When I first discovered that my children were allergic to wheat/gluten and dairy, I was at a loss. That basically ruled out almost all biscuits, cakes, pastries, ice-creams... everything that I've thought of as yummy!
I scoured the organic and gluten-free sections of Fairprice Finest and Cold Storage and came to the conclusion that wheat-free, dairy-free and nut-free products were usually also TASTE-free and would eventually render me SAVINGS-free.
The next few years were spent doing lots of research on diet, health, digestion and recipes, and I came to the following conclusions:
1. iHerb is cheaper than NTUC Fairprice for most organic and health products. Even after factoring in the exchange rate and shipping costs.
2. Coconut water is the new medicine that fixes everything from fevers, bugs and even fatigue. We haven't take pharmaceutical pills or even chinese medicine for the longest time.
3. Eating less or no wheat and dairy products is beneficial for EVERYONE, not just those with allergies. Wheat and dairy are generally not the most easily digested foods. (excluding yoghurt, but the jury is still out on that one)
4. Eating more raw foods improves the immunity. Ever since we started increasing our raw food intake, we started to fall sick less often. We used to fall sick every few weeks. Then we started having all-fruit breakfasts and tea breaks, and including salads and raw dishes in our lunches and dinners. Illnesses went down to about once a year, and even then, they lasted for only a day or less.
Anyway, during those confusing and high-expenditure years, I often wished I had a easy list of food and recipes, or at least a place where I could get all the food I needed without burning a hole in my pocket. After years of trial and error, I've finally compiled my own list and hopefully, it can save others from having to go through the same tedious process.
A few people have asked me to share my iHerb shopping list. My problem is not what to buy, but how to cut down the list so I can still qualify for $4 Vpost shipping - the entire order must be below 6.3kg and below $200. But there's free shipping to Singapore at the moment, till 31 July 2014! I'm a big iHerb fan, so much so that I now get VIP discounts... which encourages me to buy more. :}
Dandy Blend, Instant Herbal Beverage with Dandelion, Caffeine Free, 14.1 oz (400 g)
My coffee-addict husband accepted this as a replacement for his morning coffee. My 4-year-old son likes it too. So it can't be bad!
Greens Plus, Wild Berry Burst, 9.4 oz (267 g) Powder
Another favourite. Fully of greens and vitamins, and tastes yummy.
Growing Naturals, Organic Rice Drink + Protein, Powder, Creamy Vanilla, 15.2 oz (432 g)
Tastes nice and is way cheaper than buying cartons of rice milk!
Nutiva, Organic Hemp Shake, Vanilla, 16 oz (454 g) (NUT-13331)
A delicious and filling protein drink.
Macrolife Naturals, Macro Coco Greens, All Natural Chocolate Super-Food, 14.2 oz (404 g)
A bit pricey, but way better than drinking Milo. Full of greens and veggies that most children would never eat! My kids loved this! They're allergic to cow's milk so this was a great replacement for chocolate drinks.
Gluten-free grains and seeds
Tinkyada, Brown Rice Pasta, Vegetable Spirals, 12 oz (340 g)
A God-send for the gluten/wheat-intolerant. Most gluten-free pasta is mushy or crumbly, but this one is springy and tastes like the real thing! It withstands a lot of overcooking which is great because I tend to forget about it!
Arrowhead Mills, Organic Red Lentils, 16 oz (453 g)
We love dal. A quick-cooking and simple dish for express dinners. Lentils are high in carbohydrates and proteins, and great for vegetarians.
Arrowhead Mills, Organic Chickpeas (Garbanzos), 16 oz (453 g)
Super-filling protein to add to dal, stews or soups.
Bob's Red Mill, 13 Bean Soup Mix, 29 oz (822 g)
This makes a yummy soup.
Nutiva, Organic, Chia Seed, 32 oz (907 g)
Superfood that goes with everything. Smoothies, desserts, salads.
