I’ve been using Thrive Market for a year now and saving tons of money by doing so. $445.49 to be exact. I’ve received a ton of questions and comments asking me to share the products that are in my usual orders. There are some things I only buy from Thrive Market because I’ve done the research and know it’s the cheapest place to get them. Other items I buy because they’re cheap and it’s more convenient too. Here I’ll show you some of the items I always keep on hand and stocked in my kitchen, especially during a round of Whole30.
First a little bit about Thrive Market if you’re unfamiliar. It’s basically like Whole Foods and Costco got together and had a baby. And that baby lives online, offers tons of healthy products cheaper than anywhere else and delivers it right to your door. They organize products by dietary requirements or interests, making it super easy for you to sort through everything.
They have categories such as gluten-free, staples, vegan, Paleo, etc. They even offer home, kids and babies, pet, and beauty products/categories. Everything you’ll find in all of them are healthy, wholesome, non-toxic, ethical products at a cheaper price than you can find elsewhere. COOL, right?
There’s a yearly membership fee of $60, but as I previously mentioned, in my first year of using it I’ve saved 450 bucks. Which well makes up for the membership cost. They offer your first month free as a trial! You can even sign up for a free trial and save 25% off of your first order, or 20% off of your first 3 orders!
They often run specials that I get via email that alert me when they’re giving away free product with your order. I’ll usually wait to place my order until there’s one that I’m interested in. They’ve had a variety of free items that get added to your cart with your order such as Primal Kitchen bars, coconut oil, Epic bar products, Paleo chocolates, etc.
It’s worth it, if you ask me. Which you did… So…. 😉
Thrive Market also has amazing customer service. I’ve never, ever had an issue with a package I’ve received but the one time I did they were phenomenal at fixing it. A bottle had a slight crack in it and they sent out replacements of the 3 items it affected and gave me a credit towards my next purchase. All within 24 hours.
Most of the products like coconut aminos and vinegars (apple cider and balsamic, for example), I buy from Thrive Market. They’re more than $2 a bottle cheaper here and with the way I go through them, on a Whole30 or just in my everyday Paleo cooking, it adds up. Their huge bottle of apple cider vinegar is $2.50. No, I’m not kidding. These are great to have when doing a Whole30 because you can make your own dressings and marinades really easily and for really cheap.
They also carry a majority of the cooking oils I use like avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. I’ve gotten two large containers of coconut oil for free from those specials I mentioned. For doing things like a budget Whole30, purchasing these staple products from Thrive Market is the way to go.
Other pantry staples of mine when doing a Whole30 are approved flours. These are good to keep around for breading meat, adding to meatballs and thickening sauces or soups. I can buy these at Whole Foods, and sometimes do if I realize I’m running low too late, but I don’t like to. Why? Because they’re less expensive on Thrive Market.
The packages last a while because a little goes a long way with them. My usuals are almond flour, tapioca flour, cassava flour and arrowroot starch. Tapioca flour is $1.50 cheaper and arrowroot starch is almost half the cost on Thrive Market than it is in stores. Trying to do a Whole30 on the cheap is made a whole lot more budget friendly this way.
These cooking fats are also way more reasonably priced on Thrive Market. I remember when I first started eating this way. One of the first few times I saw my total at the register in Whole Foods I distinctly remember thinking I’d have to sell my car if I wanted to keep doing this. One of the things that gave me the greatest sticker shock were these ethically sourced, super good for you animal fats.
They have other brands of animal fats available too, and they’re all less expensive than in stores. They really are worth the money and they last a long time. I didn’t buy all of them at once but now I have three jars and am just now getting to the bottom of the lard and tallow (because it makes crazy-tasty chicken wings!).
The ghee I buy often, Organic Valley, (although I have another favorite brand that isn’t on Thrive Market… Yet) is 4 dollars cheaper on Thrive than it is at Whole Foods for the 13 ounce jar. If you know me AT ALL, you know I LOVE GHEE. I use it daily. Saving 4 bucks on it quickly makes a difference in my food budget. Again, they have a few different brands so you can take your pick!
I also will stock up on cans of coconut cream and coconut milk. They’re around 2 bucks a can which I think is pretty reasonable. I stock up on mayo too because I hate making my own and I never go through homemade mayo fast enough. Buying mayo makes it seem more expensive up front, but I figure I’m saving money actually by not throwing out half of a container of homemade mayo I make myself because that stuff’s expensive too!
If you’re truly trying to stick to a tight budget on Whole30, some of the staples I typically get aren’t really necessary, like meat sticks/bars and dressings you can make yourself. Sometimes even when I am trying to stay on budget, I’ll still get bottled ranch for the convenience factor, because I’ve already overcompensated by saving so much money other places.
Thrive Market has awesome prices compared to Whole Foods on canned tuna and salmon. I also buy a BUNCH of tomato products from here because they’re inexpensive. Items like tomato paste (.99 cents), crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, fire roasted tomatoes, marinara.. You get the idea. They have different flavors of marinara too so I buy a few jars at at time to keep in my pantry.
Other things I buy are shredded coconut, which is only 3 bucks for a bag, MTC oil, Lara Bars which are only $1 per bar on Thrive Market, chia seeds, nut butters and bone broth. There’s tons of different brands of each of these foods so you can compare your favorites for their price and quantity. They also have a huge 24 ounce jar of apple sauce for $3.50. The ingredients? Organic apples. That’s it.
They also have bulk spices that I bought a bunch of back in the first few months of having a membership. I then made up some of my favorite blends like taco seasoning and poultry seasoning into their own jars. I still have spices left from the bags I purchased.
Another thing I get from there are vitamins and probiotics. Again, expensive upfront but way cheaper than buying them at Whole Foods or other vitamin shops. I also get random stuff when I need it such as cacao powder, pumpkin puree, fish sauce, dates, pecans, almonds and cashews.
Overall, Thrive Market has been an awesome value for me. I’ve saved lots of money and am always stocked up on the things I need. It makes my grocery days go quicker or throwing together a meal easier. These are just a quick overview of my favorite things and I know you’ll find your own that help you save time and money, too!
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