Nutrition Tip of the Week: Have a Grocery List

As mentioned previously, it's tough to eat well if you're not prepared to eat well. Part of being prepared is going to involve your weekly grocery shopping. At least I hope it's done on a weekly basis and I hope it's not done at the Cumberland Farms around the corner.

To get the most out of your shopping you really should have a grocery list. Now a grocery list with stuff on there such as Oreo's and strawberry milk is not what I'm actually referring to. Instead a grocery list that has a number of fruits and veggies, some protein sources, some carb sources, some fat sources and all the spices, oils and what not to flavor up your meals or add to your recipes. Here's a list I've borrowed from the Metabolic Cooking Cookbook that should entail everything you might want to consider:

Veggies Asparagus__ Bell Peppers __ Broccoli__ Brussels Sprouts__ Cabbage__ Carrots__ Cauliflower__ Celery__ Cucumber__ Eggplant__ Fennel__ Garlic__ Green beans__ Kale__ Lettuce__ Mushroom__ Okra__ Onion__ Radish__ Snow Peas__ Spinach__ Tomato__ Zucchini__

Protein Tuna__ Salmon__ Halibut__ Haddock__ Tilapia__ Sardines__ Shrimp__ Scallops__ Chicken Breasts__ Ground Chicken__ Turkey Breasts__ Turkey Bacon__ Extra Lean Ground Beef__ Beef Roast_ Sirloin steak__ Venison__ Buffalo (Bison)__ Ostrich__ Pork Tenderloin__ Pork Chops __ Whey Protein __ Eggs__ Egg Whites__ Cottage cheese__ Greek yogurt__

Carbs Oatmeal__ Sweet Potatoes__ Pinto Beans__ Chickpeas__ Kidney Beans__ Black Beans__ Oat Bran__ Wheat Bran__ Quinoa__ Bulgur__ Ezekiel Bread__ Whole Wheat Pasta__ Brown Rice

Fruits Banana__ Apples__ Orange__ Pear__ Apple Sauce (unsweetened)__ Grapefruit__ Kiwi__ Peaches__ Strawberries__ Blueberries__ Raspberries__ Apricot__

Fats Natural Peanut Butter__ Natural Almond Butter__ Olive oil__ Flaxseed oil__ Macadamia nut oil__ Coconut Oil__ Almonds__ Walnuts__ Peanuts__ Macadamia nuts__ Avocados__

Other Apple Cider Vinegar__ Balsamic Vinegar__ Red Wine Vinegar__ White Wine Vinegar__ Salsa__ Red Hot Sauce__ Worcestershire sauce__ Chili powder__ Ground paprika__ Onion powder__ Ginger powder__ Cumin powder__ Clove powder__ Chili powder__ Cayenne pepper__ Ground turmeric__ Curry powder__ Ground nutmeg__ Dried oregano__ Dried parsley__ Dried basil__ Dried sage__ Bay leaves__ Rosemary__ Parsley__ Red Pepper Flakes__ Black Pepper__ Sea Salt__ Stevia__ Dijon Mustard__ Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc)__ Low sodium beef or chicken broth__ Low sodium soy sauce__ Lime juice__ Lemon juice__ Pure cocoa powder__ Almond milk__ Coconut milk __