Let's talk nutrition! This series -- word to the well -- will provide you with practical tips to lead a healthier and more balanced lifestyle! From the supermarket, to diet trends, to eating for specific disease processes, and much more, I'll discuss it here. If you have any suggestions for future posts, I'd love to see your comment below!
Now, come shopping with me...
It's big, it's bright, it's full of colorful boxes...and it's usually really cold too. The grocery store can be an overwhelming place that many people have come to dread. Sometimes it starts with the best of intentions, but a trip to the supermarket can often end in feelings of guilt and negativity. I'll walk you through my well-practiced methods for efficient and painless grocery shopping!
Plan
Make a meal plan. This doesn't have to be an extensive Pinterest project or involve a fancy chalkboard (although that's totally cool if it helps you stay on track!). Really, you just need to write it down. I have a hard time sticking to a specific date for each meal, so I'll usually just plan 5-6 meals for the week (one day for leftovers or eating out) and move them around later based on what sounds good the day before! I write them in my planner and on this awesome noticeboard in my office :)
I get most of my recipes from these 3 places: my favorite food blogs (a few to mention are: minimalist baker, oh she glows, cookie and kate, and vegan richa), cookbooks (the one thing I won't go electronic on: books), or my brain (blog research and stuff!). I use an amazing app called Paprika to organize all my online recipes! I love it and am constantly recommending it to friends and family! It's a $4.99 one-time cost in the app store (also available on google play), but it integrates meal planning and makes accessing recipes when you're cooking a breeze. Some of my favorite features: automatically download recipes from hundreds of blogs and sites, create and modify recipes, make notes, cross off ingredients when you add them, in-app timers for various cooking times, options to e-mail or print recipes, and the screen stays on while you're cooking + you don't have to scroll through tons of pictures and words when you're really just interested in the recipe! I hope you give it a try :)
Not sure where to start? Subscribe to The VV for new recipes every Monday. It's easy, just do it!
Now that you've decided on your meals, make your list.
Never go to the store without a list. You've heard this before, right? But somewhere between the kitchen and the grocery store doors, you misplaced your list (or forgot to make it while rushing to the store after work!) and now you're wandering the isles with a faint memory of the contents of your pantry/fridge. Insert cravings, impatience, and bad decisions.
Fear not, my friends! You may consider crossing over to a mobile list app! This was a game changer for me. My current favorite is just called Shopping List. It allows you to create multiple lists, has custom categories (grains, produce, refrigerated and freezer sections, etc.), saves your items and their category so you don't have to start from scratch each time, has a place for quantity of items, a place to add the cost, and allows you to 'check' items off as you're shopping! It has a few imperfections (it syncs a little too often and could use better integration between apps as well as family sharing), but overall I really love this app! There is a free version that skips a few features and a full version that is a $2.99 one-time purchase in the app store (apple products only for now). There are a lot of free list apps out there so browse around and find what works for you! Having a list on your phone allows you to add items at any time and, unless you forget your phone, you'll never be at the store without a list!
Avoid
So, you've made it to the store, you have your list, now you need a strategy.
- Stick to the list. Avoid impulse purchases like soda, snacks, candy, or bakery goods.
- Spend most of your time in the produce section. Choose fresh ingedients. Avoid pre-packaged meals and snacks, these will seriously impact your budget and are usually packed with added salt and sugar.
- Shop seasonally. Be aware of what fruits and veggies are in season and what you can find locally. Avoid buying peaches in December or butternut squash in May, you will end up paying more and receiving food that, in most cases, has been shipped from across the globe! It won't taste great or be as nutrient-dense.
- Just drink water. Avoid buying soda, teas, and juices. Even when they seem healthy, they often still contain way more sugar than you need. And they are PRICEY. Get a water filter and a reusable water bottle. If you need some flavor, try adding fresh fruit or veggies. Cucumber-mint water is my favorite. And choose smoothies over juices. We need the extra fiber (juices remove most of the fiber through filtering (i.e. no pulp)) to slow down the absorption of sugar when we take in fruits and veggies!
Bulk
Not muscle bulk. Buy in bulk! Grains, nuts, and seeds are ideal to purchase in bulk. This ensures you get the best price and that you always have those staple items on hand.
