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Yes, we sell more than food! But also yes, food makes a great holiday gift! Gifting from the Co-op might require going outside of your comfort zone (and your regular grocery list), so we put together some easily giftable ideas that are bound to fit someone on your list. The best part may be that they’re all available at the Littleton Co-op 🎄 One stop local shop!
Call or email for information about the safe storage, handling, and preparation of meat, poultry, and egg products.
Call number for turkey support from one of the most well-known turkey brands. Available 24/7 for the month of November.
Call, text, or online live chat with an expert from Butterball turkey brand. Hours vary from Nov. 3rd through Dec. 24th.
Online library of chicken food safety, prepping, cooking, and finishing articles and videos.
Call, email, or chat online with professional bakers about any baking challenge. Available year-round Monday through Friday 10AM – 6PM ET. Recorded food safety messages available 24 hours a day.
Online catalog of hundreds of questions and answers from Betty Crocker. You can enter a question in the chat box to find a similar question that has been asked over the years, browse questions and answers by subject, or just browse them all!
A web page that includes a unit converter, “yeast 101,” tips and tricks, and a list of common baking problems and solutions — for conventional ovens and bread machines!
Collection of videos that demonstrate baking techniques you may not be familiar with, including tempering eggs, assembling a piping bag, and making a lattice pie crust.
A web page with a list of ingredients and their substitutions, a kitchen glossary, measurements and abbreviations, and more.
Tis the season for our wine connoisseurs. It is the season for BEAUJOLAIS.
Les Beaujolais Nouveaux has an interesting story. Dating back to the 1800’s, it was the wine to celebrate the end of the harvest in France.
In the early 1900’s, the French authorities decided not to release the wine before December 15th; but that later changed to November 15th in the 1950’s. By 1985, thel ‘Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO)– the French organization that regulates French agricultural products with protected designations of origins– declared the release date as the third Thursday in November, to consumers globally.
Beaujolais was first exported to New York City, in 1972.
In the Beaujolais region in eastern France, the wine is made from 100% Gamay grapes. Gamay is a red grape, famous for its light and fruity body.
Domaine des Nugues Beaujolais is a 4th generation small family-owned winery managed by the husband and wife team of Gilles and Magali Gelin. They produce less than ten thousand cases per year of all their wines.
We, at the Coop are happy to carry Les Beaujolais Nouveau Wine during this Holiday Season. The 2025 Beaujolais Villages Nouveau will be at the Co-op on Friday, November 21st, and on sale through November 26th. Cheers!!
In many ways, a gift card is the perfect gift. It’s always the recipient’s favorite flavor, correct size, and matches all dietary restrictions. And a gift card to the Littleton Food Co-op is a surefire way to make sure your loved one is getting quality local food options at great prices. You can even purchase a Littleton Co-op gift card online and have it sent directly to your recipient (contiguous US addresses only). However, gift cards also get slept on as a present option, often said to be underappreciated and underwhelming because of their small size and frankly, lack of creativity. That’s where we come in! Here are some creative ways to present a gift card to your recipient that will have them saying “best present ever!”
A simple frame will do, but take it one step further and replace the boring background photo it comes with with a pretty scrap of fabric, a colorful burst of paper, original art, or even a photo — hey, who woulda thought!?
To create a non-boring gift, just combine two stereotypically boring gifts into one! Use some ribbon and bow making skills (if you have) to attach the gift card. Bonus points if the wine is from our wide selection of domestic, international, organic, and fair-trade wine options at the Littleton Co-op.
A generically labeled “pouch” is great for beginner crafters or those without a lot of time; who says it has to be square or symmetrical!? If it (the gift card) fits, it sits, it gifts. It also combines the authenticity of a homemade gift with the perceived impersonal element of gifting a card.
You can choose to include some of their favorite sweet or savory treats — we suggest browsing the Co-op Bulk Department — or pad the inside with tissue paper, newspaper, or another material.
Many retailers sell fully or partially clear ornaments that can be taken apart to design. You can certainly spend time designing one… or let our rainbow veggie gift card shine through.
Slip your gift card into a deck of cards. Extra creativity points if you use an online site to create a custom deck of cards. Sneaky points if you don’t tell them the gift card is in there and you wait to see how long it takes them to deal a hand.
