Oh Wyoming…
I love you, but you sure can be frustrating when it comes to grocery shopping sometimes…
Walmarts and traditional grocery stores abound, but if organic foods are your jam, well, things get a little more complicated…
I figured I surely can’t be the only one who has to get a little extra creative when it comes to shopping for slightly less conventional groceries, so on the small chance this might be helpful to a few of you, here is how I manage to stock our pantry, cabinets, and larder, with pretty decent options– even though there isn’t a Trader Joes or a Whole Foods in the entire state.
How I Grocery Shop for Organic Foods in a Rural Area
(This is the video, but if you prefer the text version, keep scrolling!)
Grow It!
The first strategy I use when I’m stocking our pantry or freezers is to grow as much as possible, which probably doesn’t come as a surprise to any of you. Our food production really, really takes the edge off of our grocery bill, even though it ebbs and flows depending on the seasons.
What We Grow:
- All our own beef (about one steer every 12 to 18 months)
- Most of our pork (about one, two hogs every other year or so)
- All of our own chicken (we do a batch of 30 meat birds one to two times per year depending on how much room I have in the freezer)
- A lot of our own dairy (which does vary a bit depending on the cow’s lactation cycle or how much cream she’s giving)
- Almost all of our own eggs, although the chickens sometimes go into seasonal periods where they stop laying and I have to supplement from the store.
- Enough vegetables, potatoes, garlic and onions in our garden to last for about 8 months of the year, although it depends on how robust the garden was that year.
I know growing a ton of food at home isn’t in the cards for everyone, but I do think that everyone can grow at least a little something, even if it is a herb garden in the windowsill. However if you can’t grow your own meat, eggs, or dairy, I do recommend taking the time to seek out local producers or farmers for those items.
I love being able to support local growers whenever I’m a little short on pork in the freezer or tomatoes in the garden. And I don’t mind paying a little bit more for products that I know have been grown sustainably or grown ethically or grown locally with better practices and standards.
Supplement with Conventional Grocery Stores
We do buy a few things locally at our regular grocery stores (about 35 miles away) even though we don’t have a lot of options there. There is one tiny natural food store in the town is south of us and that’s where I will get sometimes low-temp vat-pasteurized milk if the cow is dry, pastured eggs to supplement the hens if they’re not laying (and I can’t make it to the farmer’s market), or the occasional organic pantry item.
I also get some things at just the regular old grocery store– yes, really. We follow the 80/20 rule, which means I’m just not hung up on eating a “perfect” diet. Sometimes I buy tortillas or sandwich bread or chips– I know how to make those things myself, but it doesn’t always work with my schedule, plain and simple. And sometimes you just gotta prioritize your sanity.
We also pick up things like bananas or avocados at the local stores–those aren’t items we’re able to order, and growing them here in Wyoming ain’t gonna happen.
The Farmer’s Market
We have a farmer’s market that runs in our area from August to October. It’s not quite as robust as markets in other areas, but I will occasionally grab boxes of fruit or larger amounts of vegetables for preservation (if I had a bad year with the garden). I don’t go as much as I like, as driving all the way to town on Saturday mornings generally doesn’t mesh with our calendar, but hopefully you have a more available or more accessible farmer’s market in your area and you can take advantage of that in your grocery shopping.
Costco Wholesale
Another store I add into our routine is Costco (I like them WAY better than Sam’s Club). The closest one is about an hour and a half away, so I don’t go there all the time (usually once every 1-2 months). We didn’t get a membership until last year, but I’m actually using it way more than I thought I would. I love Costco for things like quality cheeses or organic lunch meats to have when we have crews of people working here. I also grab organic pasta, organic tortilla chips, coffee beans, toilet paper, paper towels, and organic produce there. I’m usually pleasantly surprised at what organic options they have, if you know where to look.
Thrive Market
I’ve known about Thrive Market for a while now, but honestly I didn’t really fully take advantage of them into last year. Basically, they’re kind of like a cross between Amazon and Whole Foods, but they’re entirely online. You do get a membership just like Costco and then you order whatever you want, whenever you want.
They usually have free shipping for orders over $50, so I keep a running list and only place an order when I have a considerable number of items. until I’m over that $50 threshold and then I buy a lot of organic pantry staples or dry goods or greens, nuts, things like that.
Things I Love to Get from Thrive Market
- Sea salt
- Maple syrup
- Sucanat and coconut sugar
- Coconut milk
- Popcorn
- Spices/herbs
- Dried beans
- Rolled oats
- Nuts
- Organic condiments (ketchup, mustard, apple cider vinegar, etc)
Thrive Market fills in a ton of the gaps I have from living in a “whole foods desert” and they save me trips to town, which is a huge bonus.
Azure Standard
The last option that I’ve used intermittently over the years is Azure Standard. (They don’t deliver everywhere, but if you live in the west/midwest, you probably have access to them) Azure is a bulk food-buying coop, so you do have to find a group in your area to order with, but they are a good option to save money if you need larger quantities of whole/organic foods.
Because of the way they ship the food in on a semi truck, you do have to coordinate drop times, which is a little tricky when you live as far out of town as we do. That, combined with the fact, I don’t really feel the need to have 100lbs of beans in my basement at all times, has kept me from ordering with them recently.
