In the last few weeks, I’ve had a couple of friends and family members ask me about grocery shopping.  Things like what I buy, how I save money, and where I find certain products.  I didn’t really think much of it, until my friend Natalie asked me to post a list of products I use to “healthify” my meals.  I thought this was a terrific idea!   But…. once I started working on the post I realized there really isn’t anything special about my grocery list!   But here goes!

I’ve heard the phrase “shop the perimeter” before, and I guess you could say that is what I do.  Not because I’m trying to follow some guideline, but because that’s where most of the stuff I genuinely like can be found!  My purchases are greatly affected by what’s on sale in any given week.  I hate to say I’m a cheap ass… but.. well, I’m a cheap ass!  I try to save money on things like food, groceries, utilities, etc. so that I can spend more money on FUN things like travel and going out to eat!  I may really want asparagus, but if it’s not on sale chances are I’m not buying it.

When I decided I wanted to start eating healthier, one of the biggest changes for me was understanding portion sizes.  For example, I really had no idea what a serving of meat looked like, and I NEVER measured out my morning cereal.  Turns out I was typically eating 2 times the normal serving size on my meats and nearly 3 times the serving size of cereal!  I invested in a kitchen scale which helps me a TON… and when I say invested I mean I bought one on eBay for $8.  I also make sure to measure pretty much everything that goes into my recipes or onto my plate.  It can be tedious, but I personally think it’s worth it.  If you put 4 ounces of chicken on your plate then load the rest of with delicious roasted veggies, you’ve still got a full plate o’ food.  In my book, eating healthy does not involve going hungry—it’s all about making healthy swaps. 

My list typically starts off with a ton of fresh produce.  I try to buy ingredients that I like and that I know I can incorporate into several different recipes.  That way I can cook whatever I’m craving and not be stuck to a rigid plan.  That also helps me to save a lot of money on groceries.  I try to avoid buying any sort of “special” ingredient, unless it’s something I’m super excited about.

My Favorite Fresh Produce:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Zucchini
• Cucumber
• Green Pepper
• Apples
• Berries
• Grapes (if they are on sale, of course 😉 )
• Romaine Lettuce (for salads and for lettuce wraps)
• Spinach (salads, sandwiches, green monster smoothies)
• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Bean Sprouts

 I’d say 75% of my groceries in any given week come from the produce section.

 Meat

I typically only buy 1 package of meat a week.  If I’m craving something different, I’ll freeze half and pull something different out of the freezer (which I stock pretty well when the meat sale rolls into town 😉 )

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Lean ground turkey breast– I like the 99% fat-free, but it’s harder to find in my area.  (For those of you in Akrowdy, check out Giant Eagle)
• Jennie O Spicy Turkey Sausage – All I can say is YUM.
• 96% Lean ground beef

Dairy

• Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk – LOVE this.  It’s good on cereal, oatmeal, shakes, etc.  Big big fan.
• Greek Yogurt – typically Chobani or Dannon (depending on what’s on sale).  Greek yogurt has WAY higher protein than regular yogurt, and to me it’s worth the extra $$
• Stonyfield Farms Plan Fat-Free Organic Yogurt  – I LOVE this stuff.  It’s a great substitute for sour cream and mayo and can be used in smoothies too.
• EGGS!  I love me some eggs!  I typically go through an 18pack of eggs each week. I use a lot of egg-whites (yes, I throw away the yolks), but I find it cheaper to buy a carton of eggs than to get eggbeaters.  BTW… are eggs considered Dairy??
• Babybel light mini cheese rounds –> this stuff melts really well. Great for pizzas, oven baked sandwiches, etc.
• Laughing Cow Light cheese

 Other Stuff

• Oats!  I just buy the cheap value-time quick oats.  They get the job done just fine 🙂
• Cereal – I shoot for something lower in sugar.  Favorites include
  • Barbara’s Peanut Butter Puffins (to the NE Ohioans – I’ve only been able to find this at certain Giant Eagles and Trader Joe’s)
  • Kashi Warm Cinnamon heart to heart
  • Honey Bunches of Oats with Cinnamon Bunches
  • Special K Cinnamon Pecan
• La Tortilla low carb tortillas (again – Giant Eagle, acme doesn’t have em)
• Pepperidge Farm 7 Grain Deli Flats
• Luna bars (my favorites include White Macadamia, Blueberry Bliss, Iced Oatmeal, lemon zest)
• Larabars (my favs = peanut butter & jelly, cherry pie, cashew cookie)
• HERBS and SPICES!  The more the better.  You can add great flavor without adding calories and fat.  My go-to spices include:  S&P, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, dried oregano, dried basil, cinnamon, McCormick’s Montreal Chicken
• Assorted frozen veggies – I keep these on hand just in case I run out of fresh veggies
• Classico Fire Roasted Tomato & Garlic Pasta sauce — this was the result of me standing in the pasta sauce aisle for a good 20 minutes one day and comparing the labels on different sauces.  This sauce is lower in calories, sugar, and carbs than most others you’ll find in a normal grocery store.  Not to mention that it is oober tasty.
• Smuckers Low-sugar Red Raspberry Preserves
• Smuckers Organic Peanut Butter
• Smuckers Sugar-Free Syrup
• Frank’s Red Hot – this really should be the FIRST item on the list considering I use it EVERY day.
• Banana Pepper Rings – just a couple add a big pop of flavor
• Ken’s Steakhouse lite dressings (my favorites are the Balsamic and the Northern Italian)
• Heinz Organic Ketchup — tastes just like the “real” stuff and no corn syrup

Things I can only find online:

Anytime I order online, I check out Netrition first because they have $4.95 flat-rate shipping.  And we all know I’m a sucker for cheap shipping 🙂

• Mama Lupe Low carb tortillas
• Al Dente Carba Nada Pasta
• PB2
• Joseph’s Low Carb Pitas
• Joseph’s Low Carb Lavash
• Bob’s Red Mill Low-Carb Baking Mix
• Alternative Bagels

I’m a numbers person, so for me seeing the nutritional content of all my meals throughout the day is extremely important and valuable.  I use MyFitnessPal to keep track of all this information, and I’m pretty much obsessed with it.

Question:  What are some things you typically buy for a healthy meal or to healthify recipes?