Eating farm-to-table meals on a Wyoming ranch has dramatically improved my gut health.
If you’re dreaming of outdoor adventures and luxury ranch living, you’re definitely not alone. The Madison, Marshals, and Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming series Dutton Ranch have inspired us all to wanderlust. We long to live out our wildest Yellowstone fantasies: waking up on a beautiful, secluded ranch nestled in the mountains and enjoying sunny afternoons of fly fishing, horseback riding, and hearty Western meals.
The good news? Fans can make this dream come true. Pack your cowboy boots and hats and come with me on one of my favorite trips to Brush Creek Ranchlocated in the true serenity of Saratoga, Wyoming. Burrata and mozzarella making, a floating wine river, picnic hikes with llamas, goat yoga, barrel flying, hot springs and much more await you.
In just one week at the ranch, I quickly learned the power of consuming farm-to-table meals – straight from the ranch – and the impact this healthy way of eating had on my overall well-being. Brush Creek was not only an incredible escape for my mental health, it was also a total reset for my gut health.
Life on the ranch
One of my favorite trips was to the Ranch – and the Yellowstone obsessive in me longs to escape to the natural beauty of the American West again. Every morning, it felt like pure bliss to wake up to 30,000 acres of private Wyoming wilderness, surrounded by rolling hills, towering peaks, and lush forests.
After getting ready and checking out of my comfortable accommodation (Brush Creek follows the “cowboy policy,” meaning no locks on bedroom doors), I went upstairs to eat breakfast.
If you know anything about me, I’ve always been a big foodie. I love trying new cuisines, discovering trendy restaurants, and experimenting with fun recipes at home. That said, my stomach is sensitive to many foods. (I blame the preservatives and those pesky “healthy/natural” ingredients that are anything but.) When I was at the Ranch, however, everything I ate was farm-to-table – straight from the great outdoors I spent my days exploring!
The breakfasts were incredibly healthy but really indulgent. The menu included a variety of nutritious, protein-rich dishes to start the day, including house-pressed juices and fresh fruit smoothies. (One of my favorite orders was the Ginger Sunrise with fresh carrots, orange, golden beet, ginger, and turmeric.) As for entrees, the Warm Grain Bowl was a usual suspect on my breakfast, featuring quinoa, lentils, sumac, garden tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and fried egg, as well as the Akaushi Hash, made with braised Akaushi wagyu, fingerling potatoes, carrots, herb pesto and a fried egg. After all, you had to stock up to have a day full of activities!
Lunch and dinner embodied the same philosophy: deliciously innovative meals prepared with only the freshest ingredients sourced from the ranch’s sustainable, seed-to-table farm and natural landscape. The culinary team incorporates fruits and vegetables straight from the vine in the ranch’s 20,000-square-foot greenhouse and uses ranch-raised American Wagyu beef in many dishes (something I looked forward to indulging in as often as possible during my stay).
Brush Creek’s Farm is behind each of the all-inclusive dining experiences offered to guests, whether it’s tasting 100% American Wagyu or Medicine Bow Creamery marbled cheeses, made from the property’s own herd of goats and aged in Brush Creek Distillery barrels.
My gut health has improved significantly by eating fresh farm-to-table meals
During my stay, I was pleasantly surprised to see noticeable improvements in my gut health. My bloating decreased and I felt less lethargic overall, something I don’t typically experience in my daily routine at home. The only other time I felt my gut health improve significantly was when I was studying abroad in Florence, Italy, and shopping at the fresh grocery store every few days.
My stay at the Ranch served as a major wake-up call and confirmed the age-old saying, “You are what you eat.” Although carefully reading labels at the grocery store and making nutritious choices at restaurants may seem like a full-time job, it’s essential for my overall well-being. This trip inspired me to start growing vegetables at home, shopping at the local farmers market when in season, and giving up ultra-processed foods. (I’m looking at you, cinnamon rolls in the bakery aisles!) I’ve become even more attentive to food labels and try to prepare most of my weekly meals at home, as much as possible. It’s a solid part of ranch life that I brought home with me and now live every day.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has over 11 years of experience in the wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle and home industries. Learn more about Alexa
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