Nutiva, Organic Hemp Seed Raw Shelled, 19 oz (539 g)
Great nut replacement for the nut-allergic. Lovely for smoothies and salads.
Condiments
Simply Organic, Basil, 0.54 oz (15 g)
We like basil with almost everything! The other spices by Simply Organic are great too.
Garlic Gold, Organic Italian Herb Nuggets, 1.6 oz (45 g)
I love bacon but I'm not willing to kill a pig for it anymore. This one stops all bacon cravings!
Navitas Naturals, Raw Certified Organic Nori Sheets, 10 Sheets, 0.9 oz (25 g)
Brown rice sushi or raw cauliflower-rice sushi makes a simple, fun meal!
Eden Foods, Wasabi Powder, .88 oz (25 g)
Eat this with sushi!
Bragg, Organic, Apple Cider Vinegar, with The 'Mother', Raw - Unfiltered, 32 fl oz (946 ml)
This is fantastic for allergies. Whenever someone in our family gets an allergic reaction (rashes, swollen eyes, swollen lips, runny nose, the works, 1-2 tablespoons of this does the trick within 10 minutes.
Sweet stuff
Wholesome Sweeteners, Inc., Organic Raw Blue Agave, Amber, 11.75 oz (333 g)
We use Agave for salads, sauces, desserts and drinks. Low Glycemic Index - doesn't send the kids on a sugar high bouncing off the walls!
Simply Organic, Madagascar Vanilla, Non-Alcoholic Flavoring, Farm Grown , 2 fl oz (59 ml)
The kids love this in smoothies and desserts.
Navitas Naturals, Organic, Cacao Powder, Raw Chocolate Powder, 16 oz (454 g)
It's raw and unprocessed. So I can eat lots without feeling guilty!
Go Raw, Real Live Chocolate, Original, 6 Pieces, .3 oz (8.5 g)
Pricey but heavenly! 'Nuff said. For dark chocolate lovers.
Endangered Species Chocolate, Natural Dark Chocolate, 3 oz (85 g)
Milk-free dark chocolate. Yum.
Kinnikinnick Foods, KinniToos, Chocolate Sandwich Cream Cookies, 8 oz (220 g)
Gluten-free Oreos. Thank goodness for these! These are highly valued treats reserved for special occasions!
Pamela's Products, Simplebites, Chocolate Chip Mini Cookies, 7 oz (198 g)
These are so good, most people can't tell it's gluten-free.
Enjoy Life Foods, Boom Choco Boom Bar, Dark Chocolate, 1.12 oz (32 g)
Yummy treat. Gluten-free and dairy-free.
Vitamins
Nature's Way, Alive! Gummies, Multi-Vitamin for Children, Natural Cherry, Grape & Orange Flavors, 90 Gummies
These are the only gummies my kids get to eat. They don't get sweets or candies so this is the closest they'll ever get!
Wakunaga - Kyolic, Kid's Kyo-Dophilus, Vanilla Chewable, 60 Tablets
Probiotics for kids. It tastes nice.
Enzymedica, ViraStop 2X, 90 Capsules
This really works to stop a virus, when taken at the onset.
Nordic Naturals, Children's DHA, Strawberry, 250 mg, 360 Chewable Soft Gels
The kids used to take this when they were younger.
Skin and Bodycare
Avalon Organics, CoQ10 Repair, Facial Cleansing Milk, 8.5 fl oz (251 ml)
I've used this for years. I like the fact that it doesn't dry out the skin.
Avalon Organics, CoQ10 Repair, Wrinkle Defense Night Cream, 1.75 oz (50 g)
Works nicely, not too oily.
Sierra Bees, Organic Pomegranate Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E, .15 oz (4.25 g)
I'd much rather put beeswax on my lips than petroleum.
MyChelle Dermaceuticals, Minerals, Concealer, Solar, .10 oz (2.83 g)
Suits the chinese skin tone.
I scoured the organic and gluten-free sections of Fairprice Finest and Cold Storage and came to the conclusion that wheat-free, dairy-free and nut-free products were usually also TASTE-free and would eventually render me SAVINGS-free.
The next few years were spent doing lots of research on diet, health, digestion and recipes, and I came to the following conclusions:
1. iHerb is cheaper than NTUC Fairprice for most organic and health products. Even after factoring in the exchange rate and shipping costs.
2. Coconut water is the new medicine that fixes everything from fevers, bugs and even fatigue. We haven't take pharmaceutical pills or even chinese medicine for the longest time.
3. Eating less or no wheat and dairy products is beneficial for EVERYONE, not just those with allergies. Wheat and dairy are generally not the most easily digested foods. (excluding yoghurt, but the jury is still out on that one)
4. Eating more raw foods improves the immunity. Ever since we started increasing our raw food intake, we started to fall sick less often. We used to fall sick every few weeks. Then we started having all-fruit breakfasts and tea breaks, and including salads and raw dishes in our lunches and dinners. Illnesses went down to about once a year, and even then, they lasted for only a day or less.
Anyway, during those confusing and high-expenditure years, I often wished I had a easy list of food and recipes, or at least a place where I could get all the food I needed without burning a hole in my pocket. After years of trial and error, I've finally compiled my own list and hopefully, it can save others from having to go through the same tedious process.
A few people have asked me to share my iHerb shopping list. My problem is not what to buy, but how to cut down the list so I can still qualify for $4 Vpost shipping - the entire order must be below 6.3kg and below $200. But there's free shipping to Singapore at the moment, till 31 July 2014! I'm a big iHerb fan, so much so that I now get VIP discounts... which encourages me to buy more. :}
But what really convinced me was when I compared the price of organic food on iHerb and NTUC Fairprice. iHerb won hands down.
So anyway, here's my list. Don't take my word for it, check out the reviews. You can even sort them according to how popular they are.
If it's your first time, use the discount code NEF914 when you checkout to get US$10 off your first order on www.iherb.com
Edibles
So anyway, here's my list. Don't take my word for it, check out the reviews. You can even sort them according to how popular they are.
If it's your first time, use the discount code NEF914 when you checkout to get US$10 off your first order on www.iherb.com
Edibles
Coffee Replacement
Dandy Blend, Instant Herbal Beverage with Dandelion, Caffeine Free, 14.1 oz (400 g)
My coffee-addict husband accepted this as a replacement for his morning coffee. My 4-year-old son likes it too. So it can't be bad!
Dairy-free
Nutiva, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 29 fl oz (858 ml)
Coconut oil is a stable oil for cooking and heating. My kids like it on roasted potatoes! 1000+ positive reviews can't be wrong!
Nutiva, Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 29 fl oz (858 ml)
Coconut oil is a stable oil for cooking and heating. My kids like it on roasted potatoes! 1000+ positive reviews can't be wrong!
Note: Don't cook with olive oil. It is not a stable oil at high temperatures and so, should be consumed raw. And Canola oil is NOT the healthier choice. It is a genetically modified oil from the toxic rapeseed plant. Olive oil comes from olives, sesame oil from sesame, but canola oil? There is no canola plant. Read more.
Nutiva, Coconut Manna, 15 oz (425 g)
We use this to solidify cakes. Coconut oil/butter solidifies at room temperature so we mix this into smoothies and freeze it to make no-bake cupcakes and biscuits!
Now Foods, Nutritional Yeast Powder, 10 oz (284 g)
If you love cheese but can't eat it, this is for you! My kids would eat this with everything, if I let them.
Dairy-free beverages
Nutiva, Coconut Manna, 15 oz (425 g)
We use this to solidify cakes. Coconut oil/butter solidifies at room temperature so we mix this into smoothies and freeze it to make no-bake cupcakes and biscuits!
