What's In Your Halloween Candy?

Might want to think twice about what's in those trick or treat bags and bowls of candy that are everywhere. The cover article of the new issue of Science News is an interesting one regarding the safety of nanoparticles that are added to foods for color enhancement and the like. There's a chart showing levels of titanium dioxide in a bunch of foods, and M&Ms and Good & Plenty candies are on the list (chewing gum is also well represented). Glad I stick with at least natural and largely organic foods, although it seems some nanoparticles can appear naturally as well.

Boulder Farmers' Market Today

On yet another beautiful fall day, it's hard to believe there are only four more markets left for this year's Boulder Farmers' Market season. Put on something Halloween-ish and stroll the fall colors of the market. There will be pumpkin carving for the kids, and I bet more than a few costumes too. Here's the produce the Market says to expect:

In Season Now

beets, apples, cauliflower, pumpkin, delicata, butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, carrots, onions, Brussels sprouts, peppers, beets, eggplant, potatoes, kale, turnips, radishes, chard, arugula, celery and lettuce.

Spooky Halloween Foods

If you are still looking for ideas about what to serve (besides candy) for Halloween, here's a reminder of the post I did with guides to help you out.

Vitamin Cottage Sale

Just a heads up that tomorrow is the last day of the current sale at Vitamin Cottage. My post about it a few weeks ago is here. Bear in mind that stocks do tend to run low at the end of the sale, and who knows what we'll see from them next.

Weekend Sales At Whole Foods

Our local Whole Foods stores will offer us a trio of special sales for tomorrow through Sunday, plus a sale for tomorrow only. For tomorrow only, since the Whole Foods on Pearl has its liquor store next to it, that's presumably participating in the 20% off all beer sale. Well timed for anticipation of Halloween and recovery from the influx of Republican presidential candidates. For tomorrow through Sunday, Mrs. Meyer's very nice liquid hand soaps are $3 each (the 12.5 ounce size), Crunch! cookies by FancyPants Baking Company are $3.99 each (I'd hope that would be for a container, not for a single cookie), and Creminelli Tartufo six ounce varieties are $9.99 each, and I believe that's a type of artisan sausage that's particularly good.

Five-Day Sale At Whole Foods

Whole Foods is really mixing it up these days. They are doing a five-day sale with a quartet of specials for today through November 3rd. Fresh asparagus is $1.98 a pound, organic Fuji apples are $1.99 a pound, organic raspberries are $2.99 for a six ounce container, and Rio Star grapefruits are 98 cents a pound (note that Sprouts is about a dime cheaper on both the asparagus and organic raspberries for the whole week).

This Week's Hot Grocery Deals (IMHO)

Good crazy Wednesday morning in GOP debate-driven Boulder. The good news is that my outdoor plants have escaped last night's frost that came so close, so we've made it all the way to the end of October. In any case, there's a new sale starting today at our Boulder Sprouts stores, while the current one continues at Whole Foods through November 3rd and at Vitamin Cottage through this Saturday, the 31st. Here's what's looking good to me now.

At Sprouts through November 4th, pork baby back ribs are $2.79 a pound, all chicken sausage is $3.99 a pound, fresh ground chicken is $2.99 a pound, and Rosie organic whole chickens are also $2.99 a pound. In fish, previously frozen wild Alaskan cod fillets are $7.99 a pound, and I continue to be mystified by fresh wild Pacific salmon fillets, now $4.99 a pound.

In organic produce at Sprouts, pints of grape tomatoes are $2.50 each, but that's all that's listed for the veggie side. Organic raspberries or blackberries are $2.88 for a six-ish ounce container, red green or black seedless grapes are $2.88 a pound, and Granny Smith or Lady in Red apples are both 98 cents a pound. In conventional produce, asparagus at $1.88 a pound and Hass avocados 48 cents each are of note. Elsewhere in the store, all frozen pizza is 50% off, some snacks are 25% off, some Voskos Greek yogurts are 99 cents each, two count packages of Justin's peanut butter cups are $1 each (nice choice if you want to be really good to your trick or treaters), and 10 types of fresh catering trays are 25% off.  Also of note, some of my fave Giovanni 2 Chic hair care products are 25% off, and lots of the packages are also sporting a $2 off coupon.

First Bite Boulder Coming Up

First Bite Boulder, that fun time where over 40 Boulder-area restaurants offer three course dinners for just $29 per person (and a few at just $18), will be coming up shortly, from November 13th through the 21st. It's a popular event, so it pays to make reservations at your favorite places early, before they're totally booked. You can read the details and peruse the restaurants' special menus for this event here.

Sprouts' Immune System Webinar

Sprouts will be hosting a Wellness Webinar this Thursday, the 29th, this time on Defend Your Health With A Strong Immune System, presented by Janet Little. You can read all the details from Sprouts and register here.

Boulder Farmers' Market Today

And only five more left of them for the year! Enjoy the lovely, dried out weather to gather some fall produce, and note that it need not be all hard squash - things like arugula and even tomatoes are still available too. Here's what the Farmers' Market says to expect:

cauliflower, tomatoes (yes, tomatoes still!), pumpkin, delicata, butternut squash, acorn squash, carrots, onions, Brussels sprouts, apples, peppers, beets, eggplant, potatoes, kale, turnips, radishes, chard, arugula, celery, lettuce and sunflowers.