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Favorite Raw Internet Storefronts(?)

Hello Everyone!

So, I've been reading about Raw Foods for the past several years (here and there). A Raw Foods restaurant opened up right around the corner from me a couple months ago giving me the opportunity to see what it was all about. I like it :)

I just received a Vitamix 5200 today and am stocking up. I've got plenty of cookbooks in advance (Raw Food - Real World, RAWvolution, Ani Phyo's Raw Food Kitchen, and Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw Food Made Easy).

Prior to this I wasn't exactly a cook so blended smoothies and soups will be where I start on my own.

We've got a Whole Foods and a local Natural Food Store close by and several Farmer's Markets and CSAs. That's great for produce but they don't have so much in the way of other Raw Staples.

For example, I'm thinking Raw...

Tahini

Coconut Oil/Butter

Hemp Oil/Seeds

Cacao Powder/Nuts/Butter

Carob Powder

Green Powders

Various Herbs

Vanilla

Mesquite

Maca

etc

Do you have a favorite place or two with decent prices, inventory, shipping processing times?

I've got a couple bookmarked but most of them have a couple items, then the next place has a couple more, etc.

Looking for your feedback and experiences.

Thanks!

John

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Comments

  • A couple addt'l items (this isn't a definitive list but gotta start somewhere):

    Agave

    Miso

    Nuts

    Sea Vegetables

    Sprout Seeds

    So, I guess I'm looking for a couple places with a good balance of quality, variety, price, and customer service but if there's one that excels in one or two areas but lacks in another - I'd be interested in that information as well.

    Thanks again!

  • http://www.nutsonline.com/

    They have raw, natural and organic nuts, some seeds, and maca! Their prices are reasonable, and their service is extraordinary!

    http://mountainroseherbs.com/

    Lots of organic herbs, teas, coconut oil, etc. All organic. Great company!

    Hope this helps a bit.

    Om Shanti

  • schmoopeeschmoopee Raw Newbie

    http://www.rawvegansource.com

    Really nice people! They carry everything on your list and are always happy to answer any questions.

  • Outstanding! Thanks Faye, Thanks Schmoopee.

    I'll check around tomorrow and start making my shopping list :)

  • I order from a few places online

    www.naturalzing.com maca root powder / ground vanilla / mesquite pod meal / carob are pretty much what I stick to there. Great service. They also have nuts that sound good, but I haven't ordered any from them just yet. I plan to in the future.

    www.rawfoodworld.com is similar in price and service, and assortment. They have a great selection of raw food books as well.

    www.rawfromthefarm.com sells nuts and dried fruit, raw. I get real sun-dried tomatoes, no preservatives, the real deal and they are delicious. I also have some nuts on order now, this will be the first time getting nuts from them.

    www.realrawfood.com They are in Cananda and have great products. I have ordered from them several times and everything was to my liking. There is a 100$ minimum here though, plus shipping from Canada (I am in NY) and I don't order from them unless I have a lot and cannot find what I need closer to me.

    www.drbenkim.com sells really raw cashews and cacao powder. I like his cashews.

    www.vitacost.com is where I get my spirulina and chlorella tablets. Great prices.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    don't buy tahini if you have a high speed blender. just use the blender to grind sesame seeds. i add the sesame seeds to the hummus ingredients (zucchini, oil) or to salad dressing ingredients and whir till smooth. dry your own fruit. sprout seeds are often available at the local farm supply store.

  • That's a great question, thanks. i'm saving everything in my favorites file.

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    Natural Zing is probably our number one source, followed closely by Matt Monarch's web store because he has such crazy sales from time to time. I *think* it's www.livingnutritionals.com - my husband does most of the ordering so I'm nt 100% sure.

  • Great tip Suasoria, I had not heard of www.livingnutritionals.com. Thank you!

  • www.livingnutritionals.com has alot of stuff I think I will be buying...this transition to RAW is becoming pricey hahahaha but I know it will be worth it.

    Peace & abundance to all

    Lo~

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    Actually I'm not sure if that's Matt & Angela's site or not, but this one definitely is

    http://www.therawfoodworld.com/

    Good for comparison purposes, anyway. Use coupon code RawSuccess for 5% off. Anyway, I trust them both.

  • Suasoria, I think that LivingNutritionals is Matt's site. I ordered spirulina tabs and a couple of books from it and he sent a note. Their customer service is pleasant, friendly and prompt. Great tip, thank you again. Natural Zing is definitely my favorite though. They are fabulous.

  • Hey Aubbie could i ask you which product you order for spirlina and chlorella? (from www.vitacost.com) i've looked for a 4lb bottle of spirlina but the largest i see is a 1lb bottle. Sorry first online order and i find all of the products overwhelming. I prefer going into a health store and having a sales person point me in the right direction. thank you. :)

  • Hi findamanda,

    I goofed, the powders I bought from LuckyVitamin.com not Vitacost.com (I use both companies however, their inventory is slightly different but both have great prices)

    This is the link for the Spirulina Powder / 4 pounds / NOW Foods is the brand from LuckyVitamin http://www.luckyvitamin.com/item/itemKey/56689

    This is the link for Chlorella Powder / 1 kg / Yaeyama by Source Naturals from LuckyVitamin

    http://www.luckyvitamin.com/item/itemKey/65788

    Recently I found a new place online for the tablets, I am probably ordering some this week and will let you know how that goes.

    If you have any questions or the links don't work you can just email me directly at akaauburneyes@aol.com

  • I live by three Whole Foods, and one of them has a whole Raw aisle! The other one is getting there; they have raw crackers, raw food bars, raw nuts and some raw desserts. The last one has nothing in the way of raw at all. The reason for this is the fact that Whole Foods has local buyers that try to appeal to the local demographic.

    If people in that demographic are asking for raw items, they will stock them. Be sure and ask about it; who knows, they may start to carry some stuff!

    I wouldn't bother with mesquite and maca and whatnot if you're new; try keeping it simple at first, just to get the hang of it. I've known a lot of people who have given up raw because they jump in head first and end up totally and completely out of their comfort zone.

    A word on young coconuts: at first, I was buying them by the case at Whole Foods, since they give you a 5% discount on stuff by the case. They came in cases of 9. I used only about one a day, so I split the case with a friend, and we had a weekly shipment. The thing is, at Whole Foods here, young coconuts are around $1.99 each. The reason for this is the fact that they are considered 'exotic.' The trick is to go to a place where they are not considered exotic, but rather every day produce. They will be much, much cheaper.

    We found an Asian supermarket that sells them for 50 cents each. 50 CENTS EACH!!! So now they're cheaper than avocados!

    I gathered a group of friends together, and we order from nutsonline.com and livingnutritionals.com in bulk, then split it amongst ourselves. This is the best way to save money; we have a little raw co-op going on. If you have some friends, that's the most cost efficient way to do it.

    Also, spring is coming...start sprouting and planning your garden! I bought a blueberry bush transplant that is of fruiting age for $50; I'll never have to buy fresh blueberries again!~ A little investment in gardening can go a long way.

    Good lucke!

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    rawvegansource is great although i've never ordered online, just gone by foot.

    i've had some trouble ordering from living nutritionals. we got the wrong stuff and it took forever another time. be careful with nutsonline, some stuff has preservatives. ick!

  • waterbaby12347waterbaby12347 Raw Newbie

    www.iherb.com has excellent quality, a coupon code is on my profile for you to use and they have free shipping for orders over a certain amount... It has been awhile for me to order as I buy in large quantities, but I believe it is over $50 but not too sure... (edit $60 and no shipping)

    They have never shipped me anything but what I ordered and exactly what I ordered... I did have a yacon bottle to leak and I mentioned it to them when I called to make another order and they sent me another bottle without question... Very nice dealing with them... Great company as the more you order the more discount you receive and more money you save with each order...

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    Poorbadger: "I've got a couple bookmarked but most of them have a couple items, then the next place has a couple more, etc."

    Ugh, tell me about it!! I have lots of places bookmarked, and I really wished it wasn't just for one or two items each.

    Here are two I have shopped with:

    http://www.rawbakery.com/

    http://www.naturalzing.com/

    These are some I am considering (I would love to know if anybody has any experience shopping with the following?):

    http://www.goldminenaturalfoods.com/raw/default.aspx

    http://livesuperfoods.com/

    http://www.dateland.com/

    http://www.sproutliving.com/store/

  • omigoodness, amen on the nutsonline experience, bitt! We ordered dried mango, and it had yellow and red food coloring in it!! A lot of it is good but some of it is totally not....i don't even know why they carry the bad stuff!

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    Waterbaby, amen to iHerb - fast shipping, always a great experience, service, everything top-notch.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    The crackers at Livin Spoonful are SOO tasty.

    http://www.gluten-free-crackers.com/gluten-free-products.html

  • OK Thanks alot Winona I'm going to try their sample box!! The coconut curry crackers sound deeeeelish not that I'm biased to the curry HaaaaaHaha! My house has had the curry funk for the last week! My husbands friends stopped by so had to make a few dishes...they always are amazed that a "gori" can cook authentic tasting indian food LOL I have more masalas than MOST of the Indians we know. Do you not have a dehydrator? I don't and don't know that I will ever BUT who knows where this journey will lead me. I have heard some people say they are a must and other say they purchased them yet rarely used them. I'm conflicted but I may try concocting some recipes and use my oven and see if i'm really digging that and then invest but at this point I'm not making any moves. Heck I just borrowed my friend's brevill ikon blender because she never uses it. It blended my greens nicely. Dunno if it's to the "MICRON" level I keep reading about BUT it was smooth enough and very tasty! I drank half as was, then strained other half...both good. I almost ordered the BlendTec 13amp from BBB with my 20% coupon but after shipping and taxes was not a savings really so started rethinking the whole sitch hahaha. hey with these economic times I gotta really think about major purchases.

    Waterbaby...I am also going to check out iherb...do they have good vanilla beans? I'm looking for GOOD tasty vanilla beans without breaking the bank!! Is it better to purchase them dry dry or should they be moist. I know to soak them but wondering about the intial state when purchasing. Did that make sense?? Oh and I JUST read your profile...so cute. You are not a little old lady your a hot mama! I can only hope to look as youthful as you in the next coming years let alone decade!! You are wonderful.

    Pixx just the name rawbakery sounds sinfully tempting LOL I will prob get into alot of trouble there but will def check them out!!

    I wish I had a place for a garden!! Hey I do have a little strip in the backyard...hmmmm I wonder...I would love to grow my own cucumbers!! They are the best home grown...anyone know the time to plant and how long it takes to reap the rewards?? My grandmother used to plant a huge garden in CA I never paid attention...how I regret that now.

    Ok peace to you all!!

    Much luv...you all inspire me daily

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    glamazon - i use vanilla extract. i simply can't afford to use vanilla beans at $2.50 a pop. to grow something easy, i recommend planting basil in your backyard, that stuff grows like a weed.

    I have a dehydrator, but i ordered those crackers because they're incredible! i do use my dehydrator often, at least 1-2 times a week i made a nice batch of bbq mushrooms for pizzas/sandwiches, i make sweet crepes to fill with cream and berries, i make burgers to go on pasta, and of course falafel!

  • My mouth is watering I tell you!! Time for a green smoothie else I am going scarf everything in sight! What is your fav cracker from the site there? The coconut curry is right up my alley so really hoping they are good!

    I have read some really great sounding veggie burger recipes...that Alissa Cohens carrot pecan burger sounds rockin!! Theres a lady down the shore who used to sell homemade veggis burgers that were soooo awesome but they are NOT raw...hmmmm maybe she could make some raw though. Ima have to look for her number again. It's been years since i have had them from her. Mmmmm BBQ mushrooms sound divine. See i gotta get my smoothie swirling with the quickness!!

    Peace & light from a hungry Glamazon hahahha

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    The coconut curry is awesome! Sunny garden herb is yummy. Pesto pumpkin seed is very good too.

    I like the caraway crisp, but not as much as the other three.

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    Winona & glamazon ~ Here is where I buy my vanilla beans; $7.95 for 7; or less than a buck each for the larger packages, and FREE shipping. :~)

    http://www.jrmushroomsandspecialties.com/index.php?cPath=68_168

    I've not heard to soak them, though??? I've never done that! Other than the ones I soak in vodka, or bourbon, to make my own extract. Usually, I just throw about 1/3 of a bean into my smoothies, as is. Or scrape the seeds to use in recipes that don't get blended.

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    Ah, left out this one in my list above the other day...

    http://www.tropicaltraditions.com

    I shop there quite a bit! Great stuff. :~)

  • Oh I was shopping with TT...used to get their coconut cream and I love their soap!! But I have always used my P.O. box and it's the address thats been on my account from day one, now all of the sudden they aren't shipping to PO's??!! So wrote them a E and all and awaiting a reply. See from what they report NO coconut oil is truly raw...and i like the way the process their items...it's not huge overly mechanical processing.

    I had seen or read some VB's are overly dry and to rehydrate them...like dried mushrooms or whatever but was wondering if that would effect their taste?? I realy want to make the Raw-EO shake. I love oreos and have been known to eat half a bag back in the day. So the link you posted do you have to buy a certain amount of product to get free shipping??

    Ok well good night my lovelies...I'm tired and need to give my Boog baby her massage and meds.

    Sweet dreams

    Lo~

  • pixxpixx Raw Master

    The free shipping from JR Mushrooms is for any size order of vanilla beans; & on vanilla beans only. I ordered a small bag, and had them within a week, regular mail, small padded envelope. Less than 8 bucks for 7 beans. Totally cool!

    :~)

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    I just placed an order with this company: http://www.rawvegansource.com/

    Their prices are AWESOME. $15 for 1lb cacao butter, $15 for 1lb cacao powder, $3 nut milk bags. They even carry irish moss! And the coconut butter bulk price is EXCELLENT - comes out to $7/lb when you buy 8lbs. I can't wait for my order to arrive!

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