My Approach to Grocery Shopping

Hi guys! Thanks so much for visiting my new blog! I’m so excited to use this new space to share my thoughts and ideas with you. One of the most common questions I receive on Instagram is “what is your grocery shopping list?” So, I thought I would share with you my approach to grocery shopping as a whole and then I will share my general list below.

It’s so important to me to have healthy food in my apartment because if not, it’s really easy (especially in NYC) to order take-out or go out to eat. Now while I definitely appreciate the convenience of ordering in or dining out once in a while, I find that it’s much more difficult to control the way your food is prepared. Usually restaurants are really accommodating when it comes to my plant-based diet.

However, the food is much more likely to contain extra oil/salt/sugar that I would never cook with at home. More importantly, it’s not cheap to dine out or order in! This is one of the main reasons I taught myself how to cook 3 years ago when my fiancé, Nick, and I first moved in together.

With that said, when it comes to food shopping, the truth is I never really use a list. I usually ask Nick if he wants anything in particular and usually he just says “a lot of veggies” which pretty much sums up my approach to grocery shopping. When I go in the grocery store (usually Trader Joe’s) I spend 90% of my time in the produce section. I have my go-to greens and veggies but I really like to see what looks freshest. I usually end up with generally the same items but I also like to try new fruits, vegetables or choose seasonal items (I am anxiously awaiting fig season).

I also want to note my approach to organic vs non-organic. I always try to buy organic when possible. I especially focus on organic berries and leafy greens which tend to have more pesticides. I also do take price into consideration so I’m definitely not buying 100% organic.

After I’ve filled my cart with mostly vegetables and some fruits, I have an honest conversation with myself about what “staples” or packaged foods I need. I’m going to list some of my staples below for reference. I know from experience that if I roam the inside aisles aimlessly it can be really easy to end up buying prepackaged and typically more unhealthy foods that I really didn’t need. I’m talking cookies, crackers, chips. The usual suspects with tons of sugar and salt. I’ve been following this way of shopping for a couple of years now so those things aren’t AS tempting to me as they once were. That being said, I definitely need to remind myself to put down the veggie tortilla chips from time to time.

I hope you guys find the lists below helpful! I don’t buy all of these items every time I go shopping but they are things that I purchase on a regular basis. Please feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts or questions. I would love to know if you enjoyed this and want more blog posts!

 

Produce

Kale

Spinach

Arugula

Mixed Greens

Cucumbers

Asparagus

Cauliflower

Broccoli

Brussel Sprouts

Peas

String beans

Edamame

Carrots

Bok Choy

Red Bell Peppers

Shiitake Mushrooms

Portobello Mushrooms

Sweet Potatoes

Purple Sweet Potatoes

Russet Potatoes

Butternut Squash

Delicata Squash

Red Onion

Avocados (and lots of them)

Raspberries

Blueberries

Blackberries

Strawberries

Honeycrisp Apples

 

Staples

Unsweetened almond milk

Ezekiel bread

Quinoa

Brown Rice

White Rice

Gluten Free Pasta

Chickpeas (low sodium canned)

Black beans (low sodium canned)

White beans (low sodium canned)

Raw Cashews

Raw Almonds

Unsalted Peanuts

Unsalted Macadamia nuts

Unsalted Pistachios

Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

Hempseeds

Flaxseeds

Ground Flaxseed

Green Tea

­­Black Pepper

Sea Salt

Avocado Oil

Coconut Oil

Marinara Sauce

Tahini

Sriracha

Cinnamon

Ginger

Chili flakes

Turmeric

Cacao

Maca

Maple Syrup

Kalamata Olives

Dark Chocolate

Kombucha