Let’s face it: not everyone has access to the highest quality of food at all times. Nor is pastured chicken and biodynamically grown vegetables available in every area, but we should all be working in that direction.
So here’s a simple guide. When the very best is available and within your price range: buy it. If you can’t find the best, then just shoot for the next best thing.
Red Meat & Pork
- Best: Wild game or local grass-finished meat and pasture-raised pork purchased from a rancher you know.
- Better: Non-local grass-finished meat and pasture-raised pork purchased through a good-quality company (you can buy it online from US Wellness Meats
- Good: Organic or free-range beef and organic or natural pork.
- AVOID: Conventional meat from confinement operations.
- Tip: If purchasing the best quality meat stretches your budget too thin, don’t give up and purchase CAFO meats; instead, consider purchasing less expensive cuts and supplementing with highly nutrient-dense, but inexpensive organ meats.
Poultry & Eggs
- Best: Wild birds, local pasture-raised poultry and eggs from local, pasture-raised hens purchased directly from the farmer.
- Better: Pasture-raised poultry and eggs from an indirect source like a local market.
- Good: Organic, omega-3 eggs and meat from “free range” chickens.
- AVOID: Conventionally raised meat and eggs from battery cage industrial chicken farms.
- Tip: There probably is someone locally raising chickens and selling eggs, don’t be afraid to ask around or take a trip to the country.
Fish
- Best: Frequent and heavy use of fish and roe from wild-caught, ocean-going fish from cold waters.
- Better: Periodic use of fish and roe from wild-caught ocean-going fish.
- Good: A spoon full of cod liver oil or fish oil.
- AVOID: Fish from fish farming operations.
Fruits & Vegetables
- Best: Fresh locally, organically or biodynamically grown fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Better: Fresh and frozen organically grown fruits and vegetables.
- Good: Purchasing as much organically grown fruits and vegetables as possible while supplementing with conventionally grown fruits and vegetables with low-pesticide residue.
- AVOID: Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables with high-pesticide residue. Most canned fruits and vegetables.
- Tip: Check out the Environmental Working Groups guide to the pesticide levels in produce.
Dairy Products
- Best: Raw whole milk, butter and cream from grass-fed cows producing milk containing A2 beta casein.
- Better: Raw whole milk, butter and cream from grass-fed cows containing A1 beta casein.
- Good: Vat-pasteurized, non-homogenized dairy from grass-fed cows.
- AVOID: Non-organic dairy products from cows of unknown origin. Ultra high temperature pasteurized organic milk.
- Tip: Check out the Environmental Working Groups guide to the pesticide levels in produce.
Fats & Oils
- Best: Traditional fats including raw butter from grass-fed cows, suet & tallow from grass-fed cows, organic unrefined coconut oil, organic extra virgin olive oil, poultry fat from pastured chickens, lard from pastured pork.
- Better: Butter from grass-fed cows, unrefined coconut oil, poultry fat from “free-range” chickens, extra virgin olive oil.
- Good: Organic butter, refined coconut oil, olive oil.
- AVOID: Canola oil, margarine, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, vegetable oils (excluding coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter, olive oil and flaxseed oil), shortening.
Thanks for the info – I may try it out.
Check out The Runaway Lawyer’s last post: ‘Hand of God’ rock being sold on eBay.
thanks for this article suggesting a handful of options!
Check out betsy’s last post: Hopefully Wednesday.
Regarding dairy products, as far as I know, A1/A2 casein is only a problem in cow milk, not goats or sheep milk. Any raw grass-fed goat or sheep milk would fall under ‘best’ category, is that correct?
That is my understanding too, Jola. Yaks, goats and sheep produce A2 milk so the casein issue one that only centers around cow milk.
What’s the difference between A1 &A2, and how can you tell which is which? The dairy I get my raw milk from has brown swiss cows. Is that A1 or A2? or does it depend on something other than the breed of cow?
Thanks for this info! It’s helpful to have second-best options for food when the best option isn’t available. I’m emailing it to my family now.
Kristin -
I’m so happy you liked the post! It’s important to realize that while optimal may not be achievable on every budget, or accessible in some locations there is always another option. No excuses not to eat well, eh?
Blessings -
Jenny
This is the kick-start I’ve been looking for! I have access to grass finished beef and pasture raised pork. I’m on the lookout for poultry and eggs. One item I haven’t seen on your posts (which I love by the way) is beef tongue. I may have missed it as I am new to the website.
This muscle is low in cost and a very dense protein. It does take some time to cook but it’s well worth it once you taste it. It’s very beefy and (once cooked)very tender. I’m curious to see if you have the nutritional value of it because I would like to keep it on my list.
My thanks to you and your readers for all the helpful advice.
Darcy
Darcy -
Thank you so much for your comment! Grass-finished and pasture-raised meats are such a joy in the kitchen. So deeply nourishing. I actually haven’t been able to come across a beef tongue yet. I remember eating it as a child (we were poor and it was cheap). Do you have a recipe for it you really like?
- Jenny