On June 22nd, we hosted a successful and activity-filled 5% Day at Montgomery County Whole Foods Market locations. We are tremendously grateful to Whole Foods Market for generously donating 5% of all purchases made on that day at all five stores to support our food system work in the County!
The Food Council organized entertainment and activities throughout the day at the Silver Spring, Friendship Heights, Rockville, Bethesda, and Kentlands stores, including local product tastings, cooking demonstrations featuring local products as key ingredients, a raffle to win a basket of MoCo products, and grocery store bingo for the kids.
Eight Montgomery County businesses provided delicious product samples throughout the day at the five stores. Participating businesses included Honest Tea, Gourmet Spreads, Molly’s Bakeovers, Mayorga Organics, Moorenko’s, Oat My Goodness, Dress It Up Dressing and Seedy Nutty.
Chefs Sheila Crye, Taleen Ghazarian, Mark Mills, Wendy Nevett Bazil and Susan Callahan led cooking demos featuring delectable original recipes using MoCo ingredients. Shoppers tasted a Beet and Arugula Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese, Omelets-Savory or Sweet, Moroccan Cilantro Shrimp with Harissa on Naan, Pasta and Potatoes with Early Summer Vegetables, and Pan Toasted Raviolini with Harissa Vinaigrette. Delicious!
22 Food Council volunteers and 6 staff/interns shared information and resources about the Food Council and their own organizations with shoppers. These energetic and engaged volunteers hailed from The American Heart Association, Bethesda Magazine, the National Restaurant Association, Chouquette Chocolates, Universities at Shady Grove, the Office of the County Executive, Gaithersburg HELP, Manna, the Economic Development Corporation, Bethesda Green, Food Works Group, Real Food for Kids Montgomery, Denizens Brewing Company, Crossroads Community Food Network and Capital Area Food Bank.
We are extremely grateful to Whole Foods Market for their commitment to promoting the local food economy in Montgomery County and for their support of the Food Council’s mission and initiatives. In addition, thank you to all the chefs, sampling businesses, volunteers, staff and interns who shared their time, energy and expertise to make our 5% Day a success.