Ice Cream is Always a Good Idea

Few Things Are Always a Good Idea & Ice Cream Is One of Them

by Leigha Staffenhagen

I’ve never met a Co-op ice cream I don’t like. A scoop of coffee cookie crumble from the Deli? Yep, I’ve definitely enjoyed that in the admin office at 11am. And have I snagged an ice cream cookie sandwich from the freezer case and enjoyed it in my car before driving home from work? Only all the time. But what might be my favorite way to enjoy Co-op ice cream is a pint of Essentially Orange, sometimes shared, sometimes not, in my PJs watching The Office at 9pm.

Whether you’re grabbing a cone on the go, enjoying a scoop with a friend along the riverwalk, or simply cuddled up binge-watching a show with a pint of your favorite flavor, there’s more to our ice cream than meets the taste buds. For instance, did you know that our ice cream is all made right here at the Co-op in small batches? Or that we use locally-sourced cream for our ice cream?

Sunday, July 18th is National Ice Cream Day, as proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, so we thought it’d be a great time to talk about everyone’s favorite frozen treat and all the ways you can indulge at the Co-op, including some options you might not have known about!

Ice Cream Cone:

The Classic

How does the saying go? We all scream for ice cream! Co-op ice cream in a cone, that is. Our Deli scoops up some of the best ice cream in Skagit Valley, and it’s all made right here at your Co-op! If you want to give it a whirl, head to our Deli registers to order a scoop (or two) and choose from either a sugar cone or a cup. Or my personal favorite, a sugar cone with a cup, for when I inevitably start dripping ice cream all over the place.

Ice Cream Sandwich or Bar:

The Grab & Go

In my opinion, our handmade ice cream sandwiches and bars are the unsung heroes of the frozen dessert section. They’re just the right size to fill that midday sweet tooth, they’re quick and easy to grab on the go, and they have that extra element of cookies or chocolate coating to keep the whole dessert intact. I’ve really thought about the functionality of my sweets, if you can’t already tell. But my afinity toward these sunny day delights goes beyond their taste and eatability. The cookies used for the sandwiches are made in house, and as for the chocolate drizzle on our ice cream bars, it’s all Fair Trade chocolate from Guittard Chocolate Company. And no combo tastes sweeter than local, fair-trade desserts.

The Milkshake:

The Hands Free Treat

If you’re on the move and can’t be bothered with licking an ice cream cone or biting into a handheld sandwich, a Co-op scratch-made milkshake sounds like the thing for you. Just pick your favorite flavor and we’ll blend it into a creamy shake you and your sweet tooth can sip on wherever you go! And if you’re looking for a little more zip in your shake, try out our Mocha Milkshake, which adds two shots of our house roasted espresso to the mix. While it comes with vanilla ice cream, we highly suggest subbing in our Coffee Cookie Crumble ice cream for the ultimate treat trifecta. You won’t regret it.

Now, if there’s one ice cream indulgence we bet you don’t know about, it’s our ice cream sundae! That’s right, the whole ice cream meal deal. Pick a scoop of your favorite ice cream and we’ll top it off with a generous pour of chocolate sauce, toasted nuts, and of course, whip cream. If you can’t decide on just one ice cream flavor, go for our large sundae… it comes with 2 scoops for double the deliciousness.

Custom Pint:

The Extra Special

Ever wished you could take home a whole pint (or 3) of Co-op ice cream home with you? If your favorite flavor isn’t available in our freezer case, head to our Deli where our ice cream scooping team can package up your go-to flavor (given that it's in the well) into a custom pint. If you want to surprise your family with an extra special weekend activity, we recommend grabbing a few custom pints, stocking up on fixins’ like whip cream, cherries, and chocolate sauce, and throwing a DIY sundae party.

Freezer Section:

The Endless Options

Or, if you need an easy-freezy option to toss into your shopping cart, or are looking for an ice cream that’s adapted to your dietary lifestyle, our freezer case offers an ice cream for everyone. If dairy doesn’t do it for you, we have a dizzying array of plant-based options that come in all those chocolatey, fruity, nutty, creamy flavors you love.

