Where to Source Real Food
A List of resources for quality food
Let’s simplify finding quality sources of food. How do you really know the quality is meeting your expectations? I’ve done some research for you!
Grocery stores are filled with more fake food than real food these days. Finding local sources and farms to support is a great first step to finding quality nourishing food. If that is a challenge for you where you live, there are also some great online resources listed below. You will find it more cost effective to find a local source.
Michigan real food sources
- https://michiganfarmtofamily.com/
- CSAs in Michigan: Use this site to find a CSA local to you! https://www.localharvest.org/detroit-mi/csa
- The People’s Food Coop in Ann Arbor
- Family Farms Cooperative delivers to Indiana and Southeast Michigan area (contact them via email at familyfarmscooperative@gmail.com)
CSA (community sponsored agriculture) programs
- CSA programs typically provide a variety of local produce and are a great way to support your local farmer. Essentially, you are buying a share of a local farm and get a box of food in return. This is typically a cost effective way to get organically grown food that is fresh and in season with maximum nutrient density.
- Local Harvest is a resource to locate CSAs in your area
- Here is another CSA Directory List from the USDA
Local Food Cooperatives
- Find information about natural food coops near you : http://www.coopdirectory.org/
Meat Delivery Services
- Butcher Box
- Eat Wild
- Ask at your local Farmer’s Market for quality pastured meet/dairy
- https://www.crowdcow.com/
- U.S. Wellness Meats https://grasslandbeef.com/
- https://wildpastures.com/
- https://riverwatchbeef.com/store/grass-fed-beef-club/grass-fed-beef-club-subscription/
- http://straussbrands.com/
- This is a great source to find quality free range / grass-fed meat and poultry near you and get a better understanding about how the animals are treated. https://www.getfreerange.info/
Wild Seafood delivery
You will find pricing most reasonable if you purchase fish in season. For example, Whole Foods offers Wild Alaskan King, Coho, and Sockeye salmon for $9.99/pound fresh in season. The most cost effective way to consume wild salmon is, ideally, to stock up in season, individually package (whole foods will do this more you) and freeze the salmon for use all winter. If this doesn’t appeal to you,
raw dairy
Local farmer’s markets
- https://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/
- https://www.localfarmmarkets.org/
- https://www.ams.usda.gov/local-food-directories/farmersmarkets
Grocery Stores
- Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Earth Fare and a few other ‘natural’ grocery stores make this easier. It’s still important to shop the perimeter of the store and, in general, follow the 5 ingredient rule when shopping. Previously frozen wild salmon from Whole Foods is an excellent choice. Trader Joe’s offers quality frozen fish/seafood at a reasonable price.
- Costco, Sam’s, Walmart, Target do supply some organic/healthy food items. I’ve found Costco to have organic coffee, cheeses, some meat and grains. Costco offers Wild Salmon seasonally for $9.99/pound. Salmon is available fresh through the summer months and Coho is caught through the end of September and into early October. King salmon is available earliest in the season (May) and is often expensive due to supply and demand. Sockeye and Coho, more easily available in June-August is more reasonably priced.
- Local, conventional grocery stores will also have Real Food and healthy choices available. Some stores choose to place all of these items in one location in the store, others have them interspersed throughout. Again, stick to the perimeter of the store for best choices.
online resources for food delivery
- Thrive market
- Azure
- https://nuts.com/ (truly raw almonds not available from this source)
- Radiant Life
- Cultures for Health
- https://www.livingnutz.com/?categoryId=3
- https://www.tierrafarm.com/collections/organic-raw-nuts
- https://www.bluemountainorganics.com/
