How to Find Organic Food at Yellowstone National Park

Eating healthy on the road can be challenging. Thankfully, there are more communities buying into the importance of eating organic whole foods. Wyoming and Montana are no exception. Yellowstone National Park doesn’t offer any natural food stores. However there are many resources are available just outside the park gates (in back country “just outside” means two or fewer hours away).

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Visit Montana community co-ops and natural food groceries. The closest organic food outlets to the park in Montana are in Bozeman, which is located 90 miles from the west and north gates to Yellowstone National Park. The Bozeman Community Food Co-op provides a wide selection of organic (and locally grown) vegetables, diary and grocery selections. The co-op also has a deli that includes free-range chicken and grass-fed beef. A quick Internet search will bring up their website. Other co-ops and natural food groceries can be found in Missoula and Billings, Montana. Please see Resources below for co-op directories.

2. Try Wyoming natural food stores. Cody, Wyoming, is located 60 miles from the east gate of Yellowstone National Park. There are two small health or natural food stores, neither of which offers an organic vegetable selection. Mountain High Health Foods focuses primarily on supplements with a small selection of groceries. Whole Foods Trading Company offers a nice selection of groceries with a small bulk selection and frozen foods. Whole Foods also offers a good selection of supplements and other health related product lines. Please see “Tradition Grocery Stores” for information on organic produce available in Cody.

3. Patronize traditional grocery stores in Cody, Wyoming. Albertsons is working hard to increase the availability of organic vegetables in Cody. They have changed produce distributors to increase their organic selection and decrease the cost of eating healthy. Albertsons also offers a small selection of other organic products, including coffee and dairy.

4. Spend a day at the farmers market in Bozeman, Montana. The Chamber of Commerce advises that consumers check their calendar for exact dates and times. Go to www.bozemanchamber.com for more information.

5. Check out the farmers market in Cody, Wyoming every Thursday afternoon in the Albertsons parking lot. This is a nice little market with a great selection of fruits, vegetables, and other products like gluten-free bread. Please note that not all of the farmers are organic or non-pesticide. Be sure to verify with each farmer that you are buying organic. The Wayfaring Traveler Ranch is often found at this market. They grow their produce both sustainable and organic.

6. Order a meal at the Montana Community Co-op's superior deli. In Helena, 90 minutes northwest from Bozeman, the Real Food Market and Deli provides an excellent menu of vegetarian dishes. Even further northwest in Missoula is Tipu’s Indian Restaurant.

Resources

• Montana Green Businesses
• Montana Vegetarian Guide

[JasneJ]

on 7/20/2008 Great article.It is a shame the people with the food consignment at Yellowstone do not have more nutritious,healthy food.Fortunately,there are plenty of healthy options-as you pointed out.Thanks! I love Wyoming.

[sokotreking]

on 6/27/2008 There is a natural food store in Livingston, MT called Natural Foods. It's small but they have a reasonable selection of produce and other organic foods for your Yellowstone trip.