Now Foods, Nutritional Yeast Powder, 10 oz (284 g)
If you love cheese but can't eat it, this is for you! My kids would eat this with everything, if I let them.
Dairy-free beverages
My kids don't drink milk. They drink water and coconut water. And occasionally these:
Greens Plus, Wild Berry Burst, 9.4 oz (267 g) Powder
Another favourite. Fully of greens and vitamins, and tastes yummy.
Growing Naturals, Organic Rice Drink + Protein, Powder, Creamy Vanilla, 15.2 oz (432 g)
Tastes nice and is way cheaper than buying cartons of rice milk!
Nutiva, Organic Hemp Shake, Vanilla, 16 oz (454 g) (NUT-13331)
A delicious and filling protein drink.
Macrolife Naturals, Macro Coco Greens, All Natural Chocolate Super-Food, 14.2 oz (404 g)
A bit pricey, but way better than drinking Milo. Full of greens and veggies that most children would never eat! My kids loved this! They're allergic to cow's milk so this was a great replacement for chocolate drinks.
Gluten-free grains and seeds
Tinkyada, Brown Rice Pasta, Vegetable Spirals, 12 oz (340 g)
A God-send for the gluten/wheat-intolerant. Most gluten-free pasta is mushy or crumbly, but this one is springy and tastes like the real thing! It withstands a lot of overcooking which is great because I tend to forget about it!
Arrowhead Mills, Organic Red Lentils, 16 oz (453 g)
We love dal. A quick-cooking and simple dish for express dinners. Lentils are high in carbohydrates and proteins, and great for vegetarians.
Arrowhead Mills, Organic Chickpeas (Garbanzos), 16 oz (453 g)
Super-filling protein to add to dal, stews or soups.
Bob's Red Mill, 13 Bean Soup Mix, 29 oz (822 g)
This makes a yummy soup.
Nutiva, Organic, Chia Seed, 32 oz (907 g)
Superfood that goes with everything. Smoothies, desserts, salads.
Nutiva, Organic Hemp Seed Raw Shelled, 19 oz (539 g)
Great nut replacement for the nut-allergic. Lovely for smoothies and salads.
Condiments
Simply Organic, Basil, 0.54 oz (15 g)
We like basil with almost everything! The other spices by Simply Organic are great too.
Garlic Gold, Organic Italian Herb Nuggets, 1.6 oz (45 g)
I love bacon but I'm not willing to kill a pig for it anymore. This one stops all bacon cravings!
Navitas Naturals, Raw Certified Organic Nori Sheets, 10 Sheets, 0.9 oz (25 g)
Brown rice sushi or raw cauliflower-rice sushi makes a simple, fun meal!
Eden Foods, Wasabi Powder, .88 oz (25 g)
Eat this with sushi!
Bragg, Organic, Apple Cider Vinegar, with The 'Mother', Raw - Unfiltered, 32 fl oz (946 ml)
This is fantastic for allergies. Whenever someone in our family gets an allergic reaction (rashes, swollen eyes, swollen lips, runny nose, the works, 1-2 tablespoons of this does the trick within 10 minutes.
Sweet stuff
Wholesome Sweeteners, Inc., Organic Raw Blue Agave, Amber, 11.75 oz (333 g)
We use Agave for salads, sauces, desserts and drinks. Low Glycemic Index - doesn't send the kids on a sugar high bouncing off the walls!
Simply Organic, Madagascar Vanilla, Non-Alcoholic Flavoring, Farm Grown , 2 fl oz (59 ml)
The kids love this in smoothies and desserts.
Navitas Naturals, Organic, Cacao Powder, Raw Chocolate Powder, 16 oz (454 g)
It's raw and unprocessed. So I can eat lots without feeling guilty!
Go Raw, Real Live Chocolate, Original, 6 Pieces, .3 oz (8.5 g)
Pricey but heavenly! 'Nuff said. For dark chocolate lovers.
