In a world of artificial, alternatives, fillers, and toxic ingredients disguised as healthy choices we need to have go to’s for real whole foods!
Ideally, I would shift my shopping to small businesses or local sources to meet my family’s needs through foods that I know are safe and, to be honest, real. Sometimes, local isn’t an option for me, and I know it’s the same for many of you, so I also want to have a compiled list of where you can order real food!
The list below will give you ideas of places to look locally and online!
Some of the places will give you the best deal if you buy in bulk — offering free shipping at a certain level, and discounts if you buy larger packages or more items. Consider buying less often and stocking up or going in on items with local friends. I do this a few times a year at least.
Local Ideas
- Find an Amish bulk store or a local grocery store that sources from solid farms or productions that don’t put junk in their food!
- Find a Herd share or Farm Co-Op where you can trade
- Grow your own or find a local homestead to buy from
- Find a local beekeeper to get raw honey from
- Farmers Markets can be your bestfriend
- Ask on social media! So many small farms and bakers are looking for people to support them and buy their fresh local foods!
Dairy/Animal
Cheese
- Murrays
- The Cheesehouse
- Azure Standard
- Isola Imports (Italian cheeses, good prices!)
Butter
- Azure Standard (I choose Rumiano brand)
- Rumiano (shipping is expensive in summer because it can melt, but reasonable in winter!)
- U.S. Wellness Meats (reeeeeally expensive, but they do have good options)
Milk
- Sweet Grass Dairy (local-ish to Central OH)
Eggs
- Sweet Grass Dairy (local-ish to Central OH)
- Seven Sons (in PA, and they ship)
- Eat Wild (farms that ship!)
Meat
- White Oak Pastures
- Sweet Grass Dairy
- Slanker Meats (they offer FREE shipping nationwide)
- Eat Wild (find farms near you!, or farms that ship!)
Pantry Goods
Grains and Breads
- Angelic Bakehouse (sprouted grain bread, buns, pizza crusts, etc.)
- Shiloh Farms (sprouted whole grains, flours, and breads)
- Aleia’s (gluten-free breadcrumbs, cookies, croutons)
- Bluebird Grain Farms (whole wheat flour and other organic flours)
- Organic Fruits and Nuts (flours, vinegar, dried fruits, nuts)
Sugars and Sweeteners
- Sleeping Bear Farms (raw honey)
- Webstaurant (this is a restaurant supply store with great prices on bulk items, for large families or for friends to split)
- Olde Carriage Sugarwoods (maple syrup)
Spices
- Mountain Rose Herbs (bulk herbs, cooking spices, teas)
- Starwest Botanicals (bulk herbs, cooking spices, teas)
Produce
- Imperfect Foods
- Azure Standard
- Northwest Wild Foods (fresh and frozen produce, mushrooms, etc.)
- Misfit Market
- Local Harvest (find farms near you, and contact them to arrange a pick up!)
Extras and Misc.
- Books — Thrift Books
- Clothes — Swap (online thrift store! Click for 40% off your first order)
- Clothes — Kidizen
- Herbal Remedies — Earthley
- Homeschool Classes — Outschool
I’ll add more resources to this list as I find them!
What are your favorite ways to get real food?
Thanks for the info. I feel the same way about masks.
Masks are required where I live, but I’ve yet to wear one. If anyone says anything, I inform them I have a medical condition that makes me medically exempt. Only our local, independent grocery store had made an issue of it, and called the police on people, so we’ve stopped shopping there. Everywhere else has been fine.
Before having food shipped, look into your local farms. We have a farm that’s about an hour away, I have done business with for over 2 decades. They sell dairy, beef, eggs, chicken, pork, and in the summer all kinds of fruits and veggies. They deliver three days a week. Chad Carlton has been developing this business model over the years. He and his wife Julie are the hardest working people around. I’ve been with them since he started taking over operations from his dad, who still helps out. Do a little research and support some of your locals. I’ll bet you have some great small farms near you!
For prescriptions Walgreens in My town is offering next day delivery through Fedex. I’m in Missouri near St. Louis metro area
The new Meijer in NE Ohio is requiring masks. We won’t be going there now. I also don’t agree with the level system or how they’re calculating these “spikes”.
Aldi and meijer caved. Aldi as of 6/27, Meijer as of 6/20.
