NH Eats Local | Littleton Food Co-op

Food Access Resources in the North Country

February 10, 2025 By Anastasia Maher

We know first hand the power of good, nutritious food to transform lives. But, we also know that many folks in our local communities struggle to put food on the table. Local food pantries and food access organizations work tirelessly to fill the gap left by food insecurity, and we are honored to have worked with the following organizations in the past. This list is not maintained or updated to reflect spur of the moment changes — please reach out to individual organizations for up to date hours and locations.

The capability of food access organizations has increased dramatically over the years! Many of the organizations below offer fresh produce, refrigerated and frozen items, and personal care products. Organizations also have varying participant requirements (ex: federal program qualifications, residency, etc) — but some have none at all! Please contact organizations directly to find out more about offerings and requirements.

Whitefield Food Pantry

3 School Street, Whitefield (at Whitefield Christian Church)

Open: Thursdays @ 3:30 – 5:00 pm

In case of a food emergency, please contact 603-837-8849

Good Neighbor Food Pantry

44 Church Street Franconia

Open: Tuesdays @ 11 am – 12 pm

In case of a food emergency, please contact 603-991-6017

Bethlehem Food Pantry

2155 Main St., Bethlehem (In Town Hall)

Open: Mondays & Thursdays @ 2 – 3 pm; Tuesdays – 10 am – 12 pm

In case of food emergency, please contact 603-869-3351, ext. 103

Bethlehem Little Free Pantry

2155 Main St., Bethlehem (Behind Town Hall)

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Please park in the Town office lot, or the parking lot for the swimming pool

All Saints Food Cupboard

35 School St., LIttleton

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays – 9 am – 10 am

In case of food emergency, please contact – 603-444-3414

Little Free Pantry

189 Main St., Littleton

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Littleton Food Pantry

70 Redington St., Littleton

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays 10am-12pm

In case of food emergency, please contact 603-575-5734

LAMA (Littleton Area Mutual Aid)

@LittletonAreaMutualAid

Artisans with a Mission (AWAM)

45 Union St., Littleton

MVP: Most Valuable Pairings

February 3, 2025 By Anastasia Maher

We know that a great match up is what makes a great game, so we asked our beer expert Kevin to match classic football snacks with their best accompanying local brew. And to be sporty, we’re calling them MVPs: Most Valuable Pairings. While it’s not as elegant as pairing wine and cheese, these still let your favorite beers and game snacks shine. All of these great local options (and much more!) are here at the Littleton Co-op. We also have all the domestic and international classics, and N/A options, too! Check out Kevin’s recommendations below. But whatever brews you choose, make sure you have enough to last the whole game!

Fire Cider Recipe from Heartsong Farm Wellness

January 13, 2025 By Anastasia Maher

We were fortunate enough to host Grace Phillips of Heartsong Farm Wellness Center at the Littleton Co-op in January 2024 to lead a class on fire cider. Participants learned about typical fire cider ingredients and the benefits of this beloved tonic. While herbalist Rosemary Gladstar has the best known recipe for fire cider, it has truly evolved to be more of a concept than an exact recipe after years of adaptation in the herbalism and wellness communities. That being said, you can truly make this your own, so don’t fret about exact measurements or the need to substitute or omit an ingredient. After all, you’re the one who is going to be consuming it, so make it to your enjoyment.

Whatever ingredients you want to include in your fire cider, make sure to grab them here at the Littleton Co-op! We have the North Country’s best selection of local organic produce (often on sale!) to make your fire cider shine. Below is the recipe Grace shared during the Co-op’s fire cider making class:

Ingredients

 ½ gallon raw apple cider vinegar
 2 Onions (yellow preferred), chopped
 1 Lemon, zested and juiced
 2-3 Cayenne Peppers, chopped
 1 Fresh Ginger Root, grated
 1 Fresh Horseradish Root, grated
 2 bulbs Garlic, crushed or chopped
 Small jar of raw Honey

Equipment

 ½ gallon glass mason jar
 1 correct size lid (ideally the plastic ‘no spill’, but regular metal lid is fine)
 Cheese grater
 Paring Knife
 2 Cutting Boards
 4 small bowls
 Small and large spoons
 Parchment or wax paper
 Cheesecloth or strainer
 Paring Knife
 2 Cutting Boards
 4 small bowls
 Small and large spoons

Place your desired amounts (or all of each) of the onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne peppers, ginger, and horseradish into the canning jar. Cover with apple cider vinegar by two to four inches. If using a metal canning jar lid, place a piece of parchment or wax paper under the lid to prevent the vinegar from touching the metal. Shake well. Store in a dark, cool place for one month and shake daily during that time.

