ABOUT US
Thoreau Foods was started by Susan Allison in 2003 with the goal to make the most delicious and nutritious food possible that Every Body could enjoy. Having grown up in the grocery business (Gallahue's Supermarkets), Susan saw the evolution of food go from fresh whole ingredients to those that were more often than not loaded with refined sugars, trans fat and preservatives. Susan's enthusiasm for and knowledge of natural foods and exercise used to improve one's health and stamina left her asking for more from the food industry.
On a back country excursion climbing Sierra Nevada Peak 13,337 a few years back, she had plenty of hours to think about what would be the perfect breakfast. As an athlete who likes to be outdoors for hours at a time, she knew she needed to develop something that would taste great and provide sustained energy. That's when her creativity for blending exotic ingredients and flavors combined with her knowledge of nutrition to create Thoreau Foods and our first product, delicious nutrition packed Muesli. Way more than granola, the Muesli provides a delicious and flavorful complete breakfast with over 2000 mgs of omega 3's, 12 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein, plentiful antioxidants and a low glycemic index.
... And let's give credit where credit is due. Mom always said, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Well, we listened.
In the last few years, she has been personally exploring, preparing and integrating more 100% "raw and living foods" into her diet. By "raw", she means foods that are not heated above a certain temperature, approximately 110 F, as it is theorized that the foods' enzymes remain intact at these lower temperatures, and enzymes are responsible for all biological activity from blinking your eyes to digesting food. She sees the health benefits and has enhanced the product line offering 100% raw products in addition to our muesli.
All Thoreau Foods products are raw and living foods. In the muelsi only the rolled grains have been steam heated.
Thoreau Foods has transitioned to offering services as well as products as we found ourselves doing educational talks and answering diet and exercise questions during the farmers markets where we were selling our products. From that came the idea to use our expertise, enthusiasm and desire to share our love of unprocessed, living foods with others through classes, retreats and workshops. We are now offering one on one and group classes in everything from Preserving your Summer Harvest to Raw in Training - Recipe Development.
Susan has been a lifelong advocate of the benefits of nutrition and exercise in the importance of maintaining health and wellness and is a proponent of taking charge of your own health. A certified raw and living foods chef, personal trainer, and yoga instructor, she has extensive education in the field, possessing a BS in Exercise Physiology, studies in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr and NCNM and an MBA with a concentration in quality improvement in healthcare. Hands on experience includes an apprenticeship at Living Light Culinary Institute, Fort Braag, CA, class instructor for Alissa Cohen Live Food levels 1 and 2 trainings, Adult Ed classes in several towns west of Boston, and one on one coaching services.