Congratulations! You have chosen to start eating clean, and it will do wonders for you. One of the first steps you can take towards living a healthier life is to start eating clean every day. To do so, you need to know how to shop clean. Therefore, having the best clean eating grocery list is imperative if you wish to start eating clean. So, how do you buy clean? If you want to find out, then this perfect clean eating grocery list will help you get started! However, do keep in mind that this was made considering ingredients I have access to near me. Depending on where you live and how many shops you have access to, you can tweak the clean eating grocery list any way you want.
What is a Clean Eating Grocery List?
Clean eating requires you to pay attention to how your food has reached in front of you. It focuses on the manufacturing and production process that the food has undergone. Everything from harvesting to packaging is scrutinized, and clean eating focuses on foodstuff that has undergone minimal processing. Since most of what we eat now is super-processed, you will need to go back to the basics once you start eating clean. You will also need to make most of your meals at home because most packaged and ready-to-cook meals are heavily processed. Therefore, having a clean eating grocery list will make it easier for you to plan your meals. It will make it easier for you to know what to include and what to avoid in your diet. Also, having a clean eating grocery list allows you to expand your clean eating to accommodate changes in your lifestyle periodically.
Clean Eating Grocery List
Clean Eating Ingredient 1
Produce
If you are worried about GMOs and pesticides, go for products that have thick skin, such as nectarines, berries and peaches. Always choose organic products, and look for things that have a long shelf-life, such as green bananas and oranges. When it comes to fresh fruits, go for grapefruits, Avocados and Kiwis without a doubt. In case you are looking for fresh veggies, stock up on celery, spinach, Broccoli, Zucchini, Squash, Kale, Tomatoes and Onions.
Clean Eating Ingredient 2
Poultry and Meat
Avoid carton egg whites, and go for natural eggs whenever you can. In case you eat meat, opt for the boneless, skinless chicken breasts as they are juicy and tender. However, buying the chicken as a whole might be more economical in most cases. Also, if you can afford organic meat, always go for that. When it comes to beef as well, go for products that you know are made from grass-fed beef. In case you are planning on giving up on beef, you can opt for venison or bison as they are all similar in flavor. Remember to stay completely clear of processed pork as they are not clean at all! Avoid sausages, hams, Canadian bacon and pepperonis as well. While choosing fish, make sure you shop from a trusted place as mercury poisoning is something you need to watch out for.
Clean Eating Ingredient 3
Dairy
Always go for raw milk while on a clean eating diet. However, raw milk may be hard to find in some states, while being extremely expensive in others. Therefore, the next best thing that you can try out, which is also widely available is organic, full-fat milk. Such milk has a considerable portion of protein in them, making them a healthy choice. The more low-fat you go, the more processing the milk undergoes, making it less clean.
Similarly, go for full-fat Cottage cheese, rather than the fat-free options. If you like yogurt, always try to opt for plain Greek yogurt, and stay away from flavored yogurt as it contains a lot of added sugars. You could always turn the plain one into a fruit-flavored one by adding honey and fresh fruits. Avoid pre-shredded and heavily processed cheese and pick out cheeses from the refrigerated section always. When it comes to non-dairy options such as almond, rice and soy milk, try to make these at home, as much as possible.
Clean Eating Ingredient 4
Bread
Opt for the Ezekiel brand loaves of bread which have a place in the freezer section. While most of their bread is clean, make sure you check the label to double-check. You can also try out slices of bread by the Alvarado Street Bakery, who also make rolls and buns. If you are a Trader Joe regular, then you can go for their whole-grain pieces of bread. The best out of the lot would be their Sprouted Multi-Grain and California Protein bread.
When it comes to other bakery snacks, if you have a sudden craving for crackers, go for the Ak Mak Whole Wheat ones, which you can get on Amazon. Tortillas are tough to get as a clean eating option. However, the cleanest tortillas are made by Trader Joe, but they are hard to find. These tortillas contain corn, lime, water and sprouted wheat. However, such tortillas do taste a little different from normal ones and tend to be stiffer.
Clean Eating Ingredient 5
Aisle Shopping
Always opt for green tea and avoid the non-organic ones. For a detailed look at the best slimming teas, head over to our article on the same. (Add the link to that article). Say NO to all forms of processed and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. When it comes to oatmeal, cereal and cornflakes, go for natural, plain varieties which are organic and avoid all flavored types. Try to avoid canned goods as far as you can, and in case you are planning to buy any of them, always go through the labels religiously. Avoid any canned product that has cane juice, dextrose, corn syrup or fructose in it. Other aisle items you can add to your clean eating grocery list are dry beans, lentils, chickpeas, brown rice, barley, quinoa, almonds, pistachios, chia seeds and flaxseed.
Clean Eating Ingredient 6
Condiments and Spices
It is almost impossible to get clean ketchup, so you should consider making this at home using ripe tomatoes. When it comes to mustard, you should opt for OrganicVille’s yellow mustard as it contains no added sugar. Also, in case you can’t get this, look for clean Dijon mustard as this is more accessible. If you are looking for some good honey, opt for Manuka honey, which you can find for a reasonable price at Amazon. Say goodbye to bottled maple syrups and molasses, and try to get the real deal from farms or source it from farms through Amazon. When you are looking for spices, avoid all seasoning packets and look for the spices individually in bottles. For salt, you could rely on Whole Foods’ Real Salt.
So there it is a perfect clean eating grocery list that covers most of the basics. Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but it is an excellent place to start when learning to eat clean. I hope this helps you pick out the freshest and healthiest products from stores around you.
