As some of you may know, I work from home as a technical editor of lightwave technology and quantum electronics manuscripts for a large publishing company. I also own and run a Paleo/Primal Recipe/Life Website at LifeAsAPlate. While it sounds SO much cooler than it is, working from home has its drawbacks: the biggest one is looking at the inside of my house all day. So occasionally I’ll work from my favorite other place – Dunn Brothers Coffee.

It’s been there lately or at the gym, before or after class, that so many of you have come up to me with questions: What do I buy? What brand of meat? Where do you get your almond meal? How do I know what’s safe and what’s not? Cage-free or organic? What stores can I find what product?

I love people and I love talking (duh), so I really enjoy these interactions. Being a part of this challenge and helping you all to really change your life is incredibly rewarding. But I feel like there’s just too much to cover for the 15 minutes we chat over coffee or the few sweaty minutes I can give you after a WOD before I have to run to pick up my son. So here’s a quick list of what products I use, recommend and why, and where you can find them.

Pantry

• Nuts
  • Which kind? Raw nuts are pretty much the most filling and healthiest you can get.
  • Why? We recommend that you opt for raw when possible as the roasting process is typically done at very high temperatures which oxidize the fats and create free radicals. Here is a great article explaining the different nuts and which you should eat.
  • Where to find them? HyVee Health Market and Greatest Grains both have bulk bins.You can also get bulk raw almonds at Sams.
  • The skinny: That being said, like we mentioned at the meeting, we’re just asking you to make good choices. If you can’t find or afford the raw nuts, do the best you can.
• Almond/Sunflower seed butter
  • Which kind? Again, raw is best. Salted is okay as long as you’re not watching your sodium intake. And if you like it sweetened, check the label to make sure it’s not cane sugar. Or buy the raw, get it home, and add in your own honey to your taste.
  • Why? Since Peanuts are legumes, they’re out in a Paleo lifestyle. Other nut butters and sunflower seed butters are great sources of protein and fat and make a great snack with a piece of fruit or added into a protein shake!
  • Where to find them? Any store carries them now but Target has the best prices while HyVee has the best selection of flavors and types.
• Seeds
  • Which kind? Pumpkin (often called/labeled pepitas) and sunflower.
  • Why? They have a great crunch in salads, chicken salad, etc. and lots of good fat and protein to fill you up.
  • Where to find them? Check by the nuts in most supermarkets. These are also easy to find in most convenience stores and a great thing to grab if you’re on the go and need a snack fast.
• Canned Coconut Milk
  • Which Kind? Organic is best but there are two main brands out there – Thai Kitchen and A Taste of Thai. I prefer the consistency of Thai Kitchen but it’s a personal preference.
  • Why? Coconut milk is an amazing source of fat and flavor! You can add it to smoothies and use it in a ton of recipes, experiment with Thai!
  • Where to find it? Asian Grocery Stores! They may not carry organic but are very affordable. More and more grocery stores carry it also – Target has the best price I’ve seen. HyVee also has a few kinds in the Health Market Section.
• Coconut Oil
  • Which kind? Any organic cold-pressed. I use Nutiva organic. Here’s an article explaining the different kinds.
  • Why? Coconut has SO many health benefits. Use it to pan fry almost anything and in lieu of butter and other oil in recipes. Some people even take it straight or melt it in their coffee. As a natural antifungal and antibiotic, I’ve used it on diaper rashes, as a moisturizer, and for cradle cap when my kids were babies. You know the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding who put Windex on everything? That’s me with coconut oil. I love the stuff.
  • Where to find it? Hyvee Health Market or Tropical Traditions online has some amazing deals.
• Almond Flour/Almond Meal/Coconut Flour/Arrowroot
  • Which kind? I order Honeyville Grains Blanched Almond Flour in 5-lb bags and Aloha Nu coconut flour. Both you can keep in the freezer and will last forever. I have found these brands to be the best to bake with, though I’m not a huge fan of baking with coconut flour at all. I find it very difficult to work with and it may be hard for novice Paleo chefs. Arrowroot is used in a lot of Paleo recipes. It’s a natural starch that helps replacing the gluten “glue” in baked goods.
  • Why? If you’re going to bake Paleo treats, you’re going to need to use alternative flours. These high-protein high-fat flours are great substitutes but do not retain the normal baking properties of wheat flour. Make sure you follow all recipes carefully.
  • Where to find it? Like I mentioned, online is your best bet. You can find Bob’s Red Mill Brand of these in HyVee Health Market and in bulk at Greatest Grains.
• Honey
  • Which kind? Raw is best if possible, but always stay organic and local if possible.
  • Why? The health benefits of local honey include help with allergies and can also be used as wound healer.
  • Where to find it? Meadowhaven Farms (who comes to the gym the 2nd Tuesday of every month) has amazing raw honey. You can also find some local brands in the produce section of HyVee. And don’t forget the farmer’s market!
• Chocolate
  • Which kind? Organic dark, at least 70% cocao
  • Why? Healthy fats, polyphenols - read all about the health benefits here!
  • Where to find it? Anywhere! Green is an amazing brand! Just because it has some health benefits doesn’t mean you should eat a bar a day; it should be limited as a treat!

