Pantry & fridge secrets revealed
Sharing all my food sources for everything from protein to produce and snacks.
I often get questions about where I buy certain foods like meat, fish, snacks and so on. I thought it would be useful to put together a list of all my food sources and share it here so anyone can access it. Because I live in NYC, these are all US-based brands, but even if you live somewhere else and can’t find the exact products, you can still use this as inspiration for the type and quality of ingredients to look for. Everything is organized by category below and I hope you find this list useful.
Fish
I have used these two sources exclusively for the past five years or so:
wild-caught salmon from Vital Choice
wild-caught, canned salmon from Safe Catch
With the exception of eating out, when I will sometimes have a branzino, salmon is the only type of fish I consume nearly every day because it has the best nutrient profile in terms of omega-3 and protein while being the lowest in toxins. Because I eat so much of it, however, I am very careful about toxicity and do bloodwork to measure my mercury levels a few times a year. These two brands are the lowest in mercury on the market.
Meat
My number one choice for meat is Force of Nature. Not only do they practice regenerative agriculture, but all their animals are raised in environments that encourage the expression of their natural behaviors while consuming the diets that they were biologically engineered and evolved to eat. Other great sources are Northstar Bison, Maui Nui and Cooks Venture. Occasionally, on weekends, I’ll do a turkey bacon with eggs and I like the one from Applegate.
When buying meat, it’s important to understand labels:
For poultry, look for terms like "pasture-raised" which suggest that the poultry had significant access to the outdoors. Certifications like "Certified Humane" or "Animal Welfare Approved" require that poultry has access to pasture, which is a stronger guarantee than non-certified products.
For beef, look for "100% grass-fed" or "grass-finished" labels. "Grass-fed" alone does not guarantee that the animals were fed grass for their entire life; they might have been grain-finished. Certifications like the American Grassfed Association (AGA) certify that animals are fed a lifetime diet of 100% forage, are raised on pasture without confinement, and are not treated with hormones or antibiotics.
Eggs
I only consume Vital Farms, organic, pasture-raised eggs. Once you see the color of their yolks, you will realize how much better quality and nutrient-dense these are compared to conventional eggs.
Dairy
I don’t eat a ton of dairy, but when I do, I like a grass-fed Greek yogurt from Stonyfield or the Nancy Organic probiotic cottage cheese. As for hard cheese, I like a raw milk goat cheese like this one and feta like this one.
Protein powder
Made of is the only protein powder I ever consume. Ive been having it every morning for years and it’s unmatched in quality and taste. Pure, grass-fed whey isolate with no junk added. I also have collagen peptides in my smoothie sometimes and I use Momentous or Vital Proteins. As a general rule, the best quality whey comes from New Zealand or Ireland as their cattle is mostly grass-fed.
Olive oil
My go-to olive oil brand is Kosterina. Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest foods to consume for heart and brain health. I use it everyday for salad dressings and cook with it too. When choosing an oil, look for mainly two things: the extraction method which should be cold pressing and storage - extra virgin olive oil should be stored in dark bottles or containers that protect it from light and heat, which can degrade the oil over time. High-quality oils often provide clear traceability back to their origin, including where the olives were grown and processed. Certifications such as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) or Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) can also indicate higher standards of production specific to a region.
Nuts, seeds and nut butters
A lot of these products are often processed using unhealthy oils, so I always look for raw, organic nuts. I love Living Tree which is a family farm started in California in 1979. Once you taste their products, it will feel like you never actually had real nuts or seeds before. Artisana is another excellent source where I often buy raw almond butter and other nut butters and tahini.
For tahini, specifically, I also love Seed & Mill. My latest discovery, however, is Sunny - a super small, California-based brand whose tahini is probably the best I ever tasted. I use it as a dip, as a salad-sauce and spread it on pretty much everything. I love tahini because it’s super rich in calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc while also being so much easier on digestion than most nuts.
As for peanut butter, the Erewhon one is unmatched.
Nut milks
I have been making my own raw almond milk at home for years using a Almond Cow machine. When I buy ready-made milk, I go for Malk or Elmhurst. These are the only brands I found to use just water and organic, raw nuts, without any added sugar, oils or gums. Watch out for these additives and whenever possible, stay away from any type of oat milk as it’s often the most loaded with crap.
Snacks & treats
I prefer to snack on whole foods like organic berries, raw nuts or a protein smoothie. When that’s not possible or I want a treat, I have any of these:
Chomps - for a high protein, single-ingredient savory option
Ella’s flax crackers
Flackers - another great, gluten free and healthy cracker option
IQ protein bars - the cleanest protein bars I found
Mid-day squares - decent protein content and yummy taste
Evolved hazelnut keto cups - no sugar chocolate and nut butter cups
Antidote chocolate - another great option, especially the 100% dark one
Spring & Mulberry chocolate - this is slightly sweetened with dates
Chia Smash - love this low sugar chia “jam” to mix with nut butter
Lesser Evil - I prefer the avocado popcorn over coconut one as it’s lower in saturated fat
Coffee, tea & other drinks
I’ve had a subscription to Counter Culture coffee for as long as I’ve lived in NYC. I only drink decaf and theirs is one of the few that uses the Swiss Water Process to remove caffeine. Heat and time are also employed, but clean water is the only added ingredient.
For matcha, I think Pique is the highest quality one you can find in the US right now.
For electrolytes I like Pique and LMNT.
Weirdly, I also have favorites for water. Since I don’t drink from plastic, I do Mountain Valley or Liquid Death when I’m not at home and don’t have access to my water filter.
Other pantry items
Eden for all canned beans
Tru Roots for all quinoa and lentils
Tolerant lentil (gluten free) pasta
Palmini gluten free pasta made of hearts of palms
Siete almond flour (gluten free) tortillas
Outer Aisle cauliflower wraps
Base Culture gluten free bread
Hawthorne kimchi and sauerkraut
Bragg for apple cider vinegar and coconut aminos
Primal Kitchen avocado oil spray for cooking
Primal Kitchen for stuff like better mayonnaise, marinades and sauces
Fond bone broth - the highest quality broth I’ve found
Supplements
The brands I trust the most are:
Where I shop
I do the majority of my grocery shopping directly from the brands I listed, at Whole Foods, Thrive Market, Happier Grocery, Amazon or Erewhon.
For more affordable sources with quality products you can look into joining a local CSA, use Thrive, Vitacost or Imperfect Foods.
This may come across as weird or controversial, but I don’t love shopping at local farmers’ markets or butchers/ fishmongers in NYC. Sure, it can make you feel good about yourself because you’re shopping locally, but 90% of the time, the produce is not organic because small farmers cannot afford to grow organic produce.
On the other hand, produce at farmers markets is often fresher than what's available in supermarkets, having been harvested at peak ripeness. Since farmers’ markets are notoriously expensive, you might end up paying more for taste and flavor, but not necessarily for quality. It’s up to you what you choose to prioritize.
If I missed any foods or things you want to know about, feel free to drop me a line or DM me and I’ll update this list.