How To Make a Grocery List You Can Re-Use

When working on adding more nutritious foods to your diet, a big factor is the food you have available to you at home.

When I think about habits, like dietary habits, I like to keep in mind that the more you set yourself up for success the easier it will be to follow through on your intentions.

The less resistance you have between you and your habit change, the easier it will be to accomplish. If adopting new habits is something you want to learn more about I highly recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s an excellent book that outlines the steps you can take to adopt a new habit.

One way you can make it easier to eat health is to create a grocery staples list. A list you can keep around, and every time you go to the grocery store you can check in on it, to make it easier to shop!

Here are a few things that I try to keep on my grocery list so I can ensure I have more food available to me throughout the week:  

• A handful of vegetables and fruit that are easy to snack on 

• Nutritious snacks I enjoy (ex. Nuts, hummus or guacamole and crackers, apples and almond butter).

• Snacks specifically for ON THE GO situations.

• A few protein sources (A good quality protein powder, legumes and/or chicken, eggs) 

• Grains that you enjoy with meals (rice, quinoa, oats)  

• A treat or two (I often like a little dessert)

• Finally, the ingredients for meals for that week

Finding what works for you is important, so try to think back to the foods that make you feel your best and what would help you feel like you were “set up for the days or week ahead of you”.

This type of structure works for me, but what works for you?

The idea is to create a space at home where you always have food available, especially food you can eat when you’re busy as this is often when it becomes easy to grab a snack that is less nutritious. And there is always a time and place for treats in my life, I like to be intentional about the nutrients going into my body so I ensure I get what I need everyday!

Tip: Keep the grocery list in your notes app on your phone so you always have access to it and have a plan when you go out.