I have to disclose that I am writing from the perspective of someone that has Celiac Disease, and must eat gluten free foods.
If you are in the same boat as I am, then Sno-Isle is stunning. I have been in Seattle for the last 6-7 months, and when my husband got a job in Everett, we started looking around. I had half expected the co-op and natural foods choices to be like Seattle. Seattle's co-op's are great for organic stuff, but really paltry on gluten free fair. To say that was disappointing is an understatement.
So you can imagine my surprise when I go to the little Sno-Isle Co-op, and look around. The first thing I saw was an abundance of gluten free pasta. They have Tinyada, and quinoa in all sorts of shapes. I then looked in the cold case, and saw gluten free breads, and kinnikinnick brand pizza shells and products. In the baking section, there is every brand of gluten free baking mix I have ever seen. Namaste, Amy's, etc. They carry Bob's Red Mill, in abundance.
When I was walking to the registers I saw an end cap with three bags of 2.75 pound oats. Usually, as a celiac, I ignore that. Then, my eyes narrowed as I saw 'gluten free' and 'elisa tested' emblazoned across. They carried Gift of Nature, Inc. brand gluten free oats.
If you are not a celiac, you don't understand how frustrating it is to be able to eat oats, but have almost all the oats in America contaminated by growing in the same fields, and processed on the same machines as wheat. To say it brought me to near tears might make you believe I am insane, but just ask another celiac. They'll tell you how much that means to them.
(For the record, I had oatmeal cookies with these oats last night for the first time since I got diagnosed. It was heaven.)
As I looked around, I realized that someone running this co-op was either a celiac, or really listened to us. After my disappointments with the Seattle co-ops and PCC's, with their hit or miss products, I was euphoric to find everything I needed all under one roof.
The prices are about what you would expect at a co-op. The co-op membership itself is somewhere around $105, with ten down, and five a month after. For me, that is reasonable. It's like the gluten free E-ticket to all my comfort foods. I doubt I can get every flavor of Bumblebar, and Lara Bars both anywhere else.
The rest of the store also had good stuff in it. The produce looked good and fresh, and the bulk bins looked smartly arranged, with little cross contamination.
This was just a first impression, but I can tell you that I will be hitting Sno-Isle first, for every gluten free thing I need. Whoever stocked that little store will have my undying gratitude. read more