Do you struggle with which foods you should buy/not buy when you’re trying to make healthy food decisions?
Here are three non-negotiable food categories that are absolutely essential for a healthy grocery haul. Make sure these are on your list every single week!
Foods you need in your next healthy grocery haul:
- Convenient foods that make your life easier! Something that’s often recommended is to buy *only* whole foods, as minimally processed as possible. In a perfect world, that’s great, but we’re busy. We have lives, busy families and responsibilities that make it hard to spend those extra moments in the kitchen. Here’s the good news: relying on convenience is okay, and I actually recommend it. Yes, even (and especially) when you want to prioritize a healthy grocery haul. Have you ever seen a list of recommended “healthy” foods and thought to yourself: who has time for that? Or worse, you decided to stick to that list only to have a bunch of food going back in the fridge? Prioritizing healthy foods doesn’t mean you need to spend your life prepping in the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to purchase out of convenience. If buying the pre-cut lettuce means you’re going to use it versus letting it wilt away in the fridge it’s 100% worth it. Here are some of my favorite convenience foods:
- Frozen/microwaveable rice, potatoes or pasta for a quick carb when you’re in a pinch. I especially love the frozen rice from Trader Joe’s, but I’ve found that most grocery stores carry their own versions. One of my all-time favorite meals when I’m out of time is cooking some chicken sausage quickly in a pan and then adding frozen rice and frozen peppers/onions. It’s SO incredibly quick, easy and delicious.
- Frozen vegetables! Frozen veggies get a bad reputation but they’re actually sometimes fresher than fresh because they’re frozen as soon as they’re picked. They make a super easy addition to any dish.
- Pre-cut pre washed lettuce + veggies
- Containers of pre-washed baby greens for easier salads. I find that the plastic containers of baby greens that have a lid last substantially longer than bags of lettuce.
- Pre-chopped veggies that are pre-washed and ready to throw directly in the air fryer or oven. My favorites are broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.
- Easy proteins that you enjoy! Have you ever gotten home from work only to remember that you completely forgot to thaw the chicken breast you were planning to have for dinner? Nothing kills the satisfaction of a meal like one that’s lacking protein. Can you get away with a meal that doesn’t have any protein sometimes? Absolutely! But in general, prioritizing protein at every meal can be super helpful for staying full and satisfied, longer. I like to plan as if there WILL (because there probably will be!) be meals that I won’t have time to make a protein, forgot to defrost the chicken, etc etc. Some favorites:
- Rotisserie chicken
- Flavored or plain tuna packets
- Frozen chicken tenders (these are my favorite!)
- Frozen edamame
- Deli meat (especially for snack plate lunches!)
- Finally, snacks! Yes, snacks! So many of my clients have spent their lives trying to avoid snacks at all costs, especially when you’re trying to make sure you have a healthy grocery haul. Instead of fighting snacks, use them to help you! Balanced snacks are not only delicious but can also help stabilize your blood sugar and energy levels, blunt those feelings of intense hunger/cravings and help you to be more in control around food. I recommend making sure you have options so that you can have what you want, when you want. Not sure how to approach snacks or how to make them balanced? Check out my FREE mini course on balanced snacks HERE. When you enroll you get access to a brief video training on balanced snacks and a downloadable PDF with 20 balanced snack ideas. And if you’re worried that you’ll just eat allllll the snacks if you keep them in the house, check out my post on How to Stop Boredom Eating here.
And PS- if you need step-by-step guidance on how to find balance with food, build healthier habits and feel confident with food, join us in Balanced Breakthrough. This exclusive membership program for women walks you through my method with tons of support and resources along the way.