Endangered Species Chocolate, Natural Dark Chocolate, 3 oz (85 g)
Milk-free dark chocolate. Yum.
Kinnikinnick Foods, KinniToos, Chocolate Sandwich Cream Cookies, 8 oz (220 g)
Gluten-free Oreos. Thank goodness for these! These are highly valued treats reserved for special occasions!
Pamela's Products, Simplebites, Chocolate Chip Mini Cookies, 7 oz (198 g)
These are so good, most people can't tell it's gluten-free.
Enjoy Life Foods, Boom Choco Boom Bar, Dark Chocolate, 1.12 oz (32 g)
Yummy treat. Gluten-free and dairy-free.
Vitamins
Nature's Way, Alive! Gummies, Multi-Vitamin for Children, Natural Cherry, Grape & Orange Flavors, 90 Gummies
These are the only gummies my kids get to eat. They don't get sweets or candies so this is the closest they'll ever get!
Wakunaga - Kyolic, Kid's Kyo-Dophilus, Vanilla Chewable, 60 Tablets
Probiotics for kids. It tastes nice.
Enzymedica, ViraStop 2X, 90 Capsules
This really works to stop a virus, when taken at the onset.
Nordic Naturals, Children's DHA, Strawberry, 250 mg, 360 Chewable Soft Gels
The kids used to take this when they were younger.
Skin and Bodycare
Face
Avalon Organics, CoQ10 Repair, Facial Cleansing Milk, 8.5 fl oz (251 ml)
I've used this for years. I like the fact that it doesn't dry out the skin.
Avalon Organics, CoQ10 Repair, Wrinkle Defense Night Cream, 1.75 oz (50 g)
Works nicely, not too oily.
Sierra Bees, Organic Pomegranate Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E, .15 oz (4.25 g)
I'd much rather put beeswax on my lips than petroleum.
MyChelle Dermaceuticals, Minerals, Concealer, Solar, .10 oz (2.83 g)
Suits the chinese skin tone.
Body
Mild By Nature, For Baby, Tear-Free Shampoo & Body Wash, 12.85 fl oz (380 ml)
No tears and nice smell.
Nubian Heritage, African Black Soap Bar, 5 oz (141 g)
More moisturising than the usual bar soaps.
Dr. Woods, Shea Vision, Pure Black Soap, 32 fl oz (946 ml)
Great for those with dry skin. My kids use this too.
Island Essence, Body Wash, for Men, 8.5 oz (250 ml)
The man loves this.
Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, Liquid Hand Soap Refill, Basil Scent, 33 fl oz (975 ml)
It smells nice. :)
Deep Steep, Foot Cream, Candy - Mint, 6 fl oz (177 ml)
This revives tired, aching feet!
Mild By Nature, For Baby, Tear-Free Shampoo & Body Wash, 12.85 fl oz (380 ml)
No tears and nice smell.
Nubian Heritage, African Black Soap Bar, 5 oz (141 g)
More moisturising than the usual bar soaps.
Dr. Woods, Shea Vision, Pure Black Soap, 32 fl oz (946 ml)
Great for those with dry skin. My kids use this too.
Island Essence, Body Wash, for Men, 8.5 oz (250 ml)
The man loves this.
Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, Liquid Hand Soap Refill, Basil Scent, 33 fl oz (975 ml)
It smells nice. :)
Deep Steep, Foot Cream, Candy - Mint, 6 fl oz (177 ml)
This revives tired, aching feet!
Hair
Aubrey Organics, Ultra-Smoothing Conditioner, White Camellia, Dry, Coarse, Unruly, 11 fl oz (325 ml)
This is the best anti-frizz conditioner. Ever. And I've tried LOADS.
Giovanni, Frizz Be Gone, Super Smoothing, Anti-Frizz Hair Serum, 2.75 fl oz (81 ml)
Smells nice too.
