I get so many questions from people asking what to buy when they go grocery shopping. Whether you are new to healthy eating or not, having a list and an idea of what to buy can be helpful. In a few days I will be travleing to my dad’s for the summer and I have to restock on food for me. In addition, the fridge at my mom’s house is broken, so we had to throw out pretty much everything in our fridge, in fear of eating something that had gone bad. No matter where I am, I pretty much have to start fresh when it comes to going grocery shopping. So, I decided to make a HUGE list of items that I like to have in the house. I try to buy foods with minimal ingredients, chemicals, and added sugars. Always check the ingredients list before buying! Just because it’s labeled “organic” or “healthy” does not mean it is also the best option. These foods can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and a local produce store(produce is usually cheaper there), but you can find a lot of these at a regular grocery store as well.
Vegetables
Vegetables are essential for a healthy diet and that does not mean you have to like all of them. Finding a few that you enjoy and consistenly buy is better than not eating any at all. I recommend buying seasonal vegetables because it tends to be cheaper and it’s better for the environment. Here is a list of vegetables that my family and I buy:(note that we typically don’t buy all of them at once since they go bad quickly)
- Spinach
- Kale
- Bell peppers
- Carrots
- Red Cabbage
- Onions
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Zucchini
- Beets
- Eggplant
- Cauliflower
- Mushrooms
- Corn
- Arugula
- Squash
- Red onion
- Cilantro
- Parsley
- Asparagus
Fruits
Buying fruits that are in season seems to be more important than vegetables. I also feel like fruits go bad a little faster than vegetables. Buying frozen fruits can be good for smoothies and they stay good for longer. Dried fruit works too, but you have to be careful for added sugars.
- Bananas
- Apples
- Mixed Berries(blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
- Strawberries
- Peaches
- Watermelon
- Dates
- Plums
- Lemons
- Mango
- Coconut flakes
- Pears
- Pineapple
- Cantalope
Protein
It seems as if evryone has their own opinion on what protein is “good” for you. Whether you are a vegan or a carnivore is a personal choice of what works best for your body. If you do buy meat, I recommend finding the most natural, grass fed meat that is less processed. I try to avoid meat at times for environmental reasons, but I do eat it from time to time. Here are some protein staples for me:
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Black Beans
- Chickpeas
- Dairy free yogurt(ex. coconut yogurt, soy yogurt)
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Chicken Sausage
- Turkey bacon
- Jerkey
- Ground Beef
- Lentils
- Pea Protein
- Collagen Peptides(I actaully have not tried this yet, but I am interested)
- Vegan cheese(typically soy or cashew found at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)
- Veggie burgers- send me your favorite brands! I try to look for ones that are vegan and high protein. I think I want to give Beyond Meat a try.
Fats
Although the name might sound negative, we actually need healthy fats to live a healthy life. We can get it through a variety of foods and they are so good!
- Peanut butter
- Almond butter
- Cashew butter
- Avocado
- Tahini
- Raw nuts(ex. cashews, almonds)
- Raw seeds(ex. pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)
- Coconut oil
- EVOO
Carbohydrates
Carbs are the body’s most preferred source of energy. Some people believe in avoiding them(I used to be one of those people), but it is actually not good for us. That does not justify eating 10 cookies, but it means we need it in our diets to sustain energy. Even people who have adopted a paleo lifestyle, still get carbs from other foods. Here are my favorites:
- Sweet potatoes
- Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Ezekiel Bread
- Torillas
- Granola(I make my own from Colleen Quigley’s blog!)
- Oats
- Eat Banza Pasta (Chickpea pasta)
- Minimally processed chips and crackers(ex. Trader Joe’s crisp bread crackers, Siesta almond flour tortilla chips)
Condiments & Spices
How else would we make veggies taste good?!
- Dijon Mustard
- Coconut Aminos(a sweeter, less sodium version of soy sauce)
- Organic dressings and sauces- this is an area where you REALLY need to read labels. A lot of times I will make my own, but I am interested in buying some. I would like to try out Tessemae’s, which is a brand available online and at Whole Foods.
- Garlic
- Vegan Cashew Pesto(found at Trader Joe’s)
- Nutrional yeast( a cheesy flavoring for vegans and lactose intolerants)
- Hummus
- Everything bagel seasoning(Trader Joe’s)
- Cinnanom
- Chili lime seasoning(Trader Joe’s)
- Tumeric
- Curry powder
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Ground Ginger
- Ground Nutmeg
- Pink Himalayn Sea Salt
- Pepper
- Coriander
Sweets & Snacks
I have a major sweet tooth, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t eat treats while eating healthy. There are so many healthy recipes for desserts and snacks as well as pre-prepared ones as well. Here are some good baking ingredients and brands to satisfy cravings while putting real food into your body:
- Vegan Chocolate(I’m a huge fan of Sarah’s Day and I plan on ordering Loving Earth)
- Maple syrup
- Stevia-perfect for coffee!
- Coconut Flour
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Suagr
- Arrowroot Flour
- Flaxseed Meal
- Chia seeds
- Maca powder
- Raw cacao powder
- Spirulina
- Goji berries
- Larabars
- Rx bars
- Perfect bars
- No Cow products
- All nautral popcorn
I hope this has helped! If you have any questions or comments, let me know!