What are the food staples you buy at the grocery store?

The_new_Amy

I'm actually working hard at eliminating the grocery store from my life, my food shopping consists of;

Organic beef from a local farm, purchased at the farmer's market

Organic eggs from a local farm, purchased at the farmer's market

Fresh fruits and veggie at the farmer's market (not a lot currently in season here in Michigan)

My CSA starts next week and I'll be getting a weekly box of all kinds of organic produce (greens, berries, broccoli, apples, herbs, melons, squashes of all varities)

I buy non homogonized, vat pasturized milk and butter from a local dairy, the closest thing as straight from the cow you can legally get here in Michigan and yes, that means it's full fat but I don't drink milk so it's only consumed in cooking and I believe it's much healthier in it's least processed state.

I buy raw honey at the farmer's market, used for sore throats and to slightly sweeten tea and in cooking

I order raw milk cheeses from a local co op and sometimes find them at the farmer's market

At the actual store, I buy

Almond milk
Raw Almonds (Trader Joe's Just a handful bags are awesome for grab and go and not expensive)
Canned tuna
Tilapia
Salmon
Organic, air chilled chicken breasts
Fresh veggies I can't get at the farmer's market or through my CSA yet. (lots of spinach and kale for smoothies)
Steel cut oats
Lemons (for water and green smoothies)
Mint (for water and green smoothies)
Plain greek yogurt
Almond Butter
Coconut Oil for cooking and health and beauty needs.
Olive Oil

I don't eat bread, but the kids do so I buy them organic 100% whole wheat bread

FitSuga

I recommend going to skinnytaste.com, lots of great healthy meals options, snacks, desserts, etc. She includes the nutrition information along with pictures of everything.

Jellyphant

GOOD bread, not that crappy iron kids white bread or whatever. I like to splurge on a gorgeous loaf of sunflower honey wheat bread for 3 bucks. It's my guilty pleasure, plus I can make homemade croutons with any extras. Delicious carbs...

giggles7706

Eggs
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Bread
Peanut butter
Frozen chicken breast
Frozen fish
Tons of veggies
Bananas
Grapes
Apples
Greek yogurt
Steel cut oats
Granola

Discoveri

You all are amazing. I took the advice of several posters and culled together some recipes for the next several days. Thanks for all your responses and the private messages. You were all really helpful!

fatforthewin

Hiya! Sure this is a bit late but will post anyway - I like this topic

I'm a low-carber so there's the backstory for you!

1. Coffee (absolutely CANNOT live without.)
2. Sweetener (also CANNOT live without)
3. Crystal-Light or similar
4. Eggs (grass-fed chickens if possible)
5. Butter (unsalted from grass-fed, not heavily-injected cattle)
6. Almond milk (unsweetened but vanilla-flavored, Silk brand)
7. Heavy cream (if $$ allows)
8. Veggies/Fruits: broccoli, spinach (big bag of baby spinach leaves), baby carrots (for snacks), bell peppers/banana peppers, cucumbers, avocados, pumpkin, mushrooms, tomatoes
9. Pesto sauce, white alfredo sauce
10. Tofu
11. Cheeses (all sorts, especially parmesan and provologne)
12. Fish (salmon, tuna)
13. Cold-cuts

Moxie42

Don't forget to try to look for healthy options to what you currently eat. There are healthier frozen pizza, not red baron, leaner hamburgers, healthier sweet potato french fries (make your own), and more delicious less healthy desserts, skinny cow ice cream is delicious. Trial and error.

Agreed! Substitution has been key for me. Personally, I can't completely ban certain foods (kudos to those who can)- I end up unhappy and binging on them later- but I've been successful so far (21 lbs down) with substituting and moderation. Low-fat cheese instead of regular (Fresh & Easy, if there's one near you, has an amazing 2% string cheese). Cooking spray instead of only olive oil (some olive oil is okay, just not a ton of it). Ground turkey instead of ground beef. You can probably use a lot of the same recipes you used before, just using low-fat, non-fat, and light ingredients instead.

