“About 80% of the food on shelves of supermarkets today didn’t exist 100 years ago.”- Larry McCleary

As a general rule of thumb, it is healthiest to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store, where you can find real, whole foods. where food is the freshest. Its beneficial to bypass the middle aisles, where boxed, processed food is located.

Here are essentials in my grocery cart:

Vegetables and Fruit (Organic when possible)

• Kale- I buy 2-3 bunches a week. I throw it in smoothies, soups, stews, pesto, and eat raw in salads.
• Bag of mixed greens for salads
• Carrots
• Peppers, cucumbers (my girls’ favorite veggies for lunches)
• Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, Bok choy (these cruciferous veggies contain potent anti-cancer compounds)
• Green leafy vegetables- Rainbow chard, collards, and/or arugula
• Sweet potatoes, Parsnips and/or squash
• Apples
• Bananas
• Frozen blueberries for smoothies- deeply pigmented berries are some of the best source of antioxidants.
• Frozen spinach (can be added to anything and everything)

Grains

• Millet- cooks quick and delicious (nice substitute for couscous)
• Amaranth- very high in protein
• Quinoa
• Brown rice, wild rice, and my favorite, FORBIDDEN rice (aka black rice)!
• Teff flour- good baking flour
• Gluten free oats- make oatmeal or throw some oats in a food processor to make oat flour
• Brown rice tortillas (Food for Life brand)- great for wraps and mexican burritos.

Oils/Fats

• Avocado oil- use this oil for high heat cooking
• Olive oil- use this oil for salads and other cold items
• Coconut oil- also use for high heat cooking
• Organic Grassfed Butter- yes, thats right, BUTTER…never margarine! Butter can be full of gut-loving butyric acid.
• Avocados

Protein

• Almond flour
• Collagen powder
• Organic beef and organic chicken
• Wild caught salmon
• Eggs, free-range Organic
• Nut Butters- almond butter and sunflower seed butter are my favorite
• Tahini- a sesame seed spread added to hummus
• Beans. Lentils are my favorite.
• Nuts- walnuts are highest in omega 3 fatty acids!
• Seeds- flax, chia,  hemp, sunflower and pumpkin

Cow Dairy Substitutes

• Plain goat yogurt
• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• Coconut milk
• Goat cheese (my favorite is Goat Gouda)

Snacks/Sweets

• Protein bars- I like Rx Bars, Go Macro Bars, KIND Bars and Larabars.
• Bar of dark chocolate (>80%)!
• Dang coconut chips
• Plantain chips
• Mary’s Gone Crackers
• Simple Mills Crackers
• Cassava chips (Siete brand)
• Organic turkey jerkey (New Primal Snack Mates brand)
• Roasted seaweed snacks
• Brown rice cakes

Misc

• Salsa
• Stevia as an alternative, natural sweetener
• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Apple Cider vinegar
• Nutritional yeast
• Any and all herbal spices- I like thyme, oregano, dill, tarragon, turmeric, and curry
• Coconut aminos
• Miso- add to soups and stews for a savory taste and a probiotic boost
• Kombucha- a delicious, tangy fermented tea drink

Happy shopping!

Editor’s Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioners with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.