My Go-TO Healthy Grocery list - Staple "Must Have" Items
It’s that day— the weekly grocery shopping day — for some, it is a fun and exciting adventure and for others, it can be such a stressful and daunting task.
You begin to ask yourself:
What am I going to make this week?
Will the kids even eat it?
Will it fit in the budget?
Will the store have everything I need?
…Where do I start?
Making complicated healthy recipes sounds— not so fun— for you or your wallet.
I want to help show you that eating “healthy” does not have to be complicated and if planned out, is much easier than you may think. It may take time to find your “groove” but once you do I promise you will feel so much better.
Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I am going to share with you our “staple” grocery list items that our family enjoys.
*Reminder that I have Celiac and most everything we buy is gluten-free, but we do buy the occasional “glutenous” items for Spencer and Marlie!
Below, I have broken down each major food category and why these foods are important.
Fruits
Yes, fruits are actually considered a carb, but do not let that scare you. Fruits contain many essential vitamins and minerals and most are very hydrating and full of water. They make for a good snack or dessert! We also use tons of fruit for our protein shakes/smoothies.
We always have tons of fruit in our house and they are an easy grab and go snack. Marlie never leaves the house without an apple or banana in hand.
Also you can try and freezing fruit like grapes, and eating them like candy!
Our must-have fruits:
1. Apples
2. Bananas
3. Strawberries
4. Blueberries
5. Raspberries
6. Pears
7. Watermelon
8. Clementines
9.Avocados
*One thing to note here is I do not buy all of these at once. I look for what is on sale or in season so they are the best tasting and easiest on my wallet!*
Vegetables
Veggies are nutritional superstars. (Although not all veggies are created equal.) That’s why veggies are so essential. Not only are they packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals but they are low in calories, filling and delicious.
The bulk of your plate/meal should be veggies. In our house, we love to build “superfood” bowls and try and pack a variety of different veggies in one. If you follow my instagram story, We love to dip our veggies in bitchin sauce (we are obsessed) or hummus. we always try and have a veggie/fruit for a snack.
Our must-have veggies:
1. Spinach
2. Bell peppers
3. Cucumbers
4. Carrots
5. Tomatoes
6. Mushrooms
7. Leafy Greens
8. Broccoli
9. Onions
10.squash
*one thing I do to get more veggies for Mar is to add spinach to muffins, smoothies and when I cook ground beef or turkey, I sauté tons of spinach and mushrooms with it and chip it up so she has no idea*
Protein
There are tons of different ways to get protein in your diet. In our household, we eat a variety of different meats, nuts, eggs and grains. I would say we spend the most money on our meats. I try to buy the highest quality meats whenever I can.
Another great way to up your protein intake is with a protein supplement— I like to use bob’s redmill protein powder and sports research collagen peptides vanilla. (Remember that collagen peptides are not a complete protein and should not replace a protein powder).
Protein is extremely important for building lean muscle, getting stronger, and reaching your fitness goals.
Our must-haves proteins:
1. Chicken breast
2. Lean Ground Turkey
3. Albacore Tuna
4. Eggs
5. Almond butter
6.Aidell’s chicken sausage
7. bob’s redmill protein powder
8. sports research collagen peptides vanilla
Dairy
We are mostly dairy-free in our house, although Marlie and Spencer enjoy cheese! I do not do well with dairy, but I do like the occasional quesadilla. haha. You can find many non-dairy sources of calcium if you do not enjoy dairy.
Our dairy must-haves:
1. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk
3.shredded Colby jack cheese
Carbs
Not all carbs are “bad”. “Good” carbs are ones that are not heavily refined. They contain a lot of fiber and are complex. These types of carbohydrates take longer to break down inside your body. We try to not have any refined carbs in our house (cookies, cinnamon rolls, white bread, etc.) Being gluten-free isn’t necessarily “healthier” if you just eat all of the gluten free products (they are normally higher in sugar).
Here are our must-have carbs:
1.Quinoa
2.Rice
5. Bob’s Redmill GF steel cut oats
6. Potatoes
8. Naan (for Spencer)
Snacks
As mentioned above, most of our snacks are fruits and veggies with our favorite bitchin sauce or hummus. Some other snacks we like to take on the go with us are:
Our “Must-Have” Healthy Grocery list items