Bay State Milling SowNaked Mindfully Farmed Oats 

Not your run of the mill oats, SowNaked Oats provide a higher protein yield grain, providing an innovative vegetarian protein solution from a sustainable source. These oats are kinder to the farmer and the environment. They are grown from a hull-less oat cultivar in a closed system, traceable to the seed. Because these oats are hull-less, they provide a 30 percent improvement in grower returns. They are minimally processed, requiring no heat or steam, plus "mindfully farmed oats" are identity preserved to the individual farm and grower. We like it!

Bee’s Wrap Lunch Pack

A beautifully designed alternative to plastic wrap and baggies, Bee’s Wrap is handcrafted in a Vermont workshop by infusing organic cotton with beeswax, organic jojoba oil and tree resin. The end result is washable, reusable and compostable. And there’s more. Bee’s Wrap is committed to using its business as a vehicle for social change; it donates all of its scraps locally to be used as fire starters and partners with The Bee Cause to implement bee education into classroom across the U.S.

Nurture Ranch Traceable 100% Grass Fed Beef

Meat would seem a natural front-runner in the movement toward traceability, but the category has conspicuously lagged behind, making companies like Nurture Ranch stand out. The Texas-based company takes its, “Hey, where did you get that meat?” tagline seriously with every package traceable past the basics of “when” and “where” all the way to the individual animal.

Adeo Health Science Inspired Start

A deliciously simple way to introduce allergens to babies, Inspired Start incorporates small doses of tree nuts, shell fish, wheat, soy and other common allergens into eight different products. Inspired Start makes it approachable for parents to serve their little ones organic, delicious baby food inspired by the latest research on early allergen introduction.

NatureWise Ashwagandha Herbal Blends

The ashwagandha ingredient KSM-66 has more than a dozen published studies showing that 600 mg/day can help with stress, endurance, body weight management, memory and cognitive function. Each SKU starts with KSM-66, then adds select botanicals to deliver targeted support for stress, endurance, brain health, libido and healthy aging. And the company has unparalleled transparency—download the app and read lab reports vouchsafing ingredient integrity for each bottle.

The Soulfull Project Multigrain Hot Cereal Family Size

The Soulfull Project is on a mission to give people opportunities to connect back to their own communities. For each serving purchased, a serving is provided to a local food bank in the region it’s purchased. This 4 Grain Blend was created alongside the brand’s first partner, The Food Bank of South Jersey, which validated the needs for convenient whole-grain breakfasts (without sugar) for its clients. This brand supports healthy food as a right, not a privilege, and for busy consumers, helps make the giving choice the easy choice.

Yondu Vegetable Essence

For those who are looking for a condiment that helps food pop with flavor, Yondu Vegetable Essence is it. It's a delicious and complex all-purpose liquid seasoning made from naturally fermented soybeans and vegetables.

Tribali Foods Beef Patties

As more Americans demand humanely raised animal products, this new brand makes eating high-quality meat a breeze with its line of globally inspired frozen organic protein patties. Tribali uses pasture-raised beef that's grass fed and finished to create patties that are packed with flavorful spices and can be cooked up on a skillet in just 10 minutes. Wholesome ingredients, adventurous flavors and lots of integrity—that’s what the NEXTYs are about.

Base Culture sweet breads

Base Culture whips up Certified Paleo baked goods infused with sweet, healthy add-ins such as banana or pumpkin. When this women-owned brand was primed to expand, founder Jordann Windschauer couldn’t find a contract manufacturer that could craft her grain-free products without compromising quality. So she spearheaded the construction of her own facility in Florida, which makes these honey- and maple syrup-sweetened goodies ones that anyone—paleo or not—would love.

Mmtum Inc. DIY Mask Kit

Do-it-yourself beauty products are an excellent way for consumers to connect with the products they put on their skin—and when they’re made with pure ingredients (including detoxifying kaolin and bentonite clays, cold-pressed organic oils and antioxidant-rich algae) and packaged in cool recycled containers, the connection is real. While anyone can appreciate the purity and levity, we think the product’s greatest potential is in reaching young women as they start to develop their preferences and brand affinities—and realize they are in control.

The Honest Stand Spicy Nacho Dip/Mild Nacho Dip

The Honest Stand’s honest approach to nacho cheese with its short, recognizable ingredient deck (potatoes, cashews, carrots, onion) offers up an organic, whole-food alternative to soy-based “cheeses.” The mission-driven company focuses on maintaining a low carbon footprint by operating its own manufacturing facility with eco-friendly practices, and donating its product surplus to a local food bank.

Haven Row Do Anything Sauces

Created by a busy mom, Do Anything Sauces are anything but ordinary. With flavors like cauliflower alfredo and kale pesto, these sauces and marinades are loaded with organic vegetables for convenient, delicious meals. They maintain a short and clean label, and use innovative HPP technology to preserve freshness and maximize nutrients.

MegaFood B12 Energy Ginger Gummies

OK, gummy vitamins aren’t exactly new. But we liked what we saw here: a certified organic, vegetarian and dairy-free delivery for vitamin B12. We also liked what we tasted: a ginger-forward, real-food gummy bursting with actual ginger from an actual farm in (actual) Kauai, and free of gelatin, HFCS and fake stuff. MegaFood also boasts being the first supplement brand to have its entire line certified glyphosate residue-free.

