Looking at my new and improved grocery list... boring..

Dewdropps

I have been working on budget and planning out my grocery list and making a menu.

After writing everything down, it looks great... healthy etc.. but so boring. I will literally have to go down only one inner isle of the store and then just walk the perimeter for the rest.


Anyone else sit down and look at their lists thinking "man this looks so boring!"?

ahamm002

Well, when I started decreasing my grains intake grocery shopping got a lot less fun temporarily. But then it got fun again as I discovered new recipes and foods.

nf1982

Tuna, and greek yogurt are great. Both high protein and pretty cheap.

foodfastfit

For months I've been hating what I eat 6/7 days of the week. The most exciting thing I've put on my list lately has been beanitos bean chips!

Dhellia

Shopping on the edges of the grocery store is the best! That's where all of the interesting food is. However you do have to put more effort into actually making it... I find it difficult sometimes when I come home from work I just want to unwrap something to eat instead of cooking but it is so worth it to actually cook. Depending on where you live there might not be very much variety in your grocery store though. Maybe try out a new store, especially the ethnic ones around. Another way I really learned how to create interesting, delicious, healthy meals was the Weight Watchers Cookbook. I'm not on Weight Watchers but the food is awesome! Good luck!

p.s. Right now I'm making plantain chips and edamame for a evening snack.

Dewdropps

Tuna, and greek yogurt are great. Both high protein and pretty cheap.

I've been really trying to get used to and like greek yogurt, but it's just so thick! The consistency really throws me off, and I find I can't even taste it I am so distracted. I don't suppose there's any greek yogurt that's not... weird like that is there?

daubna08

I would recommend Yoplait's flavored Greek Yogurt! It has much better consistency than a lot of the other brands

bearcrusher

When I began my food tasted really bland. As time has passed over the past month I really taste the food more now. I've been eating really clean though and when I eat something like broccoli or spinach the flavor really pops. Hell green beans are like candy to me now.
I guess what I'm saying is as you remove the super saturated sugar and fats from your diet you develop tastes for stuff that is much less rich and sugary. I'm pretty sure if I ate a meal like I did before the grease and sugar would make me sick.

Dewdropps

When I began my food tasted really bland. As time has passed over the past month I really taste the food more now. I've been eating really clean though and when I eat something like broccoli or spinach the flavor really pops. Hell green beans are like candy to me now.
I guess what I'm saying is as you remove the super saturated sugar and fats from your diet you develop tastes for stuff that is much less rich and sugary. I'm pretty sure if I ate a meal like I did before the grease and sugar would make me sick.

I have definitely been noticing that myself. Haha my kids think I am weird, because brussel sprouts are my new go to snack. I buy the Green Giant frozen singles. Just tastes so awesome. (not as great as when I bake them fresh with a little spritz of oil and salt/pepper, but still awesome)

momzeeee

I love the simplicity of my shopping trips now-meat department, produce department and then a quick stop in dairy for cheese, butter and eggs. I'm in and out in under 15 minutes-love it!

I also love what I eat now-never bored with my food

ndj1979

My food is never boring ..

I have blackened salmon with mixed veggies and some rice....chicken/pork stir fry....linguine with clams....steak..home made burger...greek yogurt.....whole grain waffles, eggs, bacon ..et al ..

Sounds to me like you are looking for an excuse to go back to old habits....like "oh this is so boring, i will just go back to how I ate before and I do not need to do this 'healthy' thing..."

why do people equate eating healthy with "boring" ....all you are doing is restricting your calories into a deficit so that you lose weight..

Its not like you are being sent to the tower of London or something...

ndj1979

I would recommend Yoplait's flavored Greek Yogurt! It has much better consistency than a lot of the other brands

I would avoid the flavored greek yougurt they have a crap ton of sugar in them ...I just eat the plain one and sometimes add my own fruit...

Francl27

Agreed on flavored yogurt.. not healthy!

Our meals have been boring for ages to be honest. We're not exactly chefs and cook very simply, but I was never into the processed stuff anyway (I still have bread and tortillas though).

momzeeee

I would recommend Yoplait's flavored Greek Yogurt! It has much better consistency than a lot of the other brands

I would avoid the flavored greek yougurt they have a crap ton of sugar in them ...I just eat the plain one and sometimes add my own fruit...

I do this too and then add honey and a sliced banana. I'll add berries once they come into season.

ctinawilson

Hmmm, yeah, I know what you mean.

How about garlic / capers / lemongrass / coriander / parsley and other herbs and spices to 'spice' it up?

Plus creating sauces from fresh fruit juices like lemon and lime can really make a grilled turkey fillet of a pile of tofu taste great!

Ooh and how about smoked fish?

I'm getting so hungry just talking about this I will have to stop

abbylg1983

I know what you mean. I love fruit, so I always get excited stocking up on strawberries, oranges, apples, and whatever else I can get (peaches and watermelon in the right season, and every once in awhile a pineapple). Ah, I love fruit. So, that gets me stoked. But yeah, as for the rest, yawn. It's especially hard walking by the bakery and the cereal aisle, my two big weaknesses.

I would advise you though, to keep trying new vegetables. I thought I hated all vegetables except baby carrots. Turns out I just hate all raw vegetables, with the exception of baby carrots, cucumbers, and summer squash. I'm not a huge fan of roasted eggplant, but I've heard if you do it right, it's awesome (I've never done it right). Roasted butternut squash is beyond awesome, roasted turnips, zucchini, summer squash, red and green peppers, and brussel sprouts are all decent. I also like steamed broccoli, green beans, and snap peas (I actually also like snap peas and green beans raw). So, I actually do enjoy getting home and seeing all my fresh produce stacked up, especially when there's a lot of different colors.

But yeah, some days I miss the times where I came home with Doritos, pizza rolls, candy, and fruit snacks, frozen meals (which weren't that high in calories but still not ideal), and like, 4 boxes of different cereals.

Dewdropps

My food is never boring ..

I have blackened salmon with mixed veggies and some rice....chicken/pork stir fry....linguine with clams....steak..home made burger...greek yogurt.....whole grain waffles, eggs, bacon ..et al ..

Sounds to me like you are looking for an excuse to go back to old habits....like "oh this is so boring, i will just go back to how I ate before and I do not need to do this 'healthy' thing..."

why do people equate eating healthy with "boring" ....all you are doing is restricting your calories into a deficit so that you lose weight..

Its not like you are being sent to the tower of London or something...

Whoa buddy... I am HAPPY with the change. I was merely stating the list looks boring and oh so simple compared to going through every single isle in the store. I'm not looking for any excuses, just being social, sharing my random thoughts with others.

Dewdropps

I know what you mean. I love fruit, so I always get excited stocking up on strawberries, oranges, apples, and whatever else I can get (peaches and watermelon in the right season, and every once in awhile a pineapple). Ah, I love fruit. So, that gets me stoked. But yeah, as for the rest, yawn. It's especially hard walking by the bakery and the cereal aisle, my two big weaknesses.

I would advise you though, to keep trying new vegetables. I thought I hated all vegetables except baby carrots. Turns out I just hate all raw vegetables, with the exception of baby carrots, cucumbers, and summer squash. I'm not a huge fan of roasted eggplant, but I've heard if you do it right, it's awesome (I've never done it right). Roasted butternut squash is beyond awesome, roasted turnips, zucchini, summer squash, red and green peppers, and brussel sprouts are all decent. I also like steamed broccoli, green beans, and snap peas (I actually also like snap peas and green beans raw). So, I actually do enjoy getting home and seeing all my fresh produce stacked up, especially when there's a lot of different colors.

But yeah, some days I miss the times where I came home with Doritos, pizza rolls, candy, and fruit snacks, frozen meals (which weren't that high in calories but still not ideal), and like, 4 boxes of different cereals.

I make it a point to pick out a new veggie each trip to the store, and my girls are required to pick one fruit and one veg each themselves as well.

Some... have been major fail, but some I have discovered are simply amazing. I will say I am clueless about spices and making any kind of sauces or anything, so a lot of it is very bland, but I am slowly trying to learn.

blueeyez1727

Greek yogurt really helps me stay full in the mornings--I agree with others about the Yoplait greek; too much sugar (I had bought the coconut and then was mad when I got home and actually looked at it). I've been buying the chobani greek with fruit in it-- SO GOOD!
Also: these are good for some changes and easy to make ahead for grab and go: http://www.theyummylife.com/Refrigerator_Oatmeal

Fruits and veggies are what keep me from getting "bored"...variety of hummus dips and such helps give you new flavors and spices. The fruit replaces my sugar cravings. If I want chocolate I'll go for a small piece of dark chocolate. I have a friend that rolls apples in dark chocolate and chopped pecans! (sounds too good!) I also like rice crackers when I'm wanting that salty crunch. Just find things that appeal to you and make you excited!

Try different things and maybe even go ahead and go down aisles when you have some time to read the nutrition facts--see what you can find!

Good luck!

Meg_Shirley_86

Call me boring, but all weekend I look forward to the Farmer's market. I still go to the grocery store for a few things (grains, almond milk, etc.), but everything else is bought at a MUCH cheaper rate out there. The crowd is usually pretty colorful. If you have something like this in your area, you might give it a go! My family loves it and most weeks I have friends tag along.

