What’s In Your Grocery Cart?

So, what’s in your grocery cart?

Did you know…

90% of Americans’ household food budget is spent on processed foods, the majority of which are filled with additives and stripped of nutrients. Filling our bodies with these foods leaves us feeling drained, suffering from headaches and most of all frustrated from a lack of results.

Good news is that you are HERE and as you begin to implement the Fit Yummy Mummy strategies you are making positive changes, and give you the grocery shopping tips for busy moms.

But let’s be honest – doing so can sometimes be so difficult.

Why?

1. We are busy!!! it is way to easy to grab what is perceived as “convenience foods”

2. We are overwhelmed!!!

There is SO much information on what to eat — what to avoid – and many of the messages conflict…then you walk into the grocery and it is so hard to assess the choices and make a sound decision.

The food industry knows this and takes advantage of women in this position by creating a variety of “easy Foods” that go out of their way to TELL you just how Healthy they are for you. In reality — they are not. You are wasting your money, your time and your valuable energy on crap.

So, how much easier would it be to reach your fat loss goals if you knew just what to buy at the grocery store and had a kitchen stocked with just what you needed?

Alison Liddic, who was the third place winner of the Summer Transformation Challenge had mentioned on our coaching call together that she wished I could just go to the store with her. While I would love to make this happen, the next best thing was to ask her to video what’s in her grocery cart, and her grocery store purchases, and I would do a Fit Yummy Mummy critique.

Well here is Alison’s Video and what follows is my review of her purchases.

Alison!

