Grocery shopping, ideas for busy nights, crockpot meals, grocery lists, quick snack options, breakfast ideas, etc.
What’s in this guide?
Grocery shopping Ideas for busy nights Crockpot meals Grocery lists Quick snack options Breakfast ideas Seasoning combos
Words of Inspiration
“He who fails to plan is planning to fail.”
Winston Churchill
Grocery Shopping
Who likes grocery shopping? I know I know, grocery shopping sucks. It’s inconvenient, takes time out of your day, it’s crowded, I could go on and on. But, I think we can all agree that grocery shopping does set us up for success in regards to having access to good quality whole foods throughout the week.
Grocery Shopping
Here is an example of our grocery shopping checklist:
-How many times do you want to go to the grocery store this week?
How many people are you cooking for?
-Are you doing a full meal prep or just prepping for certain meals?
-Meats?
-Fish?
-Vegetables?
-Fruit?
-Starch / Grain?
-Healthy Fats?
-Spices?
-Sauces?
-Drinks?
-Convenience foods?
-Any special recipes you want to try this week?
-Traveling?
-Meetings?
Grocery Shopping
Lifestyle Hacks
1. Never go to the store hungry! Always eat something before going grocery shopping so that you’re not tempted to make impulsive buys based off cravings.
2. Shop with a list. It’s very easy to buy more or less than what you had intended on buying in the first place without a list. 3. Shop at a natural grocer if possible. Stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Sprouts, Costco, etc. all have an amazing selection of good quality foods.
4. Stores like Walmart, Tom Thumb, Sam’s Club, Albertsons, Kroger, etc. make it a lot harder to shop at. It’s not impossible, but the quality tends to be much worse at these stores.
5. Shop mostly around the outer perimeter of the store; think items that do not come in a box. The majority of your healthy food is going to be found on the outer perimeter, whereas the majority of the unhealthy food is found inside the aisles.
6. When it comes to junk food, if you buy it, you’re going to eat it. If you have an issue with self control then simply don’t buy it in the first place.
7. Get in and get out, grocery shopping should take less than 45 minutes.
8. Don’t be scared to try new foods and recipes, variety is key.
9. From a cost standpoint, prioritize buying high quality meats & fish over everything else.
10. Enjoy the journey, you will continue to become more efficient at grocery shopping with each trip you make!
Do the work. Make the investment in yourself and your family. It will be worth it. Grocery shopping complete!
From there, the cooking begins…
Cooking
Once you have got the food, how do you cook it? Bland? No seasonings or sauces? NO THANK YOU! Season your foods with things like spices, fresh herbs, lemon, etc. Simple additions like these can really bring out some amazing flavors. Food should taste amazing! Eating healthy shouldn’t mean eating boring, bland, tasteless food. Healthy food is meant to taste amazing, nourish your body, and fuel your lifestyle.
Cooking
Ground Meat (ground beef, ground turkey, bison, etc.)
Saute
1. Heat stovetop to medium heat
2. Add 1 tbsp of oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.)
3. Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs & spices are highly recommended!
4. Cook the meat through to whatever your liking (8-10 min)
5. Drain excess liquid
Cooking
Chicken
Saute
1. Heat stovetop to medium heat
2. Add 1 tbsp of oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.)
3. Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs & spices are highly recommended!
4. Cook the chicken through to whatever your liking (8-12 min ish)
5. Drain excess liquid
Crockpot
1. Heat up crock pot
2. Add chicken breasts
3. Add favorite sauce
4. Slow cook for 4-5 hours
5. Drain excess liquid
6. Shred meat apart
Bake
1. Preheat oven to around 400 degrees
2. Grab a pan & line with cooking foil
3. Cut chicken breasts into small pieces and line the pan
4. Spray extra virgin olive oil lightly over the chicken breast
5. Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs & spices are highly recommended!
6. Cook for 15-25 minutes or until no visible pink on the inside
Cooking
Fish
Saute
1. Heat stovetop to medium heat
2. Add 1 tbsp of oil (extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter, etc.)
3. Add seasoning of choice, fresh herbs & spices are highly recommended!
4. Cook the fish through to whatever your liking (8-10 min)
5. Drain excess liquid
Cooking
Vegetables
1. Preheat oven to 375° F
2. Cut/chop vegetables, i.e. brussels sprouts in halves, diced carrots, chopped zucchini etc.
3. Place vegetables on baking sheet and coat with olive oil spray or avocado oil spray
4. Squeeze half a lemon onto vegetables and coat evenly
5. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
6. Place in oven and roast until crispy. Starchier vegetables will require more time, i.e. brussels sprouts, carrots, squash etc.
