Richard’s Foodporium is a popular chain organic food store with locations throughout Florida, including the Tampa area, Sarasota, and Flagler County. Blending a down-home, corner store feel with high-quality natural products, Richard’s Foodporium has been recognized for it’s attention to detail in the form of numerous awards on both the state and even national level. The store offers a wide selection of beer, wine, cheeses, healthy snacks, beauty products, and more. Richard’s sells its own line of many products, including nutritional bars, soaps, and vitamin supplements. Customers looking for a reference point when attempting healthy cooking can even access an array of recipes on Richard’s website, not to mention some fantastic coupons that can be printed and brought into the store for increased savings. Organic eating around Florida continues to get better and more popular, and Richard’s Foodporium is one of the main reasons why.

The Palma Ceia Health Village and Cafe in Tampa takes a rounded, comprehensive approach to healthy living. In addition to a juice bar and a cafe that offers a number of vegan items, as well as plenty of deli meats and cheeses, the Village Health Market, as Palma Ceia’s main store is called, houses a wide variety of health-conscious items. From groceries that feature lots of gluten- and wheat-free selections, to eco-friendly house cleaners and organic pet food, the Village Health Market caters to the needs and lifestyles of just about anyone looking to delve into healthy living. Books, yoga videos, and other types of informational literature are also available to market shoppers, while the store’s website features a health calculator, recipes, and even an exhaustive list of different kinds of vitamins and minerals that contains encyclopedic information on each one. While the Tampa area can call itself home to a number of great organic eateries and stores, perhaps none of them are as all-encompassing, informational, or inclusive of all facets of healthy living, as the Village Health Market. It truly has something for everyone.

Organic food stores and healthy eating aren’t always about veggies, tofu, and supplements. Sometimes fine-tuning one particular aspect of nutrition can make all the difference, and the Middle Earth Olive Oil Company is a perfect example of a store that does just that, by delving into the many health benefits of both olive oil and balsamic vinegars. Located at the center of quaint and eclectic Dunedin, Middle Earth offers patrons a wide variety of products based from olive oil and vinegars, as well as selling sea salts and spices. They even offering gift baskets full of the tasty items, which are perfect for the holidays. But Middle Earth doesn’t stop with consumables–the store also sells health and beauty items made from an olive oil base. Among them are exfoliators, skin moisturizers, and even hair care products that help add shine and strength to damaged hair. Additionally, the store’s website even provides a couple great recipes for chicken and salad that can be made using some of their products. Middle Earth Olive Oil Company is a rich, unique store whose all-natural products add even more flavor to the burgeoning health-conscious culture in and around Tampa Bay.

Fitlife Foods is a growing chain with locations throughout the Tampa Bay area that combines elements of health food stores with an organic cafe. Fitlife sells pre-made meals, but the meals are labeled with the health foods they contain and sold in containers that can be stored in a refrigerator to be eaten later. This setup is popular with young professionals trying to eat healthy on the go, and Fitlife even promotes its own weight-loss program using their menu options. An entire section of the menu is devoted to low-carb meals, while vegetarian and gluten-free dishes are peppered throughout the menu. Among the low-carb, gluten-free choices are lean, Greek meatballs and miso-marinated salmon which comes with pineapple and assorted vegetables, a meal that Fitlife claims is “loaded with Omega-3’s” to increase heart health. Brunch selections like oatmeal brulee and steak & eggs round out Fitlife’s
huge assortment of healthy meals. From the way this restaurant is expanding, it looks like Fitlife will be powering Floridians with healthy meals for quite some time.

Whole Foods is famously credited with transforming the mundane chore of shopping for groceries into a socially responsible and sustainable community activity. Despite touting higher price tags for it’s organic and all-natural fare, not a single grocery store in the area provides the same all-in-one consumer experience. Pick up a a salad from the Cold Salad Bar, or grab a freshly blended fruit juice from the Smoothie and Fruit Bar to beat the sweltering Florida heat. If you’re in the mood for a hot lunch, the Olive Bar and Hot Lunch cart carry plenty of organic international options to satisfy your Asian, Indian, or Latin American cravings. Stop by the bakery and abate your sweet-tooth or carboholic impulses with cupcakes, macaroons, croissants, baguettes, or one of their specialty cakes, baked fresh daily. Of course, if by this time you actually remember to buy groceries for the week, Whole Foods proudly presents a wide variety of organic, preservative-free items, from blueberries to potato chips to frozen lasagna. Vegetarians and vegans alike will find a larger-than-usual selection of meat alternatives and other integral ingredients for meatless meals, like nutritional yeast. Likewise, customers with sensitivity to gluten can also find gluten-free flour, pasta, rice, and other pre-packaged or already-prepared comestibles. If you’re eager to escape the slog and routine of regular grocery shopping, then make sure to plan a visit to Whole Foods!

