Whole30 Grocery Shopping

Normally when I go grocery shopping I have a small list of things I ran out of and a small list of things I need to make a certain recipe I want for the week and then I just go with my gut for the rest. This works pretty well when I’m doing my regular grocery shopping for the week but it absolutely does not work for Whole30 grocery shopping. I’ve tried my usual strategy and I end up with not enough food in my basket because I forget that not eating carbs means that I have to eat more veggies and fruits and nuts to be full and get the energy I need.

First of all, when you’re grocery shopping during Whole30 you need to read all the ingredients on pre-made things (aka everything that’s not just raw produce or meat). So many things have added sugar or soy–both of which are a Whole30 no-no. I do bend some of the rules because honestly they want me to make my own almond milk and almond butter and no one has time for that. Thankfully Trader Joe’s has both available with no sugar added.

It’s also important for me to meal plan more than usual during Whole30 since I can’t just resort to throwing some pasta together or my go-to lazy meal that’s not a meal of popcorn and wine. (Don’t judge me, I know you do it too.) So I need to make extra sure that I have enough food for the week and enough food that I know what to do with it so that I can throw something together when it’s late and I’m exhausted because I thought a puppy was a good idea.

Finally, I tend to do my Whole30 grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s. One because I love TJ’s–it’s amazing and if there isn’t one near you I’m crying for you for real. Also because it’s so affordable and a huge portion of their products are actually already set to go for Whole30 which is kind of wild.

Here are some grocery list staples that I always buy when I’m grocery shopping for Whole30:

• eggs–buy more than you think you need because you’ll inevitably make eggs for dinner when you’re tired
• bananas and apples–easy snacks on the go
• unsalted almond butter–add to the apples and bananas for extra protein
• mixed nuts–make sure to buy the blend that doesn’t have peanuts
• raw mango slices (make sure they don’t have the added sugar)
• chicken
• steak (treat yo’ self)
• ground beef–my favorite Whole30 recipes are stuffed hamburgers
• salad mixes (just throw out or save the dressing and cheese for after Whole30)
• bell peppers
• onions
• garlic
• ginger
• bibb lettuce or iceberg lettuce to use for buns or taco shells
• literally whatever greens you want
• tomatoes
• brussels sprouts
• bacon (double check that there’s no sugar in this–most bacon does have sugar)
• coconut aminos (this is like Whole30 soy sauce idk it’s good though)
• chicken sausage (again, check the label)
• sweet potatoes SO MANY SWEET POTATOES
• portobello mushrooms–I’ve been broiling them and topping with an egg in the morning and it’s AMAZING
• avocados. I literally top everything with avocado since it’s a healthy fat that will keep you full
• sparkly water–you’re not drinking and will likely want something more fun to drink when you do at home happy hours with your friends