Work For It Wednesday: How to Shop At the Grocery Store

Always create a meal plan first before going to the grocery store and use it as your list. If you go in blind you are bound to pick up things that tempted you that you should not eat.  Follow these tips to make eating cleaner easier.

1)Look for things that say WHOLE GRAIN just because it is whole wheat does not mean it is whole grain

2)Greek yogurt- not only is it a solid protein for any time of the day you can also substitute it for sour cream in dishes

3)Ground turkey- cheaper, leaner and better for you than ground beef

4)Vegetables- Don't have time to cut/clean and cook your veggies! Go for the frozen ones you can always find good deals. Just don't buy the ones in heavy cheese or butter sauces.

5)Coconut oil- can be substituted for any recipe asking for vegetable oil. Melt it and add it to smoothies to improve their nutritional value!

6)Notice the changes in the products and where you keep them. You will notice there will be less items in your pantry and your fridge will be packed. Clean eating comes from not eating heavily processed foods with ingredients you cannot recognize.

Here are some great things to put on your list to help you stay on track!

Complex Carbs
Steel Cut Oats
Oatmeal
Sweet Potatoes Cracked Wheat
Rye flakes
Lentils
Ezekiel Bread (Available in the frozen section of grocery store)
Ezekiel brand pasta and tortillas 
Black Beans
Kidney Beans
Couscous
Quinoa
Quinoa flour
Wheat germ
Flax Seed & Flax Oil
Wild rice
Brown rice
Whole wheat orzo 

Vegetables
Spinach
Green beans
Lettuce
Broccoli
Asparagus
Celery
Mushrooms (Shiitake)
Bell peppers
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Cucumber
Green and Red pepper
Pickles
Cabbage
SproutsSpaghetti Squash
Pumpkin (fresh & canned)
Onions (green, red, yellow)
Garlic
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Squash
Cilantro
Chives
Kale
Sundried tomatoes 
Edammame

Fruits
Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries
Apples
Grapes
Watermelon
Bananas
Pears
Clementines
Cara Cara Oranges
Starfruit
Healthy Fats
Walnuts
Coconut Oil (cooking spray)
Olive Oil cooking spray
Tahini paste
Natural-style Peanut butter (unsalted) or PB2
Avocados
Pine nuts
Almonds--moderation

Proteins
Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Extra lean ground turkeyAlbacore Tuna (water-packed) 
Salmon
Shrimp
White Meat Chicken (water packed)
Mahi MahiBuffalo steak (lean)
Filet
Flank Steak (leanest)
Extra lean ground roundBison meat
Turkey jerky

Dairy & Eggs
Almond Milk (unsweetened)
Non-fat, plain yogurt
Greek yogurt (non-fat)
Fat-free cottage cheese
Eggs and/or Egg white SubstituteFresh Parmesean Cheese
Feta Cheese 
Fat-free String Cheese

Condiments 
*Please read the label!  NO Aspartame, MSG or High-Fructose Corn Syrup.
Braggs Liquid Amino Acid (sub for soy sauce) 
Reduced-sodium Teriyaki Sauce (no corn syrup)
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Coconut Oil 
Olive Oil 
Applesauce (organic)
Non-fat Greek Yogurt (*use this in place of Sour Cream)
Mustard (yellow or Dijon)
Vanilla extract
Almond extract
Low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
Low-sodium, fat-free vegetable broth
Reduced-sodium tomato sauce & tomatoes
Salsa
Chili Paste
Tomato Paste (low sugar)
Stewed tomatoes (low sodium)
Worcestershire

Sugars
Agave Nectar
Organic Cane Sugar
Molasses (Organic)


Hope this helps as you are grocery shopping!