Food & Drinks
I'm passionate about clean ingredients, simple nutrition, and high-quality food. Everything listed here is chosen based on ingredient quality first, then taste and experience. While I’ve tried many products, I haven't tried every product on the market, and brands don't always stay consistent over time. This section will grow and evolve as I test more. Most of these can be found in your local grocery store. Suggestions are always welcome!
Best Bottled Water:
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Tip: When possible, opt for bottled water in glass containers. Glass is inert, non-leaching, and better at preserving taste and purity, especially when stored over time or in warm conditions.
Best Tea:
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Tip: The best tea is always organic loose leaf, not bagged. Loose leaf teas are less processed, offer fuller flavor, and contain higher levels of beneficial compounds without microplastics or added fillers.
Best Shelf-Stable Juices:
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Tip: The best room temperature juices are 100% juice, not made from concentrate, with no added sugar or flavoring, and packaged in glass bottles to avoid chemical leaching from plastic.
Best Refrigerated Juices:
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Tip: The best refrigerated juices are cold-pressed, 100% juice, and made with no added sugar, flavoring, or preservatives. Refrigerated options are often fresher and less processed than shelf-stable juice, making them a cleaner and more nutrient-rich choice.
Best Coconut Water:
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Tip: Choose pure coconut water with nothing added. Avoid concentrates, sweeteners, and flavorings for the cleanest hydration.
Best Orange Juice:
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Tip: The best orange juice is fresh-squeezed or cold-pressed, not from concentrate, and free from added sugar or flavor packs.
Best Apple Juice:
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Tip: The best apple juice is made from 100% juice and never from concentrate. Choose options with no added sugar, flavoring, or preservatives.
Best Plant-Based Milk:
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Tip: The best plant-based milks are made with just a few real ingredients and no added oils, gums, or synthetic flavors. If you can, go for unsweetened varieties with simple labels.
Best Protein Powder:
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Note: Choose protein powders with simple ingredient lists and no artificial flavors or fillers. Clean protein should focus on the source, not added extras.
Best Beef Jerky:
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Tip: The best beef jerky is made from grass-fed beef and simple ingredients like sea salt and natural seasonings. Avoid options with added sugar, artificial flavors, or preservatives for a cleaner, more natural option.
Best Biltong:
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What is Biltong?
Biltong is air-dried beef, made using a centuries-old South African method. This natural process preserves flavor, texture, and nutrients without using heat or preservatives.
Best Bacon:
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Tip: The best bacon is uncured, with no added sugar, nitrates, or artificial preservatives. Look for options made with just pork, salt, and simple seasonings.
Best Meat Sticks:
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Tip: The best meat sticks are made from 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef or pasture-raised meat, with no added sugar, preservatives, or artificial flavors. Look for brands with short ingredient lists and no unnecessary fillers.
Best Eggs:
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Tip: Choose pasture-raised and organic eggs for the best nutrition, flavor, and ethical standards.
Best Almond Butter:
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Note: Almond butter should only have one ingredient, almonds.
Best Maple Syrup:
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Shady Maple Farms
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Note: Maple syrup should list only one ingredient: maple syrup. Skip products with corn syrup, added sweeteners, caramel color, or "natural flavors."
Best Mayonnaise:
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Tip: The best mayonnaise is made with avocado oil or olive oil and real ingredients like eggs, vinegar, and lemon juice. Avoid seed oils, added sugars, and preservatives for a cleaner, healthier option.
Best Unsweetened Applesauce:
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Tip: The best applesauce is made with just organic apples, with no added sugar, ascorbic acid, or preservatives. Look for options labeled unsweetened with a short ingredient list.
Best Chocolate Bars:
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Tip: The best chocolate bars are made with high-quality cacao and just a few ingredients. Look for fair trade options that are free from refined sugar, emulsifiers, and added flavors.
Best Manuka Honey:
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Tip: Real Manuka honey contains only Manuka honey and nothing else. Look for jars with UMF or MGO certification to ensure quality and authenticity.
Best Honey:
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Beesponsible Bee Harmony Honey
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Note: Many store-bought honeys are heated and heavily filtered, stripping away nutrients. Look for jars labeled raw, unfiltered, or single-origin for the purest quality.
Best Ground Beef:
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Tip: Ground beef that’s grass-fed and grass-finished delivers better flavor and a healthier fat profile. It’s raised the natural way, without grains, additives, or synthetic growth hormones.
Best Brown Rice Pasta:
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Tip: Rice pasta is a clean, gluten-free option made with just rice and water. It’s easy to digest, mild in flavor, and free from the unnecessary additives found in many other gluten-free pastas.
Best Snack Bars:
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Tip: The best snack bars are made with whole food ingredients like nuts, seeds, and dates. Avoid bars with added refined sugars, seed oils, gums, or synthetic preservatives.
Best Cereal:
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Tip: Many “healthy” cereals contain more sugar than desserts. Always check the label and choose options made with real, whole ingredients.
Best Granola:
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Tip: The best granola is made with whole ingredients such as nuts, seeds, and coconut, then lightly sweetened with natural options like honey or maple syrup. Avoid added refined sugars, seed oils, and artificial flavors.
Best Salt:
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Note: Choose salt that contains only one ingredient, salt. Avoid highly processed table salt with additives like anti-caking agents or synthetic compounds.
Best Potato Chips:
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Tip: The best potato chips are made with just potatoes, salt, and a quality cooking fat like tallow, avocado oil, coconut oil, or olive oil. Avoid chips made with seed oils or artificial additives.
Best Corn Chips:
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Tip: The best corn chips are made with organic or non-gmo corn, sea salt, and a clean oil like olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or tallow. Avoid chips made with seed oils and artificial flavors.
Best Jarred Salsa:
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Tip: The best jarred salsas are made with simple ingredients like tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices. Avoid salsas with added sugar, preservatives, or natural flavors.
Best Tomato Sauce:
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Note: Many tomato sauces contain added sugar, seed oils, or “natural flavors.” Choose sauces with a short ingredient list and real, whole-food ingredients.
Best Popcorn:
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Note: The best popcorn is made from organic kernels with no seed oils, artificial butter flavor, or preservatives.