After one month, use a cheesecloth or strainer to separate the solid ingredients and any pulp from the liquid, pouring the vinegar liquid into a clean jar. Add honey to taste and balance out the fiery ingredients. 1/4 cup honey is a good place to start. Stir honey into vinegar until incorporated. Taste and continue adding honey until reaching desired sweetness level. The mixture should taste spicy, hot, and sweet (if desired).

Fire cider can keep for several months unrefrigerated and in a cool pantry, but it is best kept in the fridge. Use as a daily wellness tonic, or as a sauce for salads, vegetables, and grains. And if you don’t want to discard your strained out ingredients, check out this waste-reducing recipe for Fire Cider Chutney from our friends at Shelburne Farms. Enjoy!

Take Your Holiday Visitors Here

December 9, 2024 By Anastasia Maher

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

But first:

Littleton Food Co-op

Make 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!

Cultural Classics

Super Secret Ice Cream

Beloved 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 Company

Historians 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.

Chutters

Kids 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.

You might not think of…

Meadowstone Farm

Our 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 Beer

A 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 Networks

Wait, 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.

Where’s the Milk?

February 4, 2024 By Anastasia Maher

Many folks have been asking this winter: “Where’s all the Robie Farm milk?” “Why do you not have any Huckins Farm products on the shelves?” Although we’re tempted to stockpile all that local dairy goodness for ourselves, that’s not what’s happening here. We wanted to set the record straight about local dairy this winter.

First, there’s the cows themselves.

Simply put, cows do not produce as much milk in the winter. Unlike childhood storybooks have led us to believe, cows are not constant suppliers of milk that are ready with a fresh squeeze whenever we feel. Many factors affect milk production, and a huge one is weather. When temperatures drop for our infamous New England winters, it changes the life of a cow completely. First, their feed changes. Gone are the rolling acres of fresh green pasture; farmers become more reliant on hay and alternative feeds. Did you know that cows can drink an average of 3 to 5 gallons of water a minute? Cows are pretty fussy about their water temperature. Water that’s too cold or even frozen is not going to fly. No hydration or nutrition = no milk. In addition, cows have to send their bodily energy away from making milk for the winter. It goes either to maintaining their internal body temperature or producing new life to continue the milking cycle.

Secondly, there’s the farmers.

It’s not uncommon to hear a dairy farm being referred to as a seventh, eighth, twelfth generation or beyond operated farm. This means the farm is run by a family, like many of our local farms are. Staffing a dairy farm is a hard task year round, but especially difficult in the winter. Children that would be helping around the farm return back to school, work slows enough to not justify part-time farmhands, and conditions can become brutal for even the most experienced farmers. Suffice to say, if there even is milk to prepare, there might not be enough people around to do it.

So when is the milk coming back?

Short answer is we don’t know, but we’re working hard to make sure it’s as soon as possible. A high priority of ours is cultivating meaningful relationships with our local dairy farmers, and we know they will prioritize getting milk back on our shelves as soon as possible. However, we can’t sell you milk when there is none coming from the farm. The dairy farmers cannot predict what factors will impact milk production in the coming weeks, so, unfortunately, they can’t tell our Dairy Department when they will deliver. We also don’t want to name a random date only to get your hopes up and generate disappointment when unforeseen circumstances kick in.

Then how will I know when it’s back?

The best recommendation we have is to call the store to inquire about a product you are interested in. We cannot call customers when a product comes in or set aside product; we see hundreds of customers everyday and our staff are too busy to carry out special requests like these. This is also a great opportunity to try something new! We have thousands of products in store and new items added weekly. Who knows, you might just discover a new favorite.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this natural part of the milk production cycle.

Support the NH Farm to School Bill

February 1, 2024 By Anastasia Maher

The New Hampshire state legislature will soon be deciding on HB1678-FN, also known as the Local Food for Local Schools Reimbursement Pilot Program or the Farm to School Bill. The goal of this program is to connect more NH school cafeterias with fresh, locally produced foods to serve their populations. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: there are innumerable benefits to eating local, including fresher food, lower carbon emissions, and a strong economy. That is why the Littleton Food Co-op is a proud supporter of the Farm to School Bill. As we know, a thriving democracy only thrives when its members are active participants. Here’s what you can do to help support the passage of this bill:

Educate yourself on the bill

NOFA-NH (Northeast Organic Farming Association of NH) has put together a great resource guide about how this program will work, why it is important to NH, and who will benefit from it. Click here to read more from NOFA-NH.