Jchambers1130

I would recommend Yoplait's flavored Greek Yogurt! It has much better consistency than a lot of the other brands

Normal yogurt thickened with corn starch. Many of them are like this. Look at the ingredients.

Eabec

My goal is to NOT shop the inner aisles (except for coffee!) - most all located in the interior of the store is processed.

A_Warrior_Princess

I like Dannon 2x protein greek yogurt because I cannot tolerate regular greek yogurt, it is so bitter and thick, ugh!

conniemaxwell5

I know what you mean. I love fruit, so I always get excited stocking up on strawberries, oranges, apples, and whatever else I can get (peaches and watermelon in the right season, and every once in awhile a pineapple). Ah, I love fruit. So, that gets me stoked. But yeah, as for the rest, yawn. It's especially hard walking by the bakery and the cereal aisle, my two big weaknesses.

I would advise you though, to keep trying new vegetables. I thought I hated all vegetables except baby carrots. Turns out I just hate all raw vegetables, with the exception of baby carrots, cucumbers, and summer squash. I'm not a huge fan of roasted eggplant, but I've heard if you do it right, it's awesome (I've never done it right). Roasted butternut squash is beyond awesome, roasted turnips, zucchini, summer squash, red and green peppers, and brussel sprouts are all decent. I also like steamed broccoli, green beans, and snap peas (I actually also like snap peas and green beans raw). So, I actually do enjoy getting home and seeing all my fresh produce stacked up, especially when there's a lot of different colors.

But yeah, some days I miss the times where I came home with Doritos, pizza rolls, candy, and fruit snacks, frozen meals (which weren't that high in calories but still not ideal), and like, 4 boxes of different cereals.

I make it a point to pick out a new veggie each trip to the store, and my girls are required to pick one fruit and one veg each themselves as well.

Some... have been major fail, but some I have discovered are simply amazing. I will say I am clueless about spices and making any kind of sauces or anything, so a lot of it is very bland, but I am slowly trying to learn.

Go to Allrecipes.com and search for recipes using the veggies you're planning on buying for the week, then buy the herbs / spices in the recipe and cook it. I love cooking and experimenting and use this website to get ideas. The recipes are well written and easy to follow.

henriettevanittersum

To get used to the Greek yoghurt structure, mix in some regular in the beginning and then slowly increase the amount of Greek while decreasing the amount of regular... Worked for me!

cwolfman13

Why does nutrient dense, whole food have to be boring. There are about a gazillion cookbooks and recipes out there that have you cooking from scratch that aren't at all boring. None of my food is boring and I shop primarily the perimeter of my grocery store. If it's boring, you're doing it wrong and you need to broaden your horizons with some good cook books and/or online recipes. Also, don't be afraid to cook with a little olive oil, etc...so many people are just terrified of dietary fat and frankly don't get enough...fat = flavor.

suzeya

it's definitely harder in the beginning. you need to stock up on spices to make food taste great instead of a boring ol' chicken breast and plain greek yogurt.

i eat my greek yogurt with blueberries and sliced almonds. if you need a little bit of a sweet treat, add a drizzle of honey.

i buy lemons like it's going out of style. lemons, olive oil, garlic, and spices mixed with veggies or protein adds a lot of oomph. i also like sea salt and black pepper.

for now i'd just focus on making one recipe a week... finding something u like to eat and sticking with it. as you get more experience, you can expand your recipes.

avskk

Buying things that do double- or triple-duty helps me feel less bored with my shopping. I get more excited about, say, a huge bag of spinach if I know it's going to be a sandwich topping, an amazing avocado/strawberry salad base, a delicious addition to lentil soup, and a colorful pasta addition. I get a kind of meh feeling looking at something and thinking, "Well, that's it, that thing is all it is."

Don't forget to change things up as the seasons progress. Just as you're getting sick of apples (which are amazing diced fine and added to tuna salads, baked with cinnamon, or slivered into slowcooker oats -- not just raw), peaches are in season! And just when you can't take another bite of grilled salmon, shellfish like clams and mussels are at their peak. This really helps stave off some shopping boredom.

REDI4CHANGE60

Bump

ndj1979

Why does nutrient dense, whole food have to be boring. There are about a gazillion cookbooks and recipes out there that have you cooking from scratch that aren't at all boring. None of my food is boring and I shop primarily the perimeter of my grocery store. If it's boring, you're doing it wrong and you need to broaden your horizons with some good cook books and/or online recipes. Also, don't be afraid to cook with a little olive oil, etc...so many people are just terrified of dietary fat and frankly don't get enough...fat = flavor.

thats what I am talking about ...