Did you know that flaxseed contains up to 27% fiber, making it one of the best plant fiber sources? (*)
And since you can easily add it to your cooked and baked dishes, this superfood will be a great addition to your diet.
But there’s one tiny problem: it’s not an easy item to find in the grocery store.
So where is flaxseed in the grocery store?
Quick Answer:
If you want a more detailed answer, read this article!
Where is Flaxseed in the Grocery Store?
The answer depends on which type of flaxseed you need to buy (and how you intend to use it). You can buy flaxseed in three different forms—whole, ground, or oil, and each one of them can be found in different aisles at the store.
With that said, here are some of the guidelines you need to know:
Whole
Since this is the most versatile type, you can find it in these aisles—cereal or grains section and baking aisle.
Ground:
This type is often used in making baked goodies or added to smoothies, so you may find it in the baking section.
Flaxseed Oil:
If you’re at a major retailer, you may find it in the organic aisle. On the other hand, you should check out the oil or vitamin aisle if you’re at a health food store.
Last but not the least, you can also check out the refrigerator area since the oil works best when it’s chilled.
Aside from these recommended areas, you may also find this product in the bulk section.
Which Stores Sell Flaxseed?
While flaxseed has grown in popularity in the past few years, not all grocery stores sell it. To make the hunt a whole lot easier for you, we’ve listed down some of the stores you may want to check out (along with some of the brands that they carry):
Walmart
Since this is one of the biggest and most popular grocery chains in the US, you can easily find one near you.
If that’s the case, you’ll be lucky to know that they actually carry a wide range of brands like Better Body Foods, Great Value, Badia Organic, Spring Valley, Carrington Farms, and many more.
But wait, there’s more. The store also sells almost all types and forms of flaxseed, so you can easily find the one you need.
Wegmans
While this store might not have a selection as extensive as Walmart’s, they still carry a few good options like Spectrum, Bob’s Red Mill, and Arrowhead Mills.
Kroger
If there’s one near you, you may look for these brands—Starwest Botanicals, Woodstock, Spectrum Essentials, and Badia.
Target
In this store, you’ll find a few good choices like Sanar Naturals and Barlean’s.
Amazon
The good news is you can also order flaxseed online, and Amazon is the best place to check out.
This online marketplace offers all types and forms of flaxseed and a wide selection of brands that you can choose from.
The top brands that we’ve found here include Viva Naturals, Spectrum Essentials, Anthony’s, Nature’s Bounty, NatureWise, Bob’s Red Mill, and many more.
Thrive
If you want organic brands, one of the best online marketplaces that you can check out is Thrive which is an online marketplace that sells a wide range of flaxseed options.
What to Consider When Buying Flaxseed?
With all these amazing brands, which one should you choose? To answer this, you’d need to keep in mind the following factors:
Form/ Type
The biggest decision you ever need to make is the form or type of flaxseed to buy. For this, you have three options—ground, whole, and oil.
So which one should you choose? Here are some of the information that you need to know to choose the right one:
Whole Flaxseed
If you plan to stock the item for a long time, then it’s best that you buy whole flaxseed. This has a longer shelf life because the nutrients are still intact.
While most people grind it up before taking them, you’ll be happy to know that you can consume it whole. However, you need to chew them well.
Ground Flaxseed
This is the most popular form since most people consume flaxseed in meal form, meaning the whole form has been ground into fine powder. If you want the more convenient form, this is the way to go.
Flaxseed Oil
If you don’t like taking the whole or ground form, the next best option that you have would be the oil. You can use this form the same way you use other cooking oils like vegetable oil or olive oil.
Another option is to take flaxseed oil supplements which come in soft gel capsules.
What Can I Get if There’s No Flaxseed?
If you can’t find flaxseed, what other ingredients can you use? To be honest, there are substitutes that you can use. However, it’s important to note that these alternatives won’t deliver the same texture and nutrients as flaxseed.
With that said, here are some of the ingredients you should check out:
Almond Meal
This is a good option if you’re looking for a protein-rich replacement. Not only that, but it’s also a good egg alternative and can function as a thickener and binder in most dishes.
However, it has a different flavor or taste. Additionally, it’s also not the best option for people with nut allergies.
Peanut Oil
If you’re looking for an excellent replacement for flaxseed oil, peanut oil is the way to go. The best thing about it is it has the same flavor as well as health benefits.
In addition to being a great cooking oil, you can also use this as a great thickening agent for stews and smoothies.
But again, this is not recommended for people with peanut allergies.
Wheat Germ
Since it functions the same way as flaxseed in baking, wheat germ is your best bet.
But that’s not the only reason why we included it in the list.
This ingredient has a good nutritional profile like flaxseed. It’s rich in fiber and contains high amounts of iron and potassium.
Learn more: The 8 Best Flaxseed Meal Substitutes You Might Not Know!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a few more questions about flaxseed and its uses, here are some of the answers to the most commonly asked questions about it:
How much flaxseed should I eat in a day?
There are actually no specific recommendations about how much flaxseed you should take in a day. However, it’s noted that you can eat about 1 to 2 tablespoons in a day. (*)
A tablespoon contains the following nutrients:
- 37 calories,
- 0.5 grams monounsaturated fats,
- 2 grams polyunsaturated fats including omega-3 fatty acids,
- and 2 grams dietary fiber.
How to use flaxseed?
If you’re ready to take advantage of flaxseed’s health benefits, then it’s about time that you learn how to use flaxseed or how you can incorporate it into your diet. Here are some of the ways you can do that:
- Eat a tablespoon or two of ground flaxseed.
- Replace half to a cup of flour with a flax meal in your baking recipes.
- Add it to your smoothies, soups, or stews.
- Drizzle flaxseed oil all over your salad.
- Replace your cooking oils with flaxseed oil.
- Stir ground flaxseed into parfaits and oatmeals.
- Use it to make a vegan egg replacement. (*)
- Add ground flaxseed to your breading batter.
- Mix it in your meatballs, casserole, and meatloaf recipes.
How to grind flaxseed?
An important thing you need to keep in mind when using flaxseed is its omega 3-fatty acid content can be found inside the seed. To get its full benefits, the best thing that you can do is to grind it up.
There are many appliances you can use to do this. Here are some of them:
Blender or food processor
You most probably have one or both of these appliances at home, so this one’s a pretty convenient option.
However, this is only a good option for grinding small batches since both appliances can only accommodate a cup or 149 grams of flaxseed.
Coffee grinder
This is probably the most affordable appliance you can use and it’s also quite easy to use. Not only that, but it also grinds flaxseed pretty fast.
Manual kitchen appliances
If you don’t have any of these electrical appliances, the next best option you have is to use manual devices. For this, you have three options—flax mill, pepper grinder, and mortar and pestle.
But please keep in mind that you can only grind 1 tablespoon of flaxseed at a time when you use any of these appliances.
The Bottom Line
Where is flaxseed in the grocery store? Its location may vary depending on what type or form you’re looking for. To help you save time or money, here are some of the aisles you should check out:
- Cereal or grains section and baking aisle for whole flaxseed.
- Baking section for ground variant.
- Organic aisle, oil section, or vitamin section for flaxseed oil.
Keep in mind that you cannot find this item in just about any grocery store. So to avoid spending too much time scouring the stores for it, make sure to check out our recommended stores first.
