Community Food Co-op

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      • Community Food Co-op, Downtown Store, 1220 North Forest Street at Holly StreetDowntown Store
        1220 North Forest Street at Holly Street
        Bellingham, Washington
        7 am - 9 pm
        360-734-8158
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        315 Westerly Road at Cordata Parkway
        Bellingham, Washington
        7 am - 9 pm
        360-734-8158
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Plan Your Holiday Menu With Help From the Co-op

The holidays can feel overwhelming, especially when you are hosting a gathering. Reduce stress by planning and shopping for you meal early. Simplify your to-do list by sourcing key menu items and ingredients from the Co-op. Feeling short on inspiration? Try some of these fun, festive recipes.

Holiday Cheese Balls

The Co-op's cheese balls only come around once a year, but they sure make a big impression. Made with a blend of cheese, herbs, and spices, dipped in gluten-free beer, and encrusted with slivered almonds, these cheese balls will set the tempo for your holiday gathering. Serve with Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisps or round out a charcuterie board with Oloves olives, Divina fruit spread, and Olli Salumeria chubs.

Naughty Nog

Warm up your guests with a Naughty Nog cocktail designed by our friends at Chuckanut Bay Distillery. A  Naughty Nog combines Twin Brook Creamery's seasonal eggnog with Chuckanut Bay Distillery's Krampus Herbal Liqueur for a smooth holiday treat. Find everything you need at the Co-op and follow our step-by-step instructions. If eggnog's not your speed, serve Valdo Prosecco Brut Rosé.

Prime Rib Roast

No holiday meal is complete without a show-stopping main course. We recommend a generously marbled and neatly trimmed bone-in prime rib roast from Oregon Country Beef. You can order your roast up until Christmas Eve for just $15.99/lb. Bone-in roasts are a tender and flavorful holiday indulgence and easy to portion because each rib feeds two people as a rule. We suggest following this recipe for a salt and pepper-crusted prime rib served with horseradish cream.

Hasselback Potatoes

Pair your prime rib with a simple-to-prepare potato dish with a big payoff, brown butter hasselback potatoes with caramelized onions. Russet potatoes are on sale through Christmas and can lend this gorgeous side their iconic mix of crispiness and creaminess. Tip: Place a chopstick on either side of each potato to help keep your slices a consistent depth and to prevent yourself from accidently cutting all the way through.

Balsamic Green Beans With Walnuts

Bring a pop of color to your holiday table with this elegant green bean dish. Steam your green beans to preserve more of their natural nutrients, toast your walnuts to bring out their nutty flavor, and toss it all in aged balsamic vinegar for a sweet and thick glaze. The best part? You can be saying bon appétit in just 15 minutes.

Oven Roasted Beets

Oven roasting red beets highlights their earthy sweetness. Spoonful of Flavor has a great guide, complete with tips for keeping your hands stain free. If you're feeling adventurous, you can add other vegetables that roast at similar temperatures, such as asparagus and delicata squash. Toss with orange zest, herbs, and spices and then garnish with goat cheese.

Winter Wonderland Cake

Delegate dessert to the Co-op. This six-inch, superbly decorated holiday cake will wow your partygoers. Gluten and sugar-free with three intricate layers, the Winter Wonderland Cake promises to please every guest, while being just a bit too lovely to slice. Order yours here for just $24.99.

HOLIDAY| RECIPES cheese| christmas| cocktail| dessert| holiday| main course| prime rib| recipe| sides| wine

5 Vegetarian Main Dishes for Thanksgiving

No turkey-eaters at your table? These vegetarian dishes are hearty enough for your Thanksgiving main course. Fall-forward ingredients create the comforting, savory flavors that you crave around the holidays.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This Stuffed Acorn Squash from Cookie & Kate is easy, healthy, affordable and delicious. You can't beat that!

Mushroom Farro Soup

Move over butternut squash! When you're serving soup as a main course, it needs to have all the hearty, savory elements people expect of a Thanksgiving meal and this Mushroom Farro Soup from Bon Appetit does not disappoint.

close up shot of mushroom farro soup

Creamy Polenta with Roasted Winter Veggies

This satisfying creamy, cheesy polenta dish from Tara Teaspoon feels indulgent but it's actually relatively healthy. It makes good use of seasonal winter veggies too.

cheesy polenta with roasted root vegetables in a white bowl

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Balsamic-Sage Brown Butter Sauce

This Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Balsamic-Sage Brown Butter Sauce from Salt & Wind is the kind of rich, over-the-top dish you expect at Thanksgiving. We suggest this recipe for a seasoned cook (or a confident beginner) as it calls for homemade gnocchi.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto makes an awesome Thanksgiving main dish. This Butternut Squash Risotto from Cookie & Kate gets extra points because it's baked! That means no more spending 50 straight minutes stirring a pot—with this recipe you just give it a quick toss at the end.

