Today I want to go over how to build an effective grocery list.
First, pick two options for breakfast, an option for lunch and two options for dinner. With dinners and lunches, you can mix and match if you need variety. Then, think of a few snacks you want to have on hand – some perishable and some that have a longer shelf life. Don’t forget to add in some treats or your favorite foods. For me, this would be chips and candy.
Check you cupboards and fridge for items you may already have and see if any of your staples like oil, butter or seasoning need to be replaced.
Now, let’s build some meals.
How to Build an Effective Grocery List
Breakfasts:
Start with the name, list the ingredients and then we will highlight the ingredients we need from the store.
Option 1 – Egg Burrito
- Eggs
- Egg whites
- Cottage Cheese
- Bell peppers
- Salsa
- Cheese
- Tortillas
- Seasoning
Option 2 – Overnight Oats
- Oatmeal
- Almond Milk
- Banana
- Cinnadust
- Chia Seeds
- Splenda
- Chicken Sausage
Lunch
Chicken Quesadilla and a Side Salad
- Tortillas
- Chicken
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Hot Sauce
- Lettuce
- Bolthouse Ranch
Dinner
Option 1: Chicken Taco Bowl
- Chicken
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Cilantro
- Onion
- Cheese
- Avocado
- Yogurt
- Hot Sauce
- Rice
- Lime
- Seasonings
Salmon Bowl
- Salmon
- Rice
- Cucumber
- Seaweed Snacks
- Sriracha
- Soy Sauce
- Seasonings
Snacks
- Yogurt parfaits (nuts and fruit)
- think! protein bars
- Cucumber with tuna on top
- Rice Cakes
- Chips
Pick snacks that you enjoy and add them to the list. I’ve listed a few of my favorites. The greek yogurt mixed with the hot sauce in some of these meals is a creamy dip packed with protein. As you can see, you use some items in multiple recipes. Now, let’s build our grocery list.
Grocery List
Meats
- Chicken
- Salmon
- Chicken Sausage
- Canned Tuna
Dairy
- Cottage Cheese
- Greek Yogurt
- Eggs
- Egg whites
- Shredded Mexican Cheese
- Almond Milk
Fruits & Veggies
- Blueberries
- Rasberries
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Cilantro
- Onion
- Limes
- Bell Peppers (Frozen)
- Banana
- Lettuce
Carbs
- Tortillas
- Rice
- Oatmeal
- Rice Cakes
- Chips
- Bread (This isn’t listed in any of the meals but can easily be swapped in for a tortilla to make a sandwich or have some toast). I buy the Nature’s Harvest Light Multigrain bread. Keep bread in the freezer to make it last longer if it’s just you and you know you can’t eat it before it goes bad.
Snacks/MISC
- Nuts (Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios, etc.)
- think! Protein bars – I absolutely love these.
- Salsa
- Cinnadust
- Chia Seeds
- Splenda
- Hot Sauce
- Bolthouse Ranch
- Sriracha
- Soy Sauce
I always like to prep my rice and meats in bulk so I can just reheat throughout the week. It’s so much easier when you have things planned so you aren’t sitting around snacking while trying to find something to eat. I know we’ve all been there. Base all of these meals and the servings off of your personal macros.
