I’m going to cut right to the chase: in order to be successful with your weight and athletic performance, your diet needs to be sustainable, consistent, and balanced. You can’t expect to hop on a bandwagon plan for a month and then jump off when it gets hard. So, the first step in a healthy lifestyle should be committing to consistency for days, weeks, and months moving forward weekly grocery list is a manageable place to start. Print this off and bring it with you on every shopping trip. Sure, you can add to it or leave an item off if it’s out of stock, but the idea is a consistent base of ingredients that you can easily meal prep and cook from though out the week. The hardest part about cooking new, healthy meals is usually a lack of on-hand ingredients, which is the easiest out for take-out and unhealthy options that happen to be in the pantry. Let’s get shopping!

Pro Tip: Before heading out, use a pencil and check off anything you already have in-stock for the week, so you don’t over-buy.

Weekly Grocery List

1. Protein Items
   • Tofu (expiration dates are usually 2-4 weeks, so it’s a nice thing to have on hand)
   • Chicken (breast, thighs, rotisserie, or canned- change it up each week!)
   • Pork tenderloin or thin cut pork chops (fine to alternate chicken/pork weekly)
   • Ground Turkey
   • Salmon or tilapia (fresh or frozen)
   • Bacon (I always have some in the freezer or fridge)
   • Canned black beans
2. Dairy Items
   • Almond milk or lactose free milk
   • Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat. You can always add sweeteners or fat into a recipe later)
   • Eggs
   • Cheese- any kind! (shredded is nice to have on-hand as that saves a step, but block cheese is fine to pick up for variety)
   • Butter (I always keep a stock in the freezer for baking and cooking)
3. Staple Items
   • Peanut or Almond butter
   • Olive oil
   • Almond flour
   • Oatmeal
   • Pasta (rice/gluten free noodles or regular noodles)
   • Brown Rice
   • Quinoa
   • Coffee
   • Whole grain bread or gluten-free bread
   • Honey
   • Soy Sauce or liquid aminos  
   • Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
   • Garlic Powder (unless you prefer fresh)
   • Cinnamon
   • Taco Seasoning (unless you have Chili Powder on hand)
4. Canned Goods
   • Corn
   • Chicken or Vegetable Stock
   • Tomatoes (diced)
   • Pasta or Tomato Sauce
   • Salsa
5. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
   • Citrus fruit (lime, lemon, or oranges for adding acid to meals and cocktails)
   • Bell Peppers
   • Onions
   • Leafy greens (spinach, romaine, Swiss chard, red leaf, and/or butter)
   • An Orange Item: butternut squash, spaghetti squash, oranges, or sweet potatoes
   • Apples
   • Bananas
   • Avocados
   • Asparagus and/or Brussel sprouts (I prepare them similarly and prefer to alternate every week)
6. Snack Foods
   • Fig Bars (gluten free if needed)
   • Pretzels (for long training rides. Can omit if not an endurance athlete)
   • Unsalted nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios)
   • Cheese Sticks
7. Freezer Items
   • Yasso Greek yogurt bars
   • Veggie Burger Patties (for a quick meal that’s not horrendous for you)
   • Frozen fruit (any type)
   • Edamame (for a quick snack or side dish)
   • Frozen, Riced Cauliflower
8. Beverages
   • Sparkling Water
   • Vodka or Wine (if you’re a cocktail person, or like cooking with wine)

Again, you don’t need every item every week, but you should have a good variety of items stocked in your pantry, fridge, and freezer to make meal prepping and weekly meals a breeze. Stay tuned for next week’s blog (Time-Efficient Meal Prepping) using the items listed!