Butternut squash risotto in a blue bowl

HOLIDAY| RECIPES| SPECIALITY DIET holiday| main course| polenta| recipes| risotto| soup| squash| thanksgiving| vegetarian

Your Guide to a Diet-friendly Holiday Feast

thanksgiving table scene

If your holiday menu needs to accommodate many different dietary restrictions this year, don’t fret! Thanksgiving dishes are endlessly adaptable and diet-friendly dishes can feel just as indulgent as any traditional fare.  

If you're stumped—or simply overwhelmed—by the myriad dietary restrictions you need to meet, we've got you covered! We compiled a list of main dishes, sides, and desserts sure to please everyone at your table. 

We've vetted these dishes to make sure there aren't too many hoops to jump through. You'll be able to find everything you need at your local food co-op, and there will be no food processors or niche kitchen gadgets involved. Hooray!

Vegan

Vegans often get the short end of the stick when it comes to this holiday classic! Even though they are a veggie-based dish, mashed potatoes typically come laden with butter, cream, and cheese making them a no-go for the vegan at your table. But these Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Love & Lemons are so creamy and delicious, you won't miss dairy one bit!

a bowl of vegan mashed potatoes with herbs sprinkled on top
A teal bowl of orange butternut squash risotto

Vegetarian

If you need a hearty main dish that says "Thanksgiving" but is meat-free, this Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto is it! Unlike traditional risotto which requires a lot of time and attention, this risotto uses nutty brown rice and it is baked (yes, baked!) in the oven, so it only requires a few minutes of stirring at the end. It will be a crowd pleaser among vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

Whole30

That charcuterie board might not be the best hors d'oeuvre for your Whole30 guests, but these easy Sausage and Cranberry Stuffed Mushrooms with Sage are a perfect pre-dinner snack brimming with fall flavors. Bonus: They're also gluten free and paleo!

whole30 stuffed mushrooms
keto diet green bean casserole

Keto

Folks following the keto diet are supposed to steer clear of many Thanksgiving staples: sweet potato pie, mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, apple pie...the list goes on. But Keto Green Bean Casserole is here to save the day! Your keto guests can indulge in this Thanksgiving classic while keeping on track with their diet.

Paleo

No need to leave your Paleo pals behind once dessert is served! This Paleo Pumpkin Spice Cake will be a hit with everyone at your table. It uses gluten-free cassava flour and it's sweetened entirely with honey. Intimidated by the height? Don't be. There are instructions for your typical single-layer cake in the recipe, which isn't to deter you from making a layer-cake if you wish—the sky is the limit!

a slice of paleo pumpkin spice cake with a bite taken out if it
A bowl of gluten free stuffing with a wooden spoon

Gluten Free

We would be remiss to discuss Thanksgiving without talking about stuffing! Traditional stuffing is about as un-diet-friendly as it gets, but this Gluten-Free Stuffing will satisfy even the pickiest stuffing eaters among us. The recipe offers dairy-free and vegan options too!

Time Saver: Olivia's Gluten-Free Rosemary & Sage Stuffing Mix

GROCERY| HOLIDAY| RECIPES| SPECIALITY DIET dessert| gluten free| holiday| keto| main course| paleo| sides| thanksgiving| vegan| vegetarian

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Three Glasses of Mocktails (Raspberry, Peach and Pineapple) standing on the Bar, Horizontal Wallpaper

Learning to Make Mocktails

With fewer people drinking alcohol and dry January around the corner, it’s time to freshen up your mocktail skills! The Community Food Co-op has some recipes, tips, and tricks for even the most novel of mocktail creators.  Mocktails Made from Scratch 1. We’re celebrating citrus season with this grapefruit and [...]
A holiday wreath with some blue and green foliage hangs on a wooden fixture.

Shop Small: A Gift Guide

Support the Co-op on Small Business Saturday and buy some fun items for your holiday gifts. The Co-op has unique items for gifts, stocking stuffers, and for yourself. Supporting the only locally-owned grocery store in Bellingham helps strengthen our community, local food network, and local producers.  We’ve selected some of [...]
Three bottles of wine sit on a table.

Celebrating Red Wine Day with some Co-op Favorites

August 28 is Red Wine Day! There's no better way to celebrate than with a good meal and a gorgeous wine to pair. Not sure where to begin in the vast red wine aisle? We've got you covered. Below are three late-summer recommendations from Tim, our wine expert. We have [...]

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DOWNTOWN STORE & DELI • map • 360-734-8158 • 7 am – 9 pm
meat and deli counter: 7 am – 7 pm
made-to-order counter: 7 am – 6 pm
salad/hot bar: 7 am – 6 pm

CORDATA STORE & DELI • map • 360-734-8158 • 7 am – 9 pm
meat and deli counter: 7 am – 7 pm
made-to-order counter: 7 am – 6 pm
salad/hot bar: 7 am – 7 pm

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