If you like that silky, coconut texture and flavor, pick up a pint from Coconut Bliss. If you were on the Oatly train long before their now-famous football ad, give their ice cream a try. Or go bananas with Hakuna Banana, a banana-based ice cream treat.

Maybe you’re giving the Keto diet a shot or are trying to indulge without a lot of extra calories, try Killer Creamery or Halo Top. They’ll satisfy that sweet tooth while helping you stick to your goals.

No matter what kind of ice cream you dream of, your Co-op has the coolest collection so you can chill out on a hot summer day. I, for one, am going to wrap up this article the best way I know how: by clocking out, getting myself a Friday afternoon treat of Co-op ice cream, and soaking up this sun. The only question that remains is what flavor will I choose?

Meet the 3rd Quarter Tokens for Tomorrow groups! With Tokens for Tomorrow, every time you bring in a reusable shopping bag, we honor your commitment to reducing waste with a token worth 5¢ that you can give back to one of these local organizations.

Page Ahead

Guided by the principle that literacy is essential to lifelong success, Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower atrisk youth. Page Ahead is the leading provider of children’s books and literacy services in Washington, partnering with elementary schools, early learning centers, and other agencies across the state. Page Ahead works to erase the early reading gap for under resourced children before it becomes an “achievement gap”.

Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need

The mission of Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need Food Bank is to provide food for anyone in need with no questions asked, while treating those who use the service with dignity and respect. Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need is the second largest food bank in the region, serving about 2,000 families, or approximately 8,000 people a month.

Youthnet

Youthnet’s mission is to provide caring and supportive educational and social services to children, youth, and families to help them attain a productive and successful life. Youthnet’s current programs are foster care, family preservation, and a school. Funds from Tokens for Tomorrow will be used to recruit foster families for youth with the highest level of need.

Vamos Outdoor Project

Operating on unceded territories historically stewarded by indigenous communities, Vamos Outdoor Project (VOP) serves individuals and families that have indigenous roots and histories, who have been uprooted from their land elsewhere. VOP works to connect families to environmental education opportunities through fundraising, outreach, and partnerships with local organizations.

Reuse. Rinse. Repeat.

Every time you reuse your bag, you’re giving back. How many times have you given back? How many times have you reused your bag? Probably too many to count, and we are so grateful for your efforts. Now, how many times have you reused your bag since you washed it last? Chances are, probably too many times to count. So, please remember to wash your bags to help keep everyone’s food safe and clean. And thanks again for reusing your bag!

Hikes! Sunshine! Fresh Local Produce! Summer is here, and our Wellness & Mercantile Departments have everything you need to enjoy these delicious sunshiney days while they last.

by nancylee bouscher

When my sons were small, they would emerge from bed all fuzzy-eyed with wild hair and climb into a lap for sleepy snuggles. Our oldest would talk in his quiet sleepy voice about his dreams or the coming day. He once remarked, “every day I shed my skin,” and while my kids have said a lot of amazing things over the years that one still gives me pause.

Sometimes I like to think that I am the same person I have always been, but I don’t know if even one cell of me remains that I came into the world with back in 1974. My eyes are not the same color that shines from my 2nd grade class photo with my crooked bangs and floppy pig tails, but they are still my eyes. As a kid, I remember watching my mom get ready for work in her 80s Business Woman outfit: massive shoulder pads in an angular button up dress with a big bold buckle, shiny nylons, pointy heels, and chunky geometric earrings. The real magic was her makeup routine. I was transfixed by the process: concealer, eye shadow, mascara, foundation, blush (really high cheekbones!), and lipstick. The way she’d blot the lipstick on one square of toilet paper leaving a smack of her smile. Then there would be my mom, but a different mom.

I went heavy into makeup in my teens, and I have the photos to prove that I had no idea what I was doing. The South Bay area of California included a lot of Wet-N-Wild cheap eyeliner, melted a bit with a lighter to get that really dramatic look, and Aquanet for high bangs that moved in the wind like a piece of dry toast stuck to my forehead. It was a look.

