My Happy Organic Valentine

Ah, it's February and that means that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, that and my birthday, but that's not the point.

The point is if you're like me getting a box of chocolates and a dozen roses all held by a teddy bear, now that you're trying to be greener, doesn't really sound as good anymore.

I certainly don't want to skip it however, just maybe green it up a little.

The flowers, for example, can easily be greened up. Instead of getting a dozen cut flowers why not get a nice potted flower. If you have a farmers market nearby stop by and see what they have or go to your local plant nursery to pick out a nice indoor or outdoor plant. I love this idea because it's not just a one time gift, it's a beautiful daily reminder of your love. Awww.

And the chocolate, well you know I'm not going to say don't get chocolate. But instead of the that pretty heart shaped box sitting at the store (have you read the ingredients on those!) go with an organic and fair trade option instead.

Organic because that means you won't find any artificial ingredients and fair trade because that means the people making it were paid a fair wage and worked under good conditions.

I like what Equal Exchange says about buying fair trade, By choosing Equal Exchange fairly traded chocolate, you help provide small-scale farmers the resources and opportunities they need to build a better future for their families and communities. Tasty for you, helpful to the farmers.

I was recently sent a (free) Organic Chocolate & Coffee Pairing Gift Bag for Valentine's Day from Equal Exchange. It includes 1 bag of Organic Love Buzz coffee, 1 bag of Organic Mind, Body & Soul coffee, 2 Organic Milk Chocolate Bars, 2 Organic Panama Extra Dark Chocolate Bars and a coffee pairing instruction card in a 100% recycled gift bag.



Now I haven't tried pairing the chocolates and coffee together because I don't really like coffee. The instruction for pairing them sound interesting and I may try it, if the chocolate lasts long enough that is. But I did try the chocolate (hello) and I can tell you that they are amazing. They taste incredible and have no un-pronounceable, corn or soy ingredients, which is probably not what you'd find if you looked on the back of the heart shaped box.

It's like my mom (and probably yours) always said, it's not what's on the outside (heart shaped box) but what's on the inside (organic non-funky ingredients) that counts. See mom, I do listen to you!

And if you order the Organic Chocolate & Coffee Pairing Gift Bag, or any of Equal Exchanges other tasty treats, before February 14th you can get free UPS ground shipping within the contingent USA with code “chocolatelove”.

And as for the teddy bear, I found this super cute 100% organic polar bear that I think just might do the trick. I'm a sucker for a cute teddy bear too.

What do you do to green up Valentine's Day?

I just realized that this year Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday. I think that might the perfect excuse to go do something. I bet there's going to be some kind of Valentine's theme at the zoo. I know the boys would definitely rather go there then get a plant.