I walked into a Meijer tonight. There was a big sign outside the door that said “STOP – face coverings required” I walked in anyway without a mask. No one said a word and I was in the store for over an hour. I just keep my distance from everybody. I have never had a problem yet but I go shopping either early in the morning or in the evening. Not at peak times.
We’re in Indiana Amish country – lots of small, Amish businesses do not require customers to wear masks. Bakery, meat store, grocery, herb store, etc. Plus lots of produce stands, eggs, etc at individual farms.
Thanks for the resources! Vitacost is another good place for organic foods, and herbs, and they ship nationwide. Though, these are boxed, and not necessarily farm fresh.
To the person who wrote that she claims to have a medical condition in order to not wear a mask, if you don’t actually have a medical condition, that’s dishonest, and worse still, you could pass on the virus to someone who is high-risk or immunocompromised. If you don’t want to wear a mask, that’s your call. If you think that you’re immune from COVID, or that the numbers are inflated, and you don’t care whether you are exposed, and you don’t want to take any precautions, that’s your right. However, it’s never okay to put other people at risk.
I’ve seen too many people that I know personally get very sick and/or lose their lives to this virus. The most recent was a classmate who left behind a wife and two young children. And, I also have family and close friends who are first responders, and who risk their lives daily taking care of people who think COVID is a myth, and end up in the hospital.
So, if a store has a policy you don’t agree with, which is put in place to protect vulnerable people, you have the freedom to find another option rather than trying to circumvent that policy. Thankfully, this post provides lots of options.
Sincerely,
Someone who is so thankful that her state requires masks and social distancing in all stores and public spaces.
I have a tag that I wear into the store that says I have a medical condition and thus can’t wear a mask. Since I started wearing it not one place has said anything to me even Walmart
Here in East Tennessee we’ve only had issues with Three Rivers Co-op. Even with me saying I’m medically exempt. You get out into the more rural areas there is no enforcements. Less people wearing masks. I would imagine shopping in the Amish communities there is no mask enforcing. Also Misfits Market is another organic/non-gmo delivery service from PA. Here’s my code COOKWME-YM0ZSL
Dee- Why are you even here. We come here to stay away from people like you.
OMG!!! You are AWESOME ❣️❣️❣️❣️ Kate!!! THANK YOU!! I live in NY and there are people sitting outside stores forcing masks on those who “dare” to go without and it’s maddening because I refuse to comply.
I’m so glad to hear that I’m not the only one who won’t go along with this PLANdemic!!
Thank you for taking the time to put this resource list together.
My family and I have yet to wear masks. I dont believe them to be useful. Actually just the opposite. We have shopped at Walmart, aldis, old navy, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Marshall’s and many others. No one has bothered us. I only mention the names because I wish more people would stop so we could move on with life. If consumers stopped shopping at their stores, i guarantee they would reconsider that mandate.
I feel the same way about masks for various reasons. Thank you so much for the list!
I’m in NJ. I’ve been to Target? Marshall’s Home Goods, Old Navy, Lowe’s without a mask. I look for the masks required sign and if it says under 2 and medically exempt, I’m good. Employees ask me if I would like. Mask and I tell them that I can’t due to medical condition.
Thank you for this! I won’t shop anywhere where they’re required. Ive gone to walgreens a couple times not wearing one, and no one’ss said anything.
Luckily, I’ve had no problems shopping at Kroger either. (ONE time someone said something to me)
Sam’s & Costco, I just state that “I can’t” & they haven’t given me issue past that. If they are going to let me shop maskless, I want to show people you don’t HAVE to COMPLY.
Check out Market Wagon too. It’s a delivery service that brings local farms together and delivers to consumers. I’ve been able to get local A2 milk, cheese, meat and veggies delivered weekly. There is a delivery fee. But, you aren’t having to drive all over and worry about masks/no masks.
And ThriveMarket is a great pantry site. There is a membership cost but it works out to about $5/month. We don’t have a natural/organic market close to us. So for me the cost was well worth it.
This is a great list! Just a correction – Seven Sons is in Indiana 🙂 Another place for meats I really like is Force of Nature https://forceofnature.com
Thank you for your list. I’m in Ohio too. By chance have you found anyone who will give you a haircut mask free? I haven’t had a cut since February 🙁
Did you find anyone? It’s been since February for me too!
Thanks for sharing this list. I also wants to add https://www.texasgrassfedbeef.com for the people looking for the best grass fed meats.