Buying fish can be tricky because you want to eat GOOD fish without having to take out a loan. With respect to quality, my personal suggestion is to choose wild-caught over farm-raised fish whenever possible. Your fish should be wild or fresh caught to avoid any pollutants, pesticides, and antibiotics they might have ingested.

When I mention buying wild-caught fish to people who are interested in adding more into their diet, I usually get a head shake and response “I can’t afford that.”

Throughout my studies in holistic nutrition I learned that buying high-quality is always more expensive then conventionally raised/produced food. However, fish in particular, only needs to be consumed at a minimal of a 2-3 ounce portion size to meet your brains needs for the day. That’s about the size of a deck of cards or bar of soap. If you feel like you need a bigger portion, fresh mackerel, cod, and halibut are inexpensive alternatives that top the list of fish rich in brain-building DHA.

Buying frozen fish is another option. Frozen wild-caught fish still beats fresh farm-raised fish any day, both in terms of nutritional quality and safety. I buy an whole fillet of frozen wild-caught salmon from Farm Boy in St.Catharines for $12 (clean and cut) and just thaw as needed! Wild anchovies and sardines are other great examples. They can be easily bought in the health aisles at grocery stores or online for less than $3 a can. Just be conscious of the sodium!

salmon fillet

My favourite way to prepare wild-salmon is to thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours. Then remove from package, place on parchment paper on baking sheet. Next, marinate with 2 tablespoons avocado oil, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (soy sauce alternative), sesame seeds, sea salt and pepper.  I usually let it sit for about an hour and then cook on 400 degrees in the oven for 15-17 minutes. It comes out crispy and the flavour is delicious! Add the meat to tacos, salads or my personal favourite, with crispy baked brussel sprouts and mini potatoes with ketchup 🙂

XOXO, NATALIE