other

a trip to the grocery store (my weekly essentials)

i'm a big proponent for lists. to-do lists, lists of gratitudes, grocery shopping lists... 

i think making a list helps me stay focused, accountable, and organized. i also just love the feeling of checking items off of a to-do list - as silly as it sounds, lists are super satisfying to me. this goes along with my tendencies towards schedules, structures, and organized goal-setting. 

for those reasons, you won't find me on my way to the grocery store without a detailed list, organized by section of the store (yes, a tangible list on a sticky note). 

today i will walk you through my typical weekly grocery list! along with each weekly staple, i will name a few reasons how and why i heavily incorporate that food into my diet. 

first i will mention a few things - obviously this list will vary from week-to-week. there are certain food items that i do not buy every single week, maybe every other or every month (peanut butter, rice, etc.). for the sake of this post, i will not include all of these items. rather, in an upcoming pantry staples post, i will go into more detail. 

my goal for this post is to inspire people to simplify their grocery list and attempt to cut out some of the more processed, unhealthy foods. for me, if i have an unhealthy food item in my kitchen, i will crave it. but if it is not there, i have nothing to reach for, and if i'm truly dying for something, i can simply go out to the store and get it.  this list can be an easy beginner plant-based plan for the week.

so, let's start with the best section...

produce

  • bananas

oh, where to start? i eat at least one banana per day, so i typically get a pretty large quantity of bananas when i go to the store each week. if available, i'll grab 4-5 overly ripe bananas to freeze for smoothies that upcoming week, and a bundle of 5-6 (ideally) perfectly ripe and spotty bananas to eat on peanut butter + banana toast, to eat with oatmeal, top smoothie bowls with, or simply on its own as a pre-workout boost. 

  • apples

i like to keep 2-3 apples around the apartment as a quick on-the-go snack or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up along with peanut butter or cinnamon. occasionally, i'll add chopped apple to oatmeal as well. my personal favorite types of apples are honeycrisp and fuji! 

  • lemons 

i love a good citrus, and while i'll often additionally pick up grapefruits or limes, i grab lemons every week, without fail. i make lemon tahini dressing frequently for my salads and buddha bowls, often make lemon garlic sauce for pasta, or simply add fresh lemon juice to my water or on top of avocado toast. lemon juice is a perfect zing or acidic kick to lots of sauces, dressings, or meals. 

  • avocados

when the avocados are looking and feeling good in the store, i like to pick up a few. i have a love-hate relationship with avocados; i love few things more than a ripe avocado, but i also find it to be truly heartbreaking when i let avocados go to waste due to the short peak of ripeness. nonetheless, i buy them anyway when they are around, especially in-season when they are more affordable. 

my favorite ways to use avocados are on top of toast (classic), to toss in salads, and guacamole (for chips, beans and rice, or tacos). 

  • cucumber

i have learned to love the texture of cucumbers, which i was not always a fan of. cucumbers are extremely refreshing and add a hydrating and satisfying crunch to any salad; i especially love cucumbers and hummus on toast, in a pita, or as a simple dipping snack. 

  • carrots

similar to cucumbers, carrots were not always my favorite. i used to be a strictly-cooked-vegetable kind of girl, but i have learned to love the colors and textures or raw vegetables. carrots are bright and crisp and add a nice element to many dishes - i love to shred carrots and add them to my stir fry noodles and salads. i will typically pick up a one-pound bag of carrots at the store each week, occasionally every other if i am overstocked. 

  • peppers

whether raw, cooked, red, yellow, or green, bell peppers are one of my very favorite vegetables. my favorite way to eat them is sautéed in a tofu stir fry or salad, roasted on top of a pizza, or raw dipped in hummus. i also love to add them raw to sandwiches or on top of avocado toast.

honestly, i could eat a pepper like an apple if i didn't get weird looks in public! full of vitamins and antioxidants and lower in calories, i love to incorporate all of the colors of peppers in my daily diet. i will pick up 3 or 4 for the week - red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are my favorites.

  • broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower 

i believe in eating one serving of cruciferous vegetables each day, so i lumped my 3 favorites into one category. i use these 3 vegetables in similar ways, such as roasting and tossing in a pasta dish to bulk it up, eating alongside something like barbecue tofu and rice, steamed for a stir fry, or charred and tossed in a salad. hungry yet? 

  • greens 

i could eat arugula in every single meal - it's my favorite green and i eat at least a cup or two per day through salads, underneath or mixed into a pasta dish, or stuffed in a pita with hummus. this peppery and bitter green is highly cleansing, filled with fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and chlorophyll and i can't get enough, so i always pick up a container. 

baby spinach is another staple for me to stir into curries or pasta dishes, but the way i usually eat baby spinach is by throwing heaps of it into my green smoothies. recipe soon to come, but in my essential green power smoothie, i swear you can't taste the greens at all! 

potatoes, onions, or garlic - depending on my current supply, i always keep these items around. since they have a longer shelf life, i will typically buy these in bulk and do not have to repurchase every single week. 

refrigerator 

  • almond milk + coffee creamer

some breakfast time staples for me are almond milk and coffee creamer. i love the silk brand vanilla almond milk creamer for my espresso, and use almond milk for my overnight oats, smoothies, and other various recipes throughout the week. i purchase silk brand unsweetened original almond milk. 

