How do I express love and care to the people around me?

I make a home.

Some people show love through words. Others show it through gifts or quality time. For me, it looks like a stocked pantry, homemade meals, a cozy kitchen, and a table where everyone knows there's always room for them.

Managing a home is hard work. It's planning, grocery shopping, cleaning, organizing, budgeting, and making hundreds of little decisions that often go unnoticed. But it's work I genuinely enjoy because every task is another way I get to care for the people I love. My goal isn't to have a picture-perfect house. It's to create a home where my family feels comfortable, nourished, and cared for.

One of the biggest ways I do that is through food.

I make dishes from scratch with as much love and attention to detail as I can muster. I want the people I love to leave my table full, happy, and cared for because, to me, that's one of the purest forms of love.

Today, I want to talk about something I'm incredibly passionate about: where our food comes from.

Life moves fast. We're busy. Our children are busy. Our friends and family are busy. It often feels like the world never stops moving. Because of that, companies have created countless ways to make our lives more convenient. And while convenience certainly has its place, I sometimes find myself wondering: at what cost?

Now, let me be clear, I’m not here to shame anyone for what they choose to buy or eat. I firmly believe every family should do what works best for them. Budgets are different. Priorities are different. Seasons of life are different. But I also believe in the power of knowledge and making conscious, informed decisions about what we put into our bodies.

Don't get me wrong, Erik and I are huge foodies. We love trying new restaurants and discovering great local spots. When we eat out, I fully understand that I can't control every ingredient or process that brought that meal to my plate. But I balance that by being intentional about what comes into our home. I find peace in knowing exactly what I'm feeding my family and where those ingredients came from.

I've always looked at it this way: we have to eat in order to survive. Not only that, but we should be nourishing ourselves multiple times a day. So why don't we think about food the same way we think about medicine, or, on the flip side, something that could potentially harm our health?

The truth is, it's becoming harder and harder to tell what's real food and what's a food-like substance. And if I'm being completely honest, grocery shopping can sometimes send me into a full-blown existential spiral. I don't want to give my money to corporations that knowingly harm people, animals, or the environment simply because it's profitable.

If you've ever watched The Good Place, just picture Chidi standing frozen in the grocery aisle trying to make the "right" decision between hundreds of nearly identical products. That's me. Every. Single. Time. Forks in a garbage disposal (iykyk).

Over the years, I've gone down more rabbit holes than I can count. Since 2013, I've spent countless hours researching ingredients, learning about parent companies, reading books, watching documentaries, and trying to better understand our food system. Along the way, I've compiled a list of brands, local businesses, farms, and resources that I personally feel good supporting because of their mission, transparency, and commitment to quality.

Notice I said personally.

This isn't a list of the "right" brands, and it certainly isn't a list of the only brands worth buying. It's simply a snapshot of where I am in my journey today.

I'm still learning.

The more I research, the more I realize how much I don't know. Companies change. New information comes out. My own opinions have evolved over the years, and I'm sure they'll continue to evolve as I keep learning. I hope they do.

My hope is that this resource makes your shopping trips a little easier. Whether you're just beginning to pay attention to ingredient labels or you've been on this journey for years, I want this list to serve as a starting point, not a rulebook. If it inspires you to ask one more question, visit a local farm, read one ingredient label, or support a small business in your community, then it's done exactly what I hoped it would.

I've also included some of the books, articles, and documentaries that have shaped how I stock my pantry and refrigerator over the past decade. I don't agree with every conclusion they reach, but each one challenged me to think differently, ask better questions, and become a more intentional homemaker.

At the end of the day, this isn't about perfection. It's about making informed choices, one meal and one grocery trip at a time.

Homemaking isn't about doing everything from scratch or buying the "perfect" products. It's about being intentional with what comes into your home and choosing, little by little, what aligns with your values.

This list will probably change over time, and I hope it does. Learning is part of the journey, and I'll continue updating it as I discover new farms, local businesses, brands, and resources that I believe are worth sharing.