Save your recipient one step and put their gift card where it’s eventually going to end up! This also makes sure the card is protected from being lost in holiday craziness and is “disguised” as a gift card.
Don’t throw away that old mint container! Give it a new life with some decorations — bling, fabric, art, and textural pieces are all appropriate. No old mint tin laying around? You can certainly can purchase a new one, but consider taking the mints out and presenting them separately (or keeping them for yourself) to prevent germs from transfering.
Slip it between the inner and outer wrapper of their favorite chocolate bar! Some stealth will be involved in this operation if you want a clean-cut and less noticeable result. Just make sure they don’t automatically throw away the wrapper without notifying!
But your recipient probably does! No one can resist a pair of cozy socks, especially if there’s a great gift card inside!
While it can be tempting to limit your seasonal brewski thinking to just the times of sunshine and sandy toes, we urge you not to forget about all the great seasonal releases happening during these frigid months. Our beer buyer Kevin has been bringing in winter and holiday releases since before Halloween; but, now that the first snowstorm has fallen we’re finally ready to talk about some of them. Just remember that this list is not reflective of current inventory, so if you’re extra curious about picking one up, it’s best to contact the store to see if it’s still on the shelf. Or stop on by and talk to beermaster Kevin himself! He’s always happy to help you find what you’re looking for or uncover a new favorite brew. Here’s a few winter/holiday releases he wants you to keep an eye out for:
Joe’s Lager – Rek-lis Brewing CompanyClassic American Lager brewed in collaboration with local ski industry titans Lahout’s Ski Shop in celebration of Joe Lahout Sr. From Rek-lis: “This light, crushable American lager is the epitome of an après-ski beer. It’s made for the average Joe, the Joey skiing in jeans, the Joe Schmo, and especially Joe Sr., who carved deep lines on the slopes of Cannon Mountain. At just 4%, it’s the perfect beer to crush while keeping your turns sharp all day long.”
Gingerbread Cider – Stowe CiderFresh-pressed apples, molasses, cloves, ginger, and a touch of sweet apple cider — what more could you ask for in a winter semi-dry hard cider? It’s a warm and smooth twist on the classic cookie from over the border in Stowe, VT.
Ice Wizard – Burlington Beer CompanyIt’s a double IPA that’s cold-fermented like a lager to produce a drier, crisper West Coast-like 8% ABV brew. From Burlington Beer: “Think vibrant pineapple, juicy apricot, and a hint of pine, all brought together with an ice-cold finish that’s crisp and refreshing.” Sounds like a bright and fruity glimmer of sunshine in the depths of the New England winter the Ice Wizard has concocted for us.
Powder Season – Greater Good Imperial Brewing CompanyFrom the makers of the cheeky “Pulp Daddy” comes a seasonal winter ale brewed with REAL cherries. Founded in 2015 from just south of us in Worcester, MA, Greater Good brews exclusively high ABV (8% or higher) beers for “a singular goal of brewing big, full-flavored beers that are a little bolder than everything else out there.”
Ice Storm of ’98 – Baxter Brewing CoFolks born in the early 2000’s may be of legal drinking age now, but only the tried and true will fully appreciate Baxter’s Ice Storm of ’98. This NEIPA that sits at 5.8% will put you in a much more comfortable position than its namesake New England event, even served ice cold. From Baxter Brewing: “With a lush malt profile and dynamic citrus, fruit-forward hop profile, this New England IPA is brewed to get us through any weather.”
Seasick Crocodile – Prairie Artisan AlesAs its kitschy name implies, everyone is choosing this highly-anticipated seasonal release from Prairie Artisan Ales over any grinch-y beer. With notes of cinnamon, cranberry, ginger, and nutmeg, this sour — like all of its other Prairie counterparts — is a great reminder of keeping the holiday season fun and playful.
Samichlaus Classic – EggenbergerFrom Eggenberger: “Is brewed only once a year on December 6, and is aged for 10 months before bottling. As a result, this dark lager is one of the rarest beer specialties in the world and with 14% alcohol by volume, it is also the strongest of its kind. Samichlaus may be aged in the bottle for many years to come, as older vintages become more complex with a creamy warming finish. This beer is served best with sophisticated dishes and desserts, particularly with chocolates, or as a digestive by itself.”
