shop here when you are cuckoo over the flu!

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9 places recommended by LisaBorden

Expert Eco-Friendly

Created on Nov 2 2009

There are so many great things to inject into your bodies to get through flu season! Colourful organic produce, high grade homeopathics and vitamins (especially D), Coconut Water, Manuka Honey, Teas and much more! These Toronto stores have everything you need...plus lots of great advice that may give you a new perspective!

Qi Natural Foods

1001 Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto, ON, M6C 2C7

Rated this place:

posted Apr 7 2009

They are a Natural Choice!: So, you want to buy probiotics, organic veggies, diapers, quinoa and a chocolate bar - Qi Natural Foods is the store for you. At first entrance, you might want to flee. It’s not exactly a pleasant shopping experience in cramped aisles with crowded shelves. But once you’ve shopped Qi and explore each and every shelf, it’ll become your favourite stomping ground. I shop at 1001 Eglinton Avenue West near the Allen Road (there are 2 other locations also), where there is also a naturopath on hand to answer questions. As a bonus, they will get in products that you want and their prices are unbelievable. They take weekly organic milk orders in glass bottles also...thanks Gary!

The Healthy Butcher

565 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M5V2B6

Rated this place:

posted Apr 12 2009

LIVE TO EAT on Eglinton!: What a pleasure it is to shop on Eglinton West at the Healthy Butcher. Even though their store name implies meat, they are my stop gap measure in between farmer's markets for local and organic fruits and veggies, fish, cheese, bread and eggs. In a very small store (compared to a grocery store), you can buy everything from safe cookware, spices, organic condiments + flours, delicious artisinal cheese and crackers (monforte sheep's cheddar and evelyn's crackers...yum!), the best popcorn (passion popcorn from Ontario) and lots of nut-free and organic products (if you haven't already tried Mapleton's Organic Cappuccino Ice Cream, you must!). The staff are absolutely wonderful and very accommodating for any special requests. Even though there is no "easy" parking, it's easy in and easy out (they will carry their groceries to your car)...and open 7 days per week. 2 other locations also...it's worth the drive.

Ecoexistence

21 Vaughan Road, Toronto, ON, M6G 2N2

Rated this place:

posted Apr 12 2009

This is the ECO that should EXIST!: If you don't know about this store's existence, you must go and check it out! You can go and spend minutes and get what you need (Klean Kanteens, Organic Clothing, RuMe Reusable Bags) or spend hours in this store with their enthusiastically eco staff learning (how to and what to use to clean yourself and your home, how to pack a safe and healthy school or work lunch and the tools to make it easy, what books to read, what the trends are). Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a green or eco consumer, there is no product that has no impact, and your goal should be to buy less. But, here you will find all of the tools at great prices to help you to lead a healthy life, for you and the planet. Make sure you ask them about their glass drinking straws with a lifetime guarantee.

Green Barn Farmers' Market

601 Christie St (Studio 181), Toronto, ON, M6G4C7

Rated this place:

posted Apr 12 2009

New and Neighbourhoodly!: This market recently moved to its permanent home at the Artscape Wychwood TTC Barns, in the covered street barn...what a fabulous space, indoors and out! You will find local, mostly organic and seasonal food here. You'll find the delicious flavours and rainbow of colours of local and organic produce here plus, honey, bread, cheese, fish and meats, grains, jams, syrup, wildcrafted foods, mushrooms, and lots of people to talk to! There is an area for kids to play and keep busy, although I encourage you to elt yur kids shop with you too...it's amazing that when they choose the foods, they will like to eat it...even kale!

Big Carrot Natural Food Market

348 Danforth Ave #209, Toronto, ON, M4K1N8

Rated this place:

posted Jul 5 2009

Alternative to Commercial Supermarkets: Aside from offering the finest selection in organic and healthy products, you'll find a full produce and meat department, a wholistic dispensary and a juice bar at the Carrot. The amazing thing is that The Big Carrot is a worker-co-op - their website currently claims that there are over 60 worker/owners. Which, in my opinion must be part of the reason that you can actually get great service here...and get questions answered. So, whether you can walk to shop along the Danforth (lucky you!), or if you need to drive a distance to get to the Carrot, it's worth it...consider it a diversion (like an outing to the museum or art gallery) where you will probably find at least one of your soon-to-be favoruite products, from lipstick and hairbrushes to potato chips and local potatoes, you'll find it all. They offer weekly specials and many classes and seminars, so check their website for complete up-to-date details. Of course, remember to bring your reusable bags.

DavidsTea

2285 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M6S 1P1

Rated this place:

posted Jul 8 2009

Let them drink TEA!: Why organic? Because organic is void of those spray-on nasties for one. Maybe you feel it's ok to consume conventional produce since you can wash off that residue...well, when it comes to tea, you will be drinking what's on the dried leaf because there's no way to eliminate residue without washing out the tea's taste and all of those other important "teaspects" (like caffeine, antioxdants, calcium...seriously!). Walk into David's Tea many locations and it's clean. There are great accessories for you to make and take your tea (read: stop buying hot water and a tea bag out and brew loose leaf, create less garbage, save money, drink healthier and don't create trash...great deal), and there are enthusiastically knowledgeable staff to tell you the "story" of each giant canister of tea on their shelves. Enjoy a cup or pot in house, and sweeten with organic cane sugar, agave nectar or honey, or take a tin home...$10ish will make you more than 50 cups of one of their great organic selections (current faves include raspberry nectar and caramel pear, although it changes after each visit)...and, when you bring your tin back into refill, you'll get $0.50 off, so no tea bag, staple or string going into the garbage and the tin is reusable. And, there are plenty of teas for kids to enjoy warm or iced, plus a "distraction" area for them while you get to choose tea...like a kid in a candy store (but better and healthier). Smart. Thanks David. Keep opening more locations, we will sip often!

Whole Foods Market

87 Avenue Rd., Toronto, ON, M5R3R9

Rated this place:

posted Aug 16 2009

small space with big selection!: Just because you are at Whole Foods, does not mean that everything in store is healthy - remember, you are your own best advocate and should read every label everytime and decide how the item got on shelf and where it's going after you put it in your cart! Having said this, you can find almost everything you need in this tight space (considering the vast selection). Bulk Foods aisle (take your reusable bags), phenomenal supplements and Whole Body sedction with phenomenal staff able to actually answer your questions, lots of baked goods (sha sha breads - sprouted, organic and nut-free selections) and the whole selection of Mapleton's and So Delicious ice creams (very important). The produce section is vast, but lots of conventional and from far away too...no excuse that this store shouldn't carry local and organic when it's actual in season! Get your gifts bought, reusable bags ( RuMe Bags in every size, colour and pattern), and plenty for each season including back to school, holiday, valentine's etc...they make it easy and get us to part with our green for their green! Watch out! :)

Mama Earth Organics

1510 Birchmount Road, Scarborough, ON, M1P 2G6

Rated this place:

posted Sep 24 2009

Organics from the farm to your door: As someone who truly enjoys choosing my own produce, I have tried many delivery services and have been underwhelmed and at times even aggravated. Heather at Mama Earth was a pleasure to meet at the Vegetarian Food Fair and showed her passion and enthusiasm for "real" food. They offer a great online system, where, in addition to Ontario organic produce, and the produce that sadly doesn't grow here (read: citrus and bananas etc), you can order Millbank Cheeses, Glass MIlk Bottle service (hoping they add Hewitt's Organic Goat Milk!) and my personal favourite New Moon Kitchen cookies and granola (perfect school snack since it's also a nut-free line) among other goodies. My only complaint is that when the Field Cucumbers were not available, they swapped in for grapes plus included an Organic Chocolate Bar as an apology - a big one, and I ate the entire thing. oops. Hopefully the farmers will come through for me this week - i'm sure a whole cucumber is better for us than a chocolate bar!

Dufferin Grove Park

875 Dufferin St., Toronto, ON, M5H2N2

Rated this place:

posted Sep 28 2009

Now THIS is FOOD!: The Dufferin Grove Farmers Market is one of the original and one of the most vibrant organic markets in Toronto. Every Thursday, year round this is where to go to get your grocery shopping done, spend time with your own family and friends, connect with others who connect with their food and even have a snack or full dinner. Organic and nut-free ice cream by Mapleton's scooped and smiles abound! (try mint chip - no, it's NOT green ice cream...phewff!). And, don't forget to take your reusable bags, bottles to fill with organic olive oil, and recycle and bring back your produce and egg cartons...they can be used over and over again!

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