Groceries for Gains: Grocery Shop with Me!
Welcome to week one of my new series: Groceries for Gains! I will be taking you grocery shopping with me every once in awhile. Although it’s very important to not that each human being requires different nutrition, I’m hoping that this series will spark some ideas for you. I’ll try my best to break down why I chose to include certain products and ingredients in my meals for the week.
I’m a major proponent of the idea that “food is fuel.” When I started the way of eating that I follow now, I couldn’t believe how good I felt. I went from waking up sluggish and recovering slowly to feeling satisfied, energized, and in high spirits each morning. I feel as if I recovery quickly from my workouts, and I attribute it to the way I eat. I don’t believe in “cheating” on a diet, and I don’t believe that foods can be “bad.” Everything in moderation. I do, however, believe that I prefer the way I feel when I strive to fuel myself with the nutrients I need.
I planned my meals out for the week, and headed to the store!
My grocery haul this week.
These are some of the meals I have planned for this week: Greek-style egg bites, smoked salmon avocado toast, protein iced coffee, chicken and waffles, blueberry and peach cobbler French toast casserole, apple cake, loaded sweet potato bowls, and banana pancakes!
Your diet doesn’t have to be boring in order to be high-protein and nutrient-dense. I try to incorporate nutrient-dense foods into my diet to reap the health benefits. Here are some of the products I included and my reasoning:
Whole Eggs: Have you ever heard someone call eggs “nature’s vitamins”? Eggs provide 14 important nutrients, including 50% of your daily requirement of vitamin B12! The nutrients in eggs help protect against heart disease and improve the health of your bones, teeth, skin, and eyes. I like to incorporate whole eggs into my meals, as most of the nutrients in an egg are in the yolk (not the white).
Blueberries: Blueberries are a great nutrient-dense food to incorporate into your diet. Along with being high in fiber, they include nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese (which have been shown to boost immunity)! Other benefits linked to consuming blueberries include lowered blood pressure, strengthened heart health, improved mental focus, and promote healthy aging.
Chicken Tenderloins: I am a huge advocate for high-protein diets! That being said, it’s important to have good, complete sources of protein on hand. Chicken tenderloins are one of my favorite protein sources. This week, they will be included in my high-protein chicken and waffles. Often times, though, I will cook the tenders in bulk and chop them up to use in salads or wraps.
Sweet Potatoes: These are a great source of complex carbohydrates, and they’re loaded with nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and minerals that promote improved vision, help prevent diseases, boost hair, skin, and nail health, regulate blood sugar, promote gut health, and fight inflammation.
Protein Shakes: As someone who doesn’t have a large appetite in the morning, I have always struggled to get protein in after my workout. Although it’s not ideal (and I’m always trying to improve), my first food of the day is usually my iced coffee! I mix a pre-made protein shake with cold brew coffee. It’s delicious!
Avocados: These are probably one of the first foods you think of when you hear the term “healthy fats.” It’s true! Avocados provide a great source of healthy fats (such as oleic acid), potassium, folate, vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin K. These nutrients have shown boosted effects in preventing cancer and heart disease for certain populations, as well as boosting satiety so you feel fuller longer.
Grape Tomatoes: Tomatoes are also a food with many health benefits! They are a great source of vitamins C, A, and K, they include chromium, which helps control blood sugar levels, they include lycopene, which is anti-carcinogenic, and they are rich in lutein and beta-carotene, which support vision and protect against cataracts. They also simulate the body’s production of carnitine. Scientific terms aside, tomatoes are great for your skin, bones, vision, hair, heart, and much more.
Fat Free Cheese: There is nothing wrong with full-fat dairy, however I love incorporating fat free cheese into my diet as an extra source of protein. In fact, I sometimes refer to fat free shredded cheese as “shredded protein,” as it contains nine grams per serving! This week, my meals included fat free cheddar, fat free feta, and fat free cottage cheese.
Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt: This is another great protein source, and it is wildly flexible! The high protein content helps with satiety, contains all of the essential amino acids we need, contains a significant amount of calcium, and can help regenerate muscles and repair muscle fiber damage after workouts.
Baby Spinach: Most people are aware that spinach is a superfood (thanks to Popeye), but what makes it so special? Spinach is packed with nutrients such as vitamin A, manganese, folate, Vitamin C, calcium, Vitamin E, potassium, Vitamin k, zinc, iron, magnesium, and many more. This has shown benefits such as promoting bone health, improving eyesight, managing diabetes, strengthening immunity, and boosting digestive tract health.
If you’re interested in the recipes for my meals, make sure you check back to the website often! I have some exciting things in the works, and I can’t wait to share with you.
