In my endeavour to avoid genetically modified and processed foods I discovered I am truly lucky to live in such a culturally rich city. Asheville, North Carolina has so much to offer when looking for healthy real food. For example, Hickory Nut Gap Farm located in Fairview, just outside Asheville sells their grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and pastured chicken from the farm store as well as local markets. They are also used in many local restaurants.

Looking Glass Creamery, just a stone throw from Hickory Nut Gap Farm, serves artisanal produced handmade cheese and traditional goat’s milk caramel. Their milk is sourced from two local dairies for the best milk in the region for their cheeses and Carmelita.

If you’re trying to kick the soda habit, like I did, because of the high fructose corn syrup get yourself a Soda Stream and some flavoring syrup. However, be careful most syrups contain artificial coloring ~ yuck! I was excited to find Blue Blaze Soda Co located in Asheville. They sell handcrafted syrups without the bad stuff!

There are plenty of restaurants in Asheville that serve GMO free dishes. Some are entirely GMO free right down to the fryer oil, like Posana Cafe located downtown.

King James Public House also has a large selection of GMO free dishes. Executive Chef Steven Goff let me know that the only items that are not GMO free are the ones that go into the fryer oil. Goff hopes to use GMO free fryer oil in the future, but understandably the cost now is too high. Remember, the more we support the GMO free revolution the lower the cost will be.

Missy Ashton-Ruoff is a food blogger who lives just outside Asheville, NC. Growing up in her family’s restaurant gave her a unique perspective towards food, which she brings to her blog. Please visit Missy’s blog at foodbelongstous.com to educate yourself about real food and where to find it. Thanks for reading.

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