Read General Manager Ed King’s letter of support for NH HB-1678-FN

To Whom It May Concern,

Food Coops across the country have a long history of supporting local agriculture
and healthy eating. I’m writing this letter in support of a Farm to School Bill that is
currently before the New Hampshire House (HB 1678-FN). The goal of the bill is to
increase the availability of local fruits and vegetables in our school systems
statewide. Similar Bills have failed to pass recently in New Hampshire, leaving a
significant amount of Federal matching funding on the table. Speaking on behalf of
the Littleton Food Coop’s 9 Board Members and over 9,000 Members we feel that it
is imperative that HB 1678-FN passes in Fiscal Year 2024.
We’re not sure why this initiative hasn’t passed before this year? This program has
a modest cost of $241,000 for the state and accesses significant federal matching
funds that have already been approved. Do our representatives have something
against NH Farmers? Or perhaps they’re not interested in better nutrition for our
school children? I doubt that is the case. Maybe I am missing something here? What
we don’t want is the errors of the past to doom a positive path forward. Therefore the
Littleton Food Coop and its Members urge our legislatures to pass HB 1678-FN
during this session.

Cooperatively,
Ed King, General Manager LFC

Sign the official letter of support

NOFA-NH is doing the ground work of centralizing communities across NH into one strong letter of support. Click here to add your name to the letter and an optional short what local food means to you.

Contact your representatives

If this is a cause you’re really passionate about and you have a few extra minutes, use them to contact your state representative directly. Click here to find out who your representative is. If this seems to overwhelming, have no fear! There are plenty of resources and templates online designed to help folks contact their representatives. Many of them allow you to just plug in your name and information, and a sentence or two about the bill you’re writing about.

Help us make local food in local schools a reality!

The 2023 Littleton Food Co-op Member Choice Awards

September 5, 2023 By Anastasia Maher

The RESULTS ARE IN! Scroll Below for our inaugural list of Member Choice Winners!

As a co-op, we love local and we love democracy. In honor of Eat Local Month this August, we’re combining these ideas for the Littleton Food Co-op’s first annual Member Choice Awards. Littleton Food Co-op members now have the opportunity this summer to vote for their favorite local products from the Co-op in a variety of categories including: “Best Local Cheese,” “Best Local Craft Beer,” and “Best Savory Snack,” and more!

“But wait,” you say, “It’s not August yet,” Yes, you are correct. We’re rolling these awards out early to get us all hyped about local foods and fun before the month begins so we can take all month to celebrate the winners (and the not-winners.) Voting is open from July 22nd through July 31st, 2023, so don’t think you have to vote on day one. These are tough decisions we’re asking you to make. Some research (aka sampling) might be required…

Per the name, this is a member-only opportunity. A co-op thrives on the participation of member-owners, and we wanted these awards to reflect that. Not a member yet? Stop here first to sign up for membership before voting.

Once you’ve cast your vote, make sure to tune into the August episode of That’s Rad: a podcast presented by the Littleton Food Co-op to find out if your choices are declared winners!

AND THE WINNERS ARE…….

Best Local Produce: Four Corners Farm Strawberries (31.5%)

Best Local Bakery Item: Bonilla Bread Dutch-Oven Cheese and Herb Bread (20%)

Best Local Deli Prepared Food: Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad (46.2%)

Best Local Pantry Staple Award: White Mountain Apiary Organic Raw Honey (39.1%)

Best Local Meat and Seafood Award: Robie Farm Ground Beef (35%)

Best Local Specialty Cheese Award: Jasper Hill Harbison (28.8%)

Best Local Granola Award: Grandy Organics Classic Bulk Granola (24.5%)

Best Local Dairy Item Award: Meadowstone Farm Eggs (47.7%)

Best Local Frozen Item Award: Giffords Vanilla Ice Cream (21.2%)

Best Local Beverage Award: Maine Root Soda Spicy Ginger Brew (28%)

Best Local Savory Snack Award: Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Popcorn (37.4%)

Best Local Sweet Treat Award: Lake Champlain Milk Chocolates (39.8%)

Best Local Alcoholic Beverage Award: Rek-lis Brewing Clouded Judgement NEIPA (22.2%)

Best Local Wellness Product: Elmore Mountain Lavender Goat’s Milk Lotion (39.6%)

Thank you for voting, and congratulations to our winning products! Check back in Summer 2024 for a fresh round of nominations and voting.

Questions? Email info@littletoncoop.org or talk to one of the friendly folks at the Service Desk for more information.