Top 10 Vegan Products at Sprouts

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Top 10 Vegan Products at Sprouts headerSprouts is a vegan’s paradise! There are TONS of options to stock up your fridge and pantry to make eating vegan a breeze. Here are some of my favorites:

1. Fruit & Veggies

Sprouts has the best, freshest produce at a great price. Double Ad Wednesdays make saving money on a variety of produce even easier!

2. Bulk Nuts, Seeds, Granola & More

The bulk section of sprouts is a lifesaver! There are endless options here. You can find any nut or seed you can think of, tons of delicious granola mixes, oats, flours, beans and more—all at an affordable price.

3. Vegan Protein Powder

I like to add protein powder to my smoothies and baking for an extra nutritional boost! Sprouts has all different kinds of vegan protein powders – from soy protein, to pea protein, to rice protein—you can find the perfect vegan protein powder to fit your taste buds and preferences.

4. Vegan Chocolate

My personal favorite is Lily’s sugar-free chocolate (chocolate bars AND chocolate chips), but there are a few other vegan chocolate and chocolate chip options at Sprouts. They are all delicious (and you will never be able to tell that they are vegan!)

5. Plant-Based Milks & Coffee Creamers

Sprouts has a huge selection of plant-based milks—almond milk, rice milk, hemp milk, soy milk and more. Plant-based milks are the perfect dairy-free alternative to regular milk in smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, and any other recipe that calls for milk. They also have a great selection of coffee creamers that turn your cup of joe into a delicious, decadent treat.

6. Vegan Cheese

You can find tons of vegan cheeses at Sprouts—sliced, blocks, and shredded. They have vegan mozzarella, Gouda, cream cheese and more!

7. Tofu & Tofu Products

Tofu is a staple of mine, and I use it in tons of recipes. Sprouts has many different varieties of tofu in the dairy section.

8. Meat Alternatives

Veggie burgers, vegan chicken patties, vegan sausages, vegan bacon—Sprouts has it all! These make whipping up a hearty, comfort-food meal simple and delicious.

9. Vegan Marshmallows

When I learned that I could still have marshmallows as a vegan, I was ecstatic! Dandies marshmallows can be found in the Sprouts baking aisle and are the perfect, vegan marshmallow alternative that are exactly like regular marshmallows. Great for baking, making vegan hot chocolate, and just snacking on straight from the bag!

10. Crackers & Chips

Sprouts has the BEST selection of crackers and chips! I like the Sprouts Brand Golden Round crackers to pair with hummus and their Blue Corn Tortilla Chips are my absolute favorite! Perfect for snacking with salsa or guacamole.  
Portrait of Veg Annie

Annie Markowitz is the blogger behind VegAnnie.com

Annie is a weight-loss expert, wellness coach and cookbook author with a PhD in Nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin. She is also the creator and founder of the popular plant-based recipe website, www.VegAnnie.com. Annie has lost over 75 pounds in a balanced, self-loving kind of way, and helps her clients break free from the cycle of overeating and chronic dieting to help them achieve their health and wellness goals! She believes that true health and happiness begins with what is on your plate, and she is passionate about showing others how eating clean, wholesome foods can be delicious, fun and exciting! Her recipes are simple to prepare, budget-friendly and always free of artificial ingredients. VegAnnie Logo

Reduce Food Waste: At-home Food Rescue

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There are lots of ways waste less food. Composting is perfect for inedible food scraps like potato peels, or for those things that are beyond reviving. Both meal planning and meal prep can help you make sure you use the groceries you’ve purchased. Here are some more tidbits to tuck under your chef’s hat to help you maximize food use and minimize food waste.

Leftover Bread Recipes

No problem! Over a shallow pan, break your leftover bread into crumbs and allow to dry further. Mix in savory herbs and use in fish or crab cakes, or on top of baked mac and cheese. You can easily make homemade croutons too. Cut bread into chunks, mix melted butter with garlic (fresh or dried), parmesan, salt and pepper (or whatever your favorite spices are), pour over the bread, and bake at 350°F until they’re golden and crunchy. Allow to cool and freeze or store in an airtight container. A French toast bake is another great way to use leftover bread.

Culinary Crisis: Easy Tricks to Save Food

Before you relegate some of those kitchen mishaps into the trash, try some of these handy tips. Burned the dinner? Remove the beans or stew from the heat, scoop the uncharred part of the meal into a new container and cover with a damp cloth for 10 minutes. This will help remove most of the burnt flavor. Over salted the soup? Try plopping a whole, raw, peeled potato in the pot of soup to absorb some of the salt. (Remove the potato before serving the soup.) Overcooked the veggies? Try puréeing the overdone veggies, adding some broth and turning the disappointment into delightful soup! Reduce Food Waste: Woman rinsing greens under a kitchen sink faucet.

