The Essential Grocery List for 'Clean' Eating

1. Start by saying goodbye to a few main evils: all white stuff (including sugar), caffeine, alcohol. This doesn’t mean you can’t detour every now and then... you decide what works for you.

2. You don’t have to go toss everything and start from scratch in one day. Switching to 100 percent clean foods can be challenging and even costly at first. Give it time, and take it easy on yourself. Try replacing one food item at a time. Sub in soba noodles for plain white pasta, or skip the Snickers and do dates instead. As you continually add in the good, your taste buds will change, and you will naturally want good, clean, whole foods. (The “fake” foods will seem less appealing.)

3. Less IS more. The fewer ingredients an item has, the “wholer” it is, as in less processed. Try to purchase items with five or six ingredients at the most.

4. Create meals made with just a few items. Try mixing and matching from the lists below. For example, boil quinoa and then toss it with roasted asparagus, butternut squash, a sliced hard-boiled egg and 1/2 sliced avocado. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon sesame oil, a splash of tamari and sprinkle with sunflower seeds and a pinch of cayenne. Fresh, clean, fast and delish!

 

GRAINS AND PROTEIN IN THE PANTRY

• brown rice              
• quinoa (also a protein source)
• millet                       
• soba noodles (also a protein source)
• tahini                       
• tempeh
• black beans            
• cannelini beans
• pinto beans             
• lentils
• chickpeas               
• raw almonds
• raw cashews           
• sunflower seeds
• walnuts                   
• almond butter

VEGGIES/HERBS

• kale         
• lettuces
• onions    
• garlic
• cilantro   
• parsley
• tomatoes (plum and grape)
• various other vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, fennel, whatever you like)

CONDIMENTS/FLAVORINGS

• extra-virgin olive oil               
• coconut oil
• sesame oil                              
• black pepper
• grey celtic/pink himalayan salt                
• hot sauce
• turmeric                                  
• cayenne
• gomasio                                  
• cinnamon
• red pepper flakes                   
• maple syrup
• tamari (instead of soy sauce) 
• stevia
• dijon mustard                         
• apple cider vinegar
• red wine vinegar                    
• miso

FRUITS

• lemons                    
• avocado
• apples                      
• bananas
• varied other fruits (berries, melon, mango, grapes)

SNACKS/OTHER

• hummus
• ezekiel bread, ezekiel tortillas
• raw chocolate
• coconut ice cream 
• quinoa & black bean tortilla chips 
• pretzels
• popcorn 
• Amy’s frozen burritos
• Daiya dairy-free pepperjack cheese shreds

FOR CHILDREN

• frozen fruit for smoothies
• Bell and Evans chicken nuggets
• Dr. Praeger’s Littles
• Eden Organic Pizza Sauce
• Udi’s gluten-free pizza crust
• bagged frozen vegetables
• lara bars
• Amy’s organic canned soups
• Enjoy Life cookies

BEVERAGES

• coconut water        
• kombucha (with chia seeds!)
• herbal teas              
• almond or hemp milk
• to add into smoothies: gogi berries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, cacao powder, maca powder

If you are including lean protein or eggs, remember that organic, free-range is best, and try to avoid pre-packaged meats.