With a recent move, it means one thing. We’re starting over. Again. And that means I am navigating where and how I can obtain real food. But, we’ve done this a few times now. And I have a few tricks up my sleeve. So, today, I’m going to share some of my favorite long-time resources to get real food into my kitchen without breaking the bank or driving all over the countryside.
This has been a great stand-by for me for years in finding local farmer’s markets, CSA farms and farms that sell pastured beef, chicken, lamb or pork. If you aren’t sure what is in your area, or just want to see what else there might be, this is a great free and easy resource to check out.
Finding truly farm-fresh milk can be a bit tricky, but this site makes it super easy. I highly recommend checking out the farm in-person before signing any contract, but getting high-quality raw milk is a gift. (Because, kefir!) Each state varies on how you can buy raw milk (some you have to pick up at the farm, others you can go to a more convenient drop location, etc.) but you will find all the information you need to sort it out here. After switching to raw milk and then getting more involved with the farms we obtained milk from, I actually get a little squeamish buying milk straight off the shelf anymore. I’d much prefer I shook hands with the farmer and get a sense of how they feel about their animals and the milk they provide before consuming it.
I am mourning the loss of a few different real food resources since leaving Alaska and this would be one of them. If you find a good drop site, this is a fantastic way to buy in bulk, buy fresh veggies in the winter and even organic starts for your gardens in the spring. Azure Standard is available in about 90% of the country, just not the NE. Azure helped me obtain certain brands I love for less (particularly while in Alaska) and their bargain bin and monthly sales make this worth checking out. As an added bonus, I loved meeting the people that would gather on the monthly pick-up days. It was a great way to meet more families striving to eat real.
Another resource I’m definitely missing is the wild seafood we have been able to enjoy the last few years. If you would like wild-caught salmon and halibut and you are not fortunate enough to catch your own either, this is a great site. But, even better is that this site sells my friend Daiva’s amazing salmon and halibut broth. I even have a coupon code for you that gives you 20% off a pack of 24 packages. (For me that covered the cost of shipping.) Enter in BROTH4LIFE.
Sometimes you need to find some high quality proteins and it isn’t exactly the right season to be ordering. Or maybe you are looking for bones or liver and just not finding them locally very easily. Then, US Wellness Meats is a great stand-in for finding every kind of pastured protein you could want. Take a moment to read the ‘About Us’ page, this is a family-run company really striving to grow healthy animals on healthy land and that is a mission I can get behind every day of the week.
From bone broth to raw cheeses, to fermented foods and even real food snacks this site is packed with great options to fill your fridge, freezer and pantry. They’ve done the work to vet each of their vendors and ensure every product is high-quality and true to form. Their goal is to make real, nutrient-dense food easier to access for busy people.
So, there you have it, my list of some of my favorite resources to obtain real food. Did I miss any? What are your favorite resources? Share in the comments below!
*Not a single one of these links are affiliates. Just resources I use.