vitacostLet’s go shopping where we save money on healthy foods!

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but if you decide to “wander” through your local health food super market or the health food section of your grocery store you can spend a lot of money on items that don’t taste all that great or work all that well.  Here’s where I come in….to save you TIME & MONEY!

Shopping at Vita Cost with me is kind of like me walking you through the grocery store or health food market and showing you what to buy and how to save money.  I always shop in towns we visit or hold classes to compare prices so I’m pretty aware of what a savings is and what’s not.  In the past you were stuck with the grocery store prices and didn’t get a break regardless of what you purchased and all I got was a thank you very much (sometimes) from the grocer.

Not Sure Where To Start?

Here are items we use and recommend to our clients:

Staples for every day

  1. Vita Cost Brand Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil: We only buy unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil.  We use it for cooking, baking and in salad dressing and especially for our most excellent recipe, “Oh My Gosh It’s Good” Coconut Fudge.  We like the Vita Cost brand extra virgin unrefined coconut oil for around $20 for 54 ounces!  That would cost about $40 at the big health food store…you’ve already saved twenty bucks!  Your Welcome!  Coconut oil is also a star in our much loved Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe, Wonderfully Well, page 269.
  2. Napa Valley Grapeseed Oil and Olive Oil: We use Grapeseed Oil for cooking; not olive oil.  Grapeseed oil stays stable up to 425 degrees.  Olive oil becomes unstable and unhealthy above 225 degrees (although it’s great if you don’t cook it) so use it AFTER you cook veggies, pasta, drizzle on potatoes or salads and salad dressings.  Some companies lace Grapeseed oil and Olive oil with Canola Oil so you need to be choosey about your brands.  I’m so excited to tell you Vita Cost carries my VERY favorite Grapeseed Oil – Napa Valley.  A 2-pack of Napa Valley oil is around $12 bucks.  At the local health food market I would pay $10 for one bottle.   So now we’ve saved another $8 bucks…that’s almost $30 bucks so far.  Your Welcome!
  3. Maranatha Raw Butter: We like the Maranatha Raw Almond Butter, they also have roasted almond butter.  We use Almond Butter rather than Peanut butter.  Peanuts are known to be high in aflatoxin, which is highly toxic to the liver.  It is impossible to eliminate aflatoxin because it begins in the field and continues to grow regardless of what is done to it.  We use this in our “Oh My Gosh It’s Good Coconut Fudge” and in our Asian Salsa, a Thai peanut-type sauce, page 181 in Wonderfully Well.
  4. Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: A staple at our house Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar is used for many things.  We can use it to wash our veggies and fruits…no more expensive veggie wash.  You can find that recipe in our book Wonderfully Well, page 64.   We make salad dressing with Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, add it to beans to reduce gas, take a teaspoon in water prior to meals to help with digestion.  There are many uses for Braggs Raw Apple Cider Vinegar.  You don’t have to refrigerate it either.  Vita Cost is 32 ounces for around $5 bucks but if you buy two bottles you pay around one dollar more and can split it with your friend or your mom.
  5. Braggs Amino Acids: We use Braggs Amino Acids in place of soy sauce.  It does not contain MSG.  Vita Cost prices run from $3.50 ish for a small bottle up to under $7.00 for the big one.  Definitely a savings here.
  6. Coconut Water really makes your CocoaLeaf Greens and ProPeas Shake a delicious nutritional powerhouse.
  7. Golden Flax Seeds could be considered a supplement as well.  We buy the whole flax seed because the ground ones are usually a by-product of flax seed oil, you know, the left overs.  We buy Golden Flax seeds because they have a higher nutritional profile.  The brown flaxseeds are grown for linseed oil – think paint thinner.  You can add ground flax seeds to your smoothies or do like I do and make a flax seed smoothie…flax seeds and water.  Tastes kind of like cold cream of wheat, which I happen to enjoy!

Snacks We Recommend from Vita Cost

Healthier snack items are expensive everywhere.  If you have a health food market nearby or your grocery store has a health food section you may be able to find these on sale from time to time, you will probably pay about the same at Vita Cost as you would at a store for these items, however, if you are purchasing over $50 shipping is free so the advantage would be time saved looking for these items, most of my snack suggestions are Gluten Free:

  1. Mary’s Gone Crackers (my favorite is Caraway)
  2. Lara Bars (be sure and only get the plain old Lara Bars- bars with polka dots and the Uber bars have sugar.  This company was purchased by a major food manufacturer a few years ago and of course they’ve added unhealthier versions.  Original Lara Bars will have a package similar to the photo.  I like Cashew Cookie, Key Lime Pie, and Cherry Pie.  Keep several in your purse or at your desk for emergencies when you are hungry and can’t get good food.  The sweetener in Lara Bars is Medjool dates which don’t store as fat and don’t spike your blood sugar.
    ENJOY LIFE gluten free foods.  These are good products.  We regularly use their mini chocolate chips.

Supplements we often recommend & purchase at Vitacost for the “Medicine Cabinet”

  1. Digestion: VitaCost Betaine HCL with Pepsin – HCL is an acid your stomach produces to help digest proteins; you produce less as you age.  Many people benefit from taking Betaine HCL if they have problems digesting any type of protein or raw veggie.  Just follow the instructions on the bottle.  Betaine HCL can also help if you are anemic, in fact many experts recommend you try Betaine HCL BEFORE adding an iron supplement because Betaine HCL helps you to absorb iron-you may be iron deficient because you aren’t absorbing it, rather than because you aren’t getting enough.
  2. STOMACH FLU: Boiron Occillococcinum – If you have kids in school, you work in an office, or travel in planes this is a good product to have on hand; it is known to stop stomach flu in it’s tracks.  Make it a part of your first aid kit.  Instead of “nursing a cold”, why not just kill it before it starts?  In addition to taking this homeopathic remedy be sure and up your AIM BarleyLife and Just Carrots, take AIM Flora Food to boost your immune system and keep away from all forms of refined sugar which weakens your immune system.
  3. RESPIRATORY FLU: Olive Leaf Extract “stops viral infections or halts the spread of viruses by actually stopping viral replication. According to Zest for Life, “Research indicates that olive leaf extract may be a true anti-viral compound, as it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific system. Because of this, it may be useful when looking to fight influenza, the common cold, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and other viral infections”.  Health Ranger Mike Adams, NaturalNews.com Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030668_olive_leaf_extract_seasonal_flu.html#ixzz2lg2GOGqY In addition to taking this homeopathic remedy be sure and up your AIM BarleyLife and Just Carrots, take AIM Flora Food to boost your immune system and keep away from all forms of refined sugar which weakens your immune system. If you have children or babies check out their huge selection of ways to help your kids stay well.
  4. Hair loss or thinning hair or nails? Biotin is usually a great help, most people take 1000 to 5ooo mg safely, however, ask your doctor or licensed health care professional about how much YOU should take.  The VitaCost Biotin is very reasonable at only about $5 bucks.  Shen Min is a Chinese herb complex that has been shown to help with hair regrowth.  Vita Cost has a number of Shen Min products.
  5. Insomnia or Gout? Vita Cost Organic Tart Cherry Juice.  Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate helps both these common ailments.Vita Cost Brand Organic Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate is a little over $10 bucks for 16 ounces.  Add Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate to smoothies or mint or chamomile tea.  Eating cherries (1/2 to 1 pound per day) has also shown to significantly reduce or even eliminate gout symptoms.  Tart Cherries have melatonin in them which contributes to a good night’s sleep.

Personal Care Products

  1. Canus Goats Milk Soap with Marigold Oil is excellent for anyone but especially helpful for folks with Rosacea or other skin disorders, you can even use it as shampoo.  It’s much less than the healthy soaps at your health food store at around $2 bucks per bar.
  2. Avalon Organics Hand Lotion is something I’ve used for years.  Do you realize the lotions you purchase at the supermarket are made with petroleum?  Do you really want petroleum (think gas) slathered on and absorbed by your skin?  There is No junk in this product and it’s reasonably priced.  I love the way it makes my hands feel nourished, I love the Ylang Ylang or Grapefruit and Geranium Scents.
  3. Jasons Pure Natural Shampoo and Conditioner: Restorative Biotin  is what I use daily on my hair.  I love it.  VitaCost price is $6.50 ish for each (shampoo and conditioner).  At the health food store prices start about $9 bucks plus some change.
  4. Jasons Powersmile All Natural Toothpaste is free from harmful fluoride and, again, petroleum by products.  $3.50 ish.
  5. Lafe’s Natural and Organic Deodorant Crystal Stone: If you only buy ONE personal product from Vita Cost, it’s GOT to be a deodorant Crystal.  We like Lafe’s Natural and Organic Deodorant Crystal Stone, Fragrance Free for just over $3 bucks.  It will last MONTHS and you won’t be absorbing terrible toxins (think aluminum) into your lymphatic system.

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Vita Cost, and receive a small commission on products people buy through this link, however I only recommend and align with companies I would recommend without commission, as I have done with Vitacost for the past 6 years.   I appreciate your support, your purchases through affiliate links help pay for my website and operating costs.