who are low income.

The Tilth Producers of Washington sponsored a celebratory kickoff event, where the children not only enjoyed local produce but also heard from a legislator and farmer about where the food is coming from and why they’re receiving the tasty treats.

Also in this issue

The value of organic certification

All natural? Non-GMO? No antibiotics or hormones? Aren’t they just as good as certified organic, just a little less costly? No doubt, when buying food the savvy shopper faces a dizzying array of labels and choices. Feeding the family never has been so complex.

Getting your fruits and vegetables:

How many times did you hear "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" while growing up? It's true. Increasing scientific evidence shows the preventive health benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables — lots of fruits and vegetables. Perhaps we should start saying 10 apples a day keeps the doctor away.

Shopping and eating on a budget

No doubt the financial meltdown is causing us to rethink spending on even the most basic necessities — and food is no exception. Some people are choosing more economical meats (indeed, sales of Spam are skyrocketing), while others are eating out less frequently; 45 percent of Americans report cutting down on the number of meals they ate out in 2008.