This week we are tapping into Grown Strong’s Registered Dietitian, Jenn Ryan, and utilizing her knowledge from our incredible course Nutrition Unlocked to talk all about creating a grocery list for healthy living!

Creating a grocery list can sometimes be the biggest hurdle when it comes to a balanced diet and healthy eating. It may seem daunting, walking down the aisles with so many different choices for every category of food. We want to break this down and make it simple so you can learn to make better choices for yourself and your family!

First, your grocery list should consist of the following:

• 3-4 Protein Sources
• 3-4 Carb Sources and/or fruits
• 2-3 Veggie Sources
• 2-3 Fat Sources 

Be sure to check out this printable grocery list below where you can fill in what you need. 

So let’s break this down for you into a sample grocery list:

• Protein Sources: Eggs, Chicken Breast, Ground Beef, Wild Salmon
• Carb Sources: Sweet Potatoes, Rice, Banana, Blueberries
• Veggie Sources: Red Bell Peppers, Brussel Sprouts, Zucchini, Alfalfa Sprouts
• Fat Sources: Avocado, Olive Oil, Almond Butter

Here are our best tips on how to utilize this grocery list:

1. Mix up your food sources for variety! 

You can combine these ingredients that you buy at the store however you want to create your meals for the week. So maybe you choose to do a salad with wild salmon for two of the days and then switch it up with a chicken avocado salad. Meals that include a mix of proteins, carbs, and fats will keep you fuller for longer and more satisfied. In addition to this, including a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet is one of the best ways to obtain the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals you need. While you shouldn’t feel obliged to love every single type—for example, maybe kale just isn’t your thing—the more diversity the better. That’s because each food offers a unique blend of nutrients, especially beneficial antioxidants and phytonutrients that are only found in plant foods. [1]

2. Get creative with your food sources!

Choose something new each week and switch around what you usually buy at the store! Try to do something fun or at least try 1-2 new items each week.In order to make healthy eating something you can sustain, try to get creative with how you mix and match these food sources into your meals. Focus on trying new things and even change up what you buy based on seasonal changes. Smoothies for summer and now more pumpkin based meals for the fall. The bottom line is that if you start to get bored with what you’re eating, you are more likely to throw in the towel and give up on healthy eating.

3. Fill the pantry with staples 

Oats, tuna, lentil pasta, quinoa, nuts, rice these are just a few staple items that you can fill up the pantry with to always make sure you have extras on hand. Preparation is key to healthy eating so look through your pantry and find out what staples need replenishing.

4. Stock up the freezer

Having a well stocked freezer means you will always have something healthy to eat on hand. Frozen does not mean less nutritious! Frozen veggies and fruits are picked at peak ripeness and flash frozen right there to preserve all nutrients until ready to use. We recommend that you read the ingredients before buying so there are no added sugars or other added ingredients. 

Looking to read more about why food quality is important in your daily lives, be sure to check out one of our last blogs - Is Food Quality Important? Everything You Need to Know To Get Amazing Results!

We want to hear from you, how do you create your weekly grocery lists? What do you need help with?If you have any questions or are looking for that extra educational boost about nutrition, make sure to check out our newest course Nutrition Unlocked with Grown Strong’s Dietician Jenn Ryan. This program is packed with nutritional knowledge and broken down into 20 simple module videos that are easy to follow along and even includes a fun multiple choice quiz after each lesson. No matter if you are a beginner or if you are more advanced, you will really learn how to maximize your health & wellness and take your nutrition to the next level.

As a Grown Strong VIP lifetime member, you will be able to access this entire course for FREE. Want to learn more about what we offer for our VIP lifetime members, click here. Want to only learn more about nutrition? That’s okay! Let’s dive into nutrition with Nutrition Unlocked today! To learn more about it, you can read here. Make sure to watch the video below where Jenn expands on this grocery list topic and get an inside look of what to expect inside the course!