My 12 Weekly Grocery Essentials

When writing out my grocery list, there are certain essentials I buy every week that rarely change; things that I won’t leave the store without. My list remains consistently similar which seems inevitable when eating whole foods + plant based, but these top picks are always in my cart amongst a few other whole foods that I switch up each season. For me, it really helps to plan (aka get inspired on pinterest) write everything out and make sure I’ve eaten beforehand instead of wandering the store hungry and craving everything in sight! 

Does anyone else freakishly love grocery shopping as much as I do? !

My 12 Weekly Grocery Essentials:

1. Lemons, lemons, lemons

I use lemons in everythinggg. From my morning lemonade to my 5-day Cleanse, to smoothies, salad dressings, salads, hummus, and even in my water throughout the day. I buy the bagged lemons and go through a whole bag each week! Lemons are so alkalizing and regulate the pH levels in the body, plus they add so much flavor and are packed with vitamin C. I dream about having a lemon tree in my backyard, wouldn’t it smell amazing?!! Not to mention, for DIY cleaning products, lemons are a definite must.

2. Fresh Berries 

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries – I love ’em all and we eat them everyday! I always have big bags of frozen berries in the freezer but having fresh berries on hand is perfect for oatmeal, for snacking and for my blueberry power muffins or banana “nice cream”. The more antioxidants, the better.

3. Gluten Free Rolled Oats

We go through oats like crazy, especially if we’re on a oats kick like we have been this summer. I always pick up the rolled gluten-free oats from Trader Joe’s (buy them here) and we mix them in a mason jar with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, chia seeds, berries, cinnamon and maple syrup – then just eat it cold after it’s soaked up the almond milk for a few minutes. So yummy and filling, plus hearty enough for him and full of fiber, plant protein, omega-3’s and vitamins/minerals. Best breakfast ever, besides green smoothies, of course!

4. Leafy Greens

What’s a plant based diet without ALL the greens?! Spinach and kale are always on my weekly list. I try to add them to everything, especially spinach because it’s basically tasteless when added to soups or curries or any vegetable sauté. Seriously though, I add greens to tacos, pasta sauce and whatever I can. Obviously for juices. smoothies and this Kale California Chopped Salad too – greens are life! Try having kale or spinach in at least 2 of your meals everyday and see how easy it becomes to incorporate them somehow!

5. Fresh Herbs

I’m beginning to notice the benefits of herbs more and more, since they are essential for detox and are full of minerals which are necessary for BEAUTY! Think glowing skin, bright eyes, shiny hair etc. Fresh herbs are everything!! Cilantro, parsley and/or basil make it on my weekly essential list, depending on what I’m cooking for the week. Maybe you have an herb garden which is (obviously) way better than buying them from the store but I add them to everything now, just like I do lemons. Juices, salads, sauces, dressings, etc. 

6. Avocado

Okay, who doesn’t love avocado though! It’s so luxurious and creamy – I could eat a whole one everyday in my usual lunch (which is a huge salad) but I do monitor my intake of fats on this high carb low fat vegan diet so I probably eat 1 avocado per week for healthy whole food fats. SO GOOD and so filling too. Definitely brain food. Have you tried my Avocado Toast yet?! Or my Spicy Cucumber Avocado Ranch Sandwich?!

7. Cucumber

Whether in a morning green juice, in a salad or as a snack with hummus, I eat cucumber everyday for the most part. I love how refreshing they taste and how nourishing they are for your skin and hair (due to the silica) plus they act as a natural diuretic to reduce bloating while keeping you hydrated too. Try this Greek Cucumber Tzatziki Bowl for lunch!

8. Apples

I go through phases with apples but they always make for the best snack with some crackers and a bit of sunflower butter (best combo ever!) I also add apples to my usual green smoothie of kale, cucumber, celery, lemon and ginger – all blended up with water and ice. YUM. Try this Harvest Kale and Quinoa Autumn Salad!

9. Bananas

Bananas just may be the perfect food. They make for the best pre-workout snack, best smoothie ingredient for creaminess and best chocolate chip nice cream maker. I keep the freezer stocked too with sliced + ripe frozen bananas (read more on that here) – you never know when a sweet tooth craving pops up 🙂 Try my yummy Banana Mylk recipe if you ever run out of non-dairy milk or my Chocolate Covered Banana Pops for a summer treat.

10. Beans and Lentils

I lean more towards plant based protein in it’s whole food form rather than vegan protein like tofu. We go through lots of black beans and usually buy them in bulk from Costco or I buy lentils from Trader Joe’s – their steamed lentils make life so much easier, they’re seriously the BEST when you need something quick. In order to satisfy my appetite and Terry’s super sized appetite, I need to add lots of substantial and filling ingredients to our meals which means extra beans or lentils. Some sort of plant protein will always make it on my weekly grocery list. Try my super popular and to-die-for Spicy Kale and Quinoa Black Bean Salad.

11. Potatoes or Brown Rice

Because, CARBS! I’m no longer scared of carbs like I used to be a year ago because I eat them in a whole food form. I always have brown rice (and sometimes pasta) prepared in the fridge to pair with dinner. Carbs are not the enemy, especially for women. We need a certain number of carbs for optimal hormone balance and to keep our menstrual cycle healthy.

12. Vegan Coconut Milk Coffee Creamer

This is one of the indulgences I allow myself – just being honest! If I have to go without it I’ll use almond milk and stevia or coconut sugar. Now I know coffee is acidic and I talk about that in my vegan starter guide but one cup (more like two cups) makes me happy. It’s a total addiction, I know, and seems contradictory to this super healthy plant based lifestyle but for now, I’m drinking it and I’m loving it. Why is it so good?! Anyways, I buy the So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer from Whole Foods – it’s made without carrageenan and without titanium dioxide so it’s pretty magical. If you love coffee like me, you should definitely try it. Buy the creamer here. Or make my new Sugar-Free Elevated Coconut Coffee!

There are other essentials too like raw apple cider vinegar, certain spices and superfoods that I map out in my Bikini Body Tips post and my full plant based grocery guide that go more in depth if you need more ideas. 

P.S. I’m on snapchat now under the username ‘glowingfridge’ if you want to follow along with my daily life. There’s always instagram too for some healthy food inspiration and meal ideas! Also, I opened up an Amazon Store with staple foods, my favorite superfoods, my must-have cruelty-free beauty products and essential kitchen appliances/tools for this lifestyle. Check it out here or on the top navigation bar of the blog!

Happy shopping! ♥

xoxo,
Shannon