Grocery Shopping: Starting Up a Healthy Fridge and Pantry

Whenever I come home from a vacation, one of the first things I end up doing to get back on track is take a trip to the grocery store.  Whether you are moving in somewhere new or coming home from a long vacation, coming back to an empty kitchen can leave a lot of room (literally) to fill with chips, soda, candy, ice cream, et cetera.  While buying those things in moderation are okay, that isn't what your cart should be composed of entirely when you get to the store.  Here is a basic, rough list of what I bought when I went store to start up a kitchen again.

Refrigerated Items:

• Cheeses 
• aim for Parmesan, feta, goat cheese, mozzarella, et cetera.  These examples are some of the more healthy and flavorful options
• Milk
• Greek Yogurt (Plain, flavored)
• Be careful with flavored.  Some can have a LOT of sugar.  Chobani is my favorite.
• Butter
• Hummus
• Dressings (low fat or vinaigrette is best)
• Eggs
• Pickles, condiments, etc
• Pasta or pizza sauces (marinara, lean meat sauce, etc)

Produce:

• Bananas
• Apples
• Berries (Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
• Zucchini
• Cucumber
• Avocado
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Carrots
• Spinach or Kale
• Mango, Pineapple, Papaya, any fruit really!

Freezer:

• Whole Grain/Wheat Waffles
• Frozen Fruit (no sugar added) for smoothies
• Frozen dinners (like pizzas or heated meals in a pinch)
• I go to the organic section, usually, for these.  I like the brands like Amy's or Kashi.  They're usually wholesome with low or no preservatives, whole grains, and high in wholesome proteins.  Most of these options are very high carb, though, if you are watching them (being an endurance athlete, that is not a focus of mine, so I do not mind the carbs.  I welcome them, actually.)
• Frozen Vegetables
• Avoid added sauces (like cheese or creams).  I like to dress my own vegetables anyway.

Pantry:

• Whole Wheat/Grain Bread
• Whole Wheat Wraps/Tortillas
• Whole Wheat English Muffins or Bagel Thins
• Sunchips, Wheat Thins, Popcorn (like skinnypop or buy some kernels and pop your own)
• Kale Chips
• Peanut Butter (Natural)
• No Sugar Added Jelly
• Dried Fruit (no sugar added is best)
• Protein Powder (I'll post about my favorite brands in the near future)
• Brown rice, quinoa, black beans, whole wheat pasta, etc
• Whole grain cereals and granola
• Granola bars and protein bars
• olive oil, sesame seed oil, coconut oil
• Nuts 
• Sometimes, they have them individually packaged for a great on the go snack.  I like Emerald almonds a lot!

Proteins:

• Chicken Breasts
• Lean turkey or chicken slices (lunch meat)
• Either go to the deli counter or try to aim for brands that do not use preservatives if you go the prepared lunch meat section.
• Tofu
• Shrimp (I buy mine frozen)
• Turkey Burgers (frozen)
• Salmon Patties (Frozen)
• Veggie Burgers (Frozen)
• Lean Steak/Beef

Again, this is a very rough list of what I would initially buy!  Obviously, this is a huge list.  I feel you can go through it and pick and choose what would hold you over for a week's time. Usually, once I get to the store, I use this type of list as a guide, look at what is good/fresh in terms of produce and meat, and I'll be reminded of what I am missing on the list once I see it.  Hope this helps; happy shopping!