Grocery Store Must Haves

With being in the middle of my "off-season," and no real strict training schedule to follow I have very little to write about in regards to my training.  I have been continuing to go day by day and just doing what I feel like on that day and taking a day off if I just don't feel like working out.  My diet has continued to be my weak point.  Especially with Halloween having come and gone with 2 kids my will power has been at an all time low.  None the less, I still continue to try and eat "real" foods as often as I can.  So instead of my writing on here about the nearly exact same types of topics I would take the opportunity to write about things I can't leave the grocery store with out.  So below are some of my favorite foods/items I need to pick up every trip to the grocery store along with the reasons why I choose them.  As a father of two girls and many other financial commitments our grocery bill is often a place I look to stay with in a budget while eating only high quality foods.  So most of these foods, although, more expensive then the unhealthy alternative, they are still reasonably priced.  Along with being reasonably priced most of the times their flavor is more rich and flavorful, often times you do not need to use as much as the cheaper unhealthy option, which saves money in the long run.

Filippo Berio Extra Light Olive Oil

Serving Size: 1 Tbsp; Calories: 120, Fat: 14g, Carbohydrate: 0g, Protein: 0g

Olive Oil is a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats.  It has a great flavor and is great for sauteing and grilling.  Be sure to get regular olive oil (NOT extra virgin) if you plan on cooking with it as this can oxidize the oils giving them a highly inflammatory effect and can produce a lot of free radicals throughout the oil.  Be sure to look for oils that say "first pressed" or "cold pressed" or a combination of the two.  Store your oils in a cool and dark location away from heat.  I like using regular olive oil for sauteing fish and vegetables.  

Naturally More Almond Butter

Serving Size: 2 Tbsp; Calories: 180, Fat: 15g, Carbohydrate: 7g, Protein: 8g

Almond butter not only has a better fat content than that of peanut butter, but it also tastes a ton better.  I recently found out that a peanut is not really a nut, instead its actually classified as a legume.  Almonds are often considered a wonder food for their healthy benefits.  Along with the benefits of almonds in almond butter Naturally More Almond Butter contains flax seeds to increase the healthy fat content along with natural ingredients to increase the protein content of the nut butter.  Almond butter is great in oatmeal to add protein and of course its always good on a couple pieces of toast.

Steel Cut Oats

 Serving Size: 1/4 cup; Calories: 150, Fat: 2.5g, Carbohydrate: 27g, Protein: 5g

Steel cut oats take a little longer to prepare but have much more flavor than quick cooking oats.  The difference between steel cut oats and regular oatmeal is steel cut oats start out as whole grans and are simple cut with small steel blades....hence steel cut oats.  Oatmeal needs to be cooked down and then is rolled out to be flattened which allows it to cook much faster.  The down side to it being cooked down is you loose some of the nutrients.  Steel cut oats are relatively low on the glycemic index, meaning it has a low impact on your blood sugar.  Which makes it a great pre or post workout meal.  My favorite way to make steel cut oats is with coconut milk, almond butter, honey, chia seeds, flax seeds, and a banana.

Fish

 I usually try to buy a wide variety of seafood each week.  Among my regular purchases, I usually get a couple packs of tuna and salmon, tilapia, and sardines.  Fish is about as good as it gets for meat.  Its a very low fat, high protein food.  Its a great source of healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  I use the packets of tuna/salmon for salads with spinach, raisins, walnuts, and a raspberry vinaigrette.  For the tilapia fillets, I will brush olive oil onto them with a little lemon pepper or sea salt, and toss them on the grill. 

Avocados

 Serving Size: 1 Avocado; Calories: 322, Fat: 29g, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 4g

Avocados are another one of those "super foods."  A very high fat fruit, but consists of mostly very healthy fats.  Avocados are great plain and have a very rich flavor.  Look for avocados that are firm, yet soft and have a dark green color.  I use avocados on salads or just plain.

Seagram's Flavored Sparkling Water

Serving Size: 1 12oz can; Calories: 0, Fat: 0g, Carbohydrate: 0g, Fat: 0g

A great option for soda.  Seltzer water has no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or flavors.  Diet soda is loaded with artificial additives that can actual have a negative effect on body composition even though it has zero calories.  The artificial sweeteners found in diet soda can leave you craving sweets and cause you to eat more caloric dense food than you would have not consumed with out that diet soda.  Seltzer water contains naturally carbonated water (much like that of soda) and is sweetened with natural fruit flavors.