Natural cosmetics didn’t even exist back then. We just happily slathered our skin with toxic products that didn’t even bother to tell us what was in them. My favorite co-op brand is Gabriel Cosmetics (we also carry their Zuzu Luxe brand). I spend way more time hydrating my skin these days than applying cosmetics, but when I do decide to level up a bit, I use Gabriel concealer to brighten my eyes, the eyeliner to add some depth, shadow at the outer corners of my eyes, and a very light application of their liquid foundation. Its mineral content provides a mild sunblock while also evening out my skin tone and letting my own natural coloring shine through. Yes, I love that it is local, vegan and non-nano (nano particles are so small they can be absorbed into our skin and that can be cause for concern).

Our customers also love Gabriel’s products because we sell quite a bit! Well, we did when our faces were on display more often. The classic earth tones of the Gabriel palettes are matte so there’s no shimmer, but Zuzu Luxe can bring the bling! Their liquid eyeliner is easy to apply and dries fast without smudging even though my crow’s feet don’t lend themselves to cat eyes anymore.

Yes, to all of that, but the main reason I love Gabriel’s stuff is because of the actual Gabriel. It was the first product show I ever attended and we had heard about this local brand of makeup. Gabriel was the most glamorous person there – his flawless skin and bright eyes shining in the spotlight, loving it, working it. He greeted everyone with a sense of delight and regalness, then took one look at my hands and said, “Honey, we need to get those nails painted.” He turned with a flair and called out to another divine creature who spent a few minutes transforming my diaper-changing, shelf-stocking, emailwriting hands into long graceful fingers blooming with color and sass that really needed to be holding a cold beverage by a pool.

Even when we can’t change our scenery, we can change how we see ourselves and that is a gift we should never pass up. Not long ago, after years of avoiding salons because of migraine-inducing odors and a few bad cuts, I found a low-tox salon in Bellingham called Topaz. I decided to treat myself to a transformation haircut (that is literally what they are called) by Kelly Bird, the owner. I gave her full reign of my locks and just let her cut away all that I had been carrying around on my head. She flung tresses into the air like wind carrying off dead branches to make way for spring growth. The next morning I was so excited to get up and look at myself in the mirror, and not because I thought maybe I’d finally be able to pluck out that elusive white eyebrow hair, but because here was an intentional, positive change that I had made, and yes, I was rocking strong Stevie Nicks vibes too.

So, if you wake up and feel the need to shed your skin and spice up your reflection, I got you. Maybe it’s not lip liner or cuticle cream you’re after. Maybe your transformation is more than skin-deep and I am happy to try to help with that, too. We can talk about flax and the many ways to take it or the eyebrow pencil color that is called “flax” for the day when all of our eyebrows are gone. We can laugh at what we used to do to try to look cool (or hot) and compare the best options for avoiding the dreaded hot flash. I will talk you through the overwhelming number of products we offer to help with stress, and we can look at your hands that have made meals and healed hearts to find the shade of nail polish to add some color to your day when it feels a bit drab. I totally got you.

Nancylee circa 1987

Sunny Summer Must-Haves!

Zatik Natural SOLAR MINERAL SUNSCREEN

Protect your body’s largest organ from the sun sans harsh chemicals with solar mineral sunscreen from Zatik. Available in SPF 30, this vegan sunscreen is made of reef-safe zinc and is biodegradable!

Eco Glitter Fun BIODEGRADABLE GLITTER

Get your sparkle on with eco-friendly glitter for all things festive! Made from biodegradable cellulose film and sold in plastic-free packaging, Eco Glitter Fun is on a mission to sparkle responsibly and build plastic pollution awareness. Not to mention, this glitter is just too fun to pass up.

Opinel KITCHEN KNIVES

With all those summer cookouts, you deserve to upgrade your dull, overused knife to something sharper! Opinel Knives have been made in the French Alps since 1890 and are made from high-quality steel and responsibly-sourced wood.

ENO HAMMOCKS

Camping? Sleep in a hammock. Hiking? Soak up the view from a hammock. Lounging in the backyard? Swing in a hammock while sipping your favorite beverage. ENO hammocks are packable, yet durable, and for every hammock sold, ENO plants 2 trees through their partnership with Trees for the Future.