Dental care
Now Foods, Solutions, XyliWhite, Kids Toothpaste Gel, Strawberry Splash, 3.0 oz (85 g)
Toothpaste for kids that doesn't contain SCARY unpronounceable ingredients. The only problem is, it tastes too nice. I've had to stop my kids from EATING it.
Nature's Answer, Periobrite Natural Toothpaste, Cool Mint, 4 oz (113.4g)
We've tried lots of brands of toothpaste and finally settled on this. It doesn't taste weird, like the other organic toothpastes in the market.
Dr. Tung's, Ionic Toothbrush, w/Replacement Head, 1 Toothbrush, 1 Replaceable Head
This one is amazing. It actually leaves your teeth feeling SQUEAKY! It uses the action of water and negative ions to repel plaque from your teeth. And you actually see the plaque that comes off when you clean the metal bar on the toothbrush every few weeks. Our whole family uses this!
Others
Badger Company, Organic Anti-Bug, Shake & Spray, 4 fl oz (118.3 ml)
I'm irresistible and yummy so I need this.
Natracare, Natural Ultra Pads, Regular, 14 Pads
Comfortable and much better than the conventional brands. Enough details!
Detergents
Charlie's Soap, Inc., Laundry Powder, 2.64 lbs (1.2 kg)
Great for those with sensitive skin. No funny additives to irritate your skin.
Earth Friendly Products, Oxo Brite, Natural Oxygen Power, 3.6 lbs (1.64 kgs)
We use this instead of chlorine bleach.
Ecover, Natural Dishwashing Liquid, Lemon Scent & Aloe Vera, 32 fl oz (946 ml)
No more dry hands!
There's lots more, but I think I should stop here for now!
Don't forget to use the discount code NEF914 when you checkout to get US$10 off your first order.
Happy shopping!
Aubrey Organics, Ultra-Smoothing Conditioner, White Camellia, Dry, Coarse, Unruly, 11 fl oz (325 ml)
This is the best anti-frizz conditioner. Ever. And I've tried LOADS.
Giovanni, Frizz Be Gone, Super Smoothing, Anti-Frizz Hair Serum, 2.75 fl oz (81 ml)
Smells nice too.
Dental care
Now Foods, Solutions, XyliWhite, Kids Toothpaste Gel, Strawberry Splash, 3.0 oz (85 g)
Toothpaste for kids that doesn't contain SCARY unpronounceable ingredients. The only problem is, it tastes too nice. I've had to stop my kids from EATING it.
Nature's Answer, Periobrite Natural Toothpaste, Cool Mint, 4 oz (113.4g)
We've tried lots of brands of toothpaste and finally settled on this. It doesn't taste weird, like the other organic toothpastes in the market.
Dr. Tung's, Ionic Toothbrush, w/Replacement Head, 1 Toothbrush, 1 Replaceable Head
This one is amazing. It actually leaves your teeth feeling SQUEAKY! It uses the action of water and negative ions to repel plaque from your teeth. And you actually see the plaque that comes off when you clean the metal bar on the toothbrush every few weeks. Our whole family uses this!
Others
Badger Company, Organic Anti-Bug, Shake & Spray, 4 fl oz (118.3 ml)
I'm irresistible and yummy so I need this.
Natracare, Natural Ultra Pads, Regular, 14 Pads
Comfortable and much better than the conventional brands. Enough details!
Detergents
Charlie's Soap, Inc., Laundry Powder, 2.64 lbs (1.2 kg)
Great for those with sensitive skin. No funny additives to irritate your skin.
Earth Friendly Products, Oxo Brite, Natural Oxygen Power, 3.6 lbs (1.64 kgs)
We use this instead of chlorine bleach.
Ecover, Natural Dishwashing Liquid, Lemon Scent & Aloe Vera, 32 fl oz (946 ml)
No more dry hands!
There's lots more, but I think I should stop here for now!
Don't forget to use the discount code NEF914 when you checkout to get US$10 off your first order.
Happy shopping!