Because creating a home isn't built on grand gestures. It's built on the quiet, everyday choices that say, "I love you, and I want to care for you well."

My Favorite Brands & Local Finds

Before we dive in, I want to mention that this isn't meant to be a definitive list of the "best" brands. These are simply the products, companies, and resources that have earned a place in our home over the years. The list has shortened drastically over the years but I’m always on the hunt to add to my list. I encourage you to do your own research and find what aligns with your family's values, budget, and lifestyle.

Meat

For our family, we buy the majority of our meat from:

Here are brands available in stores and online that I believe are good quality brands.

Force of Nature (located in Whole Foods)
1915 Farm
White Oak Pastures
Primal Pastures

If you don't live in South Texas, I highly encourage you to seek out a local farm or neighborhood butcher. Ask questions. Find out how the animals are raised, what they're fed, and how the meat is processed. Most local farmers are incredibly transparent and genuinely enjoy educating their customers.

I'll be honest, the price can be a little shocking at first. But as we've shifted our priorities, we've learned to budget around buying higher quality meat. For us, it's been well worth the investment.

Dairy

Some of my favorite dairy brands include:

Eggs

If there's one swap I'd recommend almost everyone make, it's buying local eggs.

Many small farms are happy to tell you about their chickens' diet, show you where they're raised, and explain how they care for their flock. In my experience, local eggs often cost the same, or even less, than premium grocery store eggs, and the quality is hard to beat. The richer yolks alone are enough to convince me.

Pantry Staples

Some pantry staples you'll almost always find in my kitchen include:

I'm also a huge fan of fresh-milled flour.

I don't mill my own flour...yet. (Although if a KitchenAid grain mill attachment mysteriously appears in my kitchen before the end of the year, I won't be complaining.)

For now, I purchase fresh-milled flour from a local source, Freshmade Homestead, whenever I can. Because the entire grain is preserved, it retains more of its natural nutrients while adding incredible flavor and texture to baked goods. I've also found it to be more satisfying and easier for me to digest than conventional flour.

Farmer’s Markets

I always encourage you to look for farmers markets in your own area. It’s one of the best ways to connect directly with local farmers and small businesses, ask questions about how your food is grown or made, and truly understand where your ingredients come from.

If you’ve never been before, it’s worth exploring, you might be surprised by how many local farms and makers are closer than you think.

Books, Documentaries & Resources

These books and documentaries have influenced the way I think about food, ingredients, and our food system. I don't necessarily agree with every opinion presented, but each one challenged me to ask better questions and become a more informed consumer.

Books

Documentaries

Search Engines

You'll notice that several of these recommendations lean toward vegan or plant-based eating.

When I first discovered them, I was actually experimenting with veganism myself. I stuck with it for about six months before eventually deciding that I simply enjoy a good steak too much!

That said, I'm incredibly grateful for what those books and documentaries taught me. They completely changed the way I cook vegetables, introduced me to ingredients I had never tried before, and helped me appreciate just how flavorful plant-based meals can be. Even now, we regularly enjoy vegan dinners because they're delicious, nourishing, and exactly what we're craving.

A Love Letter to H-E-B

Living in South Texas means one thing: H-E-B is king (including Central Market).

I've shopped at different grocery stores, and I still don't think there's another store quite like it.

Yes, it's incredibly convenient, but what really stands out is how much the company seems to care about its customers, employees, and communities. From the thoughtful store layouts to the friendly employees, shopping there is simply enjoyable.

Many of the products we buy are actually H-E-B brand, and honestly, I don't even think of them as "off-brand." Their quality consistently impresses me, and they're often my first choice over national brands.

One of my favorite things about H-E-B is that every store has its own personality. Whether it's carrying products from nearby farms, highlighting local makers, or reflecting the neighborhood it's in, each location feels uniquely connected to its community.

So if you're ever visiting Texas, do yourself a favor and stop by an H-E-B. Trust me, it's more than just a grocery store. It's a Texas experience.

Making a Home, One Meal at a Time