Part of the Nutrition program with Kayleigh is grocery shopping! You have no idea how excited I was since I had no idea where to start and how to shop on a budget especially at Whole Foods. Every time I shop there I feel like I have been robbed! Kayleigh breaks up shopping into 5 different sections: Bulk/Grains Section, Canned/Jarred Goods, Freezer Section, Dairy/ Eggs, and Produce. The order that you decide to shop in does not matter. She does it this way so you can get all the essential ingredients you will need to make a variety of meals for the week. Each meal should include the following:
- load up on veggies
- add a scoop of whole grains or a slice of sprouted-grain bread
- add a portion of protein about the size of your palm (beans, legumes, shrimp/fish, or lean organic meat)
- season with healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, and/or organic dairy)
In Whole Foods they have a bulk grains section, I never knew this! It is cheaper to get your grains here and easier to try different types of grains. You can get things like: Quinoa, whole wheat couscous, brown rice (short grain), dried fruit, and nuts. She suggests making a Pantry Essential List of everything you need to buy in each section. This way when you walk into the store you know what to buy and you don’t veer off track. I will attach my Pantry Essential List at the bottom of this post to give you inspiration to make your own. Another tip she gave me is to stay around the outside of the store, when you move into the center aisles, that is where things get really expensive. Also the salad bar is a great place to get ideas of new salads and dishes to make. At Whole Foods they list all the ingredients they use to make anything in the salad bar. So if you are in need of a new salad, head over there and write down the ingredients of a salad that looks good to you.
Ways to save $$$:
- The Freezer section: buy your fruits and vegetables there. Freezers do not take away nutrients and this way your produce will last longer. If you want berries in your yogurt in the morning take some out the night before and put it in the fridge it will be thawed by the time you wake up
- Bulk Grains Section: Easy way to try a variety of grains and a much cheaper way to buy your grains
- Stay on the outside of the store, many things you can make yourself and won’t take much time
- Stick to Whole Foods Brand when you can, it is normally the cheapest
Ways to Save time:
- Buy a rotisserie chicken: I hate cooking chicken, if you buy a rotisserie chicken you can take one night shred it up put in a container and have it in your fridge for the week
- Take one night a week (Sundays work best for me) and prepare different foods for the week like: hard-boiled eggs, brown rice, pasta salads ect. Look for my post on Sunday Prep Night coming soon, it will include pictures and easy breakfast/ lunch ideas courtesy of Kayleigh
- Buy pre-chopped vegetables, a little more expensive but will save you some time
If you don’t like Whole Foods or it’s still too expensive these guidelines can apply to any Grocery Store. They may not have a Bulk Grains section but they will still have grains. Other great grocery stores are Trader Joes (everything there is super cheap and they carry many of the same things that Whole Foods carry).
Kristine’s Pantry Essentials List
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Filed under: Nutrition/Restaurants | Tagged: Budget, Food Journal, Healthy eating, Kayleigh Pleas, Nutrition, Whole Foods | 3 Comments »
Hello! My name is Kristine and I live and work in New York City. Since I have been here I have realized how hard it is to maintain a healthy balance while living in the City. Work starts to consume your life and you can get lost in everything around you.
