Hey! Did you know you can complete a successful Whole30 without ever stepping foot into a Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or any other specialty health food store? Well you can and you should! Regular local grocery stores have stepped up their game, and now carry so many products that are Whole30 compliant. Plus, these products are affordable and should be a part of your life after Whole30. They are better quality and don’t contain funky ingredients you don’t want to incorporate back into your diet. Let’s get started on this Shop With Me: Local Grocery Store (Whole30 Edition)!
I went to a local grocery store in my hometown and was amazed by all the compliant products I found. Obviously, my local grocery store will vary from yours and vice versa. Shopping at your local grocery store does require a little more work because you have to read lots of labels, but it’s totally worth it because you’ll find some awesome gems! There were products I found that I didn’t think were compliant, but was pleasantly surprised when they were complaint –some are products we’ve seen all of our lives (i.e. Classico marinara sauce). The items I found can (hopefully) be found nationally at all grocery stores. I looked for brands that I know exist almost everywhere.
Oh, and I wanted to mention I didn’t really take pictures of produce, meats and seafood. All grocery stores carry those items. I also wanted to make note that you do not have to always buy organic, grass-fed, straight from the farm blah blah blah produce and meats. Yes, it’s recommended, but it’s not a requirement. Use your discretion and buy whatever fits into your budget. You’re already making a huge lifestyle change. There’s no need to add financial stress to your life. However, if you want to take a step into changing the types of produce and meats you’re buying, follow these guidelines:
1. If you want to buy organic produce, start by following the dirty dozen rule and clean fifteen guidelines to see which produce to buy organic or not.
2. Buy grass-fed meat if you can. It doesn’t have to be organic. I will always choose grass-fed over organic if there isn’t a grass-fed & organic option.
3. Wild caught seafood is best. I buy frozen seafood because it’s typically cheaper than getting it fresh from the counter.
4. Make sure your chicken is hormone free.
Alright, without further ado, here are the Whole30 compliant products I found at my local grocery store!
1. Produce section – there are so many options to choose from. You can get spiralized veggies to fresh herbs and pre-made guacamole. My grocery store also has a section of produce from local farmers. See if your produce section has that and that’s a great way to support your local farmers without having to go to a farmer’s market.
3. Sausages, hotdogs and cured meats – back in the day, Aidells chicken & apple sausage was the only easily accessible compliant sausage you can find, but nowadays you have a plethora of choices! I also found new brands like Teton Waters on my trip. They have a few different sausages that are compliant. This is where reading your labels is important. You might find some awesome compliant products!
4. Meats – I thought it was great my local grocery store had bison as an option for meats and there were lots of grass-fed beef options. I also love buying frozen burger patties to make life easier and Bubba is compliant! Not pictured: chicken, pork and seafood.
5. Cooking fats – I will have to say I was most surprised to find ghee sold at my local grocery store! How exciting! Also, every regular grocery store I’ve been to carries that cooking spray alongside a bunch of other compliant cooking fats. Your options are endless.
6. Sauces/condiments/dressings – all compliant and all found in a regular grocery store. I think it’s so awesome we can now find things like coconut aminos outside of a Whole Foods!
7. Flours – you can find so many compliant flours at your grocery store nowadays! Not pictured: arrowroot starch/flour.
8. Spices – you can literally find any kind of spice at your grocery store. Just be sure to read the labels though. Some brands will have preservatives and sometimes even dye in their spices. Obviously avoid those. Also, nutritional yeast is my favorite and you should give it a try.
9. Marinara sauce – all three are compliant with different price ranges. This is a HUGE step up from when I did my first Whole30 and couldn’t find one brand that was compliant. I always had to get red sauce from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.
10. Canned fish – I can’t stress this enough, you HAVE to read the labels when it comes to canned fish. Some will be labeled “tuna in water” and then you look at the ingredients and it contains soy, vegetable broth and etc. I personally love Wild Planet. Safe Catch is another Whole30 approved brand. You can also find compliant anchovies, clams and things like smoked oysters.
11. Canned/jarred goods – all of these are pantry staples that are inexpensive and can be stored for a long time. Again, be sure to read the labels.
12. Snacks – maybe your grocery store doesn’t carry fancy protein bars but that’s ok! Make due with what you have and you’ll be fine. Raw nuts are always an option, healthy fats like olives are great and applesauce on the go is convenient.
13. Broth/stock – Imagine is a new brand for me, but they had a bunch of different compliant broths! I’m pretty sure most of us have heard of Swanson. Their stock is compliant, not their broth. Just keep that in mind. Pacific Foods is another brand carried at my grocery store, but their stock is tricky because some are compliant and some aren’t depending on the size of the carton. Again, read your labels!
14. Frozen/canned vegetables – I feel like both are underrated and they shouldn’t be. Frozen vegetables are usually frozen at their peak ripeness, and absolutely nothing is wrong with canned veggies. They make life in the kitchen so much easier!
15. Beverages – there are so many to choose from! You have your sparkling water, teas, and coffee.
16. Kerrygold butter – Butter is NOT, I repeat NOT, compliant, BUT making your own ghee totally is, and Kerrygold is the best butter to use for that! I use to have to go to Whole Foods to pick this stuff up, but that’s not the case anymore!
Well, there you have it folks! Whole30 is totally doable without spending a lot of money and having to go to Whole Foods. You just have to put in the effort and make it work for you!