Grocery List for Great Results

Hello everybody!

I Have been getting a lot of questions about the foods that I eat/buy on a regular basis. People ask me if I spend a fortune buying specialty ingredients at health food stores, or if I am using crazy stuff that nobody has ever heard of – the answer is NO. I’m sure we would all love to buy 100% organic, 100% of the time, but for most people, this just isn’t financially feasible. However, this does not mean that I do not chose to buy healthy whole foods, and try to buy local produce whenever possible. I also want to say that cooking and eating healthful meals is something anybody can do. By keeping your recipes simple, even the most inexperienced at home chefs can create stunning, flavorful meals!

Additionally, I think the reason most people do not see the results they want from their fitness regimen is mainly because they A-are not eating the right foods, and B-they are not educated on what foods they really should be eating. There are so many misconceptions about food in our society, that is very difficult to stay away from foods that are really hurting you, rather than helping. How many times do you read “All Natural,” “Whole Wheat,” “Fat Free,” or “Excellent Source of Vitamin Such and Such?” It is posted on most of our foods that are laced with preservatives, sodium, sugar, and other harmful ingredients. The idea behind eating for good health is mainly to AVOID all processed foods, and stick to whole foods! Packaged foods are generally a no-no, and perishable items are generally a GO. This means eating mostly vegetables, fruits, grains, greens, seeds, and nuts – while avoiding unhealthy animal fats, sugars, and processed wheat products.

Learning to eat right is a process that you will have to work a little bit at! You may need to get creative, and substitute better foods where you may have been eating garbage before. The good news is, it is well worth the effort when you continue to look and feel substantially better.

Here is a fairly comprehensive list of the foods that are generally always in my house. I buy most of my food from Grocery Outlet (a surplus store with an ever changing supply of discounted foods) or Safeway. I will occasionally go to Trader Joe’s or Costco for some bulk items, and I recently signed up for a Co-Op, where I get a basket of locally grown vegetables every week. I generally eat around 1800-2000 calories every day, breaking them up into 4-6 small meals. I eat when I am hungry, and keep my portions small. I drink about 3 liters of water every day, and avoid processed foods as much as I can. I generally exercise 5-6 times per week, for 30 minutes to 1 hour. On rest days, I lower my calories, and try to do some kind of stretching, or mildly involved activity such as walking the dogs, taking a bike ride, doing chores around the house, playing disc golf, or going for a short hike. I also try to avoid eating foods rich in starchy carbohydrates any time other than in the morning, and directly after my workout. I generally eat a salad every day, and I incorporate vegetables in almost every meal – whether they are cooked or raw.

• Eggs (organic)
• Soy Milk (unsweetened)
• Almond Milk (unsweetened)
• Canned Tunafish
• Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Ground Turkey
• Salmon, Tilapia, or Mahi Mahi
• Shrimp
• Frozen Shelled Edamame
• Oatmeal (not instant)
• Raw, Unsalted Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, etc.)
• Raw Unsalted seeds (Hemp Seeds, Flax Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Poppy Seeds, etc.)
• Protein Powder (low calorie if I can)
• Canned Beans (Black, Garbanzos, Kidneys, Lowfat Refried, and White Beans)
• Dry Instant Beans (Sprouted Mung Beans, 5 Minute Lentils)
• Wild Rice
• Quinoa
• Cous-cous
• Cottage Cheese
• Smoked Salmon
• Tofu
• Yogurt (Lowfat /Nonfat Plain Greek) – You really need to watch the sugar here
• Spinach Leaves – I use LOTS of spinach!
• Leafy Greens (Kale, Lettuce, Bok Choy, Cabbage)
• Fresh Vegetables (Anything I can get my hands on! You should be eating vegetables with nearly EVERY meal)
• Veggies include – Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Onions, Radishes, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Squash, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Carrots, Bell Peppers, Green beans, Celery, Etc)
• Corn Tortillas
• Whole Grain Bread, or 100 Calorie Sandwich thins (We do not generally eat very much bread)
• Multigrain or Sprouted Wheat Tortillas
• Feta Cheese
• Olive Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Avocados
• Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
• Frozen and Fresh Fruits (Bananas, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Kiwi Fruit, Watermelon, Mangoes, Grapes)
• Garlic
• Ginger Root
• Cocoa Powder
• Vanilla and Almond extract
• Low Sodium Spices
• Canned Organic Tomato Paste
• Salsa
• Coconut Milk
• Fresh Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Rosemary, Mint)
• Lemons and Limes
• Coffee 🙂
• We try not to over indulge in sweets, but occasionally we will buy the SoDelicious Soy Ice cream, or freeze flavored yogurt tubes for desert. I also buy dark chocolate on occasion.
• Cliff Builders Bars, Granola Bars or Power Bars ( I do not recommend eating too many of these processed meal bars, as they can contain high amounts of sugar, but sometimes they are good to have on hand for a hike or for taking to work)
• Honey

I will be doing a follow up post later on this evening to share a few days of my typical diet, complete with a few more simple recipes for clean eating!

I’m curious to know some of the staples you keep in your kitchen – and what do you do with them?!

-C