By Lori Ehde
Sandra Dowie, Luverne, suffered a heart attack two years ago. Since then, her doctor put her on a low-sodium diet, instructing her to avoid products with more than 350 milligrams of sodium.
"Did you know your average can of Campbell's soup can have more than 1,000 milligrams?" Dowie said. "It's really hard to buy anything with less than 350 milligrams of sodium. People need to read their labels."
In her search for special groceries, Dowie has leaned heavily on The Little Buying Club on the Prairie, which allows her to purchase otherwise costly "health foods" in bulk at a reasonable price.
Dowie started the Little Buying Club on the Prairie in Luverne several years ago with a couple other local families, and today the club boasts more than 30 members who have joined for various reasons.
To learn their reasons is a study in healthy living. Some simply feel better knowing they're eating food that's chemical-free. For others, their health depends on it.
Luverne's Cheryl Mahaffay suffers muscle aches, sinus congestion and headaches from several common food ingredients.
"I have been eliminating wheat, corn, dairy and sugar for about six months now and have lost 20 pounds and feel much healthier," Mahaffay said.
She said the Buying Club has helped her do this. "It is difficult to find food without these ingredients in the typical grocery store," she said, "but by poring over the thousands of items in our Blooming Prairie catalog I can do this."
She said local grocers have accommodated her where possible, but by pooling orders with other members in the Buying Club she has more options.
Members meet every four weeks to place their orders and share thoughts about previous orders theyÕve tried.
"You don't have to come to the meetings to order," Dowie said, "but I like to come just to see what people are ordering and to get ideas."
For example at their last meeting, Monday, April 2, members compared notes on nitrate-free hotdogs and low-sodium potato chips.
Dowie said she'd be interested in ordering a case of the chips, if anyone else wanted to share in half or part of the case.
A popular item that day was organically-grown raisins. Buying Club members say raisins are the worst fruit to buy on the regular market because most grapes are grown with pesticides and herbicides, and when they're dried down, those chemicals are concentrated in the raisins.
"I cringe at the thought of what the average person consumes in the way of food additives and pesticide residues," Mahaffay said.
Purchasing health food through the club is cheaper than buying it individually on the shelf, but many members say the savings is only part of why they joined.
"I feel it is a small price to pay to eat unadulterated foods as much as possible," Mahaffay said.
Orders are placed through Blooming Prairie Natural Foods in Minneapolis, and to receive shipping discounts, the club must place bulk orders totaling $700 or more.
"We never have any trouble meeting that quota," Dowie said.
Blooming Prairie offers organic fruits and vegetables, juices and dairy products, dairy substitutes, soy foods, baked goods, some meat products and more.
Buying Club members are excited about the prospect of a local grower who has committed to supplying members with organically-grown produce.
Alex Miller of Sorella Farms north of Hardwick will plant standard vegetables, such as sweet corn, potatoes, carrots, etc., and he will also take special orders for other produce.
For local buyers, that will mean a reliable source of locally, naturally-grown produce. "WeÕre really excited about it," Dowie said.
She added that she hopes to improve local buying options by someday stocking a sampling of natural foods in a store front at the Sunrise Motel, which she and her husband own and manage.
"That way, you could come in and buy one jar, instead of a whole case, if you're interested in trying a product," Dowie said.
For more information on the Little Buying Club on the Prairie, Mahaffay can be reached at 283-9716, Dowie can be reached at the motel, 283-2347, and Sandy Winter can be reached at 283-2966.