These foods, produced by Alter Eco, the Fair Trade food company, are not your run-of-the-mill staples. Their exotic flavors and textures transform mundane meals into delicious dining experiences you’ll want to repeat over and over again.

What makes them so special?

Taste, for one. The full natural grains are flavorful and robust. The molasses-infused sugar crystals bring an unexpected richness to cookies and other baked goods. And the chocolate? Each of the bars tickles a different set of taste buds (Just when I decided Dark Velvet was my favorite, I took a bite of Dark Mint. The tie was broken – by the crystalline orange flecks infusing Dark Twist).

Texture, for another. This is food you feel when you chew. No melt-in-your-mouth M&M types here. It actually feels like you’re eating, not just getting through your supper.

And, of course, the color. If you’re tired of looking at bland white rice, you’ll delight in not just Alter Eco’s purple variety, but their coral red jasmine rice and black quinoa, too.

The fact that they’re grown on sustainably run co-operatives where workers are paid a decent wage – the foundation for fair trade agriculture – is icing on the cake (made with the company’s own sugar, of course).

Thumbs up, Alter Eco!

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