Clean Eating Staples

Each week I fly through the grocery store grabbing all of my essentials and what's on my grocery list without even thinking about it!  But then I sat down and remembered what it was like the first 20 times I went grocery shopping when I was learning how to eat clean. I spent lots of time making my list, collecting new recipes, and searching the store for the ingredients that are now second nature!!  So I thought I would snap a few pictures of those things that a lot of people don't know about or are searching the store for!!

Flaxseed- When buying flaxseed go with the ground flaxseeds.  It can say flax seed meal as well.  But you want them ground because they absorb the nutrients better into your body when ground versus whole.  You can find flax seed in the isle near the baking supplies.  What is flaxseed?  Flax seed is a source of fiber. It is great when you add it to your yogurt, shakeology, or oatmeal. It adds nutrients and fiber which keeps you full longer without adding lots of calories.  So it's a nutrient dense food.

Wheat Germ-  Wheat Germ is found near the cereals.  It is high in protein.  It is great to up the nutritional value in your meals.  You can sprinkle it on your oatmeal, add it to your bread crumbs or any other way you can think of!  It has no taste and you can't even tell it's there!  Once again, it's nutrient dense, helps to keep you fuller longer without the extra calories.

Almond Milk- Almond milk is a great alternative to dairy.  It is lower in calories, lower in sugar, and better for you!!!  As long as you get the unsweetened vanilla or original you are good on the sugar count!  It has a creamy flavor and mixes awesome in your Shakeology.  Also Almond milk actually has more calcium than 1% milk, so you are not missing out on your daily dose of calcium.  If you are concerned about getting in enough calcium then I suggest you add in some leafy greens like spinach, kale and broccoli to boost your calcium!!  Milk is not the only source out there.

Salsa- Salsa is one of my favorite toppings!  You can put it on anything from burritos, to egg whites.  It's a great way to add flavor to your foods without adding in extra calories and unwanted ingredients.  This is a salsa that I have found that doesn't add in extra sugars or sweeteners and still is reserved on the amount of sodium.

WASA whole grain crisp bread- so if you want an alternative to rice cakes or something to give you a little crunch then try out these crackers.  You can spread some all natural peanut butter(only ingredient is peanuts) or you can put some almond butter or hummus on top!  You get your complex carb and your protein when you pair it that way!  Again this is a good selection because it doesn't add extra ingredients that you cannot recognize or sugars!  It gives you a crunch without the calories.

Brown Rice Cakes-These are by far my most favorite rice cakes.  The only ingredient is brown rice!  They are salt free!  I have found many ways to make rice cakes taste amazing, give me crunch and satisfy any sweet tooth that you can put in front of me.  You can do 2 plain rice cakes with 1-2 tbsp all natural peanut butter, then you can add 1/2 sliced banana, a sprinkle of raisins, strawberries, etc....  It gives it flavor, sweetness and crunch.  It tastes sinful but it's really delightful!!!  It's nutrient dense but not calorie laden.  So grab these babies next time you are at the grocery store!  They make a great evening snack when you are at your maintenance phase of your health and fitness plan.

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Pitas-Pita's are hard to find healthy and natural.  It takes time of standing in front of the pita isle reading the selections available and making the best choice possible.  Never trust the packaging on the front.  It may say low fat or fat free but the second ingredient is sugar or it's not 100% whole grain.  If it's enriched then it's not the real deal.  Spend time to make sure that what you are getting is going to keep you full, satisfied and be enjoyable!  It's so important to watch the amount of carbs you have in a day.  You want to keep your starchy carbs to 1-3 servings per day.  So if you have oatmeal for breakfast, rice cakes for a snack and a pita for lunch you are done for the day.  That means no starches at dinner!!  So be mindful of how many servings of carbs per day!  You want the majority of your nutrition to come from fresh veggies and lean protein!

I hope this post helps you to find some new staples to add to your diet! Even being 18 months into clean eating I still learn something new every day!  Have a wonderful day and don't hesitate to reach out for help when you need it!

 

Renee Smith

Independent Diamond BeachBody Coach