Grocery Outlet Ethical Bargains

I bought a box of Nature’s Path Pumpkin Raisin Crunch cereal at the Grocery Outlet recently ($1.99 compared to a normal price of around $5). I have a rule where I generally only buy items that are fairly nutrient-dense. I feel that it’s irresponsible in this day and age to buy items where the packaging weighs almost as much as the product. For more on what I mean by “in this day and age,” check out my recent summary of the IPCC’s 2021 climate change report.

Basically, I’m not in the market for cereal that comes in the form of nutritionally poor flakes, puffs, charms (lucky or otherwise), loops, or Os (Cheeri- or otherwise). I picked up a box of Nature’s Path Pumpkin Raisin Crunch cereal because it contains things that I like (pumpkin and flax seeds, raisins, oats, whole wheat) and seemed substantial and nutritious.

It was substantial – providing a good breakfast and substituting for lunch on a day when I was ill and wasn’t up to any food prep. Bottom line is that I liked the cereal and would buy it again for a change from my usual muesli, granola, or overnight oats. It had a nice range of textures and didn’t turn into a soggy mess of blandness, which is my main concern with cereals. On to the nutritional benefits…

Nature’s Path Pumpkin Raisin Crunch cereal – ingredients

Whole wheat meal*, raisins* (coated with sunflower oil*), whole grain rolled oats*, wheat bran*, cane sugar*, flax seeds*, pumpkin seeds*, soy oil*, brown rice flour*, oat bran*, barley malt extract*, sea salt, oat syrup solids* (oat syrup solids*, tocopherols), tocopherols (vitamin E), molasses*, cinnamon*.  *Organic.

Pretty much all of the ingredients are organic and I like the use of whole wheat and oats rather than refined versions. As you can see from the nutrition facts, below, the cereal is very high in fiber, low in fat and has good iron and protein content. It also contains 540 mg of the omega-3 fatty acid, ALA, per serving.

The raisins add sweetness so the 7 grams of added sugar seem a bit unwarranted to me, but it is balanced by the high fiber content. Actually I just compared it to two varieties of granola that I have at home and the Nature’s Path cereal contains less sugar than both of them. It certainly doesn’t taste overly sweet.

Ethical rating for Nature’s Path nut butter cereal

Overall, I think that Nature’s Path nut butter cereals deserve 5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact, based on these factors:

• Nature’s Path Foods is a family-owned Canadian triple bottom line company (with a female CEO) that’s focused on sustainability. The company helped establish the Sustainable Food Trade Association and is a pioneer of the organic farming movement (e.g., Nature’s Path made the first USDA certified organic cereal).
• Every ingredient in the cereal is organic (except for salt and tocopherols, where that doesn’t apply).
• This cereal is also vegan.
• Nature’s Path purchased land for organic farming in Canada and the US, which it crop shares with family farmers. Crop sharing supports smaller, independent organic farmers in a similar way to community supported agriculture (CSA).
• Going beyond organic, a Nature’s Path farm was one of the first to receive a Regenerative Organic Certification. This includes the use of specific farming practices that help put more carbon into the soil.
• Nature’s Path has reduced CO2 emissions per pound of product quite a lot since 2008, with the goal of being carbon neutral by 2020.
• The company donates at least $2 million each year to food banks and supports environmental causes such as endangered species protection and community gardens. Its EnviroKids products support 1% For the Planet.
• Nature’s Path has made a lot of effort to reduce waste and all three of its manufacturing facilities are now zero waste certified, diverting 92% of waste from landfill.
• The cereal boxes are made from recycled paperboard and printed with vegetable-based inks.

Here’s a brief intro to regenerative agriculture from Nature’s Path:

Summary scores (out of 5) for Nature’s Path nut butter cereals:

• 4.5 gold stars for quality and value.
• 5 green stars for social and environmental impact

If you have a different opinion, please share your rating! Until next time, stay safe : )