Pre-Work Resources
Thrive Market Bonus
Thrive Market is an online marketplace that offers natural/organic food and household products at discounted prices. Think Costco meets Whole Foods.
Thrive Market is a great resource If you’re interested in joining Thrive Market, you’ll get 30% off your purchase & free shipping.
Online Shopping
- Thrive Market is an online market that tends to carry healthier packaged foods and can cater to specific diets. Each product lists out the relevant values at the top of the screen (e.g., organic, raw, vegan, gluten-free).
- Amazon is another great resource for a variety of foods and clean products. Just be certain the ingredient list is available, and any foods selected fit into your specific plan.
- Vitacost is an online source for bath and body products as well as snacks, teas, etc.
- EWG or the Environmental Working Group is a wonderful tool for reviewing the quality of products before purchasing. They offer both a website and a free app for your phone.
- Misfit Produce is a subscription box of organic veggies and fruits from farms and stores, delivered directly to you.
- Imperfect foods offers organic produce and conventional produce, plus staples, but has limited delivery zip codes.
Meal kit delivery (with a plant-based focus)
- Daily Harvest: offers vegan frozen smoothies, milk, various bowls, and soups that can be quickly cooked by adding heat and/or liquid – ideal for breakfast and lunches.
- Freshnlean: The “ION Performance Protein +” plan is Gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free. Plan features organic vegetables and wild/pastured meat and fish
- Hungry Root: Grocery delivery & meal kit. Includes bowls, wraps, salads, vegetable noodles, and more.
Sustainably Sourced Meat and Seafood
Even though we’re focused on plant diversity, I wanted to include some of my favorite resources for animal protein as well.
- Vital Choice: Seafood, meat, poultry
- Wild Alaskan Company: Wild-caught seafood
- US Wellness Meats: Meat and poultry, dairy and seafood
- Fossil Farms: Farm-raised game & all-natural meats
- Walden Local Meats: Customized share delivery program available in Greater Boston and numerous locations in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.
We get questions about fish and contamination, which are reasonable concerns. The safe seafood guide from the Environmental Working Group is an excellent reference, as is the EPA’s list of environmental mercury sources. We would also suggest the following online sources of sustainable sources meats and seafood:
Batch Cooking & Meal Prep
Planning ahead is an excellent way to start integrating new behaviors and dietary choices into your life in a sustainable and comfortable way. Most of us don’t have time to cook everyday but that doesn’t mean we have to give up making and enjoying nutrient-dense, colorful meals. That’s where meal prepping and batch cooking comes in.
Cleaning, chopping, and organizing your produce right when you get home from grocery shopping makes it easier to grab and go when you’re hungry. Preparing your meals in advance also makes it easier to stick to your goals. This could include prepping ingredients to grab when you make them or cooking meals & storing them in containers for the week.
How to Split up your Week
- On Sunday: Use this day to gather your ingredients and prepare some easy batches and/or pre-cut produce that you plan to use for recipes during the week.
- On Wednesday or Thursday: You might do another round of batch cooking (especially if you are cooking for more than 1) to get you through the weekend. You might also need to "re-up" as you run out of your pre-made ingredients so plan a quick stop at the grocery store midweek.
- On Friday: Evaluate if you need to do another pre-weekend grocery run and if you do, stop on the way home. Remember, you'll get a new recipe pack each Sunday, so plan to have ingredients through every Saturday of the week.