To celebrate Eat Local Month in August 2025, we dismantled the idea that eating local is “too difficult” or “outside the normal way” by putting together suggested everyday occasions over 20 local items. We hope one of these gives you a starting point to try eating local all year long, or serves as inspiration to create your own everyday occasion to support local growers and producers.
Local Sweet Treat
Listen: We know you’re going to pick up a sweet treat from the Co-op anyways. Why not make it a LOCAL sweet treat? We have plenty of locally produced options to fill that sweet tooth fix throughout the store. Whether you’re looking for a perfectly creamy ice cream for after dinner, a lil’ chocolate to sneak between meetings, or the socially acceptable may to drink maple syrup in public (hint: it’s maple candy!), we have a local option. And remember, this is just a sneak peak into some of the local sweet treats we have! There’s plenty more waiting for you in store.
Local Date Night
Whether it’s a night in with friends or a special romantic evening at home, everything can be improved with a charcuterie board made with local ingredients. We just got restocked with Roberta’s Crooked Mile goat cheese, so make sure a sweet or savory pick of her selection is included! If you want a decadent dinner, consider a delightful dairy-free option from Shire’s Naturals (NH’s first plant-based cheese company) or a spiced up entree with the help of Wozz! Kitchen Creations. And forget ending the night with chocolate! Local food lovers know that organic strawberries are the way to anyone’s heart. Hermit Woods wine will wash it all down. Of course, these are only some of the great local date night options we have at the Littleton Co-op.
Local Breakfast in Bed
Local breakfast in bed: the dream! You can certainly take any of these local ingredients to a normal, everyday breakfast routine, but since we’re dreaming here, we’re going all out and living in lavish local luxury — without even leaving the bed. That means fluffy pancakes from Polly’s Pancake Parlor mix smothered in Mount Cabot Maple single-source Grade A syrup. Mount Cabot Maple cream (aka maple GOLD) if it’s an extra special occasion. Don’t worry, we’re not going to get sick on sweets; it’s all going to be balanced out with a couple of crispy, thick-cut strips of North Country Smokehouse bacon. Drooling yet? And of course, it’s all getting washed down with locally-roasted coffee. This morning, we’re reaching for Jenna’s Promise Roasting Co.’s Local Blend. And now you’ve just eaten breakfast and given back at the same time! Proceeds from this VT coffee company go directly to supporting the work of Jenna’s Promise, which focuses on building healthy and safe communities by reducing the burden of substance use disorder in the region. Not to mention it’s a great cup of ‘joe Not a coffee fan? Pour yourself a tall glass of Hatchland Farm milk and support one of the few remaining independent dairy farms in the area. And you know it’s good, because the Hatch family lives by the motto: “If we wouldn’t eat it ourselves, we won’t sell it to you.”
Local Packed Lunch
Since we make such a big deal out of celebrating locally produced food, you might think it’s for special occasions only. This guide especially is meant to demonstrate how you can incorporate local food into your everyday routines — like for lunchtime! A lunchbox packed with Vermont Smoke & Cure meat sticks, Port City Pretzels, Cabot Creamery cracker cuts, and a hearty sandwich on Klinger’s sourdough is definitely better than cafeteria food and your soggy leftovers in the office fridge (no shade). And we love having a local company like Bee’s Wrap focused on sustainable plastic-free packaging to perfectly compliment any local goodie.
Local Weekend Kickback
BBQs are a common weekend celebration, and we suggest firing up some Robie Farm local beef burgers and serving with a side of grilled veggies, like peppers and eggplant from 4 Corners Farm. If family and friends can’t make it for a gathering, at least take a moment to do a cheers to a great summer — a can of Wildbloom and new Woodstock lemonade for the non-drinkers would be our suggestions. If all else fails, chillin’ on the couch with some Wrap City chips (2 bags per person should be enough?) is a completely valid option. What’s everyone’s summer weekend plans shaping up to be? Consider closing out the week with one of these great local products!
