62 nutritionist approved minimally processed foods from Expo West
from pantry staples to better-for-you treats
I am enjoying a few quiet sunny days in Cabo after spending several rainy, exciting (and exhausting!) days at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California. I've finally had time to sort through all of my discoveries and compile my absolute favorites to share with you.
As you know, I'm incredibly selective about the products I recommend. My standards are simple but non-negotiable: foods must be minimally processed, made with recognizable ingredients, and actually support metabolic health rather than just claim to do so. I'm not interested in clever marketing or health halos—I want real, honest foods that deliver on their promises. I give bonus points for foods that are organic and regeneratively raised as those foods support not only our health, but the health of our planet too.
My criteria is strict but straightforward: absolutely no seed oils (those factory-made fats that cause inflammation), no chemical additives or preservatives, no artificial food dyes, no refined grains, and no added sugars hiding under clever names. I look for ingredients your grandmother would recognize—real, whole foods that have undergone minimal processing to maintain their nutritional integrity.
If you missed my post about label reading that I wrote with Orry of Nutri Mind Fit, find it here.
This year's expo showcased hundreds of thousands of products, but only a tiny fraction truly met my criteria. I taste-tested, ingredient-checked, and questioned brand founders, makers and representatives to find options that I would genuinely choose to feed my own family. The products below stood out for their commitment to quality ingredients, transparent sourcing, and thoughtful processing methods that preserve food's natural goodness.
Whether you're looking for convenient protein sources, pantry staples, or the occasional better-for-you treat, these brands are worth your attention and support. I've included direct links to make them easy to find (none of these are sponsored—these are simply products I believe in).
Here are my top minimally processed food discoveries from Expo West 2025:
Dressings + Sauces
Dress It Up Dressing - salad dressing the way you would make it at home.
Eat Happy Kitchen pasta sauces by Substack writer, Anna Vocino. I sampled the Puttanesca and it is divine: flavorful and zesty!
Primal Kitchen makes sauces, dips, and marinades without artificial sweeteners and seed oils. Their mayo, buffalo sauce, and sugar-free ketchup are all favorites.
Yo Mama's sugar free BBQ sauce and pasta sauces use clean ingredients and no added sugar or oils.
Ferments (see dairy section for more ferments)
Atlantic Sea Farm offers a delicious fermented seaweed salad and a traditional seaweed salad made with just real food ingredients, no food dyes or corn syrup, like most restaurant and store-bought seaweed salads.
Big Picture Foods organic and regeneratively raised olives, capers, and fermented peppers a truly tasty way to add ferments to your diet for a happy gut. These would all be terrific in my Mediterranean tuna + bean salad.
Bubbies sauerkrauts and pickles, a tasty way to add ferments to your meals.
Cocojune coconut yogurt, low in protein but a good source of ferments for your gut and dairy-free. Enjoy with a source of protein if this will be the main part of a snack or meal.
Mother-in-Law's kimchi- a couple different spice levels, and a tasty addition to meals.
Wildbrine many different varieties of sauerkrauts and pickles to choose from and a great source of ferments for a happy gut microbiome!
Protein
Bean Vivo coconut curry chickpeas: a quick and tasty ready meal with simple ingredients.
Brami lupini beans in resealable packets, sprinkle on salads or eat as a snack. High in protein and fiber.
Ortiz tinned fish: a great source of protein, healthy fats, and portable and affordable. Read more about why I like tinned fish here.
Pasturebird chicken is pastured on grass and rotated daily, regeneratively raised, and organic.
Wild Planet sustainably sourced, tinned sardines, mackerel, tuna, and more.
To-Go Convenience Foods
Brooklyn Biltong air dried, grass fed beef: just beef, apple cider vinegar, and salt, that’s it! Tender, delicious dried beef, this is not the typical break-your-teeth jerky that you may be used to!
BTR Nation clean protein bars, simple ingredients, low carb
Crispy Bites zucchini crisps (zucchini + salt) air dried
Flackers organic seed crackers, high in fiber and blood sugar friendly
Pan's mushroom jerky is a simple ingredient, tasty snack
Beverages
CURE electrolytes are made with dehydrated coconut water, pink salt, and fruit.
Four-Sigmatic organic half caf coffee + mushroom blend was the perfect amount of caffeine for a tea drinker like me!
Hanuman organic, traditional Ayurveda chai made in several tasty flavors
Laird Superfoods coffee creamer made with 1 simple ingredient!
Malama mushroom matcha with Lion’s mane
Mooala almond milk- organic, just water, almonds and salt (skip their oat milks- as they will never be blood sugar friendly)
NUMI organic teas and matcha latte blend that is easy to whip up and so good!
Rishi tea and botanicals organic matcha- they offer both ceremonial grade and culinary matcha, organic and loose leaf teas, and canned sparkling water flavored with botanicals (schisandra berry is my fave!)
