Healthy Finds At Safeway: A Slideshow of Their Organic, Local, Gluten-Free and Vegan Foods!

In an effort to help people around the country find healthy foods no matter what stores are within reach and what the budget is, I've been exploring the options at national grocery markets. I started out with Kroger's Food Co, but wasn't able to find much at that discount warehouse. So my expectations were low when I ventured into a Safeway in San Francisco (16th & Bryant), but boy was I in for a surprise! This location has at least 100 vegan options, most of which are organic and many are gluten-free! Here are some of the highlights:

• organic options in produce section are limited, but they have all the basics like tomato, onion, potato and avocado. Mushrooms and herbs are in refrigerated section
• impressive bulk section, including nuts and nut butter, but very little is organic
• focus on locally grown food
• most organic packaged items are by Safeway under the label O Organics - they claim to have over 300 products
• very large natural foods section with lots of popular vegetarian brands like Gardein, Gardenburger, Morning Star, Smart, Tofutti, Amy's, So Delicious, Eden, Arrowhead Mills dry mixes, Barbara's and Nature's Path cereals, Van's waffles and Dave's Killer Bread (no Daiya cheese however)
• lots of gluten-free products like Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta and Food For Life bread
• staples like Braggs, organic spices, organic soy sauce and Earth Balance
• several brands of stevia
• organic teas and bottled drinks, including coconut water

Not all Safeways will offer the same amount of variety - I'm assuming this location may be the acception to the rule because other people seemed doubtful when I told them my mission. However, now that you know that one of their stores carries these items you can confidentially ask your local store to do the same. It may take some time, but stores are all about customer demand so a little persistence will go a long way. I also encourage you to buy these products from Safeway from time to time even if you have a better natural market nearby, just to show the big wigs that healthy, organic, plant-based foods can sell.

Stay tuned for the next Healthy Finds - if you have a request for which big store I check out next let me know. I'm thinking of CVS/Walgreens or 7 Eleven...

Do you have a Safeway nearby? What has been your experience there? Take a picture next time of your favorite product and I'll add it to my slideshow!