Looking for simple ways to bring more Native-made ingredients into your cooking? Making small swaps in your pantry can be an easy and meaningful way to support Indigenous producers, all while adding new depth, color, and flavor to your meals. Here are three easy ingredient switches using SweetGrass Trading Company favorites.
- Swap white rice for Red Lake Nation Wild Rice
Wild rice, known as manoomin to the Ojibwe people, is a hand-harvested grain native to the Great Lakes region. Unlike white rice, wild rice offers a deep, nutty flavor and a satisfying chewy texture that pairs beautifully with soups, roasted vegetables, or as a hearty side dish.
Why make the swap: Wild rice is packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidants — but beyond nutrition, it’s a culturally significant, sustainably harvested food that supports Native communities and traditional harvesting practices. - Swap refined sugar for Ioway Bee Farm Honey
A spoonful of honey can do more than sweeten your tea. Use Ioway Bee Farm Honey in baking, marinades, or drizzled over cornbread instead of granulated sugar. The natural sweetness means you can often use less overall, while enjoying complex, floral notes that elevate simple recipes.
Why make the swap: Honey is a minimally processed sweetener with trace minerals and a distinct flavor profile that reflects the land where it’s made. Choosing Ioway Bee Farm Honey supports Native beekeeping and pollinator health in the Midwest. - Swap yellow cornmeal for Bow & Arrow Blue Cornmeal
Bright blue cornmeal adds a vibrant color and subtly sweet, earthy flavor to baked goods like pancakes, muffins, and frybread. Bow & Arrow Brand is grown and milled by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in Towaoc, Colorado, continuing a long legacy of corn cultivation in the Southwest.
Why make the swap: Blue cornmeal contains more protein and antioxidants than typical yellow cornmeal — and brings a beautiful natural hue to your favorite recipes.