Step 2: Healthy Grocery List!

Step 2: Grocery Shopping!

Now that you've gotten organized, the next step will be to add some healthy foods to your pantry and fridge! I realize that most people usually do this on Sundays/Mondays or the beginning of the week, however hump day is still an important day to be thinking about keeping that fridge stocked with healthy items! The more you keep the healthy items, the less temptation there is for unhealthy items (which I must say is difficult, especially when you still have Christmas candy layin around!)

It's ok to have a bite of chocolate every now and then, but the most important thing is to focus on the healthy items. Below is a list of things I regularly stock my kitchen with, and I hope it will help you to do the same! 

I like to think of these 5 groups when shopping:

Fruit

Vegetables

Lean Protein

Healthy Fats

Whole Grains

Stick to the perimeter of the store and only go down the aisles if necessary! This should help you avoid impulse buys of frozen pizzas and sweets that may be on sale. 

Going along with the 21 Day Fix color coding, here's a list of nutritious items that fit nicely into a healthy diet :) 

Vegetables:

spring mix

spinach (frozen or fresh)

broccoli (frozen or fresh)

cherry tomatoes

cucumber

bell peppers- red, orange, yellow, green (usually just 1 or 2 at a time of any color)

carrot sticks

squash (frozen or fresh)

zucchini (frozen or fresh)

onion

mushrooms

kale

cauliflower

Fruit:

bananas

grapes

strawberries

raspberries

blackberries

peaches and nectarines (when in season, around the summer time, they're the best!)

apples- green or red

cuties (little tangerines in a 7lb bag)

frozen fruit for smoothies (HEB makes really awesome mixed fruit bags!)

Protein

chicken breast

ground turkey (90/10 or leaner!)

lean beef (90/10) sirloin (even leaner is better!)

steak- sirloin is the leanest cut!

pork roast (made in pre-seasoned bags, they're super easy in a crock pot!)

salmon (fresh is best but canned salmon can be cheaper and is still a great source!)

tuna (I usually get canned, but I'm sure a fresh ahi tuna would also taste great!)

shrimp (frozen 10lb bags are easy to keep for a while, they thaw quickly for quick meals!)

tilapia (sold in 10lb bags)

cod 

eggs

milk (while this is a mixed food, I think it can be a good source of protein! 2% or less is best)

greek yogurt (chobani Oats is my fave!)

Starch (Whole Grains)

whole wheat spaghetti noodles, sandwich thins, tortillas, english muffins, bagels

 (and just about anything else you can get whole wheat ;) )

oats (steel cut or quick oats, plain oats are best but quick oats provide convenience)

corn tortillas

quinoa (go to the bulk section, it's cheaper!)

brown rice

pinto beans, black beans, lentils, chick peas (technically not starches, but for this diet's purpose they will fit well under this category for portioning)
hummus 

cous cous

Cheese, Nuts, Avocado

nuts and avocado fit into the healthy fats section, which are good for your heart! while cheese isn't exactly heart healthy it is yummy, and hard to cut out. so just eat it in moderation! Go for low fat cheeses to improve its heart healthy capabilities. 

almonds, pistachios, pecans, roasted peanuts

trail mixes! they provide some sweetness and heart health all in one
peanut butter or almond butter

avocado
(also guacamole- good for taste and for health!)

low fat shredded cheese, block cheese, string cheese

mozarella (a cheese that is naturally lower in fat than most!)

Dressings and Seeds

When it comes to dressings, stick with those that have olive oil or healthier fats. Making a homemade dressing with olive oil, basalmic vinegar, and fresh herbs/spices can also reduce intake of artificial ingredients :) see the one I made below!

Yogurt dressings are also super popular lately. Look in the produce section where they are kept cold on a shelf. There are a variety of flavors including greek, ranch, and salsa ranch! These are lower in calories and fat :) 

Sunflower Seeds, pumpkin seeds, and others much like the nuts section can also go here. 

Menu Planning for the week

When constructing your grocery list you are going to want to have a plan, or a direction, some sort of idea of what you are going to cook that week. I start with dinner, because leftovers can be taken for lunch and breakfast is usually a quick and easy meal. 

I usually plan dinners on a cute little chalkboard menu I got for us. Each day I pick the meat or protein source we will build the meal around. From there I just use a choice of vegetable, and starch and there's our meal! More than one vegetable to go with your meal is ok too, I like to throw a combo of many different ones to make a salad for the week. That way I have at least 3-4 days worth of side salads for dinner!

We just got a grill so we are experimenting with that! We are hoping the Houston weather will permit for kabobs this weekend :) 

My crock pot also comes in handy for things like beef stew and chili. Some days you just want dinner ready when you get home! Cut the vegetables up the night before, place them in a ziploc bag, and throw them all in the next morning!

We also like to pick one day to go out, or as you could call it a "free" day. Since Saturday is my birthday it seemed like the perfect choice!

Once you've picked the main dishes it's easier to decide which vegetables and grains can be used as sides. Pick things that can be fixed many different ways and be creative :) This way, it's YOUR meal plan. No one gave it to you, so you know you will love it!

Also, involve the whole family. While it's just my boyfriend and I, I have found this to be important. We both want things we like and neither one of us wants to tell the other what to eat. This way we get a mixture of things we both like, and everyone's happy! We used to do this as roommates in college as well. It was a way for us girls to bond over a meal and feel like we had family away from home. 

From what we've learned in school this can be really important for kids as well. They'll feel more important to the family dinner making process, and they'll get to learn how to build a healthy meal! It's a win-win for all involved :) 

Once dinners are planned out, I think about things I want to eat for breakfast/lunch. This is a simple break down of each meal, breaking down each food item, spread throughout the day:

Breakfast:

1 Protein

1 Fruit

1 Starch 

(sometimes 1 Vegetable, this can be added or in place of 1 Starch/Whole grain.)

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter is also a good addition which = 1 Blue

Examples:

Oatmeal

Banana

Milk

1 Whole Egg, 2 Egg whites- scrambled

Grilled mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion

Raspberries

Greek Yogurt

Grapes

Sandwich Thin with 1 tbsp Peanut Butter

Lunch

1 Protein

1 Vegetable

1 Fruit or Starch

1 Dressing or Avocado/Nuts

I usually try to have a sandwich or salad if I don't take leftovers. Examples:

1 Sandwich thin

Tuna mixed with plain greek yogurt and reish for tuna salad

Bell Pepper slices and Snap Peas

Orange 

Spring Mix

Carrot sticks

Cherry Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Chicken Breast

Avocado

Apple

Dinner

1 Protein

1 Starch (or 1 extra Vegetable)

1  Vegetable

I showed an example of my usual menu, but here's some other ideas:

Spaghetti Squash (1 cup)

Olives

Feta Cheese

Chicken Breast

Ground Turkey

Quinoa

Rotel (for flavor)

Cucumbers and Cherry Tomatoes

Snacks

1 Protein

1 Fruit or 1 Vegetable

1 Avocado, Cheese, Nut (Healthy Fats!)

Try to go for things that will keep you full until your next meal. Protein, Fats, and Whole Grains keep you feeling fuller longer, so you can fill up on healthy, nutritious foods instead of foods with empty calories that will only keep you wanting more and overeating such as potato chips.

Examples:

Greek Yogurt

Strawberries

Walnuts

Celery

Peanut Butter

Raisins

Mozarella Cheese Stick

Apple

Bell Peppers

Hummus

The point is, personalize it and make it your own! Whether you're following the program I am or not, just make sure you take in lots of healthy foods (the more vegetables the better! ;)) in reasonable portions. Spread it throughout the day and get creative with colorful meals! 

I hope you find this helpful to your meal planning and grocery shopping in your own home! Stay tuned for more :) I hope to provide healthy recipe ideas in the future as well!

Happy Hump Day, 

Lauren