Cooking
Rice: the rule of thumb is to use 2 cups of water per 1 cup of dry rice. This example will be for 2 cups of dry rice.
1. Place 4 cups of water into a pot or saucepan
2. Bring water to a boil
3. Once water is boiling, add 2 cups of dry rice
4. Bring water to a simmer and add lid to the pot or pan
5. Let rice sit in simmering water until the water is gone. This process will depend on how much rice you cook at once. Two cups of dry rice typically takes about 10-15 minutes.
6. Once water is absorbed, remove lid and add salt and lime juice and fresh cilantro for taste.
Cooking
Sweet potatoes
1. Preheat oven to 425° F
2. Dice sweet potatoes into ~ 1 in. cubes
3. Add sweet potatoes to a baking sheet and coat evenly with melted coconut oil
4. Season with salt and cinnamon
5. Roast for 50-60 minutes or until the bottom of the sweet potatoes are golden brown/crispy
Cooking
Russet/Golden/Red/Fingerling potatoes
1. Preheat oven to 425° F
2. Dice potatoes into ~ 1 in. cubes
3. Add potatoes to a baking sheet and coat evenly with avocado oil
4. Season with salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and rosemary
5. Roast for 50-60 minutes or until the bottom of the potato is golden brown/crispy
Spices
When it comes to spices, Trader Joe’s is our go to spot to buy high quality affordable spices. Honestly, just take a trip and buy 5-10 spices that look good to you. Try them out, experiment, just have fun with it!
iCoach Favorites:
• Everything but the bagel seasoning
• Garlic & onion powder
• Himalayan pink salt
• Chile & lime seasoning
• Trader Joe’s 21 seasonings
• Barbecue espresso rub
Sauces
Sauces When it comes to sauces, this is where you can definitely run into some trouble in terms of calories, fat, sugar, etc. going through the roof. Be sure to source your sauces from a natural grocer and do your due diligence in terms of reading the back of the label & ingredient list. Be sure to check the serving size and make sure the ingredient list is minimal.
iCoach Favorites:
•Primal Kitchen
•Tessamae’s
Cookware
Small investments in your home kitchen will make you much more prone to actually love cooking, meal prepping, and just being in the kitchen with your family & friends. If you have a dirty kitchen with poor quality food or no food at all then you’re going to be much less likely to cook. Make the investment in yourself and your family. It will be worth it!
iCoach Favorites:
• Glass tupperware (Pyrexware)
• Copper or cast iron pots & pans
• Blender (Vitamix or Bullet)
• Crockpot and/or instapot
• Digital food scale
• Baking sheets
• Cutting boards
• Measuring spoons & cups
• Spatula, tongs, and mixing spoons
• Kitchen scissors
• Mixing bowls
Drinks
Obviously water should be the main drink that you’re consuming, but it’s always nice to have something that gives you a bit more flavor. Lacroix, Zevia, kombucha, Topo Chico w/ a lime, etc. can all be great alternatives to water. If you’re a soda drinker, try substituting your Coca Cola for a Zevia cola.
Meap Prep
1. Plan your week in advance…
2. Hit the grocery store
3. Start cooking
How many days are you prepping for?
Which grocery store?
What day are you time blocking your meal prep(s)?
If you’re new to the game, try buying 5 of everything. Buy 5 lean protein sources, 5 healthy fats, and 5 carbohydrates. Start with the carbohydrates because potatoes, rice, etc. take the longest…
While that is cooking, start cooking the meat…
From there, start chopping the veggies and roasting those…
Add cooked food into glass containers, let cool, and then store in the fridge for later use.
Ideas for busy nights
Option 1:
Protein: pre cooked rotisserie chicken
Carb: microwaveable rice
Color: salad kit
Option 2:
Protein: sauté ground bison
Carb: air fry potatoes
Color: air fry brussel sprouts
Sauce: ketchup
Option 3:
Protein: sauté ground turkey
Carb: air fry sweet potato
Color: air fry green beans
Sauce: teriyaki
Option 4:
Protein: sauté lean ground beef
Carb: tortillas
Color: pre cut bell peppers, pre made pico, guacamole
Example Grocery List
Let’s keep it simple… Pick 5 of each to create your grocery shopping list!
