50 Dietitian-Approved Convenient Grocery Store Foods
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
So many of the issues my clients are trying to work through can be boiled down to a few origins. That's not to say that everyone doesn't have their own unique situations, because of course they do! But I often find that many of the nutrition or food-related struggles my clients face are in fact simple in nature.
Take for instance a very common one: time.
In short, we all need more of it. Especially when we are trying to improve our health and need to dedicate time to nutrition counseling sessions, planning, shopping, preparing, cooking, cleaning up, etc.
Simple, right? Easy to understand, not as easy to manage.
The good news is that I have a few shortcuts to share that will actually cut down on the time you need to make some of the healthy changes you've been thinking about!
Because times are hard, a disclaimer: the options below tend to not be economical. Because of the prep work, cooking and packaging these tend to run at a higher price than their individual components. But this post is about how I can help you save time! A budget grocery store list might be in our future.
50 Healthy & Convenient Grocery Store Foods
Salad kits - dietitian tip: have a low-fat dressing on hand at home. The ones included tend to be very high fat!
Prepped/cut vegetables - get out of doing any of the chopping!
Prepped/precut fruit - no need to dirty a knife and cutting board, and easy to toss into a container to-go.
Minced garlic - chopping garlic is a personal dislike of mine! But it's necessary for just so many dishes.
Hummus - perfect for dipping those pre-cut vegetables into for a snack!
Rotisserie chicken - ask Google for 10 ways to use a rotisserie chicken and I guarantee you will find something!
Fruit cups - I love keeping these in the pantry for the easiest little snack. Make sure you get the ones packed in juice.
Dried fruit - my go-to especially in the winter. I love dates, prunes, apricots and figs. Sweet & full of fiber!
Nut butter - on toast or on an apple, a pantry staple.
Oats - hot or cold, these fiber-packed grains are another pantry staple for breakfast or a snack!
High fiber/high protein cereal - some of my favorites are Kashi, All Bran, Raisin Bran, & protein Cheerios)
Peanut butter (or cheese) crackers - yes, the pre-made packs of 6!
Bagged popcorn - try to find one with at least 4 grams of fiber & 8 grams of fat or less per serving.
Roasted chickpea snacks - I just love these! There is nothing crunchier.
Trail mix - opt for the portioned kind. It's easy to overdo!
Nuts - again, potion when possible. Healthy fat + fiber for the win.
Protein bars - I should do a whole post on these! I have favs :)
Tofu - a ready-to-eat protein that can be blended, sliced, sauteed, eaten raw, & take on any flavor you want.
Chia seeds - another one of my favorite ways to give my yogurt or oatmeal an added fiber & healthy fat boost.
Canned fish - a great option for every once in a while!
Heat and serve stew packets - I saw these in the soup aisle among curries as well! Yum!
Noodle bowls - same aisle, same idea. A noodle soup already made.
Reduced sodium soup - "reduced" means sodium content is 25% lower than the original. Always go for at least that.
Boxed Mac & Cheese - I'm serious. Add vegetables and protein.
Antipasto veggies - a side dish in an instant.
Canned tomato sauces - no work required as the base or star of any grain meal!
Salsa - not just for chips, but for creating dips, dressings and marinades as well.
Broth - cooking your whole grains in this will make them taste better!
Microwavable grain packets - I've seen so many of these over the years! 10/10.
Minute rice cups - the Minute brand specifically has cups that you can eat right out of.
Bean/lentil pasta - swap this in for literally any pasta you eat and watch the fiber and protein count multiply.
Regular pasta - you will never hear me talk smack about regular pasta! A staple for me weekly. (+ 10 g protein per serving, who knew?)
Canned beans - no need to buy them dry and soak. Drain the can and pour.
Canned vegetables - they are fresh and versatile!
Low sugar or Greek yogurt cups - flavored yogurt is a sneaky source of added sugar and Greek will give you more protein! Look for a combo of both.
Cheese sticks - low moisture, reduced fat, part skim if your store has it. We are looking for protein here!
Fruit/nut/cheese snack trays - I believe Sargento calls these 'balanced breaks'! You could put them together yourself with the items on this list or buy as-is.
Frozen vegetables - fresher than fresh! Most are blanched so cooking time reduces also.
Black bean burgers - eat on a bun or on lettuce for a meatless, high fiber swap.
Frozen edamame - microwave with some salt and sit down for a snack!
Frozen veggie sides - some come sauced, some with potatoes, some with veggies you'd never try on their own!
Protein waffles - since protein is so trendy, you will not have trouble finding these. I love Kodiak.
Frozen bowls - a few options are Healthy Choice, Vital Pursuit, Kevin's, Daily Harvest, Woodstock Organic or Tattooed Chef! This category has gotten better over the years.
Ezekiel bread - hands down my favorite go-to daily bread. You can't get healthier than this.
Frozen fruit - my favorite summer staple! Use in smoothies, defrost overnight or eat right out of the bag.
Frozen rice - in line with the ease of the packet and microwave cup!
Egg scramble cups - just crack an egg into the chopped veggies and voila! Instant egg cup that you did NOT have to prep.
Eggs - one of the cheapest (sometimes) & most versatile foods out there.
Frozen cooked chicken breast - chopped or sliced already, these go great mixed into virtually anything or eaten on their own,
Frozen cooked shrimp - & if you're not a chicken person, shrimp will do!
Whew! I hope that helped give you ideas. Eating healthy should not cost you all your free time!
If you want more recommendations or want to talk about other grocery store tips, I'd love to hear from you! Click here to reach me.
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