A Well Stocked Pantry

One of the biggest keys to success is to have food on hand to prepare. You will need to purge your shelves of things that you don’t need in your house. Most of us will have snacks for the family that will tempt us. I have reduced the amount of those snacks we keep. I Do this for two reasons, first my family will eat more of them if they have an endless supply and last, they need to change their habits as well. Initially you will need lots of groceries because you are restocking a healthy kitchen. Your first few trips might be a little more expensive but a few weeks in, you will be well stocked and your grocery budget will return to normal. Let me be the first to debate the price of healthy foods. I will agree that some things are more expensive but you won’t be buying junk food. Nothing is more expensive pound for pound than junk food. Then there is the price you are willing to pay to live healthier . I mentioned in an earlier blog that I eat 3 meals and a dessert every day. I don’t need snacks unless I skip a meal. Speaking of skipping meals, don’t do it. You will end up mindlessly snacking or overeating at the next meal. Trust me on that. It is calories in verses calories out but trust me starving or skipping is not the ticket. I would suggest that you buy a meal planner and take a few minutes to plan your week. Make a grocery list and get on the road to success. If you’re  not ready to commit to a whole week, plan a few days and start there. I hope this grocery list will help you find some new things to incorporate into your healthier lifestyle. I also hope that when you see it you think you could eat like this for a lifetime.

Eggs

Lean bacon ( I use Al Fresco Chicken Bacon. It comes precooked in a package of 14 slices. 2 slices are 1SP. Unfortunately, Kroger is the only store in the area that carries it. It is pricey but they run it on sale often.

Johnsonville Turkey Sausage

Sara Lee 40 calorie wheat bread

Healthy Life Wheat Bread Either brand is 2 SP for 2 slices

Heiners reduced calorie bread

Oikos Triple Zero Vanilla Greek Yogurt

Oatfit Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal or any 100 calorie sugar free oatmeal

Grits or plain Oats

Premier Protein Shakes (Sam’s is the cheapest place to purchase them)

Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Buttermilk Pancake mix ( Food City or Target)

Aunt Jemima sugar free syrup

Skinny Syrup (I like Salted Caramel. You can get it at Bed, Bath and Beyond. )

Sugar Free and Low-fat coffee creamer (I use it sparingly)

Lean lunchmeats with the least amount of sodium. Poaching or roasting your own chicken is great!

Hellman’s light mayonnaise

Low fat cheese

Ole Xtreme Wellness wraps. (Walmart)

Joseph’s Lavish bread

40% reduced fat kettle cooked chips

Any vegetables you like (fresh or frozen is best. If you use canned veggies rinse them well. ) ***Read the label on canned veggies. You will find sugar in the craziest places like canned beans!!!

Dry beans

Rice

Any fruit that you like (fresh produce is the bulk of my groceries each week)

Extra cauliflower to use as rice and pasta substitute

Cottage cheese (We prefer Kroger brand Fat Free. It is the best tasting I have found. )

Very thin sliced pepperoni from the deli

Sugar free jello and sugar free pudding

Fat Free Reddi Wip (my best friend)

Any lean meat that you enjoy

Reduced calorie hotdog and hamburger buns

Sugar free BBQ sauce ( it’s on the bottom shelf at Walmart with the other BBQ sauces) G Hughes is the brand

Reduced Sugar Ketchup (Heinz) ( I mix mine with about 1 teaspoon of regular ketchup to get the real flavor. I find it pretty bland. I do the same with the BBQ sauce.)

Olive oil

Butter Flavor cooking spray

Cooking spray

Whatever spices you usually cook with

Reduced fat or fat free cream cheese

1% milk ( I haven’t embraced skim milk yet. I can’t get past the color.) Milk will cost you several points so you have to really plan for it.

Unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Unsweetened chocolate almond milk ( I can only find the unsweetened at Kroger. It is in the aisle with the healthy foods.

Reduced fat or fat-free salad dressing

Any sauces you usually use but you need to watch sugar and sodium content

[ ] Artificial sweetener if you plan on using them. I like Stevia the best and from what I have read it appears to be a healthier alternative to the others. I use the Better Now brand and I order it from Amazon. It can be pricey but you won’t buy it often.  I have this odd rule about artificial sweeteners. I do not like to drink them but I will eat a small amount in food daily. I would like to quit them but I don’t want to make this a lifestyle I can’t live with. For now I need a sweet fix.

Duncan Hines Angel food cake for 321 cake

Pillsbury sugar free cake mixes

Sugar free puddings

Sugar free jello

Knox gelatin

Fat free Reddi Wip ( one of my favorite things

Fat Free Cool Whip

Hershey’s sugar free hot fudge ( I usually find it at Walmart. It is in a small glass jar and it’s usually right beside of the jams and jellies. They make a caramel that is really good also. Make sure you buy the kind in the jar and not the syrups. I think the syrups have artifical taste. *** Its getting harder to find this in the store.  I buy it from Walmart.com or  Amazon.

Sugar free strawberry glaze

Sugar free jam or jelly. I can say I haven’t found one I care for yet. I can cook with it and I don’t catch that little aftertaste in recipes.

i like jams sweetened with fruit juice concentrates instead of sugar.

PBFit ( it is a peanut butter replacement powder that has a lot less calories than peanut butter. (Walmart)

Nuts (especially sliced almonds)

Coconut

I use lots of boneless skinless chicken breast.

Plain nonfat Greek yogurt – I find Oikos Brand to be smooth and less tart.