A Food Co-Op
Functions Like a Family

A family shares time, money, and resources for safety and health.

A Food Co-Op shares Consumer Education and Community Co-operation for good health and good nutrition.

In a Food Co-operative (Co-Op), members bring their time, skills and money to help the group obtain and share nutritious food sources. Much as family members join together to ensure a safe and healthy environment for growth and happiness.

Members of the co-op work together to obtain and distribute produce and other grocery items to all group members. Some co-op groups require members to work a certain number of hours, others may be more flexible. The main goal of the Co-Op is to acquire high quality products in bulk amounts and to share them across the group at a lower individual cost than one could arrange alone.

Typically a Co-Op group organizes distribution of only fresh produce, often obtained from local or nearby farms. Additional products such as local honey or herbs may be available.

This type of group rarely has facilities to hold or transport frozen food items. A local buying club would be a better source for frozen or processed food items.

Depending on your location and organization of the Co-Op, the items available will mainly be vegetables, fruits, melons, berries, and herbs.

The Co-Op is an excellent source for consumer education, quality produce, and community involvement. Like a farmer's market, a Co-Op lets you get to know the people involved in growing, processing, and delivering your food.

Look for these and other healthy fiber foods in-season:

Leafy Vegetables Endive Kale Collard and Mustard Greens Romaine and other lettuce Spinach Swiss Chard	Vegetable Flowers and Fruits Bell Peppers Cauliflower Cucumbers Pumpkin and Squash Garlic and Onions Tomatoes Zucchini
Root Vegetables Carrots Beets Ginger Radish Sweet Potatoes	Legumes Green Beans Snow Peas (mangetout) Chinese Sugar Peas Sweet Peas
Melons Cantaloupe Honeydew Watermelon Herbs Parsley Rosemary Oregano Sage	Fruits and Berries Apples Blackberries Blueberries Lemons Oranges Strawberries