What to buy from Azure Standard (best price vs. quality)

Wondering what to buy from Azure Standard? See why these are our on our frequently re-ordered list.

If you’ve just recently discovered Azure Standard, it can be overwhelming to decide what to purchase first.

This food co-op delivers quality, healthy food across the United States. Once a month, there is likely a drop near you, where you can pick up your order along with others in your area.

I like to think of it like a large bulk health food store that comes to you, at a discount. Although, you don’t have to order in bulk.

And – you get to meet like-minded neighbors and make new friends in the process.

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How Azure Standard Works

You start at the website, where you first search for a “drop” in your area. This is an agreed-upon location someone in your area has coordinated with Azure Standard for their trucks to arrive and unload each month.

I live in a rural area and there are two drop locations within 25 minutes of my home.

If there is not a location established near you, you can also contact Azure to become a coordinator and start a drop yourself.

After you place your online order, you will receive an email with the specific details about that month’s drop. You can also make adjustments to your order up until the “cutoff date” for that months’ order.

Your drop coordinator will contact you (via email or text) with the exact time and location of your drop, and will keep you updated on any changes.

From there, you simply show up at your designated time (15 minutes early is best), and pick up your groceries. At my drop, a few people help the coordinator unloading the truck and distributing the items.

My coordinator keeps our drop very organized. She sets up cardboard placemats around the semi truck with each person’s name and you basically stand at your spot and wait for someone to hand you your boxes.

She even sends out a “map” ahead of time so you know what to expect when you get there!

This keeps people from running around, bumping into each other. An organized drop is an efficient drop – and it goes very quickly.

*If you’ve never ordered before, be sure to read the “Method and Tips” section of this post to make sure you understand how ordering works, including product availability.

Can you have groceries shipped to your home from Azure?

Technically, you can. But you probably don’t want to.

The reason it’s better to buy in-person from Azure Standard is that the shipping can be rather high if you choose to have items shipped to your door.

Also, I’ve never ordered frozen or refrigerated items to be shipped to my house, as they can’t guarantee the quality of perishable items on shipping methods over 2 days. (And 2-day shipping is even more expensive.)

Our favorite Azure Standard products

I’ve been ordering from Azure Standard since 2020 and I’ve had a chance to try many different products since that time.

Below are some of the items I frequently order- my “Top 20 list” and why I love them.

In general, the “Azure Market” brands are the most cost effective, so keep an eye out for name brand health foods that you might be able to swap for this brand instead.

Note: I don’t always eat 100% organic foods. It has to make sense (and we all know those labels can be misleading). However, Azure is very picky with their suppliers, and their prices are often the same for organic versus conventional — so it often does make sense when I buy from them.

Organic frozen blueberries

These blueberries are amazing. So delicious in yogurt parfaits, in smoothies or with our oatmeal in the mornings.

Frozen Strawberries

All the strawberries we’ve ordered from the Azure Market brand have been delicious, along with our blueberries.

Mozzarella cheese

Very creamy and delicious! I’ve had a few different brands of Mozzarella, all equally delicious. They are the best for making pizza.

Tip: Buy the 5 or 6-pound blocks, cut into smaller portions (I do 1/2 to 1 pound). Then wrap separately in parchment paper and freeze in large ziplock bags or vacuum sealed bags.

White cheddar cheese

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of Azure’s cheese selections. Rumiano organic cheddar is delicious and melts beautifully- with no added food coloring. (Cheese was never meant to be yellow!)

Chocolate chips

I’ve not found organic chocolate chips anywhere else for these prices. And finding dark chocolate chips is even harder. (I’ve searched quite a bit.)

The organic mini sweet dark chocolate chips are our favorite. They’re even dairy-free, if that is a need for your family.

Banana chips

Azure’s banana chips are organic, and make a quick, healthy snack. I like to keep the pantry stocked with these as they last a long time.

Raw apple cider vinegar

You can get apple cider vinegar with the mother, for a great price from Azure.

In the spring/summer when we have fresh spinach in the garden, I like to make a quick salad dressing with olive oil, a splash of apple cider vinegar, honey, and a little salt and pepper.

Of course, ACV has numerous health benefits and can be used in everything from chicken broth to skin tonics.

Organic popcorn

These are the best popcorn kernels we’ve found. I’ve avoided microwave popcorn in the bags for years because of the icky ingredients in them.

But we do cheat a little and make popcorn in a silicone popcorn maker in the microwave.

Organic cane sugar

This sugar is less processed, darker in color and has larger crystals than what we’re used to at the grocery store. But if I’m going to eat sugar (or add it to my herbal tea), I prefer this kind.

Organic shredded coconut

It’s coconut- and that’s it! I use it in homemade granola and no bake energy balls, and my Impossible Coconut Custard Pie.

Vanilla extract

The four-fold pure vanilla extract is quality vanilla from Mexico, with a lower alcohol content. I now buy the 16 ounce container because it’s such a good value.

If you’ve bought vanilla extract in the last few years, you know how much prices have skyrocketed. Azure’s vanilla extract are the best prices I’ve found for the quality, anywhere.