My go-to bulk buys:
- Almonds (organic, raw, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Cashews (organic, raw, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Walnuts (organic, raw, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Pepitas/Pumpkin Seeds (organic, raw, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Sunflower Seeds (organic, raw, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Lentils (red and brown, organic, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Brown Rice (short-grain, organic, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Quinoa (Kirkland signature brand, organic, pre-washed from Costco)
- Granola (Nature's Path brand, organic, low in sugar and sodium, Costco)
- Rolled Oats (organic, bulk, Natural Grocers)
- Beans (garbonzo, black, kidney, and pinto, dry, organic, Natural Grocers)
- Non-dairy milk (Flax or almond, homemade or Natural Grocers)
- Nut Butter (peanut and almond, raw, organic, Natural Grocers)
- Chia Seeds (organic, Costco)
- Flax Seeds (organic, Costco)
- Brown Rice Pasta (Jovial brand, various shapes, organic, gluten-free, Natural Grocers)
- Spices (variety, organic and high quality, Natural Grocers)
In the winter months, I also buy more canned items in bulk, like diced tomatoes and some canned beans. The key is to look for "no salt added" or "low-sodium." This may mean it has a slightly shorter shelf-life, but it's saving you from adding tons of unnecessary salt to your meals!
Most grocery stores have bulk sections these days, so feel free to shop around. Just make sure the quality and price are up to your standards!
Note: I'm working on a more comprehensive list of my staple items, which will also include more specifics on additional items, brands I use and trust, my go-to spices, etc.
Snack
This category is two-fold. First, snack before you shop, friends! Grab a granola bar or piece of fruit, take your water bottle, and don't let your hangry brain take over. You will make better choices and that guy in front of you walking at snail-speed won't make you want to scream... well, I can't guarantee that last part. Work on your anger, dude. Serenity now.
Secondly, don't forget to consider snacks when you shop. It's easy to think about breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but if you don't account for snacks, you're more likely to choose a fast option and that's usually not the healthy one. Making the aforementioned granola bars on a Sunday afternoon is a great option for snacking throughout the week. If time isn't on your side, lara bars are some of the healthier packaged bars out there as most of them are naturally sweetened with dates and contain only a few ingredients. Don't forget fresh fruit (apples and oranges travel well, berries are lovely if you throw them in some tupperware first) or veggies (chopped carrots, sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli make for good snacking too). Be aware of your own cravings. Do you go for something salty or sweet? Find a healthier option that won't leave you wanting more. Stay away from 100 calorie packs or "low fat" snacks, they are typically low in nutrients as well as calories and will just leave you hungry and sad. Eat real food.
Reuse
Be a grown up and bring your reusable bag. No one wants 149384023 plastic bags clogging up space in a house/car/landfill/ocean. Everyone suffers.
Plus reusable bags are more durable and they come in fun designs. Buy a few, use them, don't make a big deal about it! K, thanks :)
Another important part of limiting waste is working hard to make sure you go through your groceries. Don't buy 1 gallon of strawberries at Costco if you're only feeding 2 people (unless you plan to freeze them). Those berries will start to mold as soon as you get home and you will be red in the face from eating so many. We're talking a "Violet's turning Violet!" situation here. But really, don't justify buying perishables in bulk if you know you can't go through them. It's not worth the money and it's not worth the waste.
Also consider saving your veggie scraps to make homemade broth. It's super yummy and doesn't require any extra veggie purchases. I recently did an instagram story on this topic and I'll add it to a more formal post soon! It's pretty simple though. When cooking and chopping veggies, save the ends of onions and celery, the stems and seeds of bell peppers, extra garlic cloves, or fresh herbs that are about to go bad, add them to a gallon freezer bag, keep adding to it until full, then boil with 9 cups of water, 1 tsp salt, 2 bay leaves, strain out your veggie scraps, and voila - tasty, homemade broth. Use it within a week or freeze it for a few months!
I hope you've enjoyed these wise words and are feeling more prepared for the next grocery trip!
Note: I'm not affiliated or sponsored by any of the products mentioned above. These are simply my opinions and I receive no compensation for recommending these items.
