How to plan out your Grocery List
Eating healthy can be difficult, especially when you don’t have the ingredients to work with. Maybe you want to eat healthy, but there is nothing in your fridge you know what to do with. Or maybe there is nothing in your fridge at all. I want to preface this by saying that I am not a nutritionist or health professional but a lifelong plant-based eater and a passionate cook. So, with my years of experience, I will share some tips and inspiration for healthy plant-based eaters who may be new to the lifestyle. In this post, we will discuss the building blocks to a healthy meal, ingredient considerations based on your goals, and finally, planning a grocery trip without a strict meal plan in mind.
A Healthy Plate
As a plant-based eater, you have likely heard of the dangers of not eating enough protein and not getting enough vitamins. Regarding nutritional density, a plant-based diet is one of the most nutritionally dense diets one can consume. However, to achieve this, you must diversify the types of ingredients you are eating and be sure to take multivitamins for the nutrients you are not eating enough of. For the context of this blog post, I am located in the midwest, which determines what produce is available to me.
Tip #1: Avoid processed foods as a general rule of thumb. Not only will this save your wallet, it will save your health. Processed foods often have higher sodium and additives than healthy foods, which the body has to work harder to recover from.
What do I mean by processed foods? Some examples include Meat Substitutes, chips, dips, microwave meals, canned goods, and cheeses. Trying to reduce the amount of ingredients that are ready-to-consume helps save money because veggies, whole grains, and plant-based proteins as close to their original form as possible is cheaper and healthier.
Tip #2: Use a general pattern for each meal. Veggies and Fruits should be half of your plate. Whole Grains and Protein should be a fourth of your plate each.
Tip #3: Eat healthy fats like avocado. Use a healthy vegetable oil. (My favorite is Olive Oil! See this blog post to learn why)
Tip #4: Limit sugary beverages. I like to juice weekly or bi-weekly and mostly drink water and teas.
The Grocery Checklist
With those healthy meal tips in mind, Grocery Shopping is simplified.
Step 1: Stock up on your whole grain of choice.
I usually buy these in bulk as they are dry goods that last a long time. I gravitate toward red and white Quinoa, Brown or White Rice (brown rice is better for you because it takes longer to digest), and whole-grain pasta, but I also enjoy couscous, wheat, barley, millet, and rye.
Step 2: grab several types of veggies
These are according to your preference. Don’t like one of the veggies I listed? Try another one! The goal is the get things you look forward to planning your meals around. For recipe ideas, stick around and subscribe. I will have many different ones that are delicious and easy for you to try.
Staple Ingredients I rely on
Tomatoes
Ginger
Garlic
Red Onions or Sweet Onions
Peppers (Jalapeños, sweet peppers/bell peppers)
veggies that I plan my meals around.
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
French Green Beans
Eggplant
Zucchini
Kale or Spinach (often Both)
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Potatoes
I usually shop for two people and get these amounts on every grocery trip. In addition, I will occasionally get frozen veggies to tide me over on lazy or low-produce days.
Step 3: Select at least two Proteins
I try to buy at least two different kinds of protein each trip and always keep some dry goods stocked.
Tofu
Mushrooms: Baby Bella and White Mushrooms are easiest to find in my area, but if I have more room in the budget, I love trumpet mushrooms and portabella.
Dry Goods include:
Lentils
Black Beans
Split Peas
Chick Peas
in case of lazy days or inclement weather, I try to stock up on canned Chickpeas and Black Beans.
Step 4: Fruit
If you are on a budget this is the section you need to be very selective. Limit yourself here because fruit tends to be more expensive and lacks flavor if it’s out of season. It also goes bad the fastest.
Easy Fruit to pick:
Lemons and Apples
Fruit (when in season and I have more room in the budget):
Cherries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Peaches, plums, nectarines
Step 5: Miscellaneous Staple spices and oils
Ones I can’t live without:
Onion and Garlic Powder
Minced Garlic
Olive Oil
Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos
Nutritional Yeast
Black Pepper
Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
Cayenne
Other nice to haves:
Chili Oil, or fresh chili sauce.
Coconut Oil
Chili Seasoning
White Pepper
Rice Vinegar
Ginger Powder
Miso Paste
Processed food that I still buy and foods I usually make at home:
Plant-Based Milk
Bread (I bake semi-weekly)
Juice (I make this ususally with my juicer)
Kombucha, Prebiotic soda, Probiotic soda ( a rare treat if I am on a budget)
Occasional vegan meat substitutes (for if you are feeling an easy “junk food” meal)
Plant-based yogurt (usually unsweetened coconut)
Condiments of choice (Whatever staples you use most often)
References
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/
Cover Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash