The guide to indie food shopping.

You drive your cart down the aisle of a green grocery store confident you’re a savvy shopper when it comes to sustainable foods.  After all, if it’s in this store in the first place, it must be good, right? Well, pause. Before you throw another pack of tofu dogs into your cart, you may want to consider this:  Many of your beloved brands might actually be owned by larger conglomerates—say, Kraft or Coca-Cola. You think you’re simply buying your favorite humble Honest Tea, but you’re actually throwing a few dollars right back at a giant. Or worse, you’re trying to be kind to animals by drinking Silk soy milk when, in fact, it is owned by Dean Foods, the largest milk distributor in the country.

So what now? Fear not, eco-friend.  Yes, some corporate behemoths have swallowed up smaller companies, but there are still great indie brands out there and they aren’t as hard to find as you might think.

Here are a few of my favorites (available online or at most health food and Whole Foods stores).

THE BIG INDIES

Companies that stock your pantry and fill your fridge.

Amy’s Kitchen – Makers of organic frozen foods, Amy’s Kitchen choices range from Indian Mattar Paneer to Mexican Tamale Pie.

Eden Organic – From juice to soymilk, miso to mochi, Michigan-based Eden Organic has a cornucopia of delicious organics.

Organic Valley – The largest co-op of farmers in the U.S. (and winner of various awards), Organic Valley offers dairy, meat, soy, produce and every other food under the sun.

THE STAPLES

Soy

You like your soy products and you don’t want them from meat companies, thank you very much.

Turtle Island Foods (Tofurky®) – Where would a sandwich or Thanksgiving be without Tofurky®? Deli slices, “jurky,” franks, sausage and tempeh are all in Turtle Island Foods’ meatless lineup.

Whole Soy & Co. – Organic and non-GMO soy yogurt from San Francisco in 11 flavors.

Meats, Dairy & Eggs

You may not be a vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean you want to eat from a factory farm.

Applegate Farms – Everything from Muenster to Andouille along with hormone-free and humanely-raised animal products.

Clover Organic Farms – The first dairy to ever to be certified by the American Humane Association.

Nancy’s Yogurt – Springfield Creamery’s kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese and soy yogurt.

Organic Pastures – Raw milk, butter, cream and cheese from a California family farm.

Vital Farms – Eggs from hens on a grassy, family-owned farm in Austin, Texas.

Wallaby Organic – Australian-inspired organic yogurt and sour cream.

Bread & Grains

You love your carbs, but not genetically modified.

Alvarado Street Bakery – A Petaluma company that makes all things bread including bagels, buns and tortillas!

French Meadow Bakery – The longest running certified organic bakery in the U.S.

Lundberg Family Farms – Producers of non-GMO rice, rice-products and pasta.

THE SIDES

Snacks and packs to help get you through the day.

Clif Bar – Makers of the delicious Clif Bars and Luna Bars for a take anywhere snack.

Frontier Natural Products Co-Op & Simply Organic – Organic spices, mixes and teas to add to your staples.

Newman’s Own – Paul’s organic version of sauces, snacks and even salsa!

Newman’s Own Organics – Newman’s Second Generation brand of goodies including Newman-O’s and Fig Newmans.

THE SWEETS

A bit of sugar and spice made from everything nice.

Alternative Baking Company – Creator of my personal favorite, the cranberry orange muffin cookie, and other delicious vegan cookies.

Julie’s Organic Ice Cream – Dozens of organic dairy treats, plus a few coconut milk sweets from Oregon.

Turtle Mountain – Makers of the So Delicious line of soy milk and coconut milk frozen treats.

Thanks to the following sources for helping me navigate how to find the indie (and not-so-indie) brands.

GOOD Buying Organic Chart, Organic Industry Structure, Organic Dairy Scorecard from The Cornucopia Institute, Organic Egg Scorecard from The Cornucopia Institute and Organic Soy Scorecard from The Cornucopia Institute.

Images courtesy of Flickr and Etsy