Are organic foods and fresh Seafood easaly available in Denver?

[RATT]

Thanks everyone for all this great info.,i will admit that some of it is not what i wanted to read but it is always better to know the truth and deal with it.However Livecontent the 100 miles rule is great because when you have to drag fresh produce all the way from California,Florida or anywhere out of the southern states sometimes they take more than a 1 week to get here AND they are ALWAYS covered in strange wax or spread with a viscous "thing" to keep them for trip.And when these products are not organically grown to begin with whatever gets up here in winter is awful.They grow everything here ,i mean even mangoes!!BUT it is only BTW April to mid-october.I must admit the news about the fish and the seafood is really a downer.I will have to do some SERIOUS revaluations,it is the only flies in the ointment but it is major one.The many times when i visited Las Vegas i remember the people i new there telling me how GOOD their access to great organic fruits,vegetable,fresh seafoods and fresh fish was when i ask the question.It must be because of California coast being only 210 miles away and Oregon being closer to them than to Colorado.That's a bummer!!

[LisaCACO]

as a vegetarian from socal, I'm really learning about food here in CO. I'm not so impressed with the organic food selection here, but then again, I came from socal where organic food is all over the place, including the farmers' markets.

the seafood selection isn't great either (my hubby is a meat eater and I do the shopping). whole foods is where we go for seafood and meats. it's a rather limited selection compared to what we're used to, but according to the local markets, they're ramping up the organic sections because of the high demand. nothing like all the meat and seafood recalls to make people rethink their food choices.

we also try and buy local, but there are some differences here. for example, we've found that colorado potatoes are just icky. something about the soil, lol, so we hunt for Idaho or CA potatoes. go figure.

[livecontent]

I rarely shop at Whole Foods or Wild Oats--yes, I know that they are one and the same now. From my experience, I can see that the prices are just too high, for the products offered. They do have nice products and their prepartions in the Deli, the Bakery are good--they are just too pricey. These stores to me, cater to the gullible "new rich" who believe in labels and some of the false advertising and perceptions of "organic", "natural", "imported", "gourmet" etc. People start to perceive better taste which does not exist, other than their minds. I do not buy into these perceptions that organic is soo much better, in all types of products, as people think.

Organic, Natural have their place in the food markets but there are devious producers and that includes many small local companies. It is so easy because it is hard to proof and where there is money to be made--. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of the products that is on the top of a fraudulent produced product because it is difficult to detect adulterated products, and this has been going on from the Roman times. I know from my industry experience from products that I have inspected that were labeled to deceive. Just because it says Organic and/or Natural and sold in some fancy market does not make it immuned to bad practices.

I tend to look get the same products but less expensive at Kings Soopers, Safeway, and Walmart. For produce, I shop around and I have found that Sunflower Markets to have excellent prices for produce--but the other products are overpriced.

In addition, I go to local ethnic markets that cater to the normal people who are not so wealthy. I would say Avanza Market, Welcome to Avanza Supermarket! is a great source for different and authentic Mexican Food Products. In addition, I have been impressed by Loborio Market in Commerce City and Aurora. This is a store that carries South American food products and comes from Los Angeles. Liborio However, it is a distance from me and there will be one opening in Westminster soon.

I find the authentic ethnic Asian Markets on Federal near Alameda to be good sources for well priced seafood and other Asian products. There are numerous markets in Aurora that attract me, near new immigrant communities, the Hmart is a good store for authentic Korean products Hmart.com: Online Shopping for Asian Grocery, Korean Kimchi, Rice Cookers, Appliances & more at everyday low prices.. I have for years also shopped at the Pacific Mercantile, at Sakura Square, the Japanese enclave north of Downtown Asian Food, Japanese Food, Japanese Gifts

I believe if you want good products at a good price then go to the stores where the new immigrants shop. It was that way when I lived in NYC. It is like that in many large cities with strong ethnic communities. The stores, I like all have the people, who do not speak english; the old woman who pushes me out of the way for a better onion; the stores that have the smells and odors that I associate with good products---I shop with my nose. Many of these stores are in the less affluent neighborhoods. I would suggest going beyond the false, nice smelling stores in the nice shopping centers and follow your own nose, and experience diversity, and save some money.

I believe that the Denver area can get fresh seafood--but there is a price and there has to be sufficient demand with many pre-sold orders, for some very perishable products, to make the shipment financially feasible. Many years ago, I had to fly in to Denver, for a large event, very fresh caught sea urchins. I had to arrange for the boat to go out, have the truck at the dock and go right to a waiting airplane--direct to Denver. They arrived in matter of hours from the time they left the sea. It was very costly. However, I do not want to give the impression that all fresh seafood sold in Denver is not of excellent quality--there are many products that are good and suppliers ship on a daily basis.

Most importantly, I prepare my meals from food that is economically priced. I do not purchase a product that is overpriced and shipped in just to satisfy the whims of the consumer who cannot wait for the proper season and/or price for these products.

But the idea of producing Mangoes in Canada, where they are not grown and are not natural is a waste of effort, they are not going to be any better. This is a type of product that can be easily shipped long distances, by air, without deterioration of quality--it is done everyday.

As far as shipping fresh ruits and vegetables to a large urban Markets in Canada from Florida, and Southern US States--it is done everyday and I doubt there is deterioration because these products reach their markets fairly rapidly and are constantly shipped by air.

Whether you can detect, if a product is organic by taste--I disagree---it is all organic. If you want to pay through the nose or the mouth, it is your choice.

Livecontent