Great video and here are my thoughts – I basically went straight through the video.

~~~~~~~~

- Salad Greens – Picked up 3 bags so she has enough for the week! Great for salads and to add to wraps. Full of fiber and nutrients!

- String cheese is a quick and easy protein source

- Celery — great veggie to have on hand! It is Cheap and Versatile. Full of water and fiber – satisfies a crunch when you have cravings. Line it with PB, dip in Hummus or cottage cheese — makes for a simple and complete snack. Chop and add to salads, sauté with onions to give new flavors to your chicken.

- Dairy

Milk and Yogurt — also good protein sources.

Just watch the milk intake. One reason – for intolerances and secondly for drinking your calories. It is super easy to go over your calories for the day when they come in the form of a drink. Just watch the portion size.

- Bag of Apples — affordable way to keep fresh fruit on hand. LOVE that you made homemade applesauce — way to make the most of the produce you buy.

- Bag of Onions — great to have on hand as a flavor enhancer Combine chopped onions, tomatoes, avocado and jalapeno for an all-in-one guacamole salsa dip. To perk up plain rice, sprinkle some green onions, also known as scallions, and sesame seeds on top. Sautéed chopped onions are so versatile that they can be added to most any vegetable dish. Enjoy a classic Italian salad-sliced onions, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil.

- Coffee…any consideration in switching to Green Tea – loaded with antioxidants!

- Horizon Yogurts — easy and healthy kids friendly snack – one of Tyler’s Favorites!

- Juicy Juice — when you say for lunch — everyday? I would limit this- even though juice has loads of vitamins, still drinking sugar — if this is the 8 ounce box she is taking in 4 teaspoons of sugar with each one she drinks.

- Oh no — so she also gets Fruit snacks in her lunch…increase the amount of sugar she is eating!

Not sure how much that brand has — BUT — name brand Brachs has 21 grams of sugar –so now she is taking in 8 teaspoons of sugar at lunch. Take a look at the ingredients list too… what is in this stuff?

- Pancakes -- yes, choosing a brand that is not full of refined carbs (acts just like sugar…not to mention if there is syrup added on top of this?) and has fiber and some proteins from quality grains. Be sure to read the ingredients.

Pancake/Waffle Toppings? What do you use? I have convinced Tyler our house does not have syrup. If he wants something, I will cook frozen berries in a sauce pan, add jelly and/or PB. Just like with Salad Dressings – we need to account for what the topping on these items adds to our nutrition plan.

- Oh yes and the Peanut Butter — make sure to choose Natural (and he should know this!) Look at the ingredients list – notice sugar and hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils — this is code for “Trans Fats” — which many Mom/Kid friendly name brands push. Watch out for those!

- Sugar Cones….I know I do not need to point this out…hoping these are once in a while for you guys. How often do the kids get these? Know that this significantly adds to their sugar intake during the day.

- Excellent Buy on the Almonds! Great way to stock up. Just watch portion sizes. Grab some snack baggies and pre-portion these into ¼ cup servings to prevent overeating. Also when you say every snack…how often each day are you having them? Have to be careful for while they are a great source of protein and healthy fats — these fats can very quickly add up and exceed your total daily intake of fats.

- Mighty Bites is a better version of many kid cereals. Just watch portion size on this. While 1 cup contains 110 calories, 5 g protein and 3 g of fiber — the second ingredient is still sugar — each 1 cup serving contains 23 carbs — 5 of which are sugars. So she is getting 1 teaspoon of sugar with each serving.

- Yes — any cereal that is Chocolate Filled would not be considered a supportive choice — sorry (and Special K is notorious for trying to say otherwise). Let’s see….just a ¾ cup serving has a whopping 20 grams of sugar. I would say this is a Once In Awhile Cereal treat.

- Glad the cookie mix is just for the neighbors — make and take away! Be careful with the chocolate chips though…this is where a taste here and there can really add up.

- Cheddar Bunnies — I get this for Tyler too — it is a once in a while snack — for while it is made with organic wheat flour — look at where the majority of calories and “stuff” going into the body is coming from….Fat and Salt. So this is just a replacement for a fruit or veggie. Use in moderation and it can fit into the nutrition plan for your girls.

- Brown Rice is a great, unprocessed, high fiber grain that can compliment your meals. Just watch portion sizes. ½ cup cooked is a little over 100 calories.

- Excellent protein sources — Fresh Chicken — buy in bulk and save money! Cook it all up at once or portion out, stick in ziplock, add a marinade, stick in fridge or freezer based on how quickly you will use it.

- With Ground Turkey — just be sure to choose the leanest type. Ground turkey can sometimes be made with skin and dark meat increasing the amount of fat.
Eggs

Love ALL the fresh produce you have brought home! Easy to grab, chop and toss into any meal or snack!

- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Jalapeño peppers – kick up your meals and your metabolism!
- Pears
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Cilantro — great to have fresh herbs available — livens up meals!

Apple Juice — what is this used for? Who drinks it? How much? How often? Have you looked at the label? How many grams of sugar.

(TIP — 4.3 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon of sugar)

- Which then brings me to Chocolate Milk. Now Tyler DOES have this once in a while — calls it his special milk — we buy Horizon. However keep in mind that chocolate adds sugar. Take a look at that label. How often are your girls drinking this? How much per serving? What does the label say? Many commercial chocolate milks have High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Excellent Strategy — Post Shopping Routine

Taking inventory of what you just brought home and what you can begin to cook and/or prep is a HUGE time saver!

You know you have many supportive strategies in place. Loads of quality proteins and fresh produce. Sure there are some foods that have been purchased:

where you would say….”I know this is not approved….”

(hot dogs, Pringles, store brand pancakes, Fruit Snacks, cheese crackers, chocolate cereal, chocolate milk..)

All areas of improvement and I hope I gave you some things to think about.

But there is one big question that I MUST ask is….

A lot of moms say….”this is not for me – its for my kids”

WHY?

And yes, Alison and I have talked at great length about this…but I think it is important for ALL moms to be aware of this habit we seem to have acquired.

Our children are more dependent upon us than ever to set the guidelines and the boundaries for what supportive nutrition is all about. It is VERY difficult for kids to make the switch …

1. If we are not taking care of ourselves and eating supportively

or

2. Even if we are modeling good habits it will still be hard IF the not so good foods are still there and readily available.

Supportive Substitutes

As far as ideas for what to use in place of the usual processed foods our children eat – hope you and all the Fit Yummy Mummy’s caught the video with Tyler…
7 Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids>>> HERE

Essentially all I am doing is using the create a meal menu planner in the Fit Yummy Mummy Handbook and giving Tyler options along with the freedom to create new snack combos.

You can do the same.

If this is a new transition and your children have been used to eating a certain way, plan ahead and expect it will be rocky – please know that typically things get worse before they get better.

What will make it EASY on everyone involved – be firm and stand your ground. Be sure to turn to the forums for ideas and support as you begin to carve out a new path for you, your children and your family!

So you know…this is your task for the weekend!

1. Plan out your meals for the week.

2. Take inventory – what do you have – what do you need – what do you need to toss>

3. Make a list – and stick TO this List

4. Shop!

You can get a jump start on it now by giving your kitchen a makeover : )

What’s in that you need to toss? And be sure to know what’s in your grocery cart.

Your Friend and Coach,

Holly Rigsby
Author FitYummyMummy.com

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