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Taking the choice out of grocery shopping

Do you get overwhelmed when you walk into the grocery store? Read along to learn about planning for your grocery trips and our favorite ways to simplify the process.

Ellie Brewer

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As someone who has spent 5+ years studying nutrition, grocery shopping can still make me feel overwhelmed and confused with the amount of options we have available to us. My grocery store game plan helps me simplify the choices I need to make so I don’t get distracted by all of the options. Feel free to use any of the following ideas that resonate with you to develop your own grocery store game plan!

Focus on the staples

My boyfriend and I can pretty much eat the same 5-7 meals each week for dinner and be just fine. We grocery shop on Mondays to stock up on essentials for the week ahead and replenish any staples we ran out of the week before. We make sure to have several options for each of the following categories so we can mix and match a carbohydrate, protein, and color or fat source for each meal. This allows us to be spontaneous when we want to try a new recipe, while also ensuring we have the ingredients for our go-to meals. 

When it comes to having a balanced plate, Coach Megan’s "carb, protein, and color/fat" template is easy to visualize and follow. If you have a carbohydrate source, protein source, and a fruit, veggie, or fat source at each meal, you will likely be getting enough nutrients to be successful with your workouts and everything life throws your way outside of the gym. 

The following categories follow Coach Megan’s plate template, and depending on the number of mouths you have to feed and the amount of variety you like in your diet, you can change how many of each category you pop into your cart.

Protein Sources | Pick 3-4

  • Chicken 

  • Chicken sausages

  • Ground turkey

  • Turkey meatballs

  • Turkey sausages

  • Ground beef

  • Beef meatballs

  • Steak 

  • Ribs 

  • Ground pork 

  • Pork sausages

  • Deli meat

  • Canned beans

  • Vegetarian meat alternatives

  • Lentils

  • Chickpeas 

  • Chickpea/protein pasta

  • Greek yogurt

  • Cottage cheese

  • Milk 

Carbohydrate Sources | Pick 5-6

  • Pasta

  • Rice

  • Tortillas

  • Bread

  • Bagels 

  • English muffins

  • Popcorn 

  • Oatmeal

  • Cereal 

  • Pancake/waffle mix

  • Quinoa 

  • Cous cous

  • Polenta

  • Squash 

  • Potatoes 

  • Sweet potatoes

Color | Pick 5-6

  • Bell peppers

  • Carrots

  • Zucchini

  • Onions 

  • Mushrooms 

  • Cabbage

  • Broccoli

  • Lettuce

  • Spinach 

  • Green beans

  • Garlic

  • Beans

  • Lentils

  • Tomatoes 

  • Watermelon

  • Peaches

  • Apples

  • Bananas

  • Pears

  • Blueberries 

  • Grapes 

  • Strawberries 

  • Blackberries 

  • Raspberries 

  • Kiwi

  • Pomegranate

Fat Sources | Pick 2-3

  • Olive oil

  • Avocado oil

  • Safflower oil

  • Canola oil

  • Peanut oil

  • Butter

  • Ghee

  • Cheese 

  • Nuts 

  • Sour cream

  • Peanut butter

  • Cashew butter 

Hopefully this list can help you get started in brainstorming a good foundational list for your weekly grocery shopping. Let us know what other staples you love to include in your week!

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