I hope you find these 75 grocery store short cuts help you save time and eat better!
If you’re running short of time, here are some great grocery store finds. I’ve included comments about food quality (organic, additives, “food-like substances” to help you make healthier choices. There are few processed foods that are completely “clean”, but I’ve picked out the ones I think are the best. Let me know your suggestions-all comments are welcome!
Sauces and Seasonings
Disclaimer: Homemade is always cheaper and almost always better! Sometimes the time saved makes up for the price.
Alfredo Sauce-watch for additives
Barbecue Sauce-Amy’s is best. Avoid sauces with high fructose corn syrup
Better than Bullion-organic is better
Creamy soups-shop for organic brands, like Pacific or Imagine. Watch for additives and sodium if not organic
Gravy Mixes-same as above
Gravy-ready made-same as above
Konriko Greek Seasoning (no MSG, a an exitotoxin, 😊)
Pasta Sauce-watch for additives and sugar
Pesto-DeLallo, Simply Pesto Traditional Basil are my favorites
Salsa-watch for additives
Squeezable garlic or already chopped (for emergencies-fresh is always better)
Squeezable herbs in tube (you can find some herbs in the freezer section in cubes-I think this is great!)
Taco seasoning- buy Spicely or Frontier (contains silicon dioxide which is not so great)
Teriyaki Sauce
Tikka Masala Sauce-Stonewall Kitchen or Sharwoods are good.
Veggies
A few words about organic vs non-organic veggies, but more on these labels is in the Happy Kitchen Academy). The EWG has a very helpful list of the most sprayed and least sprayed, the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen, https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/
Read more about organics in my post THE TRUTH ABOUT ORGANICS.
Note : Items labeled Non-gmo will NOT be sprayed with glyphosate, but this doesn’t mean that NO pesticides were used. It only means that no glyphosate sprayed on the plant.
DD=Dirty Dozen CF=Clean Fifteen
Frozen Veggies-these are great shortcuts and can even be stir fried frozen or roasted.
Broccoli CF
Butter nut squash-spiralized
Butternut squash-quick to use-no peeling or fighting with it to chop
Cauliflower CF
Cauliflower rice CF
Corn CF
Green Beans
Mixed Vegetables
Onion-chopped CF
Peas CF
Peas and Carrots
Peppers chopped-DD and usually not organic
Trinity: mix of celery DD, peppers DD and onions-again, not organic usually☹
Veggies for fajitas (some are DD)
Veggies for stir fry (some are DD)
Zucchini-spiralized
Precut/prepped veggies in the Produce Section
Baby Carrots-baby carrots are really big ones shaved down to size and dunked in chlorine
Broccoli Florets CF
Broccoli Slaw
Butternut squash-spiralized
Carrot sticks-baby carrots are really big ones shaved down to size and dunked in chlorine BUY ORGANIC.
Cauliflower pieces CF
Celery sticks DD
Cole slaw mix CF if all cabbage
Salad greens-prewashed DD
Sliced Mushrooms CF
Trinity: celery, peppers and onions-again, not organic; usually DD except onions
Veggies for fajitas (some are DD
Veggies for stir fry (some are DD)
Zucchini-spiralized
Fresh produce-no cook
Salad greens DD
Carrots
Celery DD
Cucumber
Green onions
Radishes
Avoid eating raw mushrooms (no nutrition if not cooked)
Fresh produce-quick cook
Asparagus CF
Bok choy
Spinach
Protein Short Cuts-Organic is preferred, or antibiotic and hormone free (More on this in the Happy Kitchen Academy.)
Rotisserie Chicken-tough call; it IS very convenient, but lots of additives in the marinade. Better choice-bake a couple of your own every week.
Frozen cooked shrimp-wild caught, no preservatives
Raw Shrimp-quick cooking but short lived in the fridge; wild caught and no preservatives are best
Scallops-watch for additives, even in the seafood case!
Tilapia
Salmon filets-I love Morey’s already seasoned; wild caught Alaskan is best.
Turkey cutlets
Chicken tenders or cutlets
Ground beef (grass fed if possible)
Ground chicken
Ground turkey
Eggs
Quick Cooking Carbohydrates/Starches
Pre-cooked brown rice-organic if possible
Pre-cooked quinoa
No boil lasagna noodles
Refrigerated pastas
Refrigerated mashed potatoes -never organic, unfortunately
Pre-Made Pizza Crust..watch for additives
Pantry items (look for BPA free cans)
Beans: kidney, black, pinto, chick peas, canellini, black eyed peas, etc.
Tomato products are on the DD list. If you’re not buying organic, look for non-gmo or imported from Europe, where standards are higher)
Tomatoes-chopped or whole
Tomato Sauce
Tomato Paste
Chicken Broth-organic is preferred.
Miscellaneous
Grated Cheese-not a fan due to additives and not organic; OK in a pinch
Guacamole CF
Hummus-watch for additives
Bottled Organic lemon juice-great if you use a lot! If not organic, watch for additives.
Organic lime juice