LAKEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Showcasing that eating healthy does not need to be expensive and reflecting its Founding Principles to provide its communities with groceries that are healthy, high quality and affordable, Natural Grocers officially introduces the addition of its Natural Grocers good4u^SM Meal Deal program. As part of its broader effort to fight food insecurity, the Natural Grocers good4u Meal Deals were introduced in April 2020 to provide customers with simple, affordable, and nutritious recipes for themselves and their families. The program has evolved into a mainstay for the organic and natural grocery retailer.

"A lot of people think that healthy means expensive. But at Natural Grocers that is not true, and it has never been the case. We are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities with food and supplements at an Always Affordable Price℠. We always look for creative ways to give our customers even more value and avenues to support their health and wellbeing," explained Natural Grocers' Co-President, Kemper Isely.  "When the pandemic hit, we knew finances would get tighter for our communities and our goal was to help ensure that our customers could afford to feed their families with nutritious, satisfying meals that were easy to whip up in their kitchens. With the positive response the program has received, we decided to keep it as part of our good4u commitment to our communities."

Members of {N}power®, Natural Grocers' free loyalty program, can choose from a rotating selection of meals and price points, all of which include protein and only organic vegetables to maximize nutritional value. The program launch featured a whole chicken Meal Deal, accompanied by organic seasonal vegetables, which remains part of the rotating meal selections. The following Meals Deals are available at Natural Grocers now through October 31, 2021ⁱ:

• Feed your family of four a Grilled Chicken Meal for under $13: Mary's Free Range® and humanely raised whole chicken, with organic russet potatoes and seasonal vegetables:  organic zucchini through September 30, changing to organic carrots in October.
• Feed your family of four a Burger Meal for under $12: Sustainably sourced and humanely raised Thousand Hills^TM Grass Fed 80/20 Ground Beef, Rudi's® hamburger buns or Canyon Bakehouse® gluten-free buns, organic red & green leaf lettuce, and organic beefsteak tomatoes. Customers can make it vegan for under $16 by replacing the ground beef with Beyond Meat® beef free burgers.
• Feed your family of six a Frittata Meal for under $12: Natural Grocers Brand pasture raised organic eggs, Niman Ranch® pork breakfast sausage or Field Roast™ Apple & Maple plant-based breakfast sausage, and Organicgirl® baby spinach.
• Feed your family of four a Chicken Drumstick Dinner for under $8: Mary's Free Range and humanely raised chicken drumsticks, organic carrots and organic russet potatoes.
• Feed your family of four a Sausage & Veggie Bake for under $10:  Pederson's® kielbasa, fresh organic cauliflower and broccoli or Natural Grocers Brand frozen organic cauliflower florets and broccoli florets. Customers can make it vegan for under $13 by replacing the kielbasa with Beyond Sausage®, original or hot Italian.

Isely explains further, "To us, family means all of you, our customers. We deliberately chose the name "Feed Your Family" because of its significance to us – family extends beyond the traditional meaning of the word. We want to make it easy to feed the ones you love, whether they are your actual family, your friends, your neighbors, your pets, etc. All of our customers and good4u Crew members are part of our extended family and we have worked hard every day for the past 66 years to give "Our Family" the best food options at the best prices possible. Meal Deals are just another way we are able to do this. If you haven't already, come join our family and have a delicious meal with your family – whoever they may be!"

Past Natural Grocers Good4u Meal Deals have included chili, lentil soup, tacos, enchiladas, quinoa bowls, with special editions for Mother's Day brunch and Movie Night at Home. Select accompanying recipes can be found in Natural Grocers' extensive recipe library.

Serving its Communities

Since Natural Grocers first opened its doors in 1955, it has had a successful track record of making healthy food more affordable and combating food insecurity in the communities it serves. In addition to the new Meal Deals program, the company is committed to helping community members gain access to nutritious food options:

• Food Banks: In the early days, co-founder Margaret Isely kept a community food cabinet at the first store from which she would share the ingredients for a nutritious meal with families in need. Since then food bank fundraisers have become a lynchpin of company-wide programs throughout the year, including a 5-cent donation every time customers purchase a reusable bag or bring their own.
• Loyalty Program: The {N}power program was recently updated, making it easier for members to earn reward points and take advantage of discounts, digital coupons, and other members-only features. The program also offers special pricing on popular items such as free-range eggs, avocados, whole chickens, almond butter, Natural Grocers Brand Vitamins & Supplements, and more. {N}power is free to join by filling out a quick form or by texting 'organic' to 72345ⁱⁱ.
• Always Affordable Prices: As a Founding Principle, Natural Grocers has always worked diligently to provide the best possible pricing to help make a healthy and balanced lifestyle achievable for everyone. 
• Natural Grocers Brand Products: Launched in 2018, the line now has more than 750 premium quality products, including a large pre-bagged Bulk Department and a recently expanded Natural Grocers Brand Vitamins & Supplements offering, which features a comprehensive range of more than 100 vitamins, herbs, minerals, and precision formulas. The in-house product line makes it possible for the company to offer these products at even more affordable prices.

About Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. (NYSE: NGVC) is an expanding specialty retailer of natural and organic groceries, body care products, and dietary supplements. The products sold by Natural Grocers must meet strict quality guidelines and may not contain artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners, or partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils. The Company sells only USDA certified organic produce and exclusively pasture-raised, non-confinement dairy products, and free-range eggs. Natural Grocers' flexible smaller-store format allows it to offer affordable prices in a shopper-friendly, safe, and convenient retail environment. The Company also provides extensive free science-based Nutrition Education programs to help customers make informed health and nutrition choices. The Company, founded in 1955, has 161 stores in 20 states.

ⁱ {N}power offers available to {N}power members only and are subject to program terms and conditions. Quantity limited to stock on hand; no rain checks. Pricing excludes tax and is subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to correct errors. Void where prohibited by law. Enter your phone number at checkout to redeem. This is a limited time offer: go to www.naturalgrocers.com/mealdeals for details.

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SOURCE Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc.