There's No Trick to the Co-op's Halloween Treats

By: Mandy Makinen

When I was a kid, people in my neighborhood that wanted to hand out a healthier option on Halloween apparently had two choices: pennies or pencils. I can remember staring at those items, strewn on the carpet amongst my brightly colored loot, so out of context I could barely understand what they were. What is this, a pencil? How’d that get in here? A penny? Weird.

Now that I have a kid who has an allergy to red food dye, though, I see things differently. Those unconventional neighbors have been recast in my mind as bold, progressive heroes in the Halloween battle against strange new allergens and high fructose corn syrup. I’ve even considered following suit—what alternative could I offer visiting children? The flimsy spider ring? The tiny box of raisins?

No, I like fun. Prohibition? That ain’t me. For kids, Halloween is pretty much about candy, with a little dress-up and staying up late thrown in for good measure. So as I often do as a parent, I turned to the co-op for help—I needed gummy bears made with plant dyes and I needed them now!

Food co-ops have come quite a distance towards meeting us halfway on our, uh, less-than-healthy cultural traditions. There are abundant options for Halloween treats and—psst—they are ridiculously good. Even I-hope-we-get-fewer-kids-than-usual good, if you know what I mean. With ingredients like organic sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, sustainable coconut and palm oils instead of trans fats, and fair trade chocolate, these treats aren’t sleeping on the job—they are accomplishing multiple goals!

I’m not kidding myself to think that any of that is necessarily healthier to eat (though I believe an argument could be made), but I do know that organic is healthier for our environment, and for the health of the people involved in making our candy, fair trade is best. In the chocolate industry in particular, fair trade certification is the easiest way for us as shoppers to know that the cocoa beans used to make your chocolate were not farmed using unpaid child labor and other human rights abuses. Despite multiple news reports about unpaid child labor in cocoa production going back as far as 2001, the majority of chocolate we eat in the United States is still produced that way. I’m not in the business of bumming you out—so please do your own reading if you’re interested.

I am thankful that there are so many choices these days for how I spend my money; the ability to make a difference in the lives of the people in our communities and around the world that produce our food is abundant and, thanks to committed people all along the supply chain from farm to food co-op, readily available to me. Cultural holidays like Halloween knit our communities together—how great to live at a time where I can hand out candy and feel pretty good about it, too!

Eat Local! Celebrate Local Foods!

The local foods movement has taken root nationwide. Where other trends have come and gone, the local foods movement is stronger than ever, fueled by a growing desire for transparency in food production practices, knowing where our food dollars are going, and the sheer delight of eating a freshly-picked tomato.

It's a movement to which food co-ops are deeply committed and have long supported. As the height of the local growing season spreads across the country, co-op grocers nationwide celebrate the freshest, best, and most delicious local foods. During the height of the local growing season, and throughout the year, co-ops offer unique ways to explore and enjoy the bounty and benefits of eating locally sourced foods.

During the height of the local growing season, food co-ops from coast -to-coast offer opportunities to learn about and enjoy the array of locally produced foods. They also offer eat local food challenges, film screenings, in-store promotions and more. Shoppers are encouraged to participate in co-op events and set local food goals for themselves to fit their lifestyle, whether it's eating one meal a week made with local foods or trying to source a specific percentage of meals locally.

There's no better time than summer to celebrate local foods when the bounty and diversity of local foods are at their peak. 

Local producer connections in video series

Co-op support of local producers is also showcased in Co+op, stronger together's video series which celebrated the International Year of Cooperatives in 2012. The United Nations declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives to raise awareness of ideas or initiatives that truly make the world a better place. The series, hosted by 'Top Chef' finalist Chef Kevin Gillespie, demonstrates how support for local foods is just one of the ways that food co-ops are helping build a better world.

What constitutes local?

So, how exactly is local food defined? That depends. Definitions vary from co-op to co-op based on geography and climate, among other factors. For some, local might be defined as a 100 mile radius; for others it might be a tri-state region. But regardless of the variation in definitions, at your co-op you'll find numerous opportunities to explore and enjoy flavorful local options and support the growers and producers who make this fresh, delicious food possible.

At the Moscow Food Co-op, "local" really has a definition - the product must be from Idaho, Washington, or within 250 miles of our store. We pride ourselves on having a strong relationship with more than 150 local food and goods producers in the Pacific Northwest. And we don't just mean filling orders and buying product - we have personal connections with these business owners too, and they are what keeps the Moscow Food Co-op truly unique to our area.

We're a community owned co-operative grocery store - local is what we do! Check out the Local Means Local page on this website to read about some of our local producers!

Why eat local?

Food co-ops nationwide cultivate relationships with local growers and producers in order to support local farmers and provide the freshest, highest quality products for co-op shoppers. Together, food co-ops and local producers create viable market opportunities for local products, while giving co-op shoppers a convenient and close connection to fresh, delicious food of the highest quality.

Each region has a unique variety of products available during the peak harvest season. Eating local foods celebrates the diversity of communities and supports local food producers.

Local food benefits co-op shoppers, growers, communities and the environment. Local foods are fresher, taste better, and typically retain more nutrients by traveling faster from field to plate instead of spending days or weeks in shipping.

In addition, eating local helps preserve and even stimulate the local economy, as dollars spent on local foods support regional farmers and producers. By keeping their wages in the community, much of the income they earn and the taxes they pay go right back into the local economy.

Locally owned by members of the community, co-ops keep their investment dollars in the vicinity by supporting local farmers, food artisans, and other local businesses, and providing jobs for people in the area.

As longtime supporters of local food, many co-ops hold a variety of events, celebrations and have resources available that can help enrich the celebration of local foods — so be sure to ask what’s coming up at the Moscow Food Co-op!