Shop and Get Healthy!

Starting April 4, Laurie Zerga's Kitchen Primer Series will introduce you to kitchen ettiquette, teach cooking skills and review meal nutrition. Weekly topics include pasta, roasts, soups and lunchbox meals. Plus, we'll be baking cookies!

Stop wondering about great cooking. Get the confidence you need to prepare great meals for you and your family! Just $45 per session, or save some dollars and sign up for all four classes for 10% off. Class size is limited, so don't miss out! Classes are held in an offsite commercial kitchen. Come to the Alameda Natural Grocery for sign-ups, and click on Laurie's Culinary Camp for even more details.

Fill your kitchen with great food, and fill your home with love.

Yes, we are all very excited about the Spring produce that is about to arrive. But don't wait! Right now, you can get these amazing, delicious organic Pink Lady Apples for only $1.39 a pound! From your very first bite, you'll feel the health and vitality of these apples flowing into you. Yummm... pectin-y!

Of course, we also have lots of winter citrus, from navel oranges to tangerines to kumquats. Get your vitamin C direct from the source, in concert with all the other bio-active 'ingredients' Nature supplies in each juicy slice!

We're pleased to announce a series of cooking classes developed by Laurie Zerga's Culinary Education for Alameda Natural Grocery. All classes will be held at 2480 Monarch St. in Alameda with an Introductory Class to be held on Tuesday March 28, 2006 from 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Participants will taste the food and bring home a menu, recipes and shopping list. One Introductory Class, taught by Laurie Zerga, will cover an introduction to roasting techniques using chicken and vegetables. This Introductory Class is $45 and includes a meal, menu plan and recipes.

Two additional four week programs are scheduled during April and May for 2 1/2-hour sessions. These demonstration/hands-on classes provide practical cooking experience and can accommodate from 10 to 20 participants. The courses are great support for busy people who want to learn new skills. Each course follows a theme. Each class includes a meal and lesson handouts for future reference. Sign up for a single class at $45 or the series at $162 saving 10%.

Kitchen Primer
Tuesdays April 4-25, 2006
Laurie Zerga

This four week program will provide cooking basics taught by Laurie Zerga. Participants will learn fundamental information on nutrition, food safety and table etiquette, along with cooking skills. Each class will provide information on different techniques needed to put a meal together. A new meal will be prepared weekly with a focus on different skills. Participants will learn basic food preparation, reading recipes, and cooking. Laurie Ongaro Zerga is a mother of two teens and has an extensive business background as a former officer of a Fortune-500 company. In summer 2002 she began to combine her business knowledge with her passion for family issues such as nutrition and culinary arts.

Vegetarian Gourmet
Tuesdays May 2-23, 2006
Jeanne Brodie

This series will focus on healthy and creative vegetarian dishes that are easy to prepare at home. Participants will learn cooking techniques and recipe interpretation, all aimed at developing their palates and skill set. Each class will cover 3-4 vegetarian recipes, as well as one fundamental cooking basic. Jeanne is a personal chef and caterer. She is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy and worked at Greens in San Francisco. Find out more by stopping by Alameda Natural Grocery or read about it here.

You can sign up by calling us here at the store: 510-865-1500.

We've re-designed the layout for produce in our refrigerated case. It's so much better! With these extra shelves, we can serve you with even more amazing organic produce than before. Randall drove this change through, and once you see (and taste!) how beautiful and wholesome this fresh, fresh food is, you'll agree it was worth his effort.

No, there is no paid model in this picture, it's just one of our wonderful, playful customers hamming it up while I took the shot.