Joby and Marty were already commercial bakers when they ran into a problem close to home: Joby’s son, Abe, couldn’t eat the treats they made. Abe had multiple food allergies, and his dad and uncle wanted him to be included when the snacks came out at school or with friends.

Against the Grain is a bakery in Brattleboro, Vermont, making gluten-free, grain-free bread, pizza, and snacks. The company began experimenting with grain-free baking before gluten-free options became common, looking for something better than the rubbery texture and flat flavor of ready-made mixes.

Al Dente has been making pasta since 1981. The company built its reputation through word of mouth, with pasta made to deliver the taste and texture of a home-style batch without a long wait at the stove.

When you need a meal from the freezer, Amy’s Kitchen gives you a place to start. The company began in 1987, when Andy and Rachel Berliner made their first pot pie in their family home.

A pot of soup can start with a bag from the pantry. Anderson House makes Frontier Soups mixes, a business that began when Trisha Anderson brought her Eleven Bean Soup to a holiday market in 1983.

For the lunch bag or the pie dish, an Ohio apple is a good place to start. Bauman Orchards has been growing fruit in Rittman, Ohio, since 1929.

Beessential began with a beehive someone else had placed on the founder’s family farm. When that person could no longer tend it, the founder took over, learned to keep bees, and attended beekeeping workshops at Ohio State’s agricultural campus.

Ben’s Mustard comes from Kingston, Ohio, where the business began by working out a balance of sweetness and heat. That combination is still at the center of its Sweet and Hot Mustard, alongside a wider selection of mustard flavors.

At Berlin Natural Bakery in Berlin, Ohio, the grain is spelt. The bakery sources organic heirloom spelt from small Canadian farmers and stone-grinds it on site each day, rather than beginning with a shipment of finished flour.

Joe Bertman introduced his brown mustard in Cleveland in 1921. It found an early audience at League Park, where its spicy, vinegar-based flavor became part of going to a baseball game.

Toast and a jar of nut butter can make a very good breakfast. Big Spoon Roasters makes its nut butters and snack bars from scratch in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

Carla Bartolucci and Rodolfo Viola introduced Bionaturae to the American market in 1995. Their work brought together an interest in organic food, personal ties to Italy, and the cooking traditions they wanted to preserve.

Chef Jack Moore started developing fermented hot sauce during the restaurant shutdowns in 2020, after working as executive chef at Columbus’s Watershed Kitchen + Bar. Friends and family compared recipes in bottles with different-colored caps and kept asking for the black-cap version.

Bob and Charlee started Bob’s Red Mill in 1978 in a small, abandoned flour mill. Their aim was to make wholesome foods with care, and the company’s approach still includes grinding whole grains with traditional stone mills.

Bonhomie Acres is on Quaker Road in Fredericktown, Ohio, where maple syrup making reaches back to the 1800s. William and Kate Brown built the farm’s current sugarhouse in 1948, continuing work that many neighboring farms eventually stopped doing.

Matt Jamie brewed his first batch of soy sauce in his basement in 2006. That experiment became Bourbon Barrel Foods in Louisville, Kentucky, where bourbon barrels are part of making sauces and seasonings, not just part of the surroundings.

Doug and Katy Kern began Bradwood Farm in 1999 with ten acres and two cows. The Ohio farm has since expanded to include cattle, field work, and hydroponic growing in a greenhouse and high tunnel.

Glen and Lisa Grumbling opened Broken Rocks Café in downtown Wooster, Ohio, in 2000. They named it for a spot on Michigan’s Lake Huron shoreline where their relationship began.

Brownwood Farms began in 2003 and makes mustards, fruit spreads, sauces, and salsas. Its ingredient sourcing reaches across the Great Lakes region and the United States, with Michigan fruit spreads among the things in the lineup.

Bunker Hill Cheese’s history runs through Switzerland and the Dauwalder family. John, also known as Hans, trained as a master cheesemaker in Switzerland and came to the United States in the 1920s, where he worked at the Bunker Hill Cheese Co-op.

When you’re planning a few meals around vegetables, start with what the farm has coming in. Busy Bee Organics grows in New Bedford, Ohio, and supplies Yellowbird with vegetables for the weekly table.

Keep a jar of sauce ready for the night dinner needs a head start. Carfagna’s brings pasta and pizza sauces to the pantry, with roots in a Columbus food business that began in 1937.