How to Save Vegetables

Floppy carrots, bendy broccoli or limp celery? You can revive many vegetables by soaking them in ice water for 5–10 minutes. Still lifeless? Go ahead and use them in a cooked dish—they’re still delish! Wrinkly tomatoes can be roughly chopped, sautéed in olive oil with salt, pepper and garlic, then served on pasta for a great meal in minutes!

Preserve Food in the Freezer

Your freezer is the perfect time machine for food, especially when you freeze in portions. Just remember to leave room for expansion on the more liquid foods like soups. Keep in mind too, that less air in the container or bag means less oxidation which will help you avoid freezer burn. Heading out of town? Try freezing anything you can and give what you can’t freeze to a neighbor or friend. And here is a really surprising tip, you can freeze eggs (though not in the shell)! Check out our Waste Less Tips for eight more great ways to rescue food in your own kitchen.

Did you know?

Food rescue is the practice of taking edible food, that might otherwise go to waste, from places like grocery stores and distributing it to local hunger relief agencies. We do this at all our stores and have donated more than 43 million pounds of food to local agencies since 2013. What can’t go to our food rescue partners gets diverted to feed cattle—25 million pounds of it! And, we’ve composted 5 million pounds of food scraps to help enrich the soil.

Mindful Consumption: Organizations Supporting Sustainability

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Wind Turbines for Sustainable Agriculture Thinking about the environment and sustainability? Here are a couple of logos to look out for if you’re looking to up your green-consumer game.
B Corp logos

About B Corp Certified Companies

The B in B Corp stands for B the Change, inspired by Gandhi’s call to be the change we seek in the world. Taking the next step in the evolution of capitalism, B Corps work towards using their companies as a force for good in the world. The idea behind this is that business cannot prosper unless the world as a whole prospers. It sounds idyllic, and yet that’s just what B Corps are doing. Created with a Declaration of Interdependence on July 5, 2006, the B Corp movement has been gaining momentum ever since. There are 2,500 corporations in 50 countries across the globe in 130 different industries. By creating a way to measure social and environmental performance, a B Corp Certified company’s overall positive impact is assessed. When you buy a B Corp Certified product, you’re supporting a company that uses its profits to create a richer climate for all involved. Employees, communities and the environment are treated with respect, and the company holds itself accountable to a higher standard—one that’s Best for the worldTM.

Did you know?

Americans comprise 5% of the world’s population and consume 30% of the resources. You can reduce your impact by being a responsible steward! Turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save up to 200 gallons a month!

FSC logo

Forest Stewardship Council & Deforestation Solutions

After the 1992 Earth Summit failed to create an agreement to stop deforestation, a group of businesses, environmentalists and community leaders got together to set standards for responsible forest management and create the gold standard. This was the beginning of the Forest Stewardship Council. Now there are over 35 million acres of FSC-certified forests in the U.S. with 3,954 Chain-of-Custody-certified companies. Through a series of ten principles and 57 criteria, the FSC is able to promote environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically prosperous management of the world’s forests. Their vision is to meet the current need for forest products without compromising the health of the world’s woodlands for future generations. You become a part of an ecologically minded global movement for healthy tree farming when you buy products with this logo on it.

Fun Forest Facts:

Forests cover 30% of global land area with 70% of terrestrial animals and plants living in them. And, the world’s forests store 283 billion tons of carbon in their biomass.

The Science of Serenity

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Relaxing and restorative, did you know a bath can have many health benefits? From brain chemistry to blood vessels, a soothing soak can be time well-spent for your heart, mind and body. Serenity spa features

What Your Heart Hearts

Taking a warm bath can make your heart beat faster, helping to give it a healthy work out. Even though taking a bath is not the same as taking a walk, activities that raise your heartrate help maintain your heart’s health. Give your entire body a boost with this simple soak for a relaxing addition to your healthy routine.

Breathe Easier

One of the benefits of increasing your heart rate is its ability to potentially improve your oxygen intake. All that steam can also help to clear your sinuses. And, the gentle pressure the water places on your chest and lungs requires you to take deeper breaths—which may help improve the strength and capacity of your lungs. Those are some great reasons to breathe easier!