Note: I tried the Organic Vanilla extract and didn’t like it nearly as much as the Four-Fold. It seemed to have an overpowering alcohol smell. Maybe just an off-batch?

Rolled Oats

Oats in a 50-pound bag lasts us quite a while. I vacuum-seal them in smaller portions and then store in buckets with a gamma seal.

Old-fashioned rolled oats are our favorite for making Oatmeal Spelt Cookies.

All Purpose Unbleached Organic Flour

I mostly use fresh milled whole grains at this point in my kitchen. However, there are certain recipes my husband still likes to use all-purpose flour for, and this is our compromise. 🙂

Organic Cocoa Powder

I love the flavor of this cocoa powder, and it is wonderful in all of our baked goods.

Long-grain brown rice

Brown rice just has that great nutty flavor, and is packed with nutrition. I make it in the Instant Pot so it’s just as easy as making “quick” rice, and it’s better for us.

Pea Protein Powder

This protein powder truly has no taste when we add a scoop to our smoothies. It’s an easy way to sneak in extra protein to my kids’ diets.

I also appreciate that it doesn’t have any soy or dairy, and we’ve had no problems with digestion.

Yeast

Azure’s prices on Red Star yeast are very good compared to other sources in my area.

Dried beans

Dry organic beans can be hard to find. I really prefer dried beans for their long shelf life, and flavor. All of the Azure market beans have been great that we’ve tried: kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, etc.

Ramen noodles

We love the Millet & Brown rice ramen and buy the bulk box for the “soup months”.

Read: How to make homemade Mason Jar Ramen Cups

Garden seeds

Azure offers a few brands of garden seeds. I have tried many herbs and flowers, all with great results. It’s a great idea to throw a few seed packets in your cart if your order is under $50, to avoid the additional $5 order fee.

Condiments

With all the tomatoes we grow in the summer and tomato products we put away after canning, you’d think I would make some ketchup- but I always seem to forget.

The brands Azure carries for items like organic ketchup and salad dressings are perfect for stocking the pantry. Organicville’s Balsamic Vinaigrette is fantastic on summer salads, and a great time-saver.

Spices

You can find organic bulk spices (and some smaller quantities too) for excellent prices with Azure.

I transfer them into large glass jars, and just keep a smaller amount in 4-oz mason jars that fit in my spice drawer.

The items I don’t (always) buy from Azure (and why)

I don’t mention these to discourage you, but to be aware of the limitations of really any grocery co-op delivery service.

If you check out the Azure Facebook group, you’ll see mixed reviews on SO many items. So you really have to decide for yourself what is worth trying.

For example, I’ve heard great things about Azure’s produce, but the first time I ordered some, I didn’t receive the best quality for what I paid for items like potatoes, oranges and onions.

I have heard that people who live closer to the headquarters in Oregon typically have better luck with fresh produce.

And as much grains as I buy for whole wheat bread, I have been hesitant to buy them in bulk from Azure. I have seen some complaints about having to sort lots of chaff and debris in the larger bags, which I’d prefer not to deal with.

I’ve bought grain in small quantities, though, which were clean and bug-free.

Update: I did recently try a 50-lb bag of hard white wheat and a 25-lb of spelt in my last order, and I’m happy to report they were very clean! The only thing I found was a few pieces of dent corn. I can handle that.

I also ordered potatoes, oranges, celery and onions in my March 2024 order, which were, surprisingly- all excellent quality.

I was especially impressed with the celery as it was much better than what I’ve found at Walmart lately.

*I’ll update this section on any quality issues as I notice them in future orders.

Method and Tips (what to know before ordering)

There are a few things you need to know, to avoid frustration:

Just because it’s “in stock”…doesn’t mean it will arrive.

Azure’s inventory system is not “live”, meaning it’s more of an estimate. So there are often adjustments to your order by the time it actually ships.

For instance, the website might show 500 bags of sugar in stock, but by the time all their orders are filled, you might not get any in this months’ order.

Your total will be adjusted promptly, and you’re not charged until the order actually ships, at least.

Pickup times can change drastically

Sometimes, a drop is scheduled and the truck arrives really early, or late. And it still has to be unloaded. So you might get a frantic message from your drop coordinator to arrive ASAP.

This is when having friends at your local drop really helps! I’ve had to rely on a friend to pick up my items more than once when I simply could not get there in time.

It’s ok to buy infrequently

If you buy in bulk, you might not need to order for a few months. I actually only order a few times a year at this point, to save time.

I still save tons of money and keep my pantry and freezer stocked with all my favorites.

If I just need one or two items, I have had friends offer to add those items to their order to save me the trip.

So I guess the summary is: Make sure all your friends join Azure, too – and help each other out!

By the way- you’ll seriously want to invite others to join Azure with your referral link. You’ll receive a $25 credit for each person who completes their first order over $100.

I hope these tips make your Azure shopping experience much easier- and you discover some fantastic new products in the process.

Let us know in the comments what you’ve enjoyed from Azure Standard! And be sure to pin this post for later, as I will keep updating it as I try new products!

You might also like:

Best Sources for Buying Wheat Berries

Whole Wheat Artisan Loaf Recipe (in the Dutch Oven)

Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

Healthy Sesame Chicken Recipe