What's in Your Fridge? Tips to Healthy Shopping.
We have found that it is much easier for us to eat well when we keep a fridge full of healthy options. We typically eat the same breakfast items everyday so making sure we never run out of those foods allows us to ensure we start each day with a healthy, nutrient-rich meal. For years we have heard people say "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" yet there are still people that don't eat breakfast or even worse load up on unhealthy, high sugary cereals or pastries. We have a big breakfast every morning which helps give us great energy and power us through the day. Whether you have 10 minutes in the morning or an hour, having healthy items in the house will help you make smarter choices when it comes to what you are putting in your body. Most people don't know how good the body is designed to feel. We think it's important to point out that if leaning out or having a healthier diet are goals of yours, do NOT stock bad foods in your house. Why tempt yourself? We all have stressful days occasionally and look for comfort in food. Better to eat carrots, hummus and some raw nuts than polish off a bag of chips.
Whenever we go shopping, we always make sure to get some staple food items. You will notice an absence of Dairy, Red Meat and Gluten containing foods from our list since they're not a part of our daily diet. However, we will eat dairy and gluten as an exception rather than a norm. In all recipes, we substitute Coconut Oil or Olive Oil for butter, and Almond Milk or Coconut Milk for Cow Milk. You will find these to be delicious alternatives.
Here is a list of foods we always have on hand in the house:
What's in our fridge?
Organic Egg Whites
Organic Whole Eggs
Organic Hard Boiled Eggs
Organic Fruit (apples, pears, cantaloupe, watermelon, lemon for water)
Unsweetened Coconut Milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk
Ground White Meat Turkey and/or Chicken
Chicken/Apple Sausage (Free of Nitrates and Pork Casing)
Goat Cheese
Organic Spring/Salad Mix
Raw Vegetables (carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, jicama)
Apple Cider Vinegar (for salad dressings)
Mustard
Organic Ketchup
Hummus
Raw Almond Butter
Gluten-Free Tortillas
Water
Seltzer Water (Lime - Unsweetened)
Green drink powder (Amazing Grass original flavor)
What's in our pantry?
Gluten-Free Oatmeal (Variety Pack)
Gluten-Free Granola
Raw Almonds/Cashews
Organic Lightly Salted Rice Cakes
Edamame Spaghetti and/or Brown Rice Pasta
Organic Marinara Sauce
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Organic, Cold-pressed, unrefined Coconut Oil (instead of Pam or butter)
Mrs. Dash (salt free seasoning)
NuGo Trail Mix bars (Vegan rice protein, gluten free)
Kind bars (low sugar/low glycemic index)
What's in our freezer?
Organic Fruit (Blueberries and Strawberries)
Organic/Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders
Organic Turkey Burgers
Organic Vegetables (Broccoli, Carrots/Peas, Green Beans, Brussels Sprouts)
Gluten-Free or Sprouted Grain Bread (Udi's or Ezekiel)
Years ago we would swing by the grocery store immediately after working out. Bad idea! At that point we were so famished that we would inevitably wander down the snack/chip aisle, load up our cart and often times, bust open a bag before we even got home. Do yourself a favor and avoid shopping while hungry, you will make much healthier decisions.
Happy shopping!!