Photography by McKel Hill of Nutrition Stripped
Let's recap the bi-weekly grocery shopping grind, shall we? We don't know about you, but for us, it goes a little something like this.
A) 5:45 P.M, a random Tuesday, on which it's decidedly not going up. Starving. Begin contemplating post-work plans, of which you have none. Picture refrigerator at home: leftover Thai takeout, a half-empty carton of almond milk, cheap Sauvvy Blanc. In a genius feat of time-management, time the arrival of both yourself and your Seamless order to be within 15 minutes of one another.
B) 4:43 P.M, Sunday. You dragged yourself to post-hangover hot yoga earlier in the day and have given yourself considerable pats on the back in the form of frozen yogurt. Realize you should probably hit up the grocery store and continue your streak of responsibility. Nap instead.
If your attempts at filling your fridge more closely resemble the above than anything else, we're here for you. Or more accurately, nutritionist and plant-based foodie McKel Hill of Nutrition Stripped is, after we asked her to break down the ideal health-minded grocery list. Here goes nothing, right?
P.S. You can download a copy of the whole thing to actually take with you here.
A) 5:45 P.M, a random Tuesday, on which it's decidedly not going up. Starving. Begin contemplating post-work plans, of which you have none. Picture refrigerator at home: leftover Thai takeout, a half-empty carton of almond milk, cheap Sauvvy Blanc. In a genius feat of time-management, time the arrival of both yourself and your Seamless order to be within 15 minutes of one another.
B) 4:43 P.M, Sunday. You dragged yourself to post-hangover hot yoga earlier in the day and have given yourself considerable pats on the back in the form of frozen yogurt. Realize you should probably hit up the grocery store and continue your streak of responsibility. Nap instead.
If your attempts at filling your fridge more closely resemble the above than anything else, we're here for you. Or more accurately, nutritionist and plant-based foodie McKel Hill of Nutrition Stripped is, after we asked her to break down the ideal health-minded grocery list. Here goes nothing, right?
P.S. You can download a copy of the whole thing to actually take with you here.
"Many of us are inspired to get a healthy start with it being the New Year and all, and that’s fantastic. Use this momentum to start in the one place that probably needs a little makeover—the pantry!
Here’s your 411 and guideline to help you gather the staples for your pantry and a grocery list to use each week. We all have different amounts of food that we eat each week depending on our health goals and with how many people we’re feeding. I may be an outlier, but I typically go through huge amounts of both fruits and vegetables because I’m writing my cookbook and there’s a lot of testing AND I adore juicing and making smoothies. Keep the amounts realistic to you!"
Your Weekly Grocery List
"Opt for organic fruits, vegetables, and animal proteins (if that’s your thing) as much as possible. Can’t shop for organic all the time? No worries—go by the 'dirty dozen' rule and only purchase the fruits and vegetables that are known to have the least pesticide residue. Keep in mind quality, your weekly meal plan, taste preferences, and seasonal foods when looking at this list and how much you need."
Fresh fruits: citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit), apples, pears, berries (blueberries, strawberries, etc.), peaches, plums, avocado, banana, figs, dates, et cetera.
Frozen fruits: any as long as they contain no other ingredient other than said veggie.
My favorite picks: low-sugar fruits like green apples and berries.
Fresh vegetables: spinach, kale, romaine, arugula, baby mixed greens, celery, tomatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, onions, potatoes, et cetera.
Frozen vegetables: only those that contain no other ingredient other than said veggie.
My favorite picks: dark leafy greens, red bell peppers, cruciferous veggies like broccoli and asparagus.
Animal proteins: free-range, antibiotic free chicken, cage-free eggs, grass-fed, beef, wild caught and fresh salmon, tilapia, tuna, shrimp, et cetera.
Plant-based proteins: tempeh, tofu, beans, lentils, edamame
Fermented foods: like kimchi, kombucha, kefir, yogurts, et cetera.
One Rule While Shopping...
"Look at the ingredient list. Simple as that! Who cares what the front of the box 'claims' it’s good for or that it’s all-natural, you can be the ultimate judge. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient or have no idea what it is, then look for another option where you can identify each ingredient or it could be something you can make from home."
Pantry Staples
"You’ll want to buy these items in bulk and store them so you always have them on hand to use for recipes. Especially great when you need to throw something together last minute for a girls night in or unexpected guests. I highly recommend storing these as I do in my pantry."
Nuts and seeds: raw, unsalted almonds, walnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, hemp seeds, cashews, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.
Grains: rice, oatmeal, quinoa, millet, brown/wild rice, buckwheat, amaranth, et cetera.
Breads: Udi's Whole Grain Bread, Glutino Flax Seed Bread, Ezekiel English muffins, Nature's Path Hemp Waffles, 2 Mom's in the Raw Cereal, Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax with Chia.
Pasta: Organic Planet soba noodles, Organic Planet whole wheat udon, Ezekiel Penne Pasta, quinoa flakes, et cetera.
Snacks: Mary's Gone Crackers crackers, Late July Summer Blue Tortilla Chips, organic popcorn with olive oil, et cetera.
Desserts: dark chocolate chips, Coconut Bliss ice cream, coconut nectar
Dried fruits: NO added sugar. Goji berries, golden raisins, apricots, bananas, tart cherries
Herbs: dried and fresh
Spices: cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder. Fresh spices as well!
Canned: organic BPA free canned tomatoes and beans
Beans/legumes: lentils, black beans, chickpeas
Baking: sprouted or organic whole wheat flours. I prefer all gluten-free flours like almond flour, quinoa flour, almond meal, coconut flour, brown rice flour, oat flour, baking powder or baking soda.
Oils: Coconut oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil
Condiments: raw apple cider vinegar, mustards