Grocery list MUST haves

tianas767
tianas767 Posts: 9 Member
in Food and Nutrition
as I begin my journey , I would like to know what are the essentials of having a healthy pantry & fridge .
«1

Replies

  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited June 2016
    My must haves? Chicken breast, chicken wings, tuna, salmon, shrimp, spinach, eggs, swiss and mozzarella cheeses, cauliflower, and sausage. Everything else is ancillary, and depends upon my cooking plans for the week.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    Chicken breast, eggs, frozen vegetables, mixed greens, peppers, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, bread, tortillas, rice, potatoes, ice cream.
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    My family loves roasted Brussels sprouts, so we always are on the lookout for fresh, little ones.

    Romaine lettuce, spinach, Vidalia onions, garlic, shallots, cherry tomatoes, avocados, raisins, apples, strawberries, asparagus, yellow squash, celery, carrots. Those are things my family likes.

    Chicken breast, chicken thighs, whole chickens, pork tenderloin...whatever is on sale that week.

    Popcorn for our air popper.

    Nature's Path Multibran or Raisin Bran cereal.

    Whole wheat angel hair past and spaghetti sauce and turkey/pork meatballs.

    Just a few ideas.
  • michellesz
    michellesz Posts: 429 Member
    Lean meats, tuna, fresh fruits (faves bananas, strawberries - great in smoothies or oatmeal etc. and apples and oranges for snacks and vegetables (lettuce, tomato, onion, celery, carrots, broccoli, green beans)-(some frozen liked mixed vegetables or spinach) for convenience and longer freshness. Eggs, milk, yogurt, protein powder, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, wild rice or brown rice and a must have - Peanut Butter!!!
  • Sarahb29
    Sarahb29 Posts: 952 Member
    edited June 2016
    Extra veggies - Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, onions, spaghetti squash, tomatoes (fresh or canned for sauces) zucchini (to make noodles with!) if you have a spiral-er which I highly recommend. String beans are good roasted in the oven with garlic and olive oil. Those frozen pre-mixed veggies in a bag are awesome for quick stir frys. Bell peppers are great, I like red and green the best but that's up to you. Snap peas are good for snacking with ranch dressing or something like that to dip them in.

    Protein - Eggs, Chicken breasts, ground turkey or chicken, ground pork, ground beef. Mix 2 ground meats to make yummy meatballs or hamburger patties.

    Fruit - Avocados. Small amounts of other various fruit of your choice.

    Misc - Chicken and beef broth, and both bouillon cubes. Lots of olive oil. Vanilla extract. Sugar free flavored syrups and heavy whipping cream if you want sugar free fancy coffee. It's best to froth it with a milk frother with some syrup in it.

    Spices - Oregano, basil and bay leaves can be used in almost any soup, chill or stew. Turmeric and garlic are great in curries and both are anti inflammatory. I also like cumin, curry powder, coriander and cayenne pepper. Of course salt and pepper but I'm assuming you have those.

    If you're watching your sugars you can get Breyers carb smart ice cream which is sweetened with splenda and is around 4g net carbs (4g of sugar) for half a cup. There's also sugar free hot fudge topping by smuckers but beware of using too much because the first ingredient is malitol.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Eggs
    Veggies
    Half and Half
    Coffee
    Tea
    Bread
    Butter
    Cheese
    Whatever meat is on sale
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I generally always have raw cashews, frozen vegetables, soy sauce, hot sauce, mustard, guacamole mini packs, tofu, plant milk, kalamata olives, V8, salad mixes, carrots, lemons, protein bars, protein powder, chocolate, oats, rice, canned beans, canned tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, chili paste, olive oil, onions, and garlic. Everything else can come and go, but if I have those things I know I can always figure out something to eat.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited June 2016
    It depends a lot on what you like to eat and what you want to cook. But "healthy pantries" all over the world have some similarities. You don't necessarily need to have everything at any time, but a selection from each subcategory can create a lot of different meals.

    I use the categories pantry - freezer - fridge.