Way to Flow!

High blood pressure is linked to many serious health threats, but a bath may help lower your blood pressure. The increase in your body temperature from a warm soak can raise your body’s levels of nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels, and can help to lower blood pressure. That’s more good news for your heart and your circulatory system as a whole!

Your Goodnight Just Got Better

A bath before bed could help you to sleep better. At nighttime, a drop in your body’s temperature triggers melatonin, the brain chemical that induces sleep. This happens naturally, but a bath about two hours before bedtime can help to jumpstart this process. It’s as simple as this: the bath warms you up, getting out cools you off, and your body and brain do the rest to create melatonin—potentially giving you a head start to a night of peaceful slumber.

Curating Contentment

That relaxing feeling you get when you’re soaking in the tub is not necessarily your imagination. It turns out, the body associates lying down with relaxation and vulnerability, two things that may improve your mood. Here’s another happy thought: Warm-water baths can also increase our level of serotonin—the brain chemical that’s associated with feelings of contentment and well-being.

Tip on Temp

Bath water should be hot but not too hot—somewhere between 98°F and 112°F. As a point of reference, most hot tubs are kept around 104°F. Whatever you choose, it should be comfortable for you. Keep in mind, even if the bath isn’t too hot, it can raise your body’s temperature enough that it will do what comes naturally—sweat. So remember to stay hydrated before, during and after your soak.
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Weekly Meal Prep Made Easy

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Weekly Meal Prep There are a lot of benefits to meal prepping in order to create multiple meals or snacks for the upcoming week. It can reduce stress, save time and money, and help you and your loved ones eat a little healthier, too.

Where to Start: How to Meal Prep

Start small so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Picking something easier like snacks or breakfasts as a place to start your meal prep practice means you’re more apt to continue the new routine. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be ready to take your meal prep to the next level adding lunches and dinners. Two super-easy make-ahead breakfasts you can try are overnight oats or chia pudding—both are packed with protein and nutrients.

Prepping Your Meals

The beauty of prepping is all the time you will save. In most cases, you can make multiple meals in about the same amount of time it takes to make just one. And, while you’re planning meals, think of those that can be frozen and reheated later. Making more than usual will leave you with dinners you can freeze and use when you’re in a pinch. Cooking a big batch of rice, portioning into freezer bags and freezing it is a great way to shave cooking time off weeknight meals for a fast stir-fry, fried rice or simple side dish. You’ll thank yourself later for thinking ahead now! 

Planned Overs

This practice is another way to ease your way into meal prep. When you’re making the evening meal, simply make extra. You can pack up the leftovers in reusable containers to save for the next day or freeze for later. Try making extra taco toppings for dinner and turn them into taco salads for the next day’s lunch. A few corn chips in a resealable baggie can be crumbled on top just before eating to create a satisfying crunch.

Put a Lid on It

If you don’t already have a big stash of various-sized reusable containers, you’ll want to stock up. Having both glass and plastic containers, as well as resealable bags means you’ll have just the right-sized container for everything from full dinners to individual-sized meals—that too will save you time!

Remember …

There is no right way to meal prep. Whether you opt to prepare and freeze multiple slow-cooker meals in resealable bags to use later in the month, make lunches for several days at a time or anything in between, any meal prep you do before your week begins will save you time and stress later. Have fun with it! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.

Easy Weeknight Dinners

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Easy Weeknight Dinners

Sometimes, even when we do our best to meal plan, prep and juggle life’s hectic schedule, the occasional scramble to plan dinner on the fly can still happen. We’ve pulled together a few of our favorite easy weeknight dinners for when you find yourself in a pinch.

Organic vegetables and meats

Quick Dinner Ideas with Chicken

Chicken to the rescue! Buying a whole roasted chicken can save time and money during a hectic school night. When combined with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta you’ll have a hearty Greek salad in minutes. Or shred the chicken over cooked rice, black beans, queso fresco, sour cream and salsa for hassle-free burrito bowls!

Frozen in a Flash

Next time you’re in the frozen food department, stock up on your favorite veggies. Always ready to prepare, frozen vegetables have just as much nutritional value as their fresh friends in our produce department. Sautéed with savory spices and served over rice or noodles—you’ll have a fantastic stir-fry the whole family can enjoy. Add leftover protein if you have it, or cashews make a nice meatless protein addition as well.