Tea Botanics menopause support botanical teas: Hot Flash, Night Sweat, Brain Fog, and Happiness blends.
Pantry Staples
Bonafide Provisions organic bone broth made the way you would at home with bones, water, vegetables, and spices, both frozen and shelf stable.
Burroughs Family Farms regenerative and organic blanched almond flour, almond butter, and almond milk base that you mix at home with filtered water.
Carrington Farms basil seeds, milled flax, chia seeds, lupin flour and more!
Chiwis dried kiwi chips, nothing else. They are not blood sugar friendly on their own, but they are great for topping Greek yogurt or No Oats.
Coyotas organic cassava flour tortillas are not blood sugar friendly on their own, but tasty and can be blood sugar friendly when eaten as a taco, with animal protein, and a source of healthy fat like guacamole.
Eat Chef's Kiss lupin pasta, which is high protein, high fiber, and also blood sugar friendly!
Eden Organics high fiber adzuki beans and black soybeans in BPA-free cans
Goodsam Farm plantain chips, just plantain, nothing added
Joolies fresh organic California dates are not blood sugar friendly on their own, but they are great for baking. This decadent no bake chocolate torte uses dates as the sweetener and is blood sugar friendly due to the perfect combination of fat, fiber, and protein.
La Tourangelle organic oils packed in tins: sesame, extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil
Manitoba hemp hearts organic, and a good source of protein
New Barn regeneratively raised, certified organic eggs
Nichols Farms organic pistachios since 1961
Saltverk sustainable, mineral rich sea salts from Iceland
Simpli regeneratively grown, organic staples like gigante beans, kidney beans, lupin and black beans, quinoa, chickpeas, chia seeds, and extra virgin olive oil too!
The UGLY Company: taking "ugly" fruit that would typically end up in landfills and drying it without added sugar or oils. Dried fruit will never be blood sugar friendly eaten alone, but it is perfect in recipes like my original breakfast cookies, holiday breakfast cookies, and biscotti.
Witzi's Raw Granola and No Oats- not at Expo West but deserving of a shout out for their organic, clean ingredients and of course, my very own No Oats!
Dairy
4th & Heart organic, grass fed ghee
Alexandre Farms regenerative and organic A2 milk, kefir, and yogurt
Bellweather Farms artisan creamery in Sonoma County, California (my county!) yogurt: A2 dairy and Sheep milk products. Try this blood sugar friendly, healthy olive oil raspberry cake with Bellwether Farms creme fraiche.
Churn grass fed, pasture raised butters (the black garlic and truffle butters are super good!)
Golden Monkey organic, grass fed ghee
Le Zette small-batch sheep milk products like labneh and ranch dressing are handmade in Los Angeles. Sheep milk contains the A2 protein and is easier for some people to digest (like me!)
Meyenberg goat kefir and goat butter. Goat milk contains the A2 protein, making it easier for some people to digest. The butter is pure white but so flavorful!
Origin Creamery Heritage A2 cows’ milk made into lovely organic cheese.
Better for you treats
Elements chocolate is organic, fair trade, and tested for heavy metals. Their rose cardamom chocolate is so good!
Good Health potato chips cooked in avocado oil. I don’t buy chips often, but when I do, I make sure they are cooked in avocado or olive oil.
Green Girl Bake Shop has dairy-free ice creams that are to-die for! Made with simple, organic ingredients the way you would make them at home.
Seedly small batch, organic, dark chocolate "bark", real food ingredients, low carb and 5 g protein per serving from seeds!
Wild West organic chocolate sweetened only with fruit, heavy metal tested and delicious!
Beyond Good dark chocolate, ethically sourced and traceable to every farmer, ground vanilla, and vanilla extract that I use all the time and love.
Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
I am sharing just 2 favorites this week because they are both BIG ONES. Be sure to mark your calendars!
Our next Functional Medicine Detox begins soon! Mark your calendar for April 7-14th - just 4 weeks away. Experience renewed energy and balanced blood sugar, and nourish your body with nothing but real, whole food for the entire week. This is the perfect Spring reset you've been looking for! I'll guide you with a free supportive IG chat community and provide all the delicious recipes (for free!) that you need to succeed. Don't just take my word for it - read what past participants are saying about their transformative experiences and get all the details here:
The FULLSCRIPT Spring Wellness Sale will begin April 7th, 2025 at 9:00 PM and run until April 10th, 2025 at 11:59 PM. This is the twice a year stock-up sale where you save 25% on everything: practitioner grade supplements, clean personal care products, clean protein powder, collagen, creatine and more! To access the savings, be sure to make an account here.
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Thank you 🧡
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🧡 Beth
Great info and very exciting to see new companies on there. My husband will be happy to see healthy salad dressing options. Beth, you put a lot of time into compiling that list. Thank you.
Thank you for this list, Beth! I’ll definitely be trying some of these!