your first whole30 shopping list;
If you’re looking to tackle whole30, the first barrier to entry is tackling the grocery store. Well, really the first is mentally deciding to do the diet, and the second is your shopping list. But I’