My appreciation for the intersection between food and nature arrived later in life. I wasn’t raised a hunter—my husband, an avid outdoorsman, brought me into this lifestyle. Initially I relished cooking and eating wild game because I loved the novelty of it; it was exciting to work with ingredients that couldn’t be bought from a store. But, once I actually started spending time in the field, that attitude quickly changed. I learned that there is more to food than just flavor and calories—it has meaning. This life-changing realization set me on a path. For the last decade I’ve immersed myself in the natural world in order to understand what it means to eat consciously and responsibly.
This journey inspired me to start Wild + Whole, a brand that represents connecting to our food in meaningful ways. The objective was to teach others how to work with unconventional sources of protein. Not long after starting the website, I joined the MeatEater family to help build a solid foundation for our culinary section. I’m proud that our efforts have created the number one resource for hunters and anglers wanting to learn how to take better care of their meat from the moment it hits the ground to the last meal served.
As MeatEater continues to expand, we recognize these shared values in a growing audience of people who want to take responsibility for their meat consumption and know exactly where their food comes from. In order to increase our focus on these ideas, I’m excited to announce that we are launching a new and expanded experience for Wild + Whole as an additional resource to MeatEater Culinary.
Wild + Whole shares MeatEater’s core principle of creating tangible connections with our food through hunting, fishing, and foraging. We will be taking that several steps further by including other ways to connect with food, such as gardening, homesteading, and a sustainable mindset.
Our goal is to create a leading resource for learning how to develop a meaningful relationship to food by understanding where it comes from, its value, and the effects it has on the environment. We’ll accomplish this through three main categories: learn, harvest, and recipes.
Learn Our country has been forced to reevaluate our food systems after witnessing the effects of a weakened supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people began to question where their food comes from for the first time ever.
This conversation continues to increase in the mainstream media, and question regarding how we produce food and how that affects our environment are becoming more and more prevalent. Wild + Whole will tackle challenging subjects about food sustainability by sharing diverse perspectives and voices about topics such as farmed seafood, regenerative agriculture, and food waste to help you better understand the food landscape and make informed decisions.
Harvest You’ll find insightful how-to articles with valuable information from gardeners, farmers, ranchers, and foraging experts about growing and preserving your own food, raising livestock and fowl, and gathering wild edibles. Whether you’ve never grown a single thing in your life or you’re looking to expand an existing garden with new varieties, you’ll walk away with increased knowledge and confidence to become self-sufficient.
Recipes Last but not least, Wild + Whole wouldn’t be complete without mouthwatering wild game and fish recipes curated from chefs and inspired by the seasons. These recipes will range from quick and easy weeknight meals to more complex culinary tasks for those seeking a challenge. If you don’t have access to wild game year-round, you’ll still be able to create these dishes by following our substitution guides for domestic animals such as beef, chicken, and pork. If you’re new to cooking, we’ve got you covered too. You’ll find plenty of tips and tricks to make you a better home cook.
We’ve also included plenty of plant-centered recipes that highlight wild plants and fungi, as well as vegetarian meals, so that you can utilize the abundance in your garden. Just as we believe in nose-to-tail eating, we also abide by root-to-stem. You’ll find creative ways to use the whole plant, such as the leaves of broccoli and other commonly composted scraps to make the most of what you have.
My sincere hope is that you gain the information and tools needed to take the next step forward in your own personal journey to self-sufficiency. I want you to increase your confidence in the kitchen and garden and feel empowered to take positive action in how you purchase and prepare food. I look forward to watching this community grow and I hope you come along for the ride.