What I Used to Get from Azure Standard:
- 50 lb bags of whole cane sugar, whole wheat, lentils, beans
- Large pails of organic peanut butter and raw honey
- 50 lb bags of kelp and diatomaceous earth for the animals
- Boxes of organic apples, peaches, etc, for canning
And there you have it folks. My grocery shopping method isn’t perfect, but it works for us. And now that I’m in the routine of it, it really doesn’t take that long. I firmly believe you don’t have to live in a mecca of organic foods or stores to have a more whole foods lifestyle that’s much healthier for you
YOUR TURN!
If you live a rural area like me, I’d love to hear your best tips for treasure-hunting organic and whole foods!
We also raise our own pork, chicken, eggs, have honey bees, tap our maple trees, grow fruit & vegetables which we freeze and preserve… hunt, fish and forage for wild edibles BUT, I need to buy milk and cream from the grocery store (here in Canada, there is a quota system for dairy, so it is illegal to buy milk from farmers…I need a dairy cow!), which I make into yogurt and butter. I also found a local source for organic flour and oats. We also buy a side of beef from our neighbour. The rest is purchased from local vendors or grocery stores…sometimes we even barter with people for the things we don’t have.
Oh wow! I didn’t know that about the quota system– I imagine that is so frustrating!
I live in a place where foraging for spring greens, herbs, nuts, and roots is a possibility. Trading foods, goods, and services with other community members means we don’t have to take on all the aspects of homesteading on our own and can focus what we are the best at producing – and sharing! Thanks for this list!
I love this! Foraging (when available) is such an amazing option!
If you haven’t heard of the Grove Collaborative then please go check them out. Not necessarily groceries-but all your cleaning and laundry supplies, paper products, etc. Works much like Thrive. The products are almost all earth and home friendly with new products being added all the time. I love their new bamboo paper products. I started ordering from Grove about 2 years ago. Can I tell you that the prices are good but more so, have saved me money by not having to run to Walmart or Target for these products, where I always spend more on “other” things that I don’t really need. Delivered to your door! Perfect! Order as much or as little as you want at a time. Order renews when you set it to renew. Most of the time free shipping and usually some extra awesome freebies!
I have tried them once– I thought they had some decent items. However, I actually get most all of my cleaning/laundry/soaps through my doTERRA account, so it was a bit redundant for me. I know lots of people love them, tho!
I don’t think Thrive Market is all online. We just had a store open in the Pittsburgh, Pa area. I could be wrong tho, I haven’t been there yet. It’s pretty far away from where we live.
Oh really? That’s cool if they have a storefront too!
Excellent article to give us a “clue”! When I pay exorbitant prices in our “cheap” grocery store in town, I always think to myself, I can grow that! I’m looking forward to a root cellar soon. Seems apples, onions, carrots, etc. need 45 degrees or lower for proper storage for fall/winter/spring supply. How does your root cellar/basement storage work out for you, Jill? Is it at 45 degrees?
It works OK– not perfect, though. I think it needs to be slightly colder, which is kinda tough for us. Still brainstorming other solutions!
I also try to grow and preserve as much as I can over the growing season so that I do not have to worry about that. But living in a very rural area, it really is hard to find organics without having to make an entire day of driving to do it. We are lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods about 2 hours away, but I only go once every few months. (I have too much to do to spend 4 hours in the car!) Since we have yet to set up the homestead for livestock, we frequent the local butcher/meat processing shop for our meat. And we have an agreement with one of our friends that he can hunt our land, but he always makes sure to take a doe so that we can get the meat for our freezer. (I love the barter system.) I will definitely be checking out your online suggestions. Thank you so much for this post. It’s nice to not feel alone in this struggle. *Hugs*
You’re definitely not alone! Sounds like we have very similar suggestions– shopping is an “event”, to be sure!
Azure also has small quanties, 5# and up. It really depends on the item. Love Azure, order from them bout twice a year. But I don’t order, meats,
fresh fruit or veggies. Just dry bulk, canned food, and herbs and spices.
Yeah, after reading several comments, I’m thinking I might need to give Azure a second look. 😉
I do most of what you do, growing wise (beef, chickens, lambs, but no pigs), and gardens. Some fruit. No Azure, minor local grocery stores (I visit Save a lot or Aldi if I am already in town), no Thrive/Grove/etc., yes Amazon, but the place that gets many of my local dollars is the Amish store. People go in for candy (gag) or spices/herbs (fresh and great price) and stay for the local honey, cheese, flours and grains, etc. I get some kitchen utensils and sewing goods there also (a quilt square was a recent find).
Azure has lots of purchasing options now. You can buy in much smaller quantities than you used to. In fact, I often just buy one of something first to make sure I like it before going the bulk route (which then saves money and packaging) I use them a lot to supplement our infrequent trips to Costco (1 1/2 hours away). We happen to have an Azure drop close by so it’s convenient. I would encourage you to give them another try!
I got through living in a food desert by monthly trips to Sam’s Club. I had to go 2 towns over to get to a weekly grocery store. The county seat for that forlorn county. Never grew a thing as we rented.
Plus I a had a monthly co-op for things too. Meet the truck n unload it.