Where do you shop?

[kayla]

I've never been into a specialty grocery store of any type, and even when I've gone into a regular grocery store, I often feel lost. So, I'd really like to know where everyone does their shopping for some of their favorite raw foods. In particular, I'd like to know where to purchase young coconuts and tofu, or any other things that you consider "must haves." :D

[Raspberry4]

In your grocery store go right to the organic produce section. If you cannot find one, ask if they have one. I had to call about 10 stores in my area until I located one. I stocked up yesterday to start yesterday. Also look in the phone book for health foods stores and call to see if they offer organic produce. That is - if you are looking for organic. Some health foods stores will have nuts and seeds too. As far as the coconuts go I did buy the harder brown one yesterday - and am curious and a little nervous about how to open it. I found it in the fruit section of the produce in my local grocery store. Good luck.

[misslinda]

I did buy the harder brown one yesterday - and am curious and a little nervous about how to open it.


lol...that's why i have not bought one yet.


that's the best way, call to different shops......if you have asian/oriental marekts, you may be able to find varios exotic furits and veggies. depending on the size of the market even regular fruits and veggies.

most regular grocery stores like safewy,fred meyer,albertson's,ralph's etc should have aorganic picks.

[truthseeker]

Whole foods

[Lady Green Jeans]

Depends on the day. Tuesday and Saturday I can get to the farmers' market for affordable organic produce. Henry's, Jimbos, or Sprouts market for organic produce on any other day. I ventured out and went to a large Asian market today and picked up several hard to find items like lime leaf, fresh shitake mushrooms, and tamarind so I could try some new recipes.

Purchased several young coconuts and a cleaver to open them along with a frozen durian. Will see about that one. What an adventure.

Located in the Inland Empire, SoCal area.

[RawTruth]

Kayla - it all depends on where you live. If you have access to health food stores, natural food stores (like Whole Foods), Trader Joe's, Asian markets, well ... you've got it made!! We could all tell you where we shop, but that won't be much help if we're in an area that's totally different from where you're located.

Can you give more information?

p.s. Tofu is not raw nor is it good for you -- in fact, it's rather horrible.

[jesdenm]

I happen to be lucky enough to live and work five minutes from the rawfood.com store in El Cajon, CA. I bought a cheesecake, loved it sooo much and went home and made it myself.

For fruits and veggies, I buy from Sprout's & Henry's.

[jenna rose]

there are no asian markets, no whole foods or trader joe's, no real health food store or anything like that around here.

though there is a 'health food store' it's an extremely small shop and they don't carry very much.

so, i go to Kroger usually. They have a nice, albeit small and non-organic, produce section. I really miss out on a lot of things that other raw fooders have better access to. It's disappointing.

[Helen Of Tennessee]

Wild Oats is my number one place. It's 20-25 miles from me. After that it's Publix or Krogers. They both have organic produce.

As for tofu - it's not raw. If you do a search on this website for soy, you will find numerous posts and articles pertaining to soy & tofu.

If you live in an area where you can't find organic produce, you can always order it over line. Even though I can get a lot of organic produce I have ordered oranges, freshing picked and shipped the next day . . . they are so yummy!!!!

You can also grow some of your own produce, even if you are in an apartment you can grow some.

<>< Helen of Tennessee

[michigan roman]

KAYLA - * produce markets are what is good around here in big city suburbs , also meijers stores here can have good produce. * sams club has good prices on 3lb bags of almonds and walnuts which are good for trail mixes . * between sams and produce market you could shop for ingredients like raw sunflower seed , raisins , almond , walnut , peanuts shelled saltless , dried fruit such as pineapple , banana chip ,etc to make big batches of trail mix for cheap . can keep in big containers like 1 gallon screw top plastic containers you can buy at dollar stores so you always have a fast food on hand . whats good is to get 16 oz plastic screw top jars like they sell peanuts in and put your trail mix in them to take with you . then take a bottle of water plus some fruit , say in back pack and your set . plus eating cheap . * this could cause controversy but i personally dont like tofu , its a weird man made concoction . and ide say most eat it for protein , well go right to straight plants for your protein = nuts and seeds . and a good way to incorporate them is to cut your salad greens fine like in coleslaw , plus chop vegi like 1/2 " bits . this way the seeds wont fall of fork like they do when lettuce is in big chunks , theyll cling in between lettuce shreds . i also say that in salads sesame seeds are good for protein plus calcium , and sun seeds for protein and vitamin e . i would look to incorporate brocoli or and spinach for vitamin a plus calcium , and peppers for vita c . can make big salads to store for 2 or 3 days so always fast food . dont add tomatos til eating though cuz they make salad soggy (you probably know a whole bunch of this but im just trying to be complete ) . this type salad is close to a complete cell fuel . * bananas and the nuts and seeds are always the easiest fuel to have around , a quick energy source . no mess , no cleaning . * on exercise , ive been exercising my whole life since i was 8 and started playing organized sports , i always say you have to get your heart , legs , stomach , shoulders . so in that small a space i say maybe you could get a stationary bike to get heart and legs , maybe rig up some type of book platform that you could place a book on to read while you ride . then do situps for stomach , and pushups for shoulders . and dont be drinking and partying up there at college , the harder you work now ,the sooner in life youll attain your big goals . ( just being silly , but its true ) P.S. - in case anyone is wondering im refering to more than one posted question here .

[Rawkinlocs]

When I lived in Detroit, I shopped at the local fruit market for all my produce (LOVED that place!); then for all my raw fooder staples, I shopped at a natural food store called the Natural Food Patch. Sometimes I went to Trader Joe's as well.

Now, I shop at our local co-op for most of my produce, nuts, condiments, spices, etc. and I shop at Costco for some of the produce like bananas, oranges (now being sold by the case!), large bag of frozen strawberries for my smoothies. I also shop at Fred Meyers sometimes and Albertsons or Top Foods (which has a bulk nuts section and a pretty neat little area for natural foods...these three are local chain grocers here in WA.

[rawpriestess]

I only shop in the winter and early spring, as we grow our own foods in the summer and fall.

when I do shop it is at Costco, cases of oranges, limes, lemons, apples, lettuce, dates, almonds, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts, onion, etc., the Co-op cacao nibs, organic dried raw figs, and raisins, cashews, and one Health food store (for macademias and other organic raw nuts that I can't find at Costco)

I buy vanilla beans from a freind who lives in Puebla Mexico, and I buy Raw organic Olive oil from someone who is a relative of the Living Tree community.

Basically if we can't grow it, we don't eat it, except in the winter months.

otherwise, we just graze in our gardens, and my hubby wild forages for greens, berries, flowers, apples, pears, nuts, roots etc.

We eat really well, for hardly anything (summer and fall) spring and winter, we end up buying alot of our food, except frozen, or dried.

[Revvell]

1. farmers' markets 2. Trader Joes 3. Whole Foods

[Purl]

I shop mainly at whole foods, but I check the sale flyer for our local Big Y for good produce deals. There is also a discount grocer that sells bananas for 33 cents/lb so I buy those there. I am joing the local CSA this spring.

[RawTruth]

(1) farmers' markets
(2) Mother's (local to Orange County, CA)
(3) Trader Joe's
(4) Wild Oats
(5) Ralph's/Albertson's organic sections
(6) The Living Temple/Alissa (for occasional prepared raw "treats")