    Pantry:
    Crispbread. I eat this every day so it has its own subcat.
    Dried beans, lentils and peas, canned beans and tomatoes (passata), canned fish (kippers, sardines, tuna) and meat (ham, meat sandwich spread, like liver pate).
    Grains: rice (jasmine, brown basmati, arborio), barley, polenta, semolina, oats (oatmeal), millet, tapioka, wheat flour (white and brown), couscous, dried corn.
    Pasta and noodles: Spaghetti and a selection of macaroni, rice noodles.
    Cocoa, coffee, tea.
    Herbs, spices and condiments: Salt, pepper, sugar, brown sugar, honeys, maple syrup, ketchup, mustard, HP sauce, Worcestershire, Sriracha, tabasco, stock/bullion cubes, cumin, parsley, oils (olive for salads and one other for cooking), vinegar (balsamico and apple cider), lime and lemon juice, soy sauce.
    Nuts and seeds: Sesame, pine, peanut, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts. I make my own nut butters.
    Randoms: Cereals, canned fruit and readymade pasta sauces (for when sick or snowed in), and vegetables (for stir-fry).

    Freezer:
    Fruit&berries: Blueberries, strawberries, banana (I slice and freeze).
    Vegetables: Peas, green beans, brussel sprouts, edamame, mushrooms, spinach.
    Meat: Chicken wings or thighs, minced beef and lamb, pork chops, lamb chops, beef chops, bacon.
    Fish: Salmon filets, cod filets, surimi, smoked salmon/trout.
    Other seafood: Greenshell mussels, lobster, scampi.
    Randoms: Tortillas (corn/wheat), sliced bread, spring rolls, liver pate.

    Fridge:
    A selection of fruit: Right now, I have pears, peaches, plums and a small melon. I rotate (depending on season/avalability) through: Pomelo, pomegranate, pineapple, mango, persimmon, passion fruit, apricots, nectarines, loquats, figs, litchi/longans/rambutan, mangostan, tangerines, apples, oranges, grapes.
    A selection of vegetables to eat raw: Right now, I have broccoli, beets, kohlrabi, cauliflower, carrots. I alternate between these and rutabaga, cucumber, romanesco and lettuce (different varieties).
    A selection of vegetables for cooking: Right now, I have onion, peppers, garlic, chili, shallots, potatoes, ginger. I also use a lot of sweet potatoes, squash/zucchini, mushrooms, celery, parsnips, artichokes, corn on the cob.
    A selection of sandwich spreads: Cheeses, caviar, smoked trout/herring/salmon/mackerel, liver pate.
    Milk - whole cow's milk. I also have kefir right now.
    Cream cheese, hard cheese (parmesan). Occasionally: Dessert cheese or Greek yogurt.
    Randoms: Butter, mayo, pickles, pickled herring, eggs.
  • killdontmurder
    killdontmurder Posts: 142 Member
    Hummus.
  • Enjcg5
    Enjcg5 Posts: 389 Member
    Great suggestions! I will add plain greek yogurt as i use i use it as the base to my smoothies and those steamable veggie bags in the freezer section are a godsend! Also... Chicken sausage from Aldi pairs well with almost anything and they come in different flavors
  • alelautoe
    alelautoe Posts: 1 Member
    Sticking to the perimeter of the store is key!! I try to stock up on the veggies I like:
    Brussel sprouts, French beans, broccoli, and spinach.
    I do not eat a lot of fruit because there is a lot of sugar...but I mix blueberries and no-oil added granola to my greek yogurt (23g of protein in the 2% fage).
    Eggs - hard boiled eggs are one of my favorite on-the-go snacks!
    Chicken
    Almond milk - unsweetened vanilla with protein (I use this to mix with my protein powders).
    Cheese sticks
    Almond/cashew/chocolate individual serving packs for a treat!
  • AlisonH729
    AlisonH729 Posts: 558 Member
    We have canned tomatoes & various canned veggies, beans, stock & pasta in the pantry at all times. They make for quick and easy soups, chili or pasta dishes. I also have lots of frozen veggies and buy and freeze meat whenever I see it on sale.

    We usually have yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs and milk/almond milk in fridge at any given time.

    But I do shop for fresh produce at least once a week.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    In my opinion you need to take a good long look at your current diet.

    what foods do you like to eat? what do you find yourself grabbing for? what do you find yourself going out and buying?

    these are the foods you need to stock or try and emulate in your pantry.

    obviously some things like fruits, veggies, dairy, spices, oils, etc. which are needed, but there's no point in filling the fridge with a bunch of fresh produce you will NEVER eat. or "healthy" products which you will skip over and never eat.

    Too often i see people try and completely overhaul their diet, feel restricted, and then binge on the foods they enjoy anyway. or they bring a "healthy lunch/snack" to their office but choose to order out or eat the office donuts instead of the protein bar they brought. This is just what happens when you don't eat the foods you enjoy.

    if you can eat the "real deal" items and still stay within your calorie goal, awesome! If not i recommend you emulate your favorite foods with some lower calorie recipes: Like to eat a mcdonalds burger and fries? make your own from scratch, and bake the fries instead. Like to eat pizza? Eat 1/2 a frozen freschetta instead. like to eat taco bell? Make your own with low calorie tortillas, fresh veggies, salsa, low fat cheese, etc.

    You get the picture. :)


    So, i would write down the foods i like to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Log each meal and see how many calories it is. Then write a list of these things. Example:

    Breakfast:
    oatmeal (300 calories)
    Cereal (200 calories)
    pop tarts (450 calories)

    lunch:
    Subway Sandwich (450 calories)
    Taco bell (750 calories)
    PB&J (450 calories)

    Dinner:
    spaghetti (800 calories)
    chili (200 calories)
    burgers (600 calories)


    Then you can decide what you can eat to reach your calorie goal. Like, if you want taco bell for lunch then you'll need a lighter (chili) dinner. So on and so forth.

    Then, once you have a list of the options you want (MINIMUM 7 for EACH category) then you can go next to each item on your list. what do you need to make those things? example:

    Breakfast:
    oatmeal (300 calories) Oats, Soy milk
    Cereal (200 calories) Cheerios, soy milk
    pop tarts (450 calories) pop tarts

    lunch:
    Subway Sandwich (450 calories) Bread, meat, sliced cheese, tomatoes, lettuce
    Taco bell (750 calories) tortillas, ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce
    PB&J (450 calories) bread, peanut butter, jelly

    Dinner:
    spaghetti (800 calories) Spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce, ground beef
    chili (200 calories) Ground beef, tomatoes, Onions, cheese
    burgers (600 calories) Buns, ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce


    Obviously some of these items will have the same ingredients. So then you take this and make your list:

    oats, soy milk, cheerios, pop tarts, bread, meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, tortillas, ground beef, peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce, and onions.



    Once you have your list, go grocery shopping. Then, i recommend you print out your food options so it's very very clear for you to see. I hang mine on my fridge. I look at it everytime i open the fridge so i know exactly what i have, what i need (highlight anything you run out of), and what i want to make that evening. This has also allowed me to eat literally everything in my pantry before buying more foods. I will never again have a can of green beans in my pantry for 5 years without using them!
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Eggs, black beans, yogurt, apples, lean meat (chicken, beef, turkey, pork) and veggies are all good go-to's.
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    Fresh produce if at all possible (Squashes, Asparagus, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, ect) if not then regular frozen is the next go to for me, a little fruit, usually some kind of berry, Jasmine Rice, Ground Turkey, Chicken Breast Tenderloin, NY Strip Steaks and from time to time either Salmon or some kind of other wild caught seafood.
  • jackslovely
    jackslovely Posts: 45 Member
    potatoes, tomatoes, avocados, celery
    light english muffins, pita pockets or low carb wraps (something under 100 cals)
    ground turkey, chicken breast, chicken thighs, bacon, and any other lean meat on sale
    coffee, tuna, organic pasta sauce
    frozen veggies: broccoli, brussel sprouts, mixed veggies
    some frozen meals for convenience
    greek yogurt, eggs, laughing cow cheese, mozzarella and swiss slices, sour cream

    This weeks meal plan includes: Taco bowl, chicken and avocado burritos, pan roasted chicken thighs with mashed potatoes and veggies, various pitas, mini pizzas, leftover chili from last week
  • Jdigs88
    Jdigs88 Posts: 71 Member
    A good balsamic and olive oil can make a WORLD of difference in your happiness when eating veggies and salads. I'd recommend investing in high end versions of both to reserve only for drizzling on food after cooked/when raw (I.e. don't use these for cooking). You can use instead of many sauces and salad dressings and they're far healthier and equally as satisfying.

    Otherwise, grass-fed ground beef, other meats, eggs, fresh veggies and fruit, dried fruit, almonds and pistachios are all good things for the pantry.
  • Kobz27
    Kobz27 Posts: 64 Member
    Salmon and any other fish really, beef, chicken, lamb, bacon,Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, celery, romain, spinach, cucumber, zucchini, olives, avocados, peppers, garlic, all types of berries, nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, eggs, heavy whipping cream, cheese, butter, olive oil, coconut oil, and water. There's my list :-)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Ground turkey is my only constant. Everything else gets switched up a lot depending on mood and cravings...
  • MelbaToast361
    MelbaToast361 Posts: 1 Member
    As mentioned before in someone else post, I usually stick to the perimeter of the grocery store as well and try to stay gluten free as much as possible. Ground turkey is a must, chicken breasts of course, I typically stay away from red meat. Brown rice or quinoa. All fruits and veggies..broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, avocados, bell peppers, English cucumbers, bananas, berries, eggs, stone fruits are my fave! nut milks, boars head sliced turkey and chicken for nights when I'm feeling a little lazy. Can't forget the coffee and almond milk creamer!!! I cook with coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil. That's my list from today's grocery run! :)
  • jvanessa89
    jvanessa89 Posts: 332 Member
    edited June 2016
    Some things I like to have on hand: chicken breast, tuna, eggs, beans, cashews/almonds, olive oil/butter, peanut butter, ekeziel sprouted bread, oatmeal, greek yogurt, tea, milk, cheese, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, apples, oranges, avocado, tomato, lettuce, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, bell peppers, broccoli, asparagus.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    as long as I don't buy peanut butter I'm doing pretty well.
  • AmandaOmega
    AmandaOmega Posts: 70 Member
    I always have:

    Eggs
    Bread
    Sliced turkey/chicken for sandwiches
    Oatmeal
    Salad Mix
    Green Beans
    Corn
    Black Beans
    Onions
    Garlic
    Tea

    I very rarely have my pantry "stocked" with anything else. Even good things like nuts, fruits, veggies, etc can add up if I decided to get snacky. And on my diet (1200 calories/day), I can't afford to snack. So if it's not in the house, I can't eat it. I usually prepare dinner meals that last for 3-4 days, so I go to the store, get what I need, make it, and then it's leftovers for a few nights.
  • mariannedelanywright
    mariannedelanywright Posts: 5 Member
    I have been watching You Tube videos on healthy clean eating meal prepping and got some good ideas. I shopped for wild caught salmon, lean sirloin, and chicken breast. I bought a few veggies I like, green beans, asparagus and spinach, mushrooms and onions. I marinated the meats and sliced up the chicken (a tip I saw that I really like). I marinated in lemon juice, vinegar and herbs and made a batch of brown rice and a couple of sweet potatoes. I cooked everything. I then measured and weighed for portion size and put into freezer/microwave containers.
    I pull one for lunch and dinner. It is simple, tastes good and is quick. I like coming home, putting it on a plate and in 5 minutes dinner is served! I sometimes use a no fat balsamic dressing on the veggies, or mix plain greek yogurt with salsa for a creamy dollop. I can add a salad or whole grain tortilla or bread for hubby. Im pretty lazy about making salads, but I have put it all over greens for a cold meal. Lots of variations using few ingredients.
    No dirty pans and stove to clean up, or dealing with my inner struggle of what I want to eat vs what I should be eating. I can serve my husband dinner within minutes of his arrival and it tastes good.
    I find I buy too much food that goes to waste. My goal is to keep it simple, buy, cook and eat what I have before buying more food, and focus on one thing at a time. Then get outside and have some fun!
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I always get veggies and fruit. Usually bananas and some kind of berry for me (sometimes cantaloupe when in season, or the rare orange.) My husband juices, so I always have to get his staples: celery, greens, apples, carrots, cucumber.
    My go-to lunch is salad, so I get either spinach or power greens mix. If I want sweet, its berry spinach salad, savory would be Asian with cabbage or more traditional with tomato and carrot. Other produce would be squash (yellow or zucchini), onion, garlic, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, asparagus when on sale. I do watch for sales and will purchase different items according to sales/season.

