All Wellness and Good

Pacha soaps make it a Co-op hat trick. And Flora wellness shots are a gift to your immune system.

Just in time for stuffing stockings and gathering Pollyanna gifts, Pacha soaps have expanded into all three Weavers Way wellness locations, after being only at Next Door in Chestnut Hill for a few years. Ambler has packed a display with six varieties of bath bombs, two types of bulk bath salts and seven different bar soaps, including “That Co-op Smell,” at $1.25 an ounce. Across the Way in Mt. Airy has made room on the shelves for Pacha bars and two kinds of bath bombs. The Hastings, NE, company uses responsibly sourced palm oil and other ingredients, and puts a chunk of their profits into clean-water initiatives, hygiene education and small-business opportunities throughout the world.

Company, nasty weather and stress can make us vulnerable to viruses galore — and who needs that this time of year? Bulk up your resistance with a Wellness Shot from Flora Health of Burnaby, BC, and Lynden, WA, available by the Next Door register. Each 3.3-ounce bottle contains organic apple cider vinegar along with natural cleansing aids like elderberry, lemon, cinnamon and turmeric. 

Bulk & Beyond

Fruitcake fans, we’ve got the fixins to make your own, or another fruity fave.

Fruitcake aficionados (yes, we do exist) know there are some pretty poor specimens out there. Should you go the route of baking one yourself, you’ll find plenty of inspiring ingredients in Ambler’s Bulk Department: black walnuts ($13.99/lb.), orange peel strips ($5.99/lb.) and glazed dried fruit mix ($3.19/lb.). Of course, the bulk sections in all three stores stock currants, raisins, dried figs, dates, pecans, and dried cranberries, as well as English walnuts, for all manner of seasonal goodies.

Going On in Grocery

Gift packs of cooking oils in Ambler. And make it a healthier holiday with Caulipower flour.

If there’s someone on your list (maybe it’s . . . you!) who would appreciate an upgrade to their cooking-oil collection, consider the three-pack of artisan oils from La Tourangelle of Berkeley, CA. The “Infused” trio is $19.99, and includes herbs de Provence, garlic and basil oils. The “Best Seller” pack consists of hazelnut, avocado and walnut oils for $23.99. Bring along a baguette to the gift exchange (if it’s local). Maybe they’ll share.

The holidays are often about indulgence, but it’s possible, and wise, to keep from going completely off the rails. Get some help from Caulipower baking mix, available in two formulas (paleo and non) in the Hill. Yep, it’s cauliflower-based, and can be used cup-for-cup in any recipe (not just pizza crust). It’s vegan and gluten-free, and a 12-ounce package goes for $8.69 ($12.99 for the paleo).