Shrimp and bay scallops are good too- they are small, quick to cook, and low-cal so it feels like you're eating a lot for not many calories! I saute a pound of them in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and lots of garlic (add any herbs you like, or lemon and pepper). That, with plenty of grilled or pan-cooked (with olive oil flavored cooking spray, pepper, and herbs) veggies makes a great dinner for two.

Also, some snacks I like (when I want something other than fruit or veggies): 94% fat-free popcorn (butter or kettle-corn flavored...I get mini 130-cal bags); Apples with reduced fat peanut butter; Light string cheese. Skinny Cow anything.

brneydgrlie

Some of the stuff I nearly always keep in the house:

Strawberries
Blueberries
Almonds
Bell peppers
Mushrooms
Black beans
Baby Spinach
Baby bok choy
Cucumber
Olive oil
Avocado
Fresh garlic
Fresh ginger
Cilantro
Low sodium soy sauce
Chicken (to eat and to make chicken stock with)
Glass noodles (made from bean starch instead of wheat)

brneydgrlie

A few things I usually keep on hand for when the sweet tooth kicks in, are fiber one brownies, skinny cow ice cream treats, and/or edys sugar-free real fruit popsicles.

I keep Edy's frozen fruit bars (lime!) for my sweet tooth!

brneydgrlie

Quinoa is actually great to eat in place of oatmeal. You can cook it using the same types of flavorings. I use vanilla almond milk and cinnamon when cooking it for breakfast.

When cooking quinoa for a dinner side, or to use in salads (you can sub it into tabouleh!), I cook it in chicken stock rather than water.

megsmom2

Lately I pick up a container of baby spinach a couple of times a week. It goes into smoothies, into salads, into scrambled eggs, into nearly everything! Love it!

viviennemayer

The only real staples for me are frozen veggies and fruit.Whole grain and wheat products/flour since you can make your own.I'm finding going to the market more often for fresh is better for my plan if feasable.

thinnerisstronger

Quick oats. If I was only allowed to buy one thing at the grocery store for the whole week, it'd be oatmeal!

Elzecat

chicken breasts or tenders (whichever's cheaper)
1 minute quick oats (not instant) oatmeal
whole wheat and corn tortillas
shredded sharp cheddar cheese (full fat, don't like how the lower fat versions taste/cook)
brown rice
eggs
ground turkey
canned black or pinto beans
tuna fish
skim milk
greek yogurt
spinach, romaine salad mix and various veggies to throw salads together (cucumber, tomato, mushrooms, snap peas, shredded carrots, radishes etc)
frozen veggies
frozen fish filets
protein bars
almonds/walnuts/craisins
strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes if on sale
bananas

You could make a great stir fry with some cut up chicken, frozen or fresh veggies, and a little ginger and other spices...

Now I am really hungry! LOL

kewpiepie

Baby Spinach
Avocados
Brown Rice
Hummus
Low calorie tortilla wraps
Eggs
Lots of oatmeal
Various teas and herbals
Soya Milk
Almond Milk
Lots and lots of broccoli (frozen and fresh)
Tomatoes
Tons of fruit - especially bananas
No sugar cranberry juice
lean pork, turkey, chicken...
A box of low cal cake slices every two weeks.

I also like to keep plenty of fresh herbs and spices to hand to liven things up.

glittersoul

Normally this depends on what is on sale at the time:

chicken ( I make a bunch up ahead of time for convenient protein for salads or snacks)
ground turkey
lean beef
tuna
salmon
tilapia



sharp cheddar
yogurt
butter
milk
coffee creamer or half n half
eggs
egg whites


bagged lettuce/spinach
tomatoes
potatoes
broccoli
squash
frozen veggies
bananas
oranges
apples
pears
berries (frozen or fresh)
grapes
avocados

bread

cocoa roast almonds
cashews
yasso frozen yogurt bars
dano nino yogurts (they make good popsicles for the kids)
peanut butter natural & no sugar
whole wheat flour
oats
mrs dash spices
pre minced garlic
cinnamon
unsweetened apple sauce

ElizaRoche

strawberries, oranges, broccoli, yambean, cucumber, vegetable pears, tuna, panela cheese, plain yogurt, eggs, turkey ham.. Thats like my top 10, I might buy something else if I see it and I like it.

Derpina7

Spinach, bananas, peanut butter, unsweetened almond milk, chicken breasts, fresh fruits, hummus

SweetSammie

Ezekial bread
Arnold sandwich thins
eggs
chicken
salmon
deli turkey
grassfed beef
cheese
mixed greens
grape tomatoes
cucumber
whole wheat pasta
avocado or wholly guacamole
zuchini/yellow squash
frozen veggies
greek yogurt
honey
peanut butter
oatmeal
fruit - a few of these each week (banana, apple, pear, grapes, strawberry, blueberry, kiwi, pineapple, mango)

These are the basics, but we eat a variety of foods... so there are a lot of other items most weeks, but these are EVERY week.

_Schatzi_

Whole Foods:

Okios Plain Greek Yogurt
Granola (low cal, I put it in my yogurt)
Whole Wheat Bread
Deli turkey (Fresh Farms organic)
Baby Carrots (35 cal per pack)
Strawberries, Bananas, Blueberries, Avacados
Green Onions, Mushrooms
Salad Greens (I like the Organic Baby Romain)
White Cheddar Popcorn (Indiana All Natural - 150 cal for 2.5 cups)
Eggs
Goat Cheese Crumbles

Stop & Shop:

Ultra Thin Cheddar/Swiss Cheese Slices (Sorento, 45 cal per slice)
Caffiene-free Diet Coke (bad, I know, but it helps me not drink alcohol in the evenings)
100 calorie Right Bites Cookies

Things I have on hand and use all the time:

Dijon mustard
Honey
Light Ranch Dressing (80 cal for 2 TBS)
Lite Hershey's Syrup (45 cal for 2 TBS)
Honey Dew Coffee
Silk (either soy or almond- almond is fewer calories and really good in iced coffees!)

Then I usually buy meat/fish every other day- what ever looks good from the whole foods meat/seafood counter.

What a great thread! I'm getting loads of ideas!

chloeraesmommy

what r u eating with whole grain pastas? spaghetti sauce.....???

SweetSammie

Spaghetti sauce on whole wheat pasta (with homemade meatballs). Or sometimes I make a cold seafood salad pasta salad, or another pasta salad, and use yogurt to replace some/all of the mayo. I also like whole wheat ravioli - saute some veggies, garlic, ect., add ravioli...make a salad. DINNER.

karmah2771

Now as to what I shop for now that we are eating healthier:

Baby Spinach: Great in salads or to use in place of lettuce in sandwiches.

Romaine Salad Blends: I like the convenience of the pre-cut mix with the shreds of carrots and red cabbage already in it. Then we just add whatever extra veggies to it that we want that day. I usually purchase ones with romaine lettuce as the base because hubby isn't fond of the other mixes that contain field greens, etc.

Fresh Veggies: ones for recipes and others for dipping into hummus or yogurt dip or eating plain. We like to dip carrots, celery, red/yellow/orange peppers, and cucumbers. My husband also likes to dip broccoli and cauliflower.

Frozen Stir Fry Veggies mixes: These are very convenient for us as it saves prep time and gives us a variety of vegetables in one dish. Sometimes we add meat, other times we just use them as veggie sides. We purchase a sauce we like to use as flavoring or add our own spice mixture to them.

Fresh or Frozen Fruit: We like to get fresh fruit when we can (bananas, grapes, strawberries and apples mostly). But there are some times when the fresh offerings aren't so, uh, fresh. So we buy a package of frozen fruit and then thaw it out in the fridge. This also helps when we want a fruit that isn't in season. Today I bought a package of assorted melon already prepped because I am the only one who will eat it.

Dried Fruits: These transport well, and can be stored at room temp (less fridge space!). Plus I can take them to work and leave them there for an emergency snack. We like to add raisins or other dried fruits into our yogurt as well. We mainly buy: raisins, cherries, cranberries, apricots and prunes.

Greek Yogurt: We went from occasional yogurt eating to buying the low cal regular then switching to greek because there isn't the artificial sweetener stuff and you get more protein, etc. for your calorie buck. You can also use plain greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream in dips, etc.

Whole Grains: We still eat sandwiches, crackers, etc. just made with whole grain breads or wraps and maybe other things added into them (flax, etc.). The kids like Pepperidge Farm breads and we like the Flatout Wraps and Damascus Bakery flat breads.

Nuts & Butters: These can be high in calories, but so yummy. We eat raw pecans, walnuts and almonds. We also like the pre-shelled pistachios (although these are salted). We eat peanut butter and almond butter. I purchase the cashew butter only at holiday baking time for cranberry cashew cookies.

Hummus: Never thought that I would like it. But it is a great dip for veggies and a spread for crackers. We mainly purchase the Sabra brand of regular hummus (it has a garlic like flavor) as we can get them in individual servings in a big box at Costco. We've learned that because there are only two of us who eat it that a regular sized container may go bad before we finish it. But the individual servings are perfect to take to work and actually encourage us to eat it more often. We do like other hummus flavors, but only purchase them if we know that we are going to use them before they go bad. Have not tried making my own, but it is also possible to do so.


Tip: Take advantage of in store samples. A lot of stores are now sampling more of the healthier products. Gives you a chance to try before you buy. This is how my daughter found out that she likes to eat strawberries. But only with vanilla yogurt and a bit of honey drizzled on top because that's how the sample lady was doing it. Lol.

Also, if it's something new that you want to try out, opt for the smaller package the first time around. It might cost a tiny bit more per ounce than the bigger package, but you won't end up wasting it if it turns out not to be to your liking.

karmah2771

what r u eating with whole grain pastas? spaghetti sauce.....???

I make a cold pasta salad with cut up veggies and balsamic vinaigrette. (You could use any low cal dressing.)

You can make your own pesto. Or drizzle warm noodles with olive oil and some freshly shaven parm. You can still do tomato sauce.

The important thing with the pasta is to measure out the serving of the pasta portion of it. That's where a lot of the calories are.

DinahKyle

bumping for future shopping trips!

vltaylor35

loads of fruit and veg,
skimmed milk
prawns
chicken breast
any kind of fish
quorn mince (very low fat and high in protein)
fromage frais or fat free greek yoghurt
wholegrain cereals
ice pops- feels like a treat and are only about 25 calories
fry light spray oil

GerritTheBlacksmith

Whole Grain Bread
Eggs
Brown Rice
Dried Beans
Boneless Skinless Chicken breast

Loulady

Our usual:

Chicken breasts
ground beef
what ever meat is on sale
(all those get portioned up and frozen)

Spinach
Grapefruit
Frozen blueberries
Frozen steamfresh veggies
Carrots for snacking
hummus


String cheese
Greek yogurt
light sour cream
Almond milk

diet sodas and carbonated waters

LindsyMarie

Hi!! I always have fresh fruit and veggies, and one of my very favorite snacks is raw veggies and hummus. I use peppers, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini...whatever I have and use thm as dippers for my hummus.

butterfli7o

I love seeing everyone's list! It's good for getting ideas.

Mine are:
Avocados
Bananas
Frozen berries (for protein smoothies)
Lean ground turkey
Eggs
Quinoa
lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, onion
Splenda
Lite fat-free yogurt (don't like Greek)
Olive oil
Isopure protein powder
Fat-free milk
Chicken breast, Lean ground beef
Fish (mostly salmon)
Canned chicken, canned tuna
Low-cal wraps