Celebrator – Ayinger PrivatbrauereiFolks who tout this beer as “best in the world” aren’t wrong — Celebrator has had multiple wins, including the 2024 title, as “World’s Best” in the “World Beer Awards.” From the brewers: “Our mahogany-colored “Celebrator”, an underlying dark double barrel with 6.7% alcohol content and 18.5° root spice, is the dessert beer among our beer specialties. With its sensationally solid foam and a velvety, full body, our “Celebrator” is pure delight for any strong beer lover.”
St. Bernardus Christmas Ale – St. BernardusFrom the brewers: “St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is an intensely dark beer with a full, yet slightly fruity flavour, overflowing with the tastes of winter and zesty seasonal aromas. Aniseed notes are complemented by hints of creamy caramel and fire-roasted chestnuts. This zestiness shows no signes of abating, pushing through to a magnificent finish of dried fruits and chocolate. Just like all of our beers, this brew bears the imprint of the unique St.Bernardus yeast (dating back to 1946), that gives it its own special complexity.”
Scaldis de Noel – Dubisson, Noel – Oxbow Brewing Co, Delirium Noel – Huyghe BreweryFrom Dubisson: “The Scaldis de Noël is brewed solely from malts, hops, candy sugar and water. It is a filtered, top-fermented beer with an alcohol volume of 12%. The use of caramel malts produces a copper-coloured beer with a full, rounded taste. The Scaldis de Noël owes its fruity taste and subtle hop aromas to the well-thought out choice of hops in this brew.”
Noel by Oxbow Brewing Co. in Maine is a wheat-based strong, dark brewed for the holiday season.
Top fermented and bottle conditioned, Delirium Noel boasts potent aromas of dark fruit, apricot, caramel malt, sweet cherry, cinnamon and clove with notes of vanilla, apple, banana and yeast. The taste is similar to aroma and also includes toffee, plum, and red wine with notes of pepper and bitter hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and creamy smooth thanks to generous and lively carbonation; the 10.0% ABV is well hidden, and the finish is lingering, spicy, and dry.
Depending on your point of view on visitors, you might be lucky and get to score a few extra days on either side of the holidays before or after the “main event”; whether that be your Christmas dinner, gift exchange, candle lighting ceremony, etc. Even a couple of extra hours can be precious time to spend with friends and family from far away. So you have the time…what do you do with your guests now? Show them what the awesome North Country has to offer! Down below we’ve compiled a list of classic northern NH locations perfect for first-time visitors and those willing to potentially deal with crowds and wait times, as well as some great spots even locals might not realize are great destinations to bring guests. Make sure to check online or cont
Littleton Food Co-opMake sure you bring all of your visitors to the Littleton Food Co-op! The Co-op is *the* place to find quality local and organic foods, mementos from a variety of local producers, and more. We might be biased, but a locally-owned grocery store is the best way to see what’s important to a community all at once. Find out what life is truly like for those in the North Country through our food and drink. Moreso, stop and relax in the Co-op Cafe for a cup of coffee and a look at our community art gallery. And if you’re too busy exploring to cook, we have hot breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepped daily for your convenience. No membership is required to shop, everyone is welcome at the Co-op!
Super Secret Ice CreamBeloved by locals and national admirers alike, Super Secret Ice Cream quickly catapulted from relative anonymity (hence the “Secret”) to full-blown phenomenon in the past couple of years. Just 10 minutes up the road from the Littleton Co-op, 2024 James Beard Award Nominated chef Kristina Zontini and her team handmake ice cream chock full of local ingredients and “no weird stuff.” Their products represent artisanal ice cream at its finest; you can stick with classic Vanilla Bean and Milky Chocolate, or be daring and get a scoop of Coquito or Cherry Pistachio & Mascarpone. Gluten free and vegan options available. Don’t forget the house-made waffle cone! Your guests will be left begging to take some home with them — that’s what Super Secret’s pint koozies are for. More Info.