Easy Options

A quick stop at Sprouts’ on your way home can give you loads of inspiring dinner ideas. Paired with fresh, steamed broccoli, our Market Corner Signature Mac & Cheese will become a family favorite. Create your own Cobb-style salad by topping fresh field greens with hard-boiled eggs, meat and cheese from our Deli. Try our chef-inspired One Pan Meals like Citrus Herb Chicken, Shrimp Scampi, Thai Chicken Sauté and more for a savory, nutritious dinner that’s ready in less time it takes to order and pick up!

Give These Simple Recipes a Try!

Taco Bowl

Keto Cauliflower Rice
Taco Bowls

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Sheet Pan Salmon

Sheet Pan
Salmon Primavera

Get Recipe
Green Goddess Tortellini Soup

Green Goddess
Tortellini Soup

Get Recipe

Healthy Snacks for Kids

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Refresh your afternoon snacks with these simple recipes, created by registered dietitians, that you and the kids are sure to love.

Banana Sushi

Recipe by Karman Meyer, RDN, with The Nutrition Adventure Kids will love helping create this easy recipe. Have ingredients pre-chopped and ready to use so they can get creative with their Banana Sushi!

Ingredients:

  • 2 lg. Ripe bananas
  • 2–3 Tbsp. Sprouts Cashew Butter
  • 4–5 Strawberries, stem removed and sliced thin
  • 2 Tbsp. Pistachios, finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. Unsalted sunflower seed kernels
  • 1 tsp. Chia seeds
  • Greek yogurt for dipping (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Peel the bananas and place on a cutting board or plate.
  2.  Spread the nut butter evenly across the top of both bananas.
  3.  Place strawberry slices on top of peanut butter, slightly overlapping them.
  4.  Sprinkle the pistachios, sunflower seed kernels and chia seeds over each banana.
  5.  Using a sharp knife, cut the bananas into 1-inch thick slices.
  6. Serve with flavored Greek yogurt as a dipping sauce if desired.
Banana Sushi Kids Snack
No-bake Energy Bites

Chocolate Date No-bake Energy Bites

Recipe by Dixya Bhattarai, RD, with Food, Pleasure and Health Chocolate Date Bites are an indulgent, yet healthy snack that requires a bowl and only 10 minutes of your time. They provide a great source of potassium, magnesium, iron and fiber for your hungry tykes.

Ingredients:

  • 20 Dates, pitted
  • 1 cup Old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup Almond meal
  • 1/4 + 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Cocoa Powder, plus more for rolling
  • Splash of Sprouts Vanilla Extract
  • 1–2 Tbsp. Water or milk, if needed to reach the right consistency
  • 1 pinch Salt

Instructions:

  1. Soften dates if they are hard by soaking them in hot water or microwaving them with little water for 2–3 minutes.
  2. Pour all ingredients in a food processor and pulse everything until dates are incorporated in the mix. Add water or milk if needed.
  3. Form the mixture into balls packing them tightly.
  4. Roll them in cocoa powder and arrange them neatly in mini-muffin liners.
  5. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to eat!

Fruit Pizza Recipe

Recipe by Andrea Mathis, RD, with Beautiful Eats and Things This Super-Duper Fruity Pizza is bursting with delicious, wholesome goodness! The vanilla Greek yogurt and fruit toppings make it hearty enough for the toughest snacker by providing a great source of protein, fiber, potassium and antioxidants!

Ingredients:

  • 6 Multigrain Oroweat Sandwich Thins, tops only
  • 2 Tbsp. Sprouts Butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp. Sprouts Cinnamon
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. Sugar
  • 6 Tbsp. Vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 4 Kiwis, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup Strawberries, sliced
  • 1/2 cup Blueberries

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, cinnamon and sugar.
  3. Spread evenly over each sandwich thin top.
  4. Bake for about 5 minutes then set aside to cool.
  5. When tops are cool, top each one with 1 tablespoon of vanilla Greek yogurt.
  6. Use strawberries, kiwi and blueberries to create a fun design.
  7. Serve and enjoy!
Fruit Pizza Recipe
Edamame Guacamole Recipe

Edamame Guacamole

Recipe by Jessica Spiro, RD, with JessicaSpiroRD.com Edamame guacamole—guacamame—is a delicious snack that packs lots of plant-based protein! Easy to make, it can be served with sliced veggies or Sprouts Tortilla Chips!

Ingredients:

  • 2 sm. Avocados
  • 1/2 cup Frozen Sprouts Shelled Edamame
  • 1/4 cup Red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 Lime, juiced
  • 1/2 tsp. Sprouts Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt

Instructions:

  1. Prepare 3/4 cup shelled edamame according to package directions.
  2. Blend edamame in food processor.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the processed edamame with the remaining ingredients.
  4. Serve with veggies or Sprouts chips!