Fridge

• Eggs
  • Which kind? Pastured eggs from local free-range chickens are the best, period. If you have to buy from the store, always choose organic cage-free. By definition, “cage-free” doesn’t mean cruelty-free, but the chickens usually have a few less awful things happening than factory-farmed chickens.
  • Why? Ever notice how the yolk of a free-range egg is bright orange compared to the pale yellow of a store-bought egg? This is because the chickens who laid the egg had access to all the things chickens should be eating – bugs, flowers, grass, seeds – whereas the factory chickens are fed a pretty strict grain-based diet. Need more convincing? Read this and this.
  • Where to find them? The farmer’s market is a great place to get some awesome eggs but you have to get there early because they go quick! Nostalgia Farms and other vendors have them every week. I personally  get my eggs from Miss Effie’s Farm. Her chickens are happy chickens and they lay amazing eggs. We go through 4-5 dozen a week so I make the 15-minute trip every couple of weeks and buy 10 dozen or so. If you call and request a few dozen, she’ll have them all ready for you (and at only $3.50!!)
• Almond/Coconut Milk
  • Which kind? Any unsweetened kind is fine. I use Almond Breeze or So Delicious coconut milk (and coffee creamer).
  • Why? A great dairy milk alternative, I use these in my smoothies, tea, coffee, and recipes.
  • Where to find it? The refrigerated section of HyVee has unsweetened plain and vanilla almond milk in half-gallons and a few different kinds of coconut milk. If you go to the shelf section where the soy/rice/help milks are, you can find unsweetened chocolate too!
• Coconut Water
  • Which kind? Unsweetened or naturally sweetened. I prefer the Naked brand.
  • Why? An amazing source of natural electrolytes, a lot of people use this as a post-WOD replenishment (think instead of Gatorade) or just a tasty treat. Low in carbs, high in potassium, this is a great recovery drink.
  • Where to find it? Most supermarkets carry this. In Schnuck’s, it’s at the end of the produce section by the guacamole and salsa. Hyvee has more selection in the Health Market. It can be quite pricey but I like to have some on hand for really intense sweaty WODs, where I feel like I may need the additional recovery.

Meat

• Beef
  • Which kind? Grassfed when possible.
  • Why? There’s a great article on the difference between grassfed and grainfed beef.  And here is one about affording healthy meat and making the best choices for your dollar. Buy in bulk when you see a deal, separate into pounds, mark and freeze. Stay at least 90% lean if you can’t buy grass-fed (hormones, pesticides etc. are found in fat cells so the fattier the cut of meat, the more “bad stuff”).
  • Where to find it? Meadowhaven Farms or a number of places at the farmer’s market is a great way to buy locally. If you need to buy store-bought, Target has Thousand Hills brand (from Minnesota) for a really decent price in the meat section. Hyvee also carries some, though it can be pricey.
• Bison
  • Which kind? Local is best.
  • Why? It is leaner than almost all other meats, has more iron, can have up to 40% more protein,  has fewer calories and less fat than beef (and even turkey). It is supposedly a “non-allergenic” meat and never has hormones or antibiotics. Though we’re not asking you to lower calories or fat, if your choice is between bison or non-grassfed-meat, bison is the  better choice.
  • Where to find it? There’s actually a local bison farm in Blue Grass called Winter Farms that you can visit and purchase meat. There is at least one vendor at the farmer’s market that sells it and you can find a couple on the shelf at Target and HyVee.
• Chicken
  • Which kind? Free-range organic is best. If not possible, opt for organic hormone-free.
  • Why? Same reason as why you should buy free-range eggs. Factory chicken farms can be incredibly inhumane, cruel, and disease-ridden. Buy local, humanely treated animals when possible.
  • Where to find it? Farmer’s market, Meadowhaven Farms, Behnke Farms, Nostalgia farms are best sources for local. If you buy at the store, HyVee carries organic free-range chicken. Target has a brand called Just Bare that is certified cruelty-free – no hormones, antibiotics, and all cage-free. However it is not organic but is priced really well, so this may be an option for your budget.
• Pork
  • Which kind? Pastured, organic, nitrate/nitrite-free.
  • Why? Much like the reasons for chicken and eggs, pork farms can be inhumane and disease-ridden with many of the pigs spending their lives in pens, given prophylactic antibiotics, vaccines, and hormones. And then the meat is often cured with preservatives like nitrates and nitrites.
  • Where to find it? Meadhowaven farms is the best choice, Hy Vee carries Beelers andApplegate Farms, Schnuck’s carries Full Circle Organic Nitrate-Free, and Target carries Hormel Uncured. A lot of Paleo-ers joke about bacon and how much we eat, but store-bought bacon can be full of preservatives, added sugar, and comes from inhumane factory-farms. Instead of eating pounds of the bad stuff because it’s cheap, buy less of the good stuff and indulge on the weekend or not as often.
• Fish
  • Which kind? Avoid most farm-raised if possible, especially salmon.
  • Why? Here’s a great explanation of all the kinds of fish farming and here’s a few reasons to avoid farmed salmon. However, if you have to buy farmed fish, some are actually okay andhere are the healthiest options and why. Most shellfish is farmed and actually safer this way.
  • Where to find it? Fresh seafood is kind hard to find in this area, but there is Great Midwest Seafood off 53rd in Davenport. HyVee has some good freshwater options – talk to the guys behind the fish counter and ask! You can also buy frozen wild-caught fish from Target and most other supermarkets. Just read the labels or know what you’re buying.

I know this was long but I hope you’ve made it through and that it was helpful for you. I know a lot of it can seem daunting but just like any habit – even the bad ones – shopping and eating this way takes time to become second nature. But it can and it will. I promise.