15 of the Best Products You Can Buy from Vitacost
When I first started on this journey to healthy living, I was rather shocked to find out how much more certain foods were going to cost. Pastured meat? Roughly 4 times as much as grocery store meat. Organic vegetables? Again 2-4x as much as I had been spending. Eggs? $2 – $4/dozen compared to $.99. If I was going to follow-through with this healthy living thing, I was going to have to do a lot of legwork to find the best prices on everything that came into my home. (And add a lot of beans and rice to the menu too!)
I shared earlier some of the places to look for food like shopping Farmer's Markets and other options for shopping for local food . For meat and produce, I don't think there's anything that can compare to buying local. You don't really know much about grocery store food other than what you are told on the (often misleading) packages. When you buy locally, you know exactly how your food was grown, you support the local economy, and your food is more nutrient dense since it was harvested at its peak rather than picked unripe and shipped.
But what about other non-fresh items? I have found several favorite places to purchase things online at the best prices, and in the coming weeks I will feature those different places and what I typically buy there.
This week I'll give you a list of my favorite items to buy from Vitacost. Their website is so huge, that if you don't go there already knowing what you want, you could easily be overwhelmed and give up.
But I highly recommend shopping for the following items there. Their prices are usually the lowest on these items to begin with, and they often have sales and coupons besides. If you are a new customer you can also get a $10 off $30 coupon when you sign up through my referral link. (Update: Vitacost has discontinued their referral program, so I can no longer offer the $10 coupon.)
In no particular order, these are the things I purchase regularly from Vitacost:
1. Garden of Life Raw Meal – allergy free, non-GMO meal replacement protein powder with no icky fillers. This saved my life many days when I was in the throes of chronic fatigue syndrome.
2. Liquid castile soap – I use this for bathing and making my homemade cleaner
3. Garden of Life RAW Probiotics – therapeutic grade probiotics; one of the few brands that arrive refrigerated so that they stay alive!
4. Garden of Life Cod Liver Oil – Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, and DHA are crucial nutrients to my health, especially when breastfeeding. Taking a spoonful of this everyday ensures I get what I need.
5. Blackstrap Molasses – I use as a sweetener, and also take a spoonful occasionally to boost my Vitamin B and iron.
6. Liquid Chlorophyll – provides magnesium and helps…ahem…keep you “regular”. I used to buy the NOW brand, but I don't see it on their site right now.
7. Vitamins – I can tell a huge difference in my energy level if I don't take my vitamins. These are an organic, whole-foods (non-synthetic) vitamin and herb blend.
8. Cacao Powder – You know me and my chocolate. I use this to make my peanut butter cups or hot cocoa. Or sometimes I just stir some up in a glass of milk with honey and mint oil – the most delicious mint chocolate shake ever, and it's full of antioxidants and protein! What more could I wish for?
9. Essential oils – I'm just now learning about essential oils, so I only use them for a few things — peppermint for making mint chocolate recipes, tea tree for making disinfectant, eucalyptus for decongestant chest rub, lavender for adding to my homemade hair spray.
10. Coconut Oil – I prefer to buy my virgin coconut oil from Tropical Traditions, but for cooking, I choose expeller pressed coconut oil since it is odorless and flavorless.
11. Chocolate chips – gluten, dairy, and soy free. Perfect for anyone with food sensitivities.
12. Gluten free flour – Pamela's gluten free baking mix is to die for! You will be in gluten free heaven once you try it! Thank you, Pamela, whoever you are!
13. Real Salt – It's important to use a salt that has not been bleached and had all the minerals processed out of it.
14. Bentonite Clay – I use this for cleansing toxins, brushing my teeth, washing my face, healing burns and bug bites…I'm sure there's more!
15. Apple Cider Vinegar – great for treating colds and flu as well as soaking grains.
Update: I did an impromptu video of my son unboxing some of our Vitacost favorites. Take a peek inside!