When it comes to our dietary needs, there are surprisingly only a few essentials that are needed upon arriving at the grocery store. Here are some tips to help you stay disciplined with your grocery purchases (it’s worked well for me most weeks):
Stick to the four “real” food groups – fruits, vegetables, nuts and meats.
Let’s dig deeper into these groups and where you can find them.
*Word of caution: every aisle in the middle of a grocery store is advertising noise, typically filled with high-sugar foods disguised as something you need. Stick to the outer areas of the store to avoid the trap of unnecessary spending on these.
Fruits.
I love to eat apples, berries (breakfast), lemons (salad dressing) and avocados. They cover everything you need with regards to fruit nutrients and healthy sugars.
Vegetables.
Spinach/kale (excellent for salads), broccoli and brussel sprouts will cover your vegetable requirements. The greener the better. It’s surprising how many people don’t eat enough vegetables when it should make up the bulk of your meal.
Nuts.
I always go with bulk bags of walnuts and macadamia nuts. These items are high in fat content and great for snacking.
Meats.
I am a red meat guy, and I like to try tuna, chicken and salmon too. Ensure none of these have added breading. Just buy fresh and freeze yourself. While cooking you can use natural spices or lemon and garlic.
The most important food item: water.
You can cut down on eating consumption just by drinking more water. You’ll find yourself eating less snacks, your cravings will disappear, and you will lose that fatty weight in no time.
By switching to the foods on this list and eliminating the bad, sugary foods, I have lost 10 pounds of unhealthy weight in a matter of one month, without changing my fitness intensity. I also eat out less and therefore save significantly on restaurant gratuities.
All in all, my monthly food cost comes out to less than $240 Canadian for the best meals imaginable. I am also a lousy cook, so anyone can do it if I can 🙂