Note on amounts: I buy groceries for a household of one (1) person. You will need to do the math for your own household.
Note on fruit: I don’t really like fruit so you will see that reflected here. If you’re a big fruit lover, you may want to check the amounts you’re eating – while it’s technically good for you, you may be adding too much sugar into your diet.
Be sure to check out my pantry staples guide here.
FRESH GROCERIES I ALMOST ALWAYS PURCHASE EVERY WEEK
- 12-pack eggs
- Almond milk
- lemons
- 1 head of cauliflower or bag of cauli rice
- bag of potatoes (either the 2 lb bag from TJ’s or the big 5-lb bag elsewhere
- onions of various types
- 1-2 bags of salad depending on your preference. I like the “Herb Mix” and “Champs Elysées” from Trader Joe’s the best.
SAMPLE GROCERY GUIDE #1
- 1 lb turkey
- 1 lb ground beef
- flat of chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
- Citrus – either a bag of cuties or a couple of oranges
- 1-2 winter squashes if available (I LOVE squash)
- 1 big cucumber or pack of littles for your salad
Stuff you’ll make: turkey burgers (makes 4-6 depending on size), fried eggs & egg salad, instant pot chicken (eat straight or make chicken salad), meatloaf or hamburger patties or meat & potatoes.
Build your meals with a protein and two vegetables. You can occasionally sub a fruit for a veg or a potato for a veg. Don’t be afraid of adding fats such as salad dressing or mayo or cooking with olive oil or whatever.
SAMPLE GROCERY GUIDE #2
- 1 lb ground turkey or beef
- flat of stew meat or beef tips
- 1 pork loin
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 bag salad
- fresh mushrooms (I like crimini)
- pack of celery
- bag of baby carrots
- frozen baby onions (frozen is cheaper)
- 2-3 apples
- optional: root vegetable such as beets
Stuff you’ll make: turkey or beef bolognese with half the bag of mushrooms over spiralized zucchini (or potatoes), beef stew with celery, potatoes, baby onions, and carrots (easy to do in crock pot or instant pot), roasted pork loin with celery, carrots, onion, beets, and chopped apple.
These lists are just samples – think about the things you like to eat and go from there! Your list of “bought every week” items may be different than mine. You might like bananas or have other staples that you need for your household. A banana has never crossed the threshold of my home. 😉