Now that Thanksgiving is officially in the rear view mirror, the frenzy of the holidays is officially in full gear.  Notoriously associated with excess, it seems like everyone is in a mad dash to eat more, drink more and spend more. Consequently, gain more, inebriate more, stress more and waste more than at any other time of the year.  A staggering statistic estimates that Americans produce an extra 6 million more tons of waste between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. 

With a little shift, we can all benefit from lightening up.

Enjoy the holidays to the fullest by buying more locally grown foods that require less energy to reach you.   Make meals more chock full o’ greens, grains and beans and let meat take a backseat.  Put your cookie cutters to work on an assortment of festive fruit like apples, pears and persimmons rather than od’ing on heavy baked goods.  Low on place settings?  Check out your local thrift stores for funky plates, platters, glasses and cloth napkins to give them a second life. 

In this issue you’ll find six more tips for eco-friendly festivities, a gift that everyone will want under their tree, our food safety tip of the week and what we’re thankful for this holiday.  After all, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Here’s to greener, cleaner holidays!

Eat Cleaner Gives Back to Healthy Child Healthy World

‘Tis the season for giving back and in honor of this, the Eat Cleaner team has partnered with Healthy Child Healthy World, a non-profit organization that inspires parents to protect young children from harmful chemicals.  When you purchase our products, you are helping to pay it forward to future generations.  Are you a mom on a mission or a Eat Cleaner afficianado?  You can also get involved by hosting a Home Healthy Party (products include our Eat Cleaner All Natural Biodegradable Wipes, safe to use on fruit + vegetables, cutting surfaces and hands) and get your friends and family to turn over a new leaf.  Click here to learn how.  http://healthychild.org/get-involved/healthy_home_parties

Give the Gift of Cleaner Food

It’s the season’s safest gift. Everybody can use it.  One size fits all.  And it keeps on giving all year long!

The Wash + Dryer Kit is the green, clean way to show your love and encourage healthy eating.  Packaged in a cool box, it comes with a snappy, compact, BPA-free salad spinner, a concentrate bottle of Eat Cleaner Fruit + Vegetable Wash, a nifty Eat Cleaner veggie and fruit scrub brush and BONUS a full year subscription to Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food Magazine.  As with all of our products, a portion of proceeds benefits Healthy Child, Healthy World so your gift gives back, too. 

Food Safety Tip of the Week: Wash Rinds and Skins

Just two weeks ago, there was a large recall of cantaloupes that tested positive for Salmonella.  These were shipped to wholesalers, retailers, and food service operators in the states of Alabama, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.  In the same week, seedless watermelons were also recalled for Salmonella on the outside rind of a melon randomly selected for testing. We strongly recommend that you wash or wipe the outside AND inside of fruits and vegetables with Eat Cleaner, even if you peel or cut away the rinds.  If your knife is going through it or your hands are touching it, you can lessen your risk of contamination by cleaning them properly.

6 More Tips for Eco-Friendly Festivities

On the road to New Year’s Eve, we could all use a little help getting there with a lighter load.  These low-impact tips will help you make a big, earth friendly splash this season. Everyone counts!

1) Make your greenbacks give. When it comes to presents, give back to a non-profit on behalf of your friends and family, or opt for lighter items that won’t require as much to ship, saving you green and reducing your gift’s carbon footprint. 

2) A bum wrap.  Lose the gift wrap and recycle the comics or turn shredded paper into bows.  Just don’t use your financial statements. 

3) Lighten up.  Time to trade in your circa 2000 holiday lights for LED strings to lessen the impact on the environment and your energy bill.

4) Get more out of your cleaner.  Hosting friends and family?  Get a little help from Eat Cleaner Food Wash + Wipes.  They serve triple duty as a way to make your food, cutting surfaces and even your hands cleaner, putting money back into your pocket.

5) Stay home..but not alone.  Save your stress level and shop from the comfort of your own home.  Most websites ship free this time of year, and you won’t have to burn rubber trekking around town.  Invite your friends and family over for meals vs. going out so you can spend quality time around the table. 

6) Bag the plastic.  You’re great at toting your own reusable bags to the store, but what about all those plastic produce bags?  Pick up our super cool reusable produce bags that say "I EAT CLEANER Fruit + Veggies" for just $3.50 for 2 on our site.

We Give Thanks...

	We were fortunate enough to be selected as a Finalist in the Inc. Magazine Newpreneur of the Year Awards, one of almost 1,000 companies nationwide.  And wow, did we ever feel your support!  From the votes to the outpouring of calls and comments, we are so thankful to all of you for your tireless efforts and outreach.  While we didn’t take home the top prize, the experience was an amazing thrill ride and we’re better for it.  The real win comes in learning how our customers benefit from Eat Cleaner, like this week’s featured testimonial at www.eatcleaner.com.

Talk to Us
Have a story about how Eat Cleaner has worked for you?  Email us at info@eatcleaner.com and you’ll receive a set of 2 reusable Eat Cleaner Produce Bags.  You can be our featured testimonial on our home page.