Schilling Beer CompanyHistorians familiar with the Littleton area may recognize this brewery from its original purpose — a mill! Littleton’s iconic riverfront red mill is now the centerpiece to Schilling Beer’s three building campus. Founded in 2013, Schilling was one of the breweries leading the North Country beer-renaissance. They specialize in brewing modern European-inspired beers from their custom-built 20-barrel brewhouse. While they do not offer brewery tours at this time, you can get a great view of the process from their Store and Tasting Room. But Schilling isn’t just for beer enthusiasts – their woodfired pizzas, poutine, and pub pretzels will not leave those refraining from drinking with a less-than experience. Cozy up in the main building by the pizza oven, or check out one of their heated outdoor warming booths. More Info.
ChuttersKids and adults alike will enjoy a trip to the world’s longest candy counter, humbly situated on Littleton’s Main Street. Chutters is 112 feet of candy from yesteryear, today, and tomorrow all bustled into a lively, fun-filled atmosphere. They also have a delectable array of fudge and specialty chocolates. All candy is picked yourself and priced by the pound, so even the pickiest of eaters will rest easy knowing they can get *exactly* 12 gummy bears and 4 licorice ropes. More Info.
Meadowstone FarmOur friends at Meadowstone Farm do more than just wholesale their great products to the Littleton Co-op. Meadowstone is a cornerstone of the local food landscape, producing food with integrity — grown with a passion. They have a year-round farm stand open 8-5:30 daily and offer self-guided tours around the property. This is a great opportunity to learn about beyond organic growing, animal care, and our local landscape. And you just might walk away with a gift to take home or even a last-minute supper ingredient. More Info.
Wildbloom BeerA relative newcomer to the North Country beer scene, what Wildbloom Beer may lack in seniority they sure make up for in heart and passion. Conveniently located on Littleton’s historic Main Street, Wildbloom’s serene taproom is the perfect antidote to a hectic and chilly day outside. Co-owners Devin and Beth have made it clear that introverts are welcome to lounge in one of their cozy windowed corners, but they’re also more than ready and willing to strike up a conversation with you, beer-centric or otherwise. Unlike many breweries of today, there’s no gimmicks or unnecessary frills here — the focus is on their (amazing) beer. It’s bring your own food, but they often announce local food pop-ups on their Instagram page. More Info.
Local Trail NetworksWait, a set of FREE well-maintained trails that won’t be overcrowded with tourists? Yes, it exists! We are so fortunate to have access to the PRKR Mountain Trails in Littleton and Bethlehem Trails Association right over in Bethlehem. These trail networks are both 100% volunteer-maintained and community-funded. Consider taking your visiting outdoor enthusiasts for a quick jaunt or multiple hour trek across our beautiful natural landscape. And if anyone forgot any gear, the Bethlehem Trails Association has a “gear library” that operates very similarly to a little free library! Even if you want to stay around town, local organization Bike the North Country has set up a number of bike repair stations and bike racks in downtown areas for your use. BTA More Info. PRKR More Info.
Don’t think that the Co-op Meat Department only takes speciality orders for Thanksgiving turkeys! The Co-op Meat Department is often touted as one of the best in the North Country. Let our experts behind the counter help you craft a holiday meal you won’t forget. Since December holidays are a little different for everyone, we have a number of options — too many to put in an online order form. To order from our wide selection of ham, beef, lamb, poultry, and more, you can do the following:
Just give us a call to order your roast today! Call the Co-op at (603) 444-2800 and ask to speak to the Meat Department. One of our employees will assist you over the phone.
Shopping at the Co-op already? Take one more thing off of your to-do list and order your holiday meat in person. Simply speak to one of our employees behind the counter to discuss your options. They will also be able to recommend already available pre-shelved options if you’re not ready to commit to a special pre-order.
Let the Littleton Co-op help you craft a high-quality holiday meal! Questions? Email us at in**@***********op.org.
While matzo is a traditional food and ingredient for Passover, matzo ball is an irresistible treat for a winter evening. For a vegetarian version the chicken breast can be excluded and chicken stock substituted for vegetable stock.
640 calories, 26 g. fat, 250 mg. cholesterol, 1340 mg. sodium, 51 g. carbohydrate, 5 g. fiber, 47 g. protein
This post originally appeared on the Co-op Stronger Together website.
