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The Best Health Food Stores in Toronto and Online

by Stephanie

The Best Health Food Stores in Toronto and Online

More than ever people are starting to pay attention to their health and as a result health food stores are popping up all over the place. It can be overwhelming when you’re not sure where to go first to get real food and supplements or which place has the best deal.

I’ve put together some of the places I like best in and around Toronto and online, but feel free to add more in the comments if I’ve missed some!

Toronto and Area

Loblaws
I tend to do most of my shopping at Loblaws because it seems to be really jumping on the health food bandwagon (yay!) and every time I go the store is configured in a way that focuses more on the health food department.

Loblaws has great organic produce (although it doesn’t have a ton of local and organic food. Come on Loblaws!), a great frozen section and a pretty decent area for pantry items. I do find the supplements are on the more expensive side so I would check somewhere else first for the best price.

The great thing about Loblaws is that it has Click and Collect so you can order your food online and pick it up so you don’t have to go into the store. It’s a great option if you have small kids who are napping or crying and you would rather not bring them into the store with you at all costs… (not speaking from any experience here at all…)

Healthy Planet
If you live in the GTA(ish) Healthy Planet has several locations. It’s my go-to health food store because it’s closest to me, but it’s not my favourite.

It has most things I’m looking for, but not the best produce section and is lacking a bit in the nut milk department. It does however have a great selection of supplements, pantry items and bulk nuts and seeds.

Healthy Planet also has an online store that has great prices so check there first if you don’t have a location close by.

The Big Carrot
If I lived in the east end of Toronto this would be my go-to place. Amazing selection of product, breads, a hot food counter, personal care, juice bar—you name it!

Goodness Me
Goodness Me is one of my favourites, but it’s located in and around Hamilton(ish) area although there is a location in Barrie and one in Mississauga.

I love the look and feel of this store. Staff is helpful and it’s just an all-round nice place to be. It also has a hot food counter which is nice if you’re looking for a great lunch.

Organic Garage
Organic Garage has been in Oakville for some time, but now there are four locations, one of which is kind of close to me in Toronto so I like to go there sometimes.

What I like about Organic Garage is that it offers local and organic produce which can be tough to find outside of a farmer’s market. OG has a small supplements section (at least in the store I go to) but tons of other groceries including frozen meat, eggs, bread, health and beauty, coffee etc. and it even has kombucha on tap! I find the prices pretty reasonable.

The Sweet Potato
Located in the Junction in Toronto West, this is a great option for produce and pantry items. It just moved locations and I haven’t been to the new store but I understand it’s bigger and better than the last location on Dundas Street. Check it out!

Bulk Barn
Bulk Barn is kind of a funny place because a lot of the stuff in the bins is junk (they have the nutrition labels–read them!), but peppered among those are some organic and natural options like some flours nuts and seeds. A lot of the food on the upper shelves and along the perimeter is health food!

Although I’m not 100% sure I want to get some of this food in bulk, you can get maca, greens powder, collagen, and other powders there which is so great if you don’t want to invest in a lot at once. Bulk Barn also has brown rice pasta and coconut oil. I love that you can bring your own jars and bags now which is also helping save the landfill from excess packaging.

Nature’s Emporium
Although I’ve never been there I hear from friends that Nature’s Emporium is a dreamy place to shop. There are three locations: two north of Toronto and one in Burlington. It focuses on local and organic food and also has a large supplement section and pretty much everything else you need it seems!

Planet Organic
Planet Organic is located in Port Credit in Mississauga so it’s a bit of a jaunt for me however I go there sometimes when I’m looking for a change of scenery. It has a pretty decent produce section, a fantastic bulk food section and great pantry items. It also has a good supplement department with knowledgable staff.

Whole Foods
This is an obvious one but it tends to be on the pricer side and not too close to me so I don’t go often. That being said, when I take the time to go there I love it. It’s worth a little field trip!

Homesense
If you’re lucky you can find great deals on food and supplements at Homesense in the food department. Just make sure you check the expiry date!

Online Only

Well.ca
I like Well.ca because it’s local to Ontario (headquartered in Guelph) and it has a great Green and Natural department. I do find that the food and supplements offered here are a bit higher in price than other places so make sure check the prices before you order. Well.ca has started to build some pop-up shops but you’ll find most of what you need online.

If you’re new to Well.ca use the code LEALOUCOOKS to get $10 off your first order.

VitaSave.ca
VitaSave.ca tends to focus more on vitamins and supplements. We’ve ordered protein powders and notice it has great prices often.

Amazon
Amazon is the first place many people will go but I like to support smaller businesses first so I tend to look around a bit before turning here. That being said, Amazon has great deals and with the recent news that it acquired Whole Foods, you’re going to get some of the best options for natural foods and supplements.

Thrive Market
This is for U.S. customers only (boo!) but if you find you’re going to be in the U.S. for an extended amount of time, Thrive Market is a great option. I might take advantage of the deals during our trip to Florida.

I think that’s it for now. Let me know where you like to shop for health food and I’ll add it to the list!

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On Mother’s Day weekend, we hosted my family for On Mother’s Day weekend, we hosted my family for brunch. I bought a few quiches to eat for brunch mixed with bacon, croissants, and fruit.⁠
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No need to make everything from scratch friends!⁠
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According to the quiche reheat instructions, the internal temperature was to be 165° so after I baked it for about 18 minutes I checked the temp with my digital meat thermometre.⁠
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My mom’s husband looked over at me and said to her: “Look honey, she uses a thermometre too!” My mom laughed and said that her husband uses one for everything and uses a timer for all of his cooking.⁠
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When we were growing up my mom simply smelled and looked at the food to tell if it was done. ⁠
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“Mom, how do you know the turkey’s done?"⁠
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“Oh, I just know.”⁠
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My mom would smell it first in the kitchen and then she would peek at the food in the oven and decide it was done by how it looked.⁠
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It’s interesting how those experiences help us to establish what we do in our own kitchens when we start to cook for ourselves.⁠
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I use a thermometre and timer for many things, but I still use the smell and look method to help me decide if it’s done.⁠
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A balance of both of these approaches while cooking is important.⁠
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If you’re new to cooking, you might simply use a timer for a recipe, but once the timer is done, it might not be cooked all the way through. ⁠
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A more experienced cook would observe that the dish is not quite browned enough and that it needs more time in the oven.⁠
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Every oven has a different temperature, so it’s important to balance that with the time. This is why I find using a thermometre really helpful. It can also prevent overcooking and drying out the food.⁠
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Chicken is notoriously overcooked because people are afraid to undercook it. ⁠
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A thermometre will tell you exactly when the chicken is finished at 165°. It stays somewhat moist and juicy at that temperature.⁠
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If you wait until it’s browned on the outside, it might be too dry to eat. Alternatively, just using a timer could result in either a dry or under-cooked chicken breast.⁠
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I made this nifty graphic you can keep handy the next time you’re cooking. Use it to cook moist meat, not dry!⁠
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xo
Happy Friday 13th!⁠ ⁠ Do you find eating salad Happy Friday 13th!⁠
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Do you find eating salads scary??? 😱⁠
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According to my highly unscientific research, there are two types of people who don’t like to eat salad:⁠
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1️⃣Those who think eating salad is boring.⁠
2️⃣Those who think that salad isn’t filling enough to be a full meal.⁠
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Ok, one more… those who don’t like eating vegetables!⁠
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If you fall into one of the first two categories, I’m here to tell you that maybe… just maybe… you’ve been making salads wrong.⁠
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I know... People don’t like to be told that what they’ve been doing is wrong (I don’t like to be told that either) but I can guarantee you that salads can be fun and filling and it’s all in how we put them together.⁠
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On the blog, I have all the tips on how to make the perfect salad just for you: ⁠
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>>https://lealoucooks.com/howtobuildasalad/⁠
>>or get the link in my profile here: @lealoucooks
I love the idea of looking into the cupboard and c I love the idea of looking into the cupboard and creating something from what seems like nothing.⁠
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I do this to use up the food I have before bringing more food into the house.⁠
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I'm not sure about you, but when I don't use up the food I have, it gets pushed to the back of the fridge and then lands right into the compost bin. ⁠
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This is one of the ways groceries can get expensive.⁠
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So before you make your next grocery list, look in the cupboards and fridge first. What do you have in there that can be used up?⁠
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Then search for a recipe that uses those ingredients.⁠
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Shop your kitchen first, then make a list.⁠
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If you have food in your house you're not sure what to do with, comment below and I'll think of what to make with it!⁠
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#mealplanning #mealplanningtips #mealhelp #dinnertime #supper #eatleftovers #fridgefood #recipes #savemoney #foodwaste⁠
This weekend is a bit of a doozy - a fun doozy!!⁠
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💛My street is hosting a giant street sale (if you're in Etobicoke you can DM me for the address).⁠
💛It's my anniversary (14 years!)⁠
💛AND it's Mother's Day (on the same day as my anniversary! Sorry hunny).⁠
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I'm hosting my sisters and mom for a brunch and I asked them what their most favourite brunch meal is to eat... I'll make the menu a combination of everything for them!⁠
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My sister asked me the question back and I, of course, thought of eggs.🥚⁠
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(Why are all of my posts about eggs??)⁠
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This photo is of a breakfast I had last week and it was so good!⁠
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💛Sourdough GF bread from @thebreadessentials⁠
💛Topped with hummus⁠
💛Topped with a yellow heirloom tomato (fun!)⁠
💛Topped with eggs (duh)⁠
💛Topped with jalapeno sheep cheese from @blythfarmcheese⁠
💛Topped with Broccoli sprouts from @livingearthtoronto⁠
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That brekky was a favourite hands-down.⁠
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Eat what you love friends! 🌱⁠

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About Stephanie

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Hey! I'm Stephanie. I'm a Writer, Culinary Nutrition Expert and Cooking Instructor helping families cook nourishing meals. Read more about me {here}.

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