Low-sugar Lunch Box Ideas

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Foods with Low Sugar Article by Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, LD of Milk & Honey Nutrition

Shop for Foods with Low Sugar

Ready or not school is just around the corner! Do you know what you’re going to pack your kids for lunch on their first day? Before you reach for the sweets, try this list of top 10 low-sugar lunch-box staples for great lunch ideas:

Sprouts Market Corner Wheat Bread

You can’t have a list of lunch-box staples and forget the most critical piece to making sandwiches: bread. Oftentimes, bread is loaded with unnecessary added sugar and sodium. Not only is the Sprouts Market Corner Wheat Bread made with whole-grain wheat flour, it also has less than one gram of sugar per slice.

Horizon Organic Mozzarella String Cheese

String cheese is a quick and portable way to pack some protein and calcium into your lunch box. Cheese is naturally sugar-free, but more importantly, Horizon Organic Mozzarella String Cheese is also free of man-made, antifungal mold inhibitors.

Biena Chickpea Snacks

Crunchy, slightly salty and full of fiber, Biena Chickpea snacks are made with just chickpeas, oil and sea salt. Zero sugar. They also pack a whopping six grams of fiber and six grams of protein per serving—helping to keep you fuller longer so you won’t wish you’d packed more for lunch.

Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers

Whether you’re making a bento-box lunch, or sending cheese and crackers for a snack, you can’t go wrong with Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers. They’ve got that classic crunchy cracker feel without preservatives and added sugar. (Crackers are a common place for unnecessary, added sugar to hide.) These are also suitable for anyone with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or dairy intolerance, since they’re made with naturally gluten- and dairy-free ingredients.

Beanitos Baked White Bean Mac ‘n Cheese Crunch

A cheese puff that has navy beans listed as the first ingredient? Sign me up! These puffs from Beanitos are a much better alternative to the traditional lunch-box staple. They pack three grams of protein per serving and bring a little fun to your lunch box. They’re also made without added sugar and only have two grams of naturally occurring sugar in each serving.

Sprouts Organic Popcorn – Lightly Sea Salted

With only three ingredients—popcorn, oil and sea salt—Sprouts Organic Popcorn (Lightly Sea Salted) is a great way to pack some fiber into lunchtime. Zero grams of sugar and three grams of fiber per serving help to sustain energy levels and keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day.

Sprouts Organic Pretzels

Whether you pick the unsalted twists or the sticks, you really can’t go wrong with Sprouts Brand Organic Pretzels. Just like crackers, pretzels often hide added sugar. But these have zero grams of added sugar and less than one gram of naturally occurring sugar. Go ahead, add this crunch to lunch!

Rhythm Superfoods Carrot Sticks

These carrot sticks from Rhythm Superfoods have just one ingredient: Wanna guess what it is? Yes—carrots—dehydrated carrots to be exact. All of their nutritional power is preserved so you don’t have to worry about losing any of the healthy benefits like you might with baked or fried versions. They also come in Sea Salt and Ranch flavors. You’ll feel good about this extra helping of veggies with a satisfying crunch!

RXBAR Kids

These kid-friendly versions of the popular adult protein bar are perfect for school lunches and snacks. They have zero grams of added sugar. And with seven grams of protein, five grams of fat and three grams of fiber, they are sure to sustain your child for at least a couple hours. The added protein from egg whites make them a better-for-you choice as well.

Barbara’s Puffins – Original

This tasty cereal is an easy-to-pack, post-lunch treat for your child, or yourself. Dry cereal can offer that little bit of sweetness we all look for after lunch. Barbara’s Puffins have three grams of protein, only five grams of sugar and five grams of fiber per serving making them a healthy “dessert” for lunch. Hopefully, you feel better equipped for the far-too-quickly-approaching school year! Go make your grocery list and load up on these 10 low-sugar lunch-box staples. You and your kids will be fueled up without unnecessary added sugar!
VIEW ALL LUNCH-BOX STAPLES
Influencer - Mary Ellen - Milk & Honey Nutrition

About Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, LD, is the Registered Dietitian, mom, food blogger, and recipe developer behind milkandhoneynutrition.com. She’s also a type 1 diabetic and firmly believes food should bring us joy, not stress. Mary Ellen makes healthy eating easy, realistic, and most importantly … fun! Visit her website and you’ll find yummy low-sugar, diabetes-friendly recipes the whole family will love … as well as helpful tips, and a little mom humor.

