Organic Gourmet Markets

Organic gourmet markets are the first place to look when you want to eat well. Here, you are going to find whole foods that have been grown:

✔ Without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers

✔ Without having been genetically modified

✔ In the case of meat, milk, poultry, fish and eggs, there will have been no added antibiotics, growth hormones, or organophosphates -- and the animals will have been raised under humane conditions, which means that they are not penned or kept in tiny cages but allowed to walk around in grassy pastures, be out in the sunshine and open air.

✔ No preservatives can be added to processed food, which means that frozen foods are more fresh than baked goods, for instance, unless the baked goods are also frozen.

Farmers markets are one of the first places to look for organic gourmet foods. Farmers markets are springing up all around the country; in many parts of the world this is the way all people obtain their fresh food products, because it is locally grown and gets to your table faster than if it has to be transported, possibly under refrigeration, long distances. You want food to get to you as soon as possible after it has been picked. Most communities have a farmers market or one nearby.

Local organic farmers are options for some people. Here, you can visit the farm and obtain fresh organic greens and vegetables direct from the grower, often at wonderful prices. We will provide a list here of all the farms we know about (please send us your favorites if you don’t see it listed here.)

Farm stands spring up along roadsides and around small towns and villages in the summer time and autumn, offering everything from greens and fresh produce and fruits, to home-made jams and preserves, honey, and sometimes baked goods.

What you want to ask before buying from a farm stand, though, is if the product has been organically grown or not; the last thing you want is to have to wash pesticides off your produce before you can cook or eat it -- or to learn that the farmer has used genetically modified seeds this growing season. After all, do you really want to eat sweet corn that contains pesticides in its genes? That means you are eating the pesticides -- literally -- and you can’t wash them off; the only thing you can do is avoid it. Don’t eat it.

Thankfully we now can find both health foods and organic gourmet foods at many small markets, health foods stores and healthy foods markets. Some of the larger brand name stores you may know or have heard about:

✔ Trader Joe’s

✔ Whole Foods Market

✔ Wild Oats Stores

✔ Bread and Circus

✔ Mrs. Greens

In addition, there are many local markets that have focused entirely on organic gourmet foods, as more and more savvy retailers learn that there is a huge interest and demand for these products. Look for the independent organic gourmet foods markets, as well as the organic products sections in your local supermarkets.

Find Farmers Markets Near You Find Local Farmers Markets Find Farmers Markets Anywhere in the USA

Again, watch out for GMO foods and make sure that what you are buying really has been grown and harvested organically. Buyer beware of claims for natural ingredients when the product itself also contains ingredients that you would not want to ingest (or put on your skin) ===>

READ THE LABELS on all products claiming to be organic, before you buy. It should not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup, for instance, nor preservatives, nor synthetic ingredients with many syllables. If you don’t know what it is, don’t assume it’s safe!

There are cereals being sold, for instance, that contain SOME organic ingredients, but all the rest of the ingredients are horrible, often high in non-organic sugar content, in the form of fructose, dextrose, or corn syrup (sometimes labeled as HFCS.) Watch out!

If you are looking for local growers, you might like to try the concept of CSA: Community Supported Agriculture. Many communities offer one or more ways to get fresh organic produce all through the growing season by “buying shares” of the farmer’s crops, which are delivered weekly to a central distribution location. The selection varies, but often you can have input to tell the farmer which varieties and crops you like best, and request that your preferences be included in their growing decisions.

This is as close as you can get to fresh food without growing your own! And it’s a wonderful way to support your local organic farmers. Do ask if they are growing their crops according to organic standards and practices; many small farms just starting out will be producing excellent organic food that cannot yet be listed as Certified Organic because they have not been in business long enough. But it’s still great food and deserves your support. On the other hand, you may want to discuss your preferences with a farmer who has not yet made the decision to go organic, or pass on it altogether.

Finally, you can get your organic gourmet foods delivered from one of the great companies serving the organic gourmet buyer, either by mail order or online. Get your food delivered right to your door. We’ve got the resources for that listed here, too.

All that said, you can still grow some (or all) of your own organic food, if you like, in your own home gourmet garden. We will provide you with all the information you need to find seeds, tools, equipment, supplies, and information about home organic gardening for your gourmet pleasure and for your healthy, extraordinary dining experiences.

So there you have it: 7 ways to find great organic gourmet foods! Go find the special foods that make you wiggle with delight, then savor and enjoy!