A little help with dinner can go a long way. Chef Meagan makes prepared food that gives home cooks a head start, including a Lemon Basil Protein Pack for salads and other meals.

Matt Yoder’s interest in growing things started in childhood and eventually became Chef’s Harvest. He built the lettuce business through research, formal training, and work with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and Ohio State University Extension.

Chocolove makes chocolate at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The company describes the cold, dry mountain air as part of the conditions in which it makes its bars, with taste at the center of the work.

A few vegetables in the fridge give you somewhere to start with dinner. Clarina Organic Produce grows seasonal vegetables and greens in Killbuck.

Cleveland Ketchup Company started in an Ohio kitchen in 2018. The goal was straightforward: make ketchup without high-fructose corn syrup, then develop flavors beyond the usual bottle.

Cleveland Tofu has been making tofu since 1976, using a recipe that has stayed the same through changes in ownership. The company works with Ohio-grown soybeans and prepares tofu fresh, to order, for shops, restaurants, and other kitchens.

Colonial Homestead in Millersburg, Ohio, is a working shop with thousands of vintage hand tools. Dan Raber describes its purpose as supplying tools to people who make things and showing how those tools can remain useful today.

Cook’s Flavoring Company traces its roots to Angus T. Lochhead’s vanilla business, founded in St. Louis in 1918. His son Raymond joined in 1948 and later established a plant in Paso Robles, California, continuing the family’s work with vanilla.

Caitlin and Dan met at Taranaki Farm in Australia in 2010. Both had traveled there to learn more about producing food and restoring land, coming from backgrounds in permaculture and environmental restoration.

Crazy Richard’s story involves two Richards and a shared interest in peanut butter. One was making natural peanut butter in Philadelphia; the other was running Ohio’s Krema Peanut Butter, a business founded in 1898.

Jonathan and Lovina Byler run Creekside Greenhouse and Produce in Danville, Ohio. Their children and extended family help with the work, which includes growing produce as well as annual and perennial flowers in the greenhouse.

Jami started making soap in 1999 after growing dissatisfied with the commercial soaps she was using. Today, Dancing Bee Farms makes its products in a soap studio in Mount Vernon, Ohio.

The De Cecco story began with a mill in Fara San Martino, a village in Italy’s Abruzzo region. In 1886, Filippo Giovanni De Cecco expanded the family’s milling work into pasta production.

Brook Maikut’s work has moved between restaurant kitchens, private dinners, and farming. After helping found Comune in Columbus, he developed family-style private chef experiences and a local oat milk business before moving to Knox County.

Double Yolk’s gluten-free homestyle noodles are made in Ohio’s Amish country. The documented recipe begins with white rice flour, tapioca starch, and millet flour rather than wheat flour.

Dr. Bronner’s grew from a Jewish-German soapmaking tradition and Emanuel Bronner’s interest in bringing people together. He sold peppermint castile soap from street corners and auditoriums, using the business to carry his message as well as his soap.

Dr. Praeger’s was started by two heart surgeons who saw their patients struggle to eat the way they wanted to. They set out to make food with vegetables that people would enjoy eating, rather than relying on good intentions to get it onto the plate.

When dinner needs a quick pantry starting point, Eden Foods offers canned cannellini beans for everyday cooking. The company began in southern Michigan in the late 1960s, when friends came together to source natural food.

For a snack board or quick sandwich, a flavorful cheese can make the meal feel complete. Eichten's Cheeses' cranberry-chipotle Gouda has a smooth texture and buttery flavor.

Mushroom seasoning is a useful shortcut when a pot of soup needs more savory flavor. Epiphany Mushroom Co. makes an Oyster Umami Seasoning with roasted oyster mushrooms.

It helps to know who makes the herbal products on your shelf. Equinox Botanicals makes small-batch preparations, including an elderberry syrup.

A mug of hot cocoa makes a welcome finish to a cold afternoon. Ethereal Confections makes cocoa mixes and chocolate, starting its chocolate work with the cacao bean.

A vegetable puree can get soup or a baking project started without the chopping. Farmer’s Market Foods offers purees including pumpkin and butternut squash.