    Protein: chicken, ground beef or turkey. Less often would be pork chops, sausages, fish. I also like light Greek yogurt. Peanuts...
    Starch: Veggie pasta, regular spaghetti, rice, taco shells, oatmeal, white whole wheat flour, cereal

    I also like to keep lite salad dressing (like raspberry vinaigrette, Italian, or ranch) , hot sauce, and oyster sauce on hand. Don't forget coffee!!!
    I order Quest bars and protein powder for myself to have as snacks.

    A typical day for me:
    Coffee (with either coffeemate, soymilk, cream, protein--it just depends on my mood)
    snack: homemade banana muffin, cookie, dry cereal...(also depends on mood)
    snack 2: protein bar
    lunch: salad or dinner leftovers
    snack 3: fruit and yogurt or veggies/dip
    snack 4: banana
    Dinner: starch/protein/veggie combo
    dessert: anything goes...
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
    I agree with the practice of shopping the store perimeter. The reason this works is that the fresh food requires refrigeration, so they put those departments against the walls, behind which are the walk-in fridges and freezers - produce, fish, meat, dairy, deli, etc. I tend to do monthly trips for staples, like meat, eggs, fish, and most of it goes in the freezer. Weekly I fill in what I'm missing. I also "forage daily", or at least 2 to 4 times per week, on the way home, to pick up fresh produce. I like to eat it quickly, in abundance, and not store it too long.

    There ARE a couple of good reasons to venture into the central aisles, for things like oils, nuts, specialty items like tapenade, salsa, sauces, broth, protein/meat bars, etc. And 70% dark chocolate! (see if you can find "Icelandic Chocolate" by Sirius Noi...the best one I've found so far; Green&Black is a close second.)



  • jlemoore
    jlemoore Posts: 702 Member
    shop the parameter of the grocery store. Fruits/veggies/meats/dairy. And then supplement with the frozen section with fruits/veggies/meats.
  • coco095
    coco095 Posts: 13 Member
    Start with what you like and go from there. What vegetables do you like? Buy those, and eat those mostly, but try to buy 1 or 2 new produce items a week to try and expand your taste. You never know what you may like. A year ago I literally couldn't stand cooked kale, it made me spit it out. However, now, I like cooked kale with eggs and avocado. So you never know what you may like.

    Must haves for me are avocado, broccoli, garlic, berries of some sort, bananas to make banana nice cream, mushrooms, bell peppers, brussel sprouts, kale, romaine, spinach, coconut oil, olive oil, butter, eggs, and tuna. My healthy eating schedule is pretty boring, but it works for me. I mainly eat eggs and veggies for breakfast, or chia seed pudding, lunch is almost always a huge salad with whatever veggies I have plus cheese or fish, and dinner is always some combination of protein+roasted vegetable and sometimes with some added starchy vegetable. So it may be baked tilapia with broccoli and brussel sprouts, or salmon with green beans and sweet potato.

    A lot of people also buy some snack foods for the week, but I'm still working on my self control and currently can't eat traditional snacks without going crazy, so I make my own healthier snacks. I make knock off lara bars, date rolls, banana nice cream, or kale chips.

    TLDR; eat what you like, then add whatever suits your taste. Best of luck with your journey! :)
  • tryett
    tryett Posts: 530 Member
    edited June 2016
    Must haves for us would be: Broth (chicken and beef), Chicken breast, beef (ground and steak), turkey (deli), pork chops, bacon, eggs, onions, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cottage cheese, hard cheeses, berries, sometimes cantelope, nuts, Kind Bars, heavy cream and butter. I do go to the store 3-4 times a week so that I can get fresh produce and pick up things I don't have for a new recipe I might want to try.

Categories