Color (veggies / fruits):
-broccoli, brussel sprouts, potatoes, green beans, spinach, apples, bananas, blueberries, oranges, raspberries, etc.
Protein:
-ground beef, ground turkey, ground bison, steak, chicken (ground, breast or thigh) salmon, shrimp, greek yogurt, eggs, etc.
Fats:
-avocado oil, olive oil, avocado, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Carbs:
-rice, quinoa, bread, tortillas, oatmeal, etc.
Breakfast Ideas
Basic:
1.) protein shake w/ oatmeal, raspberries and walnuts
2.) greek yogurt bowl w/ almond butter, granola and blueberries
3.) egg white omelette w/ mushrooms, onions, peppers, cheese, tomatoes, avocado and side of potatoes
Complex:
–High-Protein Breakfast Casserole
Quick snack options
Protein shake
Protein bar
Greek yogurt
Jerky
Fruit
Vegetables
Hard boiled eggs
Hummus Deli meat
Cheese
Nuts
Seeds
Smoothies
Etc.
CONVERTING PLANNED MEALS TO MACROS
LOG SOME PROTEIN AT EACH MEAL
-3 eggs at breakfast
-4 oz. of ground bison at lunch
-4 oz. chicken at dinner THEN ENTER SOME CARBS AT EACH MEAL
-60g oats + 123g berries at breakfast
-260g sweet potatoes at lunch
-280g cooked jasmine rice at dinner
THEN ENTER SOME FAT AT EACH MEAL
-2 slices of bacon at breakfast
-100g avocado at lunch
-1 tablespoon olive oil at dinner DON’T FORGET THE VEGGIES
-200g bell peppers at breakfast
-200g zucchini at lunch
-200g broccolini at dinner
CONVERTING PLANNED MEALS TO MACROS
You should now have a full day planned into MyFitnessPal. Scroll to the bottom of your food diary and click nutrition. You should now see your macro totals. Make sure to select nutrients up top. Keep adjusting entries until numbers match up with macro goals!
NEED MORE PROTEIN?
-increase breakfast, lunch or dinner protein portions
-add extra eggs or egg whites to breakfast
-add a protein shake, protein bar, or bone broth
NEED MORE CARBS?
-fruit, veggies, rice cakes, etc.
-increase potatoes or rice at lunch and/or dinner
-incorporate beans, lentils, oats, pastas, tortillas, bread, etc.
NEED MORE FAT?
-avocado, olive oil, grass fed butter, etc.
-bacon, nuts or nut butter
Example Day (female)
BREAKFAST || 39P 67C 29F – 689 CAL
3 eggs, 2 slices of bacon, 200g bell peppers, 60g quick oats, 123g raspberries
LUNCH || 32P 89C 23F – 674 CAL
3 oz. cooked ground bison, 260g sweet potato, 75g avocado, 200g zucchini, 126g banana
DINNER || 48P 94C 20F – 734 CAL
4 oz. grilled chicken, 280g cooked jasmine rice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 200g broccolini
TOTALS: APPROX 119P 251C 71F – 2097 CAL
Example Day (male)
BREAKFAST || 47P 82C 34F – 834 CAL
4 eggs, 2 slices bacon, 200g bell peppers, 80g quick oats, 123g raspberries
LUNCH || 64P 89C 26F – 846 CAL 6 oz. cooked ground bison, 260g sweet potatoes, 75g avocado, 200g zucchini, 126g banana
DINNER || 71P 94C 22F – 858 CAL
6 oz. grilled chicken, 280g cooked jasmine rice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 200g broccolini
TOTALS: APPROX 182P 265C 82F – 2538 CAL
How to log bulk meal prep
Example: FMC Easy Bison Chili
Ingredients for 5 servings:
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 cup onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 1/2 lb 95% lean ground bison Seasonings 1 tablespoon chili powder 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon cinnamon pinch of sea salt & pepper 2 cups unsalted beef stock (or broth) 5 heaping tablespoons tomato paste (OR 2/3 cup tomato sauce) sea salt & pepper to taste Garnish jalapeno cilantro
How to log bulk meal prep
Step 1.) Create a recipe on MyFitnessPal
Step 2.) Log all ingredients into MyFitnessPal based off total servings
Step 3.) Choose number of servings, log and store recipe for future use
How to log bulk meal prep
Approximate macros for 1 of 5 servings:
CALORIES = 373
Protein = 38g
Fat = 20g
Carbs = 11g
Need more help?
Email me and I will be happy to help 🙂
Justin@iCoachNutrition.com