LoveTheWild fish bowls

Aquaculture must jump a number of hurdles to sit with environmentally conscious and health-aware consumers, but LoveTheWild helps ease them over the obstacles with a clear message about how it’s done, where it’s done and why it’s done as well as intriguing recipes, like Spicy Korean BBQ Bowl with Salmon. The company makes fish at home interesting and easy.

Clean Machine Clean Green Protein with Lentein

Lentein is described as the world’s most complete food source, higher in essential amino acids than pea, rice, soy and other plant proteins. It’s said to be the only plant comparable to whey protein in branch-chain amino acid composition and is higher in nutrient density than kale, spinach, spirulina or chlorella. An excellent source of calcium, iron, vitamin A and antioxidants. And it’s sustainable, being aqua-farmed in the US of A. It’s non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, grain free and solvent free. Each scoop contains 20 grams of protein and another 7 grams of fiber.

Crunchsters

Crunchsters is the first snack product in the U.S. crafted from whole mung bean sprouts, and it's a minimally processed snack with a short list of ingredients. These perfectly seasoned roasted beans are utterly snackable. Each serving of Crunchsters packs 7 grams of allergen friendly plant protein and 5 grams of fiber.

Vermont Village Daily Detox Activated Charcoal

Don’t let the color of this drink fool you—this black beverage is a fantastic detoxifier. One shot of Vermont Village’s Daily Detox mixed with a glass of water combines the benefits of raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar with activated charcoal—two ingredients that promote a healthy gut.

Sejoyia Foods Coco-Thins

Do you sense a coconut trend? It doesn’t seem to be going anywhere as coconut snacks satisfy on so many fronts. These Sejoiya snacks also feature on-trend cashews and cassava to create a satisfyingly sweet chip. Or is it a thin and crispy cookie? Either way, they’re craveable. Wind powers the plant where Sejoiya bakes up this deliciousness.

Simply West Coast Spicy Thai Seafood Soup

Simply West Coast soups come in recyclable glass jars, making them easy to heat and eat. They are delicious and full of exotic and exciting flavors like lemongrass and galangal. We love that each soup contains sustainably fished, wild-caught seafood along with fresh veggies.

The Gluten Free Bar Power Breakfast

Sustainability and convenience is a priority for The GFB with Power Breakfast, a gluten-free, high-protein oatmeal with no added sugar and a healthy mix of add-ins. The oatmeal is packaged in a collapsible bowl that can be microwaved and then recycled for an eco-friendly breakfast on the go.

GoodPop Cookies N’ Cream Frozen Pops

GoodPop has all the “goods”: certified B Corp status, organic and fair trade ingredients, and Rainforest Alliance certified palm oil. Be on the lookout for its new-to-market, highly decorated (certified) vegan Cookies N’ Cream Pops. Verifications mean this brand lives up to its “Good” name to prove ingredient quality, but it's also on a mission to give back to its nonprofit partners. Remember, it’s vegan, gluten free, only 110 calories per pop… and its creamily delicious.

Hawaiian Ola Kona Tea

Hawaiian Ola does “everything with love,” and that’s just what captured our editors’ attention. Kona Tea features coffee leaf, a rising ingredient. While we love the ingredient (and the tea Ola makes), what stands out most is how Hawaiian Ola came to consider its use. This certified B Corp focuses on increasing Hawaiian crop production in many ways, including by finding new income opportunities. When the coffee boar beetle attacked beans, Kona farmers lost 10 percent to 30 percent of their production. So Hawaiian Ola created the beverage as a way to use another part of the plant and replace lost income.   

Rumi Spice Blends

We know saffron as an expensive spice that flavors and tints dishes such as paella or risotto. But Kimberly Jung, CEO and co-founder of Rumi Spice, knows saffron as a tool to improve the lives of Afghanistan farmers. Formerly a U.S. army officer, Jung launched Rumi Spice with the goal to incentivize farmers to turn away from cultivating poppy for opium or marijuana—some of the only lucrative cash crops in Afghanistan—to growing saffron. And because Afghanistan grows some of the best saffron in the world, Rumi Spice has figured out how to pay farmers up to six times more for saffron than farmers make growing opium. The company incorporates the crimson spice into usable blends that even novice cooks can use in dishes of all ilk.

MADE OF Household Cleaners

Household products by new baby company MADE OF are made to be simple, organic-first and ultimately transparent. We were impressed with the fact that the company provides ingredient origin and certificates for each ingredient, and discloses actual independent test results and where the product is manufactured. MADE OF science-backed products tout safety, simplicity and healthy living across all of its product lines, which include organic bath and body products, diapers and wipes. 

Seed Phytonutrients Lightweight Conditioner

When it comes to affecting change, you have to think big… and small. The team behind Seed Phytonutrients had a major issue with the fact that 93 percent of seed varieties have been lost due to factors such as over-commercialization. That’s why they decided to make beauty products with a mission, partnering with small organic farmers to create a line of plant-based hair, face and body products (this lightweight conditioner blends seed oils with shea butter and turmeric root powder) geared toward helping to protect local seed varieties. Plus, the company’s innovative (and cool-looking) post-consumer recycled packaging uses 60 percent less plastic than the average bottle, can hold up in the shower and is totally recyclable. Seeds provide us with so much beauty—and this launch is no exception. 

Himalaya FlorAvani

Into the digestive wellness game comes an Ayurvedic solution without the use of probiotics. Instead, we have prebiotic fibers that feed beneficial bacteria, ginger to quell upset stomach, and a triphala botanical blend that reduces gas and bloating and promotes digestive regularity. A study found that 25 out of 30 study subjects reported significant improvement in digestive comfort.