For a snack that can move from desk to lunchbox, Ferris Nut Co. offers Cherries Berries & Nuts, a dried-fruit-and-nut mix. Ferris has had some form of continuous operation since the late 1800s in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

When mornings are rushed, a freezer-ready breakfast can make the first meal easier. Festa Food Company makes breakfast and entrée meals as well as handheld foods. Its Southwestern veggie breakfast burrito pairs scrambled eggs and corn with black beans, peppers, and cheese.

A ready-to-eat muffin makes a busy morning a little easier. Flax 4 Life is a bakery in Bellingham, Washington, run by Kasondra.

When breakfast or a sandwich needs an easy starting point, Food For Life makes breads for everyday meals. Its 7 Sprouted Grains loaf gives home cooks a straightforward option for toast, sandwiches, or a side with soup.

A bowl of greens gets closer to lunch with a good dressing. Foods Alive makes Sesame Ginger and Zesty Italian dressings, along with pantry ingredients for everyday meals.

Apricot jam with lemon thyme gives plain toast something worth sitting down for. Foraged & Sown makes fruit jams with herbs in the mix.

A jar of fruit spread can do more than finish a piece of toast. Forbes Farmstead Market makes homemade spreads, including apricot jam with a little vanilla.

A sausage patty gives a simple breakfast something savory. Foris Extraordinary Meats makes Berkshire pork breakfast patties seasoned with sage and fennel.

For mornings when you want a familiar cup without fuss, Fort Findlay Coffee offers Guatemalan coffee with drip-grind and whole-bean options. The roaster says it has sourced beans from coffee regions around the world and roasted them in-house since 2003.

Salsa can pull a quick meal of beans and eggs together. Frog Ranch makes its salsa in small batches, including a mild version for everyday meals.

A little nutritional yeast can add a savory note to soup or gravy. Frontier Co-op’s mini flakes have a nutty, cheesy flavor.

A cold herbal tonic offers something different to pour with lunch. Goldthread makes bottled tonics, including Turmeric Radiance with lime and ginger.

When a dog is waiting by the door, a small treat can be handy. Growlers Dog Bones makes dog treats, including an Original bone.

Busy days call for a drink that is easy to pour alongside lunch or a simple supper. Harney & Sons makes tea and ready-to-drink teas and juices, including its cranberry juice drink.

When a holiday gathering needs an easy drink to pour, Hartzler Family Dairy makes egg nog with whole milk and cream. Its product page notes classic glass bottles and calls the drink a holiday favorite.

When meat needs a little extra flavor before cooking, a brine mix keeps prep simple. J. Q. Dickinson Salt-Works makes an Appalachian Brine Mix with salt, herbs, and spices. It is for pork, chicken, or turkey.

When breakfast needs to come together without much fuss, granola is easy to pair with staples already on hand. Jessica’s Natural Foods makes granola, including Almond Cherry with toasted almonds and chewy Michigan dried cherries.

When dinner needs a familiar baked-pasta option, Jovial offers gluten-free lasagna pasta made with brown rice flour and water. Jovial Foods was founded by Carla and Rodolfo, a husband-and-wife team whose families included talented home cooks.

A bowl of onion dip makes cut vegetables easier to put on the table. Kalona SuperNatural makes a French onion dip with a thick texture.

A bar of soap within reach keeps the everyday wash-up simple. Kirk’s Natural Soap makes Castile bars, including a fragrance-free option.

A small sweet is sometimes all you want after dinner. Kolsvart makes Swedish candy, including candy fish.

A bowl of ramen gives a quick lunch a warm starting point. Koyo makes ramen in flavors including Garlic Pepper and Lemongrass Ginger.

An everyday coffee can use a little extra creaminess. Laird Superfood makes Original Superfood Creamer for coffee.

A granola bar is useful when breakfast has to come with you. Lenka makes craft granola bars that began in a home kitchen.

A candle on the table can make an ordinary evening feel a little more settled. Linda Gill makes beeswax candles using wax from Honey Bee Acres.

Lonolife was created with one mission: make real nourishment simple, convenient, and trustworthy. Our founders saw how hard it was for busy people to fuel themselves with clean, satisfying options—so they set out to build a better solution. Lonolife offers bone broths and collagen blends made from slow-simmered bones, quality ingredients, and zero fillers or gimmicks. Just real flavor and real function.

