I am not one to buy processed foods too often, as I very much prefer fresh items, however, sometimes it is good to have some things handy, especially with how much I am on the go. As I mentioned before, when I do buy these items, I read over the label very carefully. Obviously, it isn’t ever going to fully live up to the standards of what I would ideally like to see listed, but unless I am making it myself, it never really will. Therefore, I go with what seems to be the best option in that category. As I find different items and services that I like, I will share them with you. Below are a few items I have recently found. Please note, that I am not endorsed by any of these companies. These are purely things I have found that I think others would also love. Please check them out and let me know what you think. If you have any items you love and think I may enjoy, please be sure to share them.
Thrive Market:
This has become one of my new favorite places to buy foods and so much more online. Thrive is a socially conscious online store where you can find many great natural and organic products at wholesale pricing. Their values align with my own: “we believe you have a right to know what is in the food you eat every day.” And the best part of it all, you can shop from right at home on your computer or through their app, and it gets delivered right to your door. Their mission: “to make healthy living easy, affordable, and accessible for every American family.” They have screened all of their products and do not carry any GMO foods, they offer organic options, and are committed to sustainability as well as social justice. They offer so many great products, you can sort and refine your searches based on dietary needs and more, which makes the whole experience so easy. On top of this, the products they offer continue to grow, and they will have specials, deals and free gifts with certain purchases.
If you are interested in signing up and trying out Thrive, please use this link and you will get 15% off: http://thrv.me/a5qmET
For each friend that becomes a paying member, a membership is donated to a low-income family through their Thrive Gives initiative.
Canyon Bakehouse:
When I decided to go gluten free, bread was probably one of the toughest things to give up. There is nothing like a nice fresh piece of toast or a freshly baked baguette. Trying to find gluten free options that resemble the real thing was quite a challenge. Until very recently, I have mostly eaten Udi’s breads and bagels. I would prefer to make my own breads and bagels and find a great recipe with the most minimal of ingredients, but that has not quite happened yet due to time constraints. However, I have discovered this brand, and it has quickly become my favorite. My go-tos are the 7-Grain Bread and the Everything Bagels. These are probably the best tasting and closest to the real thing I have been able to find.
Simply Balanced 7-Grain Gluten Free Bread:
This was a recent accidental discovery. I was at Target preparing to buy some Canyon Bakehouse bread because it was 20% or 25% off on the Cartwheel app, and right as I reached to grab it and toss it in my cart, I noticed this bread right next to it. It too was on sale through the Cartwheel app, and after looking over the ingredient list, I decided to give it a try. I was very pleasantly surprised. It was very soft, toasted up well, and has a texture and flavor that could fool many people into believing it was real bread.
Eating Well Magazine
This is a great magazine for ideas and tips on how to lead a healthy lifestyle. There are great reads, along with many great recipes and meal plans.
http://www.eatingwell.com/
Clean Eating Magazine
Clean eating is not a diet, but rather a lifestyle. If you are looking to change the way you eat, then this is a great magazine, as it will help you better understand this lifestyle approach to food and how to prepare it in order to eat foods that are as close to the way we gather them from nature. You will be able to find so many great tips, recipes and meal plans to guide you to a clean lifestyle.
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/
Nature’s Bakery Gluten Free Fig Bars
These are great little bars to toss in a bag when traveling. There are several flavors, but my favorites are the plain fig and the pomegranate.
This list is just a few of my favorite things. Keep checking back for more items to be posted in the future. As always, eat well and be merry!!
