If you live a fast pace life (like many of us do!) and you need to cut to the chase and simplify grocery shopping (while staying on budget), then listen up because I have a simple method that might work wonders for you.
If you want to keep it simple in the grocery store and lower cost, all you need to do is choose items from the following categories.
3 Animal Proteins: this can include anything from beef, bison, lamb, and chicken, to wild-caught seafood, to eggs and pastured bacon.
If I were to grab three quick proteins for the week, I would probably choose grass-fed beef (with liver mixed in, if it were available), pastured eggs, and wild-caught salmon. The beef and salmon present a culinary contrast that will keep things from getting boring in the kitchen, and the eggs are great for breakfast, for snacks, and even late-night protein banana pancakes.
6 Carbs: this can include anything from sprouted grains to root veggies to fruit, but I suggest prioritizing root veggies and fruit to keep things simple. Sweet potato, carrots, parsnips, white potatoes, squash, purple potatoes, and beets are great root veggies options, and mango, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, oranges, banana, and kiwi are fantastic options for fruit. If you want to add sprouted rice or oats, go for it! This is simply a "bare minimum" suggestion resource that will help you get the basics when life is busy. What would I choose if I only selected six items? Organic golden potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes, kiwi, banana, and mango.
4 "Snack Builders": this category includes foods that will not necessarily comprise a whole meal but will instead serve as a snack addition. Yogurt, bone broth, cheese, and collagen make great options. Jerky sticks and avocado oil potato chips are also an excellent option for this category. For the yogurt, look for one that contains around a 1:1 sugar and protein ratio, and for cheese, look for one with an adequate amount of protein per serving.
Of course, in addition to these "3, 6, 9" selections, you will need additional groceries. You might add butter, coconut oil, herbs and spices, oats, rice, tomatoes, peppers, milk, and so on to your cart - but you will have the foundational groceries on hand for the week.
Remember, these are only basic suggestions - you can get whatever you want to get at the grocery store! This can be a helpful tool to use when stressed, overwhelmed, "stuck", or if you tend to over buy without a plan.