Earth Origins is a neighborhood-style market that sports cultured and worldly merchandise. The company operates nine locations throughout Florida with two more in Maryland and one in Massachusetts. With a wide array of quality grocery, supplement, and deli products, it’s easy to see how the success of Earth Origins has allowed it to expand so extensively. The store labels all of its non-GMO products and sells certain products in bulk, like grains, seeds, and spices. In addition to the great selection of consumable products, Earth Origins also carries all-natural personal care products like toothpaste and beauty supplies, not to mention environmentally-friendly household products like cleaners and soap. An array of local events taking place at store locations and an in-house blog on their website help make Earth Origins a vital, and healthy, stop for the community.

Sarasota natives and tourists alike can now enjoy America’s favorite specialty grocery store. Trader Joe’s offers a variety of fresh produce and health-food products, all of which boast preservative-free ingredients. Classic favorites include cookie butter, a delicious cookie-flavored spread; Salsa Autentica, made without preservatives or artificial ingredients and packed with fresh tomatoes; and lemon and ginger snap ice cream. Unlike many grocery stores, even specialty grocery stores, Trader Joe’s offers many ethnic options under one roof, ranging from frozen delicacies such as tamales and spanakopita, “heat-and-eat” falafels, and fresh bok choy and broccolini. With plenty of gluten-free bread options and meat alternatives like tofu and tempeh, Trader Joe’s offers a healthy variety of groceries for all kinds of shoppers.

Rollin’ Oats has been making the Tampa Bay area a healthier place for 20 years, as the organic food and nutritional supplement grocer celebrated its anniversary in July of this year. In addition to striving for a high-quality brand, Rollin’ Oats discounts all of its products at least 10% off of the suggested retail price. The company specializes in locally-made and non-GMO products, even accepting new products from independent growers and other local patrons. Both of Rollin’ Oats’ locations also feature the Oats Cafe, which offers a great menu of vegetarian and vegan dishes like sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, and soups & salads. Customers are kept entertained with a variety of events happening throughout the month, including wine tastings and informative dieting and Vegan seminars. The Rollin’ Oats experience is sure to keep Tampa and St. Pete residents healthier and happier.

Leafy Greens recently celebrated a milestone as they announced that all of their food going forward will be both gluten-free and wheat-free. That way, any patrons who cannot tolerate those substances can still enjoy Leafy Green’s organic offerings. The founder of Leafy Greens is Denise Rispoli Becknell, who opened the cafe as a response to being diagnosed with Lupus. After suffering through some terrible raw food recipes, she finally found her niche and decided that her calling in life was to introduce others to the vegan and organic foods she loved. Among those tasty foods are a veggie burger, zucchini-based spaghetti, and tacos made with romaine leaves. In addition to these unique meals, Leafy Greens offers a few yummy soups and salads, as well as an inviting selection of organic teas. For a completely organic and healthy dining experience, look no further than Leafy Greens Cafe.

Healthy Tampa offers a unique take on Tampa Bay’s health food stores and restaurants with a focus on adventurous dining and organic, sustainable ingredients. Healthy Tampa is the perfect one-stop shop and guide for learning about these nutritious and delicious local gems. The year-round influx of visitors will find Healthy Tampa an invaluable tool for pinpointing the freshest, tastiest and healthiest spots to enjoy Florida flavor while local residents will surely be surprised and delighted to discover new favorites. Healthy Tampa is powered by Nutralegacy.com, an extensive source of information on all things health and wellness.

Mission Statement

Healthy Tampa is dedicated to spreading the word about nutritious and adventurous dining spots and food stores in the Tampa Bay area thereby supporting personal health and the health of local businesses.