Nourishing Better: Why Butter and Grass‑Fed Beef Are Foundational Foods

If you’ve spent any time in food or wellness conversations lately, you’ve probably noticed something surprising: butter is having a moment. Once misunderstood and pushed aside, butter is being rediscovered as what it has always been — a foundational food that nourishes deeply, satisfies fully, and connects us to the way food was meant to be.

At Vintage Meadows, our February theme is Nourishing Better, and there may be no better place to start than with foods that have stood the test of time. Foods that didn’t need marketing buzzwords to prove their worth. Foods like real butter and grass‑fed beef.


Foundational Foods: What Makes Them Foundational?

Foundational foods aren’t trends — they’re time-tested. They provided whole nourishment before ultra-processed food became prevalent. Real butter and pasture-raised meats were cornerstones because they offer:

  • Complete proteins

  • Healthy saturated fats

  • Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)

  • Minerals and compounds your body can actually use

These aren’t just calories — they’re nourishment.


Butter: The Word of the Year (and for Good Reason)

For generations, butter was a staple. It was valued because it delivered rich flavor and deep nourishment through healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins. When you pair vegetables, grains, or proteins with butter, the fat actually helps your body absorb more nutrients — which is why traditional cuisines always include fats with their meals. 

When we talk about “real” butter, we mean butter made the traditional way — from raw, grass-fed milk, with minimal processing and nothing added or taken away. 

Real butter made from raw grass-fed milk is rich in:

  • Fat‑soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K2

  • Healthy saturated fats that support hormone health and brain function

  • Butyric acid, a short‑chain fatty acid that supports gut health

When butter comes from cows raised on pasture, its nutritional value goes even further. 

For more on nutrient-dense, traditional foods and why they matter, check out our post on [Buying Wiser This January: High-Value Food That Invests in Your Family’s Future] — where we talk about choosing foods that give more back.


Why Grass-Fed Beef Matters

At Vintage Meadows, we raise 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef on healthy, diverse pastures. This means the cattle spend their lives grazing on grass the way nature intended — and the nutritional payoff is meaningfully different from conventional feedlot beef.

A few key ways grass-fed beef stands out:

  • Rich in omega-3 fatty acids & CLA: These fats support general wellness and may be harder to find in grain-fed products.

  • Higher antioxidants & vitamins: Grass-fed animals tend to deliver more vitamins A and E and other micronutrients compared to grain-finished counterparts.

  • No antibiotics, no added hormones, organically grown pastures and hay: This reflects our on-farm quality standards and our commitment to nutrient-dense food you can trust.

For a deeper dive into how we raise our animals and why pasture health matters read Our Story and our Quality Standards— both explore our farm’s values and why pasture equals better food.


Butter + Beef: Better Together

Healthy fats from butter enhance the absorption of nutrients in grass-fed beef — making every meal more satisfying and more nourishing. That’s the power of eating foods the way they were meant to be eaten.

FEBRUARY SPECIAL — 14% OFF STEAK + BUTTER (Now Through March 1)
 Whether you’re planning a cozy dinner, stocking your freezer, or just choosing better ingredients for everyday meals, now’s a great time to bring these foundational foods to your table.  Shop here

Real food. Real nourishment. Better choices — made simple.


References

Weston A. Price Foundation. (n.d.). Splendor from the grass.
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/farm-ranch/splendor-from-the-grass/

Daley, C. A., Abbott, A., Doyle, P. S., Nader, G. A., & Larson, S. (2010). A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition Journal, 9(1), 10.
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-9-10
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-9-10

Weston A. Price Foundation. (n.d.). Dietary guidelines. https://chapters.westonaprice.org/burnsvillenc/about-westin-a-price/wapf-dietary-guidelines/

Ryan Schrock