Tree of Life Refined Coconut Oil

 Serving Size: 1 Tbsp; Calories: 120, Fat: 14g, Carbohydrate: 0g, Protein: 0g

Coconuts contain high amounts of medium chain triglycerides, which is a very healthy fat, especially for endurance athletes.  Along with MCT's coconuts have other very healthy properties, which make refined coconut oil a smart substitute for butter.  It has a lower smoke point than olive oil so its not great for high temperature sauteing, but for using it as a flavor boost or a bit oil for cooking eggs so they don't stick to the pan.  

Carapelli Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 Serving Size: 1 Tbsp; Calories: 120, Fat: 14g, Carbohydrate: 0g, Protein: 0g

Besides the way its created, the only real difference between Extra Virgin Olive Oil and regular Olive Oil is the way it should be used.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil should NOT be used to saute or grill.  It should be used as a dip, dressing, or in salads.  Heating EVOO can cause many negative effects to the oil which can turn this very healthy oil into a veyr unhealthy option.

Spinach

 Serving Size: 1 cup; Calories: 7, Fat: 0g, Carbohydrate: 1g, Protein: 1g

Spinach is another one of those so called "super foods."  And rightfully so, for a simple leaf, it contains many phytonutrients which have a very anti-inflammatory property.  These phytonutrients also have strong anti-cancer properties as well.  It has a great taste and is great in salads.  You can even cook the spinach down with a little EVOO or coconut oil for a simple side dish.  I also like to add spinach to my eggs in the morning.   

Chobani Greek Yogurt

 Serving Size: 1 cup; Calories: 170, Fat: 5g, Carbohydrate: 9g, Protein: 22g

I intentionally put the highest fat option made by Chobani.  A recent study has found that the Homogenization process of dairy products can have a negative effect on the way our bodies process the food.  It can actually increase body fat percentages even though it is a lower fat product.  This is a hypothesis of course, but its worth noting that some companies heat their yogurts to such a high temperature during the homogenization process that it actually kills the live bacteria in yogurt.  Studies have also found positive health effects of full fat dairy products.  Chobani is a high quality company that uses a lower heat during their homogenization process which preserves the live cultures.  They also use all natural ingredients.  I always get plain yogurt to avoid the added sugars found in flavored yogurts.  I add muesli, maple syrup, frozen fruit, or a combination of those to add natural flavors to my yogurt with out all the artificial stuff and preservatives.  Other yogurt companies that use a lower heat during the homogenization process to preserve the cultures include Dannon and Stoneyfield.  Stoneyfield is an organic company and makes high quality products.  Dannon is a company that offers a wide range of products some of which contain many artificial sweeteners/preservatives.  Dannon also makes yogurt products that do not have all the artificial junk added too.  So just take a look at the label if you are going to go with Dannon.

Oskri Coconut Bars

 Serving Size: 1 bar; Calories: 180, Fat: 11g, Carbohydrate: 21g, Protein: 1g

A very simple snack bar that contains only 2 ingredients; Coconut and Rice Syrup.  By using rice syrup this product is considered to be gluten free.  Going back to the benefits of coconut and the high amounts of medium chain triglycerides, these bars are very tasty and pretty good for you.  The amount of sugar in the make them a wiser choice before exercise or for a day of hiking.

So Delicious Unflavored Coconut Milk

 Serving Size: 1 cup; Calories: 50, Fat: 5g, Carbohydrate: 1g, Protein: 1g

A great option for those trying to eliminate or limit dairy from their diet or just looking for a healthy way to add fat to your diet.  These milk substitutes are low in calories and high in healthy fats and nutrients.  So Delicious is an organic company so you do not need to worry about finding any artificial ingredients in their products either.  They also make flavored milks as well, including vanilla and chocolate.  So Delicious makes a great coffee creamer as well which is a great alternative to dairy creamers which contain little to no nutritional value.

Sweet Potatoes

Serving Size: 1 5" Potato; Calories: 112, Fat: 0g, Carbohydrate: 26g, Protein: 2g

Sweet potatoes are a staple in many endurance athletes diets...and for good reason.  They contain a high amount of healthy carbohydrates.  Sweet potatoes are considered to be lower on the glycemic index (48) then their counterpart, baking potatoes (~100).  This means by consuming them they will have a small impact on your blood sugar.  They supply a ton of great slowly metabolized carbohydrates which make these a great option for a pre-work out meal.  Simply baking them make them easily accessible during a busy week. Add some organic grass fed butter along with cinnamon and you have a delicious snack.

So that covers it, a few must have I try to always keep stocked in our house.  Obviously there are many other staples in our house, but in general these are the most important foods, or the ones that I try to eat on a nearly daily basis.  So hopefully this helps out a little with making wise decisions at the grocery store, or at least gives you some ideas for something new to try.