  • hummus

if you've read this far, you can probably tell i go through a bit of hummus. i switch around the flavors and brands somewhat often, but i will usually purchase 1 or 2 containers of hummus per week. some of my favorites are Cedar's brand original and garlic, Tribe brand "everything" flavor and original, but my absolute favorite hummuses are from trader joe's (the organic original is my #1). 

  • tofu

a controversial food - some people love tofu, some hate it, some believe it to be unhealthy or problematic, others are indifferent or have never tried it. i'm a huge advocate for tofu - throughout my own research on soy i have concluded that soy is incredibly healthy for you, and tofu is, in some ways, a perfect food. packed with protein, iron, calcium and lots of minerals (manganese, selenium and phosphorous, zinc). In addition. 

i always buy a block or two of extra-firm tofu (the more firm the tofu - for me - the better). i like to make tofu stir fry a few times a week, crispy bbq tofu, baked tofu, tofu scramble... it is a super versatile refrigerator staple and i have grown to absolutely love it, when prepared well! tofu is essentially flavorless and takes in just about any flavor or marinade you put on it, so there is a world of possibilities. 

freezer

  • frozen fruits and veggies 

while i will always prefer fresh produce to frozen, it is essential for me to have a few backup veggies and fruits in my freezer for when i run out of fresh. there are a few veggies i always buy frozen, like edamame beans or frozen corn. these are great to defrost and throw into salads or chili. 

as far as frozen fruit, i frequently make smoothies and smoothie bowls as well as overnight oats, and i like to add frozen berries to those as well as frozen pineapple and mango. especially when berries are out of season, it is so hard to afford and find good fruits - so frozen is the way to go, since they are frozen at the peak of freshness! 

  • nondairy ice cream 

while i don't necessarily deem this an "essential" or purchase it every single week, i wanted to throw it in there. this list is relatively healthy, whole-foods based and unprocessed but i am most definitely not perfect and i love a nice sweet chocolatey treat. for this reason, i like to keep a pint of ice cream in the freezer for when i need it - my favorites are the NadaMoo brand mint chocolate chip, Halotop nondairy chocolate, and Ben & Jerry's pb and cookies. 

other/pantry

  • crushed tomatoes, lite coconut milk

depending on my meal plans for the week, i will usually pick up one of each of these cans because they are great for curries or homemade tomato sauces, and i often find that recipes call for these items and it's great to be stocked up. of course, if i already have 1 or 2 cans at home, i won't repurchase them, but i wanted to throw these in the list. 

  • chickpeas + black beans

beans! i could go on about how much i love beans and how incredibly healthy i think they are. i could make an entire post on how i incorporate beans into my everyday diet (and i'm sure i will)!

in school i've learned a lot about the aging process and health behaviors as a health science student, and in my research there is a significant link between diets high in beans and legumes and longevity and good health. beans are "high in antioxidants, fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc," and for those reasons, are great for digestion, heart health, weight management and more. 

my favorite varieties of beans are chickpeas and black beans. i add chickpeas to most everything, and when i do not eat them in their whole form, i frequently eat hummus. i like to add chickpeas to my pasta dishes for bulk and protein, as well as roasted in salads and in indian chana dishes. 

black beans are obvious, to any bean lover they're a necessity because of their versatility. brown rice and black beans is an easy and quick meal, and i also enjoy seasoning some black beans and panfrying them to fill corn tortillas with. or, get creative and make some vegan nachos with loads of black beans and guacamole. yum! 

  • snacks

i don't consider myself a huge snacker anymore, i used to constantly snack at night but now i find that my meals are more satisfying and whole, so i don't feel the need. sometimes, however, i do crave a salty or crunchy snack and a fruit like an apple will not suffice. i love rice crackers or pretzels with hummus, so i will usually keep a small stock of these in my pantry. i also love the vegan white cheddar skinnypop popcorn! 

  • pasta 

for anyone who follows my food instagram @vegfordays knows how much i enjoy a good pasta dish, whether it be soba or udon noodles in a stir fry, brown rice or lentil pasta with tomato sauce, i can never get enough pasta. i typically pick up a box of brown rice or whole grain pasta as well as a stir fry noodle (been loving instant whole wheat vermicelli)! 

so, i hope some of these ideas have sparked a few new items on your weekly grocery list. when i make a simple list, i tend to steer clear of the extra, tempting food items at the store. this saves me money, time, and keeps my kitchen stocked with the most wholesome and delicious foods!