Lee From America's Grocery Shopping List
My intention behind this blog is to teach people how to eat and live healthfully and mindfully. If someone is even remotely interested in changing their lifestyle, I want to be that last and final push to bring them to turn those thoughts into actions. The mind is a very powerful thing, after all.
Ever since starting the blog, I've received countless emails requesting me to do a post on an average grocery shopping list for Lee From America. Anyone who knows me knows and understands that I love to shop for groceries. In the past 6 months I have done an immense amount of cutting off petty spending. Watching my bank account grow has been so immensely gratifying and motivating, and there are few things that I can justify spending my hard earned money on other than high quality, local, organic, and feel-good food. (I should do a money saving post soon!!) So I am more than happy to share my list with the world.
Eating healthy has a stigma of being extremely expensive. I agree and I disagree with this statement. It is not as cheap as a hamburger from McDonald's, but it is way cheaper and easier than dealing with a handle of diseases, skin problems, and cancers down the line. Think of it as an investment in your health. You get dressed every morning. You recharge your iPhone each night before you fall asleep. Hopefully when you wake up you brush your teeth. Get in the habit of eating well now. Make the decision. Also, please floss each night before you go to bed.
I broke down my grocery list by 5 different sections.
- Pantry Staples - These are items that I stock up on once every 2 months from the bulk section of my local health food store. I keep these items in mason jars inside my pantry, ready to grab & go at any moment. These items do not need to be refrigerated.
- Condiments - These are items that I always have on hand and buy whenever I need to re-stock. Sometimes I make some of the things myself (i.e. almond butter)
- Vegetables - I do all of my produce shopping at the beginning of the week, on a Sunday or Monday night. I buy about $50.00 worth of produce a week. The produce is meant to be consumed, not stored. I rarely eat out, and I enjoy cooking each meal at home and bringing lunches to work. I find that this is the perfect amount for me on a weekly basis. I write how many vegetables/fruits I go through each week in the list.
- Fruits - I try as often as possible to buy my fruits in bulk or from inexpensive places (New Yorkers- buy your bananas from Chinatown!) I buy organic whenever financially possible. In my opinion, it is way more important to eat a vegetable, organic or not, than a bag of Doritos. I am in no way a stickler on eating 100% organic all of the time. We need to live a little. I am not going to ask my friend at a party if her baby carrots are organic. I'd deserve a punch in the face.
- Specialty Items. These are items that I buy when I am feeling like a balla, baby! They are more expensive, so to be honest, I rarely buy them. When I do, I am so careful with how and when I use them, they usually last me months on end. I do not find them necessary, but they are nice treats to myself when I've been working really hard.
Pantry Staples
- buckwheat groats
- chia seeds
- golden flax seeds
- coconut shreds
- pepitas
- almonds
- cashews
- walnuts
- quinoa
- barley
- cacao nibs
- medjool dates
- Purely Elizabeth granola
- oats
- golden raisins
- coconut oil
Condiments
- peanut butter
- raw honey
- coconut sugar
- almond butter
- date syrup
- raw coconut butter
- cinnamon
- nutritional yeast
Fruit
- avocado (2/week)
- bananas (30/week)
- apples (7/week)
- citrus (3-4/week)
- specialty fruit (grapes, pineapple, mango) 3 servings/week
- berries IF organic OR in season OR frozen for my smoothies
- tomatoes IF organic OR in season
Vegetables
- dark leafy green- kale/swiss chard/collard greens
- lightweight green- spinach/arugula/romaine
- zucchini (for zucchetti, zoodles, whatever you want to call it) (4/week)
- sweet potatoes (2/week)
- cauliflower head (2x week)
- broccolo (1/week)
- jalapeños (2/week)
- carrots (1 LBS/week
- onion (1/week)
- garlic
Specialty Items
- maca powder
- mesquite
- acai powder
- spirulina
- pomegranate
Now, please keep in mind that this is a general list. I do not expect you to run to Whole Foods tonight and spend $350.00 on superfoods. What I do suggest is for you to slowly start purchasing these foods. If you can, find deals on Amazon or go to Marshall's. Lots of times they sell superfood for a good deal.
This grocery list is meant to show people how to shop and what my pantry/fridge always look like. I rarely run out of food. Some people may say my pantry is overfilled. I do not disagree with that statement. I love to cook and create and I get random bursts of creative energy and I just need to have my chia seeds on hand.
I like to call it being prepared. I don't have the urge to order from Seamless or eat a shitty slice of pizza. I am always prepared for a superfood apolocalyse. You bet your ass that if there is another hurricane, I will stay inside and be eating medjool dates stuffed with raw cashews and sprinkled with coconut sugar and goji berries and finding a way to Instagram about it. #healthiestgirlontheblock