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What Can Be Composted?

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  Compost Components: person holding dirt with sprouting plant

Did you know?

Composting improves soil’s ability to retain water, which may help you save money on the water bill!

Aerobic Bacteria vs. Anaerobic Bacteria

Composting can be a carefully curated cast of characters. True, it’s easy enough to pile your leftover fruit and veggie kitchen scraps in with lawn clippings and leaves to create a basic compost. That will yield results—eventually. But if you’re interested in attaining some DIY soil a little more quickly, or curious to know more, here are some of the key characters you’ll want to become familiar with in order to direct the best production.

The Cast of Characters

  • Compost Heroes: Aerobic Bacteria

    These little powerhouses are the star of the show. They need oxygen (aerobic) to help break down all the matter you put in your compost bin. To create nutrient-rich matter in a timely manner, you need the right environment to encourage a healthy population of these good guys.

  • The Baddies: Anaerobic Bacteria

    These guys steal the scene when the pile has gotten compacted and has little to no air flow. Because they thrive in an airless environment (anaerobic), they have the power to overwhelm the population of the aerobic bacteria. A burgeoning population of anaerobic bacteria can bring composting to a near standstill.

  • Browns: Carbonaceous Matter

    Carbon-rich matter, or browns as they’re also known, are like the carbs in the diet of those good-guy bacteria. Think of browns like the colors they often are: dried grass cuttings, dried leaves, sawdust and shredded newspaper.

  • Greens: Nitrogen-Rich Matter

    Those hero bacteria also need to consume protein—enter the nitrogen-rich matter, or greens. These are your kitchen scraps from fruits and veggies, as well as things like coffee grounds (and your coffee filters, though technically, they are a brown) and green grass clippings.

  • Water

    Water stars as herself in this mellow-drama. You’ll need the right amount of moisture to ensure your good-guy bacteria neither drown nor dehydrate.

  • Pitchfork

    This character enters to stir things up when the plot … uh, compost thickens.

Use Your Nose

Properly tended, compost does not smell! Rather, it does not smell bad—it should smell rich and earthy. Here are some troubleshooting tips if your compost develops an unsavory scent. An ammonia odor means you have too much nitrogen-rich, green matter. Adding some browns to the pile, like shredded newspaper, dried leaves or straw, and giving it a swirl with the pitchfork should help immensely. Also, compost that has been layered, but not turned recently can emit this eye-watering aroma. Smells like sulfurous rotting eggs? If the pile is too damp or has become too compacted the result is a distinctive undesirable odor. If it’s been layered too tightly, simply turning the pile may alleviate the odorific problem. If it’s too wet, adding some carbonaceous materials and turning the pile will help give our compost heroes, the aerobic bacteria, a chance to breathe and thrive.

Happy Ending

Our bacterial heroes require a proper ratio of green/nitrogen-rich to brown/carbonaceous matter or N:C. This proportion can be anywhere from 50:50 to 20:80 depending on environmental conditions and how quickly you want your pile to become useable. Additionally, they are living organisms and require a balance of air and water which you’ll achieve by turning the pile (aeration) and occasionally watering it if it becomes too dry. Ultimately, your compost pile should look like dirt when it’s done, with an earthy smell (not like decayed, rotted food) and you shouldn’t be able to recognize any of the matter you added to it earlier.

Did you know?

The rapid composting method, also known as the Berkeley Method, can effectively create compost in as little as 14 days!

Gluten-Free Cooking

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Gluten Free recipe cookbookGluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, spelt and kamut. It’s part of what gives certain foods their structure and texture. Think about chewy bread or pizza dough—gluten is what makes that texture. If you’re looking to cut gluten from your diet, we’ve got a few tips as well as a free downloadable gluten-free cookbook packed with great tips and seven recipes you’ll want to try!

Hidden gluten?

Unfortunately, hidden gluten exists. Many processed foods have gluten in them, that’s because food manufacturers use gluten as a stabilizer, emulsifier, thickener and flow agent. This means it can show up in some least-expected places like flavorings and spice mixes, frozen foods, candy, sauces and more.

The Upside

The good news is, more than likely, plenty of what you already eat is naturally gluten free. Unprocessed foods like fruits, veggies, meats and seafood are all great choices. And, cooking gluten-free is easier than ever with the expansive selection you’ll find at Sprouts that fit your diet.