Ah, Grocery Shopping

People are always asking me: 
Liz, what do you buy at the grocery store?! What should I buy when I go food shopping?! 


Summer is a GREAT season for produce. Veggies (and fruits) are usually in season, and ripe, and delicious! So go shopping, stick mainly to the perimeter my friends.


words of advice:
Set yourself up for the next couple of days. If you buy clean food and LOTS of veggies (which go BAD so u gotta use them!) you will eat it, because it is the only thing in your kitchen. Here's a sample of what I bought at my last trip to the grocery store. When I went shopping, I had in mind that I wanted to stock up on veggies, since those were my carbs and main source of fuel for the week, in addition to the oat bran, chia seeds, almond milk, eggwhites, tofu, tuna, and avocados that I already had in the fridge and pantry.

This is a shelf that I put all my groceries on. What's here: 
-Egg whites
-Pea Shoots
-Spinach
-Cabbage
-Snap peas
-Bell Peppers
-Eggs
-Broccoli+Cauliflower
That food lasts me a few days on my veggie-heavy meal plan, thats IT!! I eat ALL CARBS FROM VEGGIES except oats in the morning. You don't have to, that's just my preference. Lately, I've been buying more frozen vegetables since I've gotten into green beans and broccoli. Being able to go to the grocery store often is KEY. However, you can feel free to buy more frozen vegetables if you'd prefer, so that you can stock up and keep larger volume for more than  a few days. I ALWAYS have frozen green beans, frozen broc, and frozen peas in the freezer. So easy, I just microwave them. I AINT NO CHEF!


--Buy things you SHOULD eat, but WANT TO also. If the thought of cabbage or spinach grosses you out, buy vegetables you ENJOY. some people like brussels sprouts, asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini..those just aren't my preferences!


"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" .. how many times have we heard this!? It's so true. If you buy the right things at the store, you set yourself up for success! Having tupperware containers handy is another huge help, so you can bring your healthy eats with you everywhere, and not waste money trying to buy semi-healthy options when you're out and about or at work.


Some recommendations for your next grocery trip:
Fridge--
lean organic chicken breasts
99% fat free ground turkey
tons of fresh veggies
eggs and liquid eggwhites
non dairy milks such as almond milk, coconut milk, flax milk
plain greek yogurt
sweet potatoes
beets
organic tofu *disclaimer: I DONT EAT TOFU. I used to, and did for QUITE a few months...and look where it got me! Did no noticeable harm. but you read about the controversial soy and hormonal impact of consuming soy products elsewhere, don't yell about it here. Some people (largely vegans and those with very sensitive stomachs) consume tofu as a source of protein and fat, it is especially helpful in a diet for those who do not eat any dairy, chicken, turkey, or fish*
chia seeds, flax seeds, ground flaxseed
----for the masses: fresh fruit. I don't eat it on a regular basis, but you can completely incorporate it into a solid diet and still meet your goals. Just remember to include it as a source of carbohydrates. Fruit is NOT calorie free just because its natural! It's like nature's candy.
pantry: 
no salt tuna
rolled oats
oat bran
raw nuts: almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, cashews
natural nut butters, if that is--you can avoid eating it straight from the jar out of boredom because it tastes so damn good. oops, not like i used to do that or anything..
coconut oil/olive oil/flax oil
non-stick cooking spray *a MUST for me!!*


I'm sure there are TONS of other things. But this is a good start. Happy shopping!!!