Today, Lonolife is recognized for consistency, transparency, and everyday reliability. The brand has earned a loyal following across natural grocery and wellness consumers who want clean ingredients without the prep time.

When dinner needs a quick, flexible base, Lotus Foods makes Pad Thai Rice Noodles from organic white rice flour. The product page suggests serving them in soups and stir-fries.

When a small sweet is handy for a packed lunch or an after-dinner treat, Lovely Candy Company makes individually wrapped chewy caramels. The company says it crafts its products in small batches and takes care to source simple ingredients.

For a quick savory bite that is easy to set out or pack beside lunch, Martin's Handmade Pretzels makes sourdough pretzels by hand, including Honey Mustard & Onion Pretzel Pieces. Its product page says bakers hand-roll and hand-twist each pretzel.

When dinner needs a quick savory finish, shredded cheese can go onto pasta or into sauce. Miceli Dairy Products Company makes Italian cheeses, including aged Asiago in shredded form. It is a handy option for busy evenings when there is little time for extra prep.

Butter earns its place beside the stove and on the breakfast table. Minerva Dairy makes butter and cheese, including a sea salt butter for everyday cooking.

When dinner needs a simple starting point, Mrs. Miller’s makes egg noodles, including Amish Angel Hair. The company says it has made noodles in Ohio’s Amish Country since 1973, offering a familiar noodle option for the pantry.

A little honey works in breakfast as easily as it does in a pan glaze. Honey Bee Acres supplies raw honey from its beekeeping work in Knox County.

Coconut cream can give soup or curry a rich finish without a long ingredient list. Native Forest makes canned foods, including coconut cream for cooking.

A cold drink ready to grab makes packing lunch a little easier. NOOMA makes flavored sports drinks, including Watermelon Lime.

Cheese and bread make a welcome pause before dinner. North Sky Farm makes cheese in its on-farm creamery, including Maker’s Reserve New Moon.

A loaf of bread gives soup or a sandwich a good starting point. Nourished Roots Bakery is a home bakery in Gahanna, Ohio, making artisan sourdough and other baked goods.

A few spiced pecans can finish a snack plate or a bowl of oatmeal. Fortune Favors makes candied pecans, with Sweater Weather among the flavors Yellowbird carries.

A sandwich thin makes a useful base for lunch without much preparation. O’Doughs makes breads and other baked goods, including its Original Sandwich Thins.

Good pasta gives dinner a place to start. Ohio City Pasta has made pasta in small batches in Cleveland since 1990.

For a quick fizzy drink to go with lunch, Olipop makes sparkling tonics such as Ginger Lemon. It pairs ginger with lemon for a sweet-tart sip and a little spice.

When breakfast or a quick snack calls for a familiar spread, Once Again makes creamy peanut butter with dry-roasted peanuts and salt. It works on toast or in a sandwich, and can be stirred into a simple sauce.

Tomato soup and toast can be enough for dinner. Pacific Foods makes ready-to-heat soups, including Creamy Tomato Basil.

When breakfast or coffee needs a familiar staple, whole milk is easy to use. Paint Valley Farms is a micro-dairy in Beach City, Ohio, and its whole milk is non-homogenized with a cream top.

Having the right flour in the pantry makes it easier to start baking. Pamela’s makes an all-purpose flour blend for use in traditional recipes.

A fruit strip is an easy addition to a packed lunch. Peaceful Fruits makes fruit snacks in Barberton, Ohio.

For a mild cheese for quick snacks or sandwiches, Pearl Valley Cheese makes natural cheeses in Coshocton County, Ohio. Its Colby is mild and versatile for snacking or slicing.

When snack time calls for something easy to share, Pip's makes snacks centered on heirloom corn. The Yellowbird assortment includes Pip's Heirloom White Cheddar Cheese Balls, baked with white cheddar for a classic flavor.

When a meal needs an easy crunchy side, pita chips can round out soup or a snack plate. Pita Krunch makes pita chips in Toledo, Ohio, and its maker story dates that work to 1995.

Meal prep often starts at the sink. Rebel Green makes household products, including its Fruit & Veggie Clean produce wash.

A minty chew can be a small pause between tasks. PUR makes chewing gum sweetened with xylitol.

When a bread dough needs yeast, Red Star Active Dry Yeast is a straightforward pantry option. Red Star makes baker’s yeast, and its active dry yeast suits doughs from low-sugar to highly sweetened breads.

