Did you know that most meat purchased from the grocery store is very high in histamine levels? This is why many people that have mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) or histamine intolerance don’t tolerate store-bought meats well.
Even though store-bought meats are “fresh”, it has still likely been many days since they were slaughtered. Beef is almost always aged for 15-45 days (when you buy it from the store or a local farm). The longer meats are aged, the higher in histamines they become. Even meats like chicken and pork are often kept unfrozen for 1-2 weeks.
The good news is, there are several excellent sources for meats that are frozen directly after slaughter. This can be a game-changer for people who are dealing with histamine intolerance and mast cell reactions.
I’ve searched high and low for low-histamine sources of meat. This is a compilation of excellent companies in the USA that offer unaged meats and seafood. Another huge bonus to supporting these farms is knowing that your meats are ethically raised.
White Oak Pastures is a family farm located in Georgia that pasture-raises all of their livestock. Their main goal and purpose is to regenerate the land, which is something I really admire.
All of their meats (unless otherwise specified) are unaged and frozen upon slaughter. This is such a difficult thing to find. I’ve called dozens of farms to see if they age their beef and 99% of the time, they do. So thank you, White Oak for having so many options for those of us with histamine intolerance!
White Oak customer service is top-notch, so be sure to reach out if you have any questions.
Northstar Bison is one of the very best options for low histamine meats. They are keenly aware of histamine intolerance and have lots of great informational resources on their website. Northstar prides themselves in providing deeply nourishing products for those who are looking to improve their health.
All of their meats are frozen directly upon slaughter, unless otherwise noted. They do have a few aged or smoked items available, but they are very clearly labeled that way.
I’ve spoken with several of the team members at Northstar and am so impressed with their passion for what they do. They are very committed to raising their animals as nature intended with ancestrally appropriate diets—which is more rare than you might think.
They seasonally offer lamb and goat, but personally I haven’t seen it in stock over the last few months.
Northstar Bison has generously offered 10% off your order through this link & with the code RIBEYERACH.
All meats from American Ostrich Farms are completely un-aged and great for those eating a low histamine diet. Ostrich is actually a red meat that's very lean and a great source of bioavailable protein. It has a similar taste to beef filet mignon. So tender and delicious! The most important thing to keep in mind when making ostrich is to not overcook it (rare or medium rare is going to be best).
These are some of the products they offer:
Ostrich meats
Ostrich organs & marrow bones
Grass-fed lamb
American Ostrich Farms has generously offered 20% off your order through this link & with the coupon code RACH.
We have tried the ground ostrich steak and the ostrich top loin. Both were absolutely delicious and a hit with my family.
Billydoe Meats
Billydoe Meats another amazing option for low histamine / unaged meats. Everything they offer is frozen upon slaughter. And the flavor is out of this world. What really sets them apart is their great selection of lamb, goat, and organ meats. They even offer goat and lamb brain—I dare you to try it!
Here are some of the meats they offer:
Lamb (unaged)
Goat (unaged)
Beef (unaged)
Veal (unaged)
Chicken
Organ Meats
Their lamb bacon is to die for! I hesitate to even share this, because it often goes out of stock. But I want you guys to be able to enjoy it too. If you try it, let me know what you think.
The whole team at Billydoe Meats is so knowledgeable and kind! I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with them quite a few times, and am very impressed with them and their products. They are always quick to answer any questions their customers may have.
If there’s a cut you want that’s out of stock, they offer pre-orders (which is so nice)!
Vital Choice
Vital Choice Seafood has a wide variety of wild-caught seafood and their practices are unmatched. They are very histamine-intolerance aware and actually have several pages on their website with great information. Their low-histamine options include: cod, salmon, lobster, tuna, haddock, mahi-mahi, bass, and scallops. They are frozen directly after they are caught, making it great for those of us that are sensitive.
Keep in mind that they do have some options that are not low histamine, so if in doubt, reach out to them to make sure what you are ordering is safe.
I am yet to try Vital Choice, but plan to order some salmon from them soon. I’ll let you know what I think!
Buffalo Gal
Buffalo Gal is a small family-owned buffalo ranch located in Minnesota. I only just heard about them recently, and decided to give them a call to learn more about their practices. All of their meats are frozen upon slaughter (meaning they do NOT age their meats). They offer bison, beef, elk, and wild boar (corn & soy free).
I can’t personally attest to the taste/quality, as I haven’t tried it yet. But I’ve heard nothing but good things!
Amos Miller Organic Farm
Amos Miller Organic Farm is an Amish farm located in Pennsylvania. They have quite a selection of water buffalo, beef, chicken (corn & soy free), pork (corn & soy free), goose, rabbit, goat, and lamb. They also have seafood like salmon and haddock.
I was able to get in contact with them and they confirmed that they do not age any of their meats, and they are frozen upon slaughter.
Unfortunately, they have been out of stock of beef, lamb, goat, pork, and chicken for quite some time—and I’m not sure when they will be restocked.
There are a few things to note about Amos Miller: You have to join their “member association” to be able to order from their farm. That’s a $35 fee (99% sure it's a one time fee, meaning you’re a member for life). Their website isn’t the most intuitive, which can be a bit frustrating. I’ve found it very difficult to get in contact with them, and they often don’t respond to emails. Also, they don’t tell you how much shipping is going to cost when you complete an online order.
That being said, their products are excellent quality, affordably priced, and taste great! Personally I’ve enjoyed their water buffalo (so flavorful), beef, and raw butter. Their prices are lower than some other sources I’ve ordered from, but like I said, the customer service isn’t the best.
I just wanted to give you a heads up, as I’ve found all of the other farms listed here to have excellent customer service.
Local Farms
You can always reach out to local farmers to inquire about their practices. Typically when I call a farm to ask if they age their meat, they’re a bit confused (it’s not a question they’re often asked). I’d recommend being very specific and asking something like “How long after (insert type of meat) is slaughtered is it frozen? Do you age or dry-hang your meat?”
All of my local farms age their ruminant meats. Keep in mind that its rare to find unaged meats—that's why I made this blog post.
I’ve heard of some people arranging special deals with their farmers to have some meat processed and frozen immediately. Just make sure you do your research and know exactly what kind of product you’re getting.
In my own journey, I’m to the point where I can occasionally handle some “normally aged” meats, but 95%+ of what I eat is completely unaged meat. This has helped me a lot!
Hopefully you found this article informative! If you try any of these low-histamine sources or have some of your own to add, leave me a comment down below. I’d love to hear from you!
Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links! This basically means that if you purchase something through the link, I might receive a small commission (at no extra charge to you). Thank you so much for supporting my blog! ❤️️
Wow, this is incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for taking the time do write this up.
Thanks al lot for sharing these resources. Do you also order their ground meats? Or it is better to avoid them?
I just found your website and youtube videos! Thank you for sharing your story and information! I am suffering from Histamine Intolerance and Hashimotos. I want to order from these low histamine farms you recommended. I have a question regarding thawing the frozen meat (and I apologize if I missed it in a video or post).
Do you leave the frozen meat in the fridge overnight? Or what is your process for least histamine release? Thank you so much in advance!