It’s a common misconception that eating healthy is more expensive. It’s not!

Yes - you can go wild buying “Keto” cereals, granola bars and treats… but so many of those processed foods don’t actually support a Keto diet. So save your money and let’s get back to the basics!

I’ll share with you some of our favorite proteins, veggies, fruits, fats, dairy and snacks. Use these delicious foods to make the simple meals you see on our blog!

Bonus: I’ll also share some SUPER basic meals we make at the end. So easy they aren’t even considered a “recipe!

1) Shop the perimeter. The outside ring of the grocery store generally contains your produce, dairy and meat… exactly what’s in our grocery list! The inside shelves contain cereals, bread, sugary beverages and pasta. We want to avoid that!

So, start by filling your basket with your veggies (above ground veggies are the lowest carb) and fruits (go for berries, skip bananas, oranges and grapes). Swing by the meat counter and choose chicken breast, steaks, and wild caught (rather than farm raised) fish. Try to avoid the processed deli meats.

Finally, go to the dairy section to pick up your eggs, cheese and cream. Remember - it can be easy to overdo it on dairy… so try to limit it. Or, cut it out if you feel better without it!

2) When you buy your food, choose options that are less processed. Go for chicken breast you’ll bake in the oven rather than deli meat. If you want low carb tortillas, choose something like Folios or Egg Life wraps (or make your own!) that have simple ingredients and avoid the ones that have ingredients you can’t pronounce.

Look at the pictures below next to the grocery lists. Skip the packaged snacks, bars, and meals and go for the quick and easy home made recipes!

Of course, we do eat some processed food. We have busy lives just like you with busy kids. Nick travels a lot and I’m home with the kids and working, driving them to school, sports and more. The goal is not to be perfect… but to make the majority of your food as healthy as possible!

Protein
Chicken
Salmon
Pork
Steak
Ground Beef
Eggs
Shrimp
Tuna

Veggies
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Zucchini
Brussel Sprouts
Radishes
Spaghetti Squash
Asparagus
Spinach/Lettuce

Fruits
Raspberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Strawberries
Avocado
Bell Peppers
Cucumbers
Olives

Dairy (sparingly)
Full Fat Plain Yogurt
Greek Yogurt
Sour Cream
Cottage Cheese
Cream Cheese
Heavy Cream

Fats
Butter
Coconut Oil
Avocado Oil
Olive Oil
MCT Oil

Snacks
Nuts & Seeds
Almonds
Macadamia
Pecans
Walnuts
Pork Rinds
Nut Butter
Cheese Stick

Most of us know the basics to avoid: Bread, pasta, sugary beverages like juice and soda.

However, there are other things to watch out for as well. We always talk about looking at the ingredients rather than just the brand name of the product (or type of product). So make sure you flip it over, read the label and look at the carbs and sugars!

Here are two examples. Most of us have been taught “organic” means healthy and granola is a great option. Not at all! This brand has 19 carbs per serving.

Yogurt can be a great high protein, low carb option… but skip anything sweetened or with fruit. This vanilla yogurt option has 17 carbs per serving. Combine together and you’ve got 36 carbs for yogurt and granola!

We have some AMAZING recipes on our blog that are incredibly easy to make and family friendly. But if you only want to use 1-2 ingredients and don’t want to measure or follow a recipe…give some of these options a try! We’re basically pairing a seasoned protein with a veggie.

• Steak, seasoned with Salt and Pepper + Pan Roasted Asparagus in Salt and Butter

• Breakfast for Dinner = Eggs + Bacon

• Baked Chicken Seasoned with Roasted Garlic Salt + Cucumber and Ranch

• Baked Chicken Topped with Salsa + Bell Peppers

• Pan Fried or Oven Roasted Ham Steak + Riced Cauliflower with Coconut Aminos

• Bunless Burger with Cheese, Mayo and Ketchup + Raw Broccoli and Ranch

• Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks Seasoned with Salt and Pepper + Roasted Cauliflower

• Shrimp pan fried or roasted with butter and garlic salt + Caesar side salad