A squash that does not need peeling takes one job off the dinner list. Reuben Hershberger of Hardin Creek Farm supplies produce including delicata squash.

When a quick meal needs a sweet drink alongside it, Root Naturals makes apothecary sodas, including Cream Soda. Its story traces back to Deno Spaccarelli, who opened a Cincinnati apothecary in 1937 and made sodas at its fountain.

A little smoked salt can finish a dish without another sauce to make. Salt Sisters makes seasonings in Goshen, Indiana.

Beans and grains give you several ways to make dinner from the pantry. Shagbark Seed & Mill has offered Ohio-grown dry beans and freshly milled grains since 2010.

A familiar cup of coffee can make a busy morning easier to start. Silver Bridge Coffee Company roasts coffee in Ohio, including its mild Breakfast Blend Light.

A toasted bagel gives breakfast an easy starting point. Silver Hills Bakery makes bagels, including an Everything variety.

One herb blend can save you reaching for several jars. Simply Organic makes herbs and seasonings, including Herbs de Provence.

A little bacon can add a savory finish to a whole meal. Smoking Goose Meatery makes cured and smoked meats by hand in Indianapolis.

Frozen vegetables are useful when dinner needs one more side. Sno Pac makes frozen fruits and vegetables, including green peas.

A bottle of hand soap by the sink is a small household essential. South of France makes liquid hand soaps and bar soaps.

When a quick fruit addition would help with breakfast or dessert, a bag of frozen blueberries can be handy. Stahlbush Island Farms makes frozen blueberries, including the product listed here.

A bag of corn meal gives you a few ways to round out dinner. Stutzman Farms supplies grain products from Fryburg, just south of Mount Hope.

Mayonnaise can pull a sandwich or a quick dressing together. Suzie’s Organics makes condiments from a kitchen in Pendleton, Oregon.

Eggs give you several ways to make a meal from what is in the fridge. Sweet Grass Dairy supplies pasture-raised eggs from its Ohio farm.

A slow braise gives you time to do something else while dinner cooks. Tall Grass Ranch supplies beef, including chuck short ribs.

When lunch needs a crisp, salty side, Great Lakes Potato Chip Co. makes kettle-cooked potato chips, including its Original flavor. Its story began in 2009, when Ed and Chris Girrbach began turning Michigan potatoes into chips.

When dinner needs a quick finishing touch, The Olive Scene offers olive oils and balsamic vinegars for cooking and serving. Its Traditional 18 Year aged balsamic is one option listed here.

A jar of foot cream can be a useful part of the bathroom shelf. The Yellow Bird Co. makes skincare products, including a thick, balm-like foot cream.

Jerky is handy when you want a savory snack without preparation. Think Jerky makes recipes developed with chefs.

A vegetable that works raw or cooked gives you options at dinner. Three Creeks Produce grows vegetables in central Ohio, including Hakurei turnips.

When dinner needs a dependable grain for a quick meal, Two Brooks Farm offers long-grain white rice. The farm describes its rice as single-estate and grown in Mississippi's Delta.

Tortilla chips make an easy side for lunch or a bowl of dip. Way Better Snacks makes a Multi-Grain version with a sprouted seed and grain blend.

A head of cabbage can stretch across more than one meal. Wayward Seed Farm supplies vegetables, including green cabbage for slaw and cooked dishes.

Sugar belongs in the pantry for more than birthday cakes. Wholesome makes sugars and other sweeteners for baking and everyday use.

When sandwiches need a sweet-tangy crunch, Wholesome Valley Farm’s bread-and-butter pickle chips make an easy topping or side. The farm has an on-site commercial kitchen and bakery, and its cannery and store are anchored by a 19th-century barn.

Shrimp gives a simple supper a different starting point. Wholey supplies seafood, including raw, shell-on Gulf shrimp.

A pre-cut fish steak takes one preparation step out of dinner. Wild Alaska Salmon & Seafood Co offers Yellowfin Ahi Tuna in vacuum-sealed steaks.

A splash of vinegar can brighten a dressing or a marinade. Woeber’s makes apple cider vinegar alongside its mustards and horseradish products.

Frozen blueberries make it easy to add fruit to breakfast or baking. Wyman’s supplies wild blueberries in resealable bags.