From February 8th until February 14th, expect one text coupon a day from Earth Fare to build your Valentine’s Day dinner.

Watch as Earth Fare Charlotte Team Members serenade us and hint at what to expect during the Week of Love!

If you still need to sign up for Earth Fare’s text coupons, make sure you text “EAT” to 71700 now! If texting is your thing, you don’t want to miss out.

In 2001, I kept getting Bronchitis. I had it many times over many years and once had severe Bronchitis that lasted 2 1/2 months.

Over a period of about 8 months, it seemed I kept hearing from people all over that I need to change my diet. But I liked cheese a lot and did not want to give that up.

Finally in December 2001, I went out to Hallelujah Acres in Shelby and heard a talk about eating healthy and cutting out dairy and all animal products. I finally got the message and came home and threw out all the unhealthy stuff.

My four teenagers and husband struggled with this a bit (as you can imagine,) but eventually they accepted it. They really had little choice: I bought the food. We went on to cut out processed foods, all animal products and dairy.

As long as I cut back dairy to very minimal or preferably none at all, I don’t get Bronchitis any more. I am so thankful. My body functions so much more healthy and my husband’s does to. Overall my children eat healthier, not that they are completely vegan but they are more food conscious than they ever would have been. The doctors we see for checkups seem overall pleased with our health and tests prove pretty good.

We are thankful to have Earth Fare near us as we know we can trust their foods. I am learning to make vegan yogurt and other cultured foods and it’s nice that I can get what I need from Earth Fare. Thank you for coming to Charlotte. We appreciate you and that your store makes it easier to continue in good health.

You can share YOUR story with Earth Fare’s readers (and win a $50 gift card for yourself) by clicking here.

_____________________________________________________________
More stories like this one:

Renee’s Health Journey
Katie’s Rejuvenated Java
Pat’s Fresh Start

Ingredients:
3 medium avocados, halved and pitted
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 oz. hot sauce
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh onion, chopped
3 medium roma tomatoes, diced
Salt to taste

Directions:
Scoop avocado “meat” from shells into a medium bowl and mash with a fork to your preferred consistency. We recommend you stop while it’s still a little chunky.

Gently stir in lime juice, hot sauce, cilantro, onion and tomatoes. Mix until it’s well-blended, then add salt to taste.

Enjoy with tortilla chips or baked pita bread. Touchdown!

_________________________________________________________

What is your go to healthy game day snack? Tell us below!

Several years ago, it began to get worse and doctor after doctor after doctor could not figure out why. After my Aunt passed away 3 years ago, I found out that she had an immune disorder of unknown origin. She had experienced many of the same symptoms that I had over the years: migraines, repeated sinus infections, allergic rhinitis, stomach problems, ear problems and more. To make matters worse, I am a Nurse Practitioner and could not figure out the problem that was causing this!

When I started eating gluten free and avoiding many of the foods I was allergic to, I began feeling better. I found an “allergy” dietician and learned I was actually allergic to even MORE foods than I ever thought!

My food list now encompasses about 40 different items! Very, very limited at best. It was quite depressing.

I finally found a very compassionate colleague who sent me to a hematologist. We figured out it was indeed a very rare immune disorder. We tried various medications that just didn’t work. I finally began eating completely allergy free, processed food free and literally canning all my own foods. You see, I can’t even eat onions, garlic or olives! So, I can’t buy bottled ketchup, salad dressings or spaghetti sauces let alone wheat, rice, chicken, pork or even turkey!

I make all my own broths and sauces. I also eat flax seed oil and either organic Greek yogurt or cottage cheese every day!

My last visit to my hematologist was a few weeks ago and my labs were completely normal! My hematologist was stunned! He wanted to know what on earth I was doing. I simply told him of my “organic and allergy free diet” as well as the “flax seed and cottage cheese or Greek yogurt” every day. He is now telling his patients to do the same!

I have more strength and energy than I have had in 20 years! I feel so, so good! I now preach to my patients the value of eating completely processed food free, preservative and artificial dye free, sugar free and hormone free. Love it!

You can share YOUR story with Earth Fare’s readers (and win a $50 gift card for yourself) by clicking here.
_____________________________________________________________

More stories like this one:

Livi’s Story
Meg’s Story
Allison’s Story

I am really excited to introduce our new Ambler’s wines for Earth Fare! We partnered with the Biltmore Estate Winery here in Asheville for the project, and after months of discussions, designs, tastings and production, they’re finally HERE!

The name, Ambler’s, comes from one of the many paths that are on the Biltmore Estate property. The special thing about this particular path is that it is unmarked and original to the Vanderbilt’s home. It is a sort of secret path on the estate that only certain people know about.

Like the path, the Ambler’s wines are a sort of secret insider’s path to delicious, yet affordable wine. Anybody can pay $50 and get a good bottle of wine, but where’s the fun in that? The thrill of the hunt lies in finding that really good bottle that doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. Well, I’m going to let you in on a secret: Ambler’s is that wine.

We have four wines to choose from:

A big manly Cab

A really delicious little snappy Red Blend.
(It’s perfect for food pairing.)

A pretty Chardonnay.

A lean and light Sauvignon Blanc.

They all taste more expensive than they are. They come with a fabulous pedigree, without being stuffy.

My favorite is the Sauvignon Blanc, but then again I like that style of wine. It’s crisp, it’s grassy. It’s a natural with so many different cheeses. But to tell you the truth, I just like a glass of Ambler’s when I get home from work. I can pour a glass, read a magazine, get in my big chair with my 6 month old black kitten Miles, and enjoy the good life!

Our daughter Olivia was diagnosed with high functioning autism at two and a half years of age. Immediately, we were advised to put her on the gluten free/casein free diet. It was quite a challenge because the only foods she wanted to eat were made up, of course, of milk and wheat.

At the time, we lived in a small town that did not have these specialty replacement foods readily available. We heard about Earth Fare and traveled more than an hour each way when we could to stock up on some of her favorites. The variety was wonderful. We could not believe there were so many options and that they were reasonably priced!

We started to see some significant progress but found ourselves giving in from time to time to let her have some of her favorites that were not on the diet, especially at school parties and holidays – the times when it was the hardest to keep the “old” foods away from her.

Recently, she was also diagnosed with celiac disease so we have to be 100% gluten free these days and I honestly don’t know how we would do it without Earth Fare! She loves going to the store and picking out her own food and snacks and I love knowing that they will help to keep her healthy and happy.

You can share YOUR story with Earth Fare’s readers (and win a $50 gift card for yourself) by clicking here.
_____________________________________________________________

More stories like this one:

Tiffany’s Calling It Off!
Snicker’s Story: Healthy pet, healthy person!
Misty’s Story: Jimi Meets Vegetables

I remember when I was 3yrs old, waking up on Christmas morning to what would soon become my most memorable Christmas.

As I came down the stairs there was a tent set up in the living room. As I approached the tent  a dinosaur came out on its own. It scared me enough that I peed all over the floor!

Then I heard my mother laughing from the kitchen. It turns out she had bought me a remote controlled inflatable dinosaur and thought it would be funny to have it come out of the tent on its own. I will never forget the Christmas the dinosaur attacked me!

__________________________________________

Jessica won a $100 Earth Fare gift card for being the winning entry! To find out how to enter this month’s “You tell us…” contest, pick up a copy of the January sales flyer at your local Earth Fare.

Feed Your Phone is the newest way to get coupons and deals from Earth Fare. No computer or printer necessary—these coupons are short, sweet and delivered directly to your phone!

Signing up is easy:
1. Text the word “EAT” to 71700
2. Watch the deals roll in
That’s all there is to it! For signing up you will receive you first text coupon: $10 off a $25 purchase!

You can also sign up on your computer by going to http://EarthFare.com/EAT –but you’ll need a cell phone to receive coupons. Earth Fare doesn’t charge to send you these coupons, but standard messaging rates from your mobile provider may apply.

We hope you’re as excited about these new coupons as we are! Is your phone hungry for deals? What do you want Earth Fare to Feed Your Phone?

Since I graduated from college a few years ago, my health and the food I put in my mouth have become increasingly important issues to me. I became a vegan over a year and a half ago for numerous reasons, including health. I started eating a lot of fruit, vegetables, and other non-processed food, and I preached the benefits of whole foods and organic/local produce.

I realized, however, upon reading Michael Pollen’s books, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “In Defense of Food,” that what I was saying and what I was doing were not matching up. I often ended up grabbing the cheaper food rather than the organic food, opting for convenience rather than sustainability.

One of Pollen’s messages was that we spend less on food and more on healthcare, and I realized that I may be spending more on food at the moment, but in the long run, I would be benefiting myself, my community, and the world.

When a new Earth Fare opened up in my neighborhood, I started shopping there, and I’ve finally started living up to what I believe. I no longer say one thing and do another. I’ve been eating organic and as locally as possible for almost a year, and I have enjoyed every second.

I know my power as a consumer is having a positive effect on my community, and I continue to encourage my friends and neighbors to support whole foods movements, organic brands, and local farmers’ markets as a way to enrich their health and our community’s health!

You can share YOUR story with Earth Fare’s readers (and win a $50 gift card for yourself) by clicking here.
_____________________________________________________________

More stories like this one:

Pat’s Fresh Start
Clean AND Healthy – Penny’s Story
Lisa’s Story: 100 Days of Real Food

Most “Wellness Starts Here” events will be held on Saturday, January 7th.
Earth Fare’s Knoxville – Bearden and Johnson City stores will host their events on Sunday, January 8th.
Times vary by store, so check your local Earth Fare for details.
_____________________________________

Back by popular demand, our “Wellness Starts Here” event brings together our knowledgeable Team, current trends and featured products, all aimed to improve your health!

Since we love our customers and you all love freebies, we’ll have free demos, free samples and we’ll raffle off 50+ gift baskets during the event! And, that’s not all. There is a new Phatcycle Sea Breeze street bike (estimated retail value $275) waiting for one lucky winner!

Get a sneak peak of all the great giveaway items on your store’s Facebook page. Entering the raffles are easy: simply attend YOUR stores Wellness Event!

If you are like most people who start off the year with good intentions of eating better, exercising more and getting healthier, be sure to join us this weekend and jumpstart your healthy resolutions with guidance from your helpful Wellness Team. Let’s make 2012 your healthiest year yet!