What I Buy From Azure Standard

Life is hard; food doesn't have to be #120 [vol5, 12.4]

SW Louisville! An Azure drop is coming to Valley View Church in January. Marcy Pierce is the coordinator. Details at the end of this post.

One of my family’s largest budget items is food, which is an investment into our future. Part of learning to eat real food is learning where to source it for the best price. Azure is one tool in my shopping cart.

What Is Azure Standard?

Azure Standard offers incredible prices on mostly organic, real food. It’s an online warehouse store but without a storefront and without paying for a membership. They connect us directly to local farmers, including their own farm which allows them to offer such great prices.

Many times I can purchase organic cheaper through Azure than buying regular conventional at Kroger. Specifically dried goods like grains and beans because I’m buying in bulk and not paying for advertising of the national brand.

The downside to ordering from Azure is it only delivers once a month so you have to think ahead.

I first participated (for YEARS!) when we lived in Little Rock. If you live in Louisville - there’s one on the east side of town and NOW AT VALLEY VIEW!

In a Nutshell

Why use Azure? Cost effective way to eat healthier foods, specifically organic.

Drawbacks to Azure? Once a month delivery, mostly single ingredient foods. Best prices are in larger quantities (i.e. for large families or storage solutions are needed.) At times I order and split items for price breaks - like a case of tomato paste in glass jars.

How It Works

After creating an on-line order, a semi-truck delivers once a month to a local drop site (usually a large parking lot) at the designated time. Your order is packed in a box, or if you’ve order bulk items (like 25 lbs of grain), there’s a shipping label on the bag of grain with your name.

Once the truck arrives in the parking lot at the appointed time, those able help unload the semi-truck. The drop coordinator typically passes out sheets of paper with the alphabet to help distribute boxes in piles by last names.

If you can’t make it to the pick up on time, arrange for a friend to go in your place. The drop coordinator is unable to store your order.

Things I Buy

Most anything you could buy at Whole Foods, Natural Grocers or any health food store can be found from Azure and cheaper.

The website is robust and can be overwhelming. I love their “favorites” option - which is a heart near the name of the product. It’s a simple way to keep up with what you like.

PRO-TIP: As you browse the site, flag the items you consider purchasing, or are purchasing by clicking on the heart (which denotes your favorite product) when looking at the individual page. The next month, when it’s time to place your order, simply shop from your favorites tab. It’s not as overwhelming this way.

Start a cart and you don’t have to check out. Azure will email you a couple days before shopping closes for your drop site to remind you to finish the order.

Keep in mind when reading my list that I cook mostly from scratch. I buy organic when possible.

Dry Goods

• Grains - oats, rice, wheat berries, flour, quinoa, popcorn

• dried beans/lentils - pinto, garbanzo, navy, black, kidney, red lentils

• spices - cumin, garlic, turmeric, mustard seeds, peppercorns, etc. Conventional spices are irradiated to extend shelf life; I don’t want unnecessary radiation in my body and buy organic spices when possible. To be certified as organic in the United States, spices must be produced and handled without irradiation or fumigation.

• dried fruit - raisins, dates, apricots

• nuts - of all kind

• pasta

• shredded coconut - the texture is better than anything at Kroger

• organic cornstarch, cocoa and cacao

• Redmond’s Real Salt, Celtic Sea Salt

Oils, Sweeteners, Sauces, Supplements

• coconut oil, palm oil for theater style popcorn

• soy sauce, traditionally fermented

• tomato paste in glass jars

• raw honey in bulk; I aim to source locally too.

• coconut sugar

• desiccated liver capsules

Produce

Bulk discounts are offered on bushel boxes of seasonal produce like apples and oranges. (Organic oranges are not a high priority for me but apples are because apples are sprayed at least 12 times!) I buy organic potatoes and onions from Azure, which are sometimes difficult to source locally.

Personal Products

Organic tampons - cotton is highly sprayed with toxic chemicals

Frozen or Refrigerated

The delivery truck is refrigerated so be sure to look through the frozen/refrigerated section of the site. I’ve purchased raw cheese, probiotic sour cream, frozen fruit, frozen organic corn tortillas (difficult to source locally). If you’re not in the practice of making fermented vegetables, look here!

Animal Food

Because we eat eggs from our chickens, I feel strongly about feeding them organic grains. Not always cheaper through Azure.

Storage Solutions

Glass jars, food grade buckets and gamma lids that screw off. I’ve been loving beeswax covered cloth for homemade bread storage.

SW Louisville

The deadline for January’s order is January 14 and delivery will be the week of January 19. If you’re in the South End of Louisville the *NEW* drop point will be in the Valley View Church parking lot and is called Eat Your Medicine. If you’re on Facebook, join the group called Eat Your Medicine (Azure Group), moderated by Danny Pierce.

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I hate spending money unnecessarily, but one thing that we do spend money on is healthy food. It is an investment into our future. Part of learning to eat real food is learning where to source it for the best price. Azure is one tool in my shopping cart.

Life is hard; food doesn’t have to be.

Julie

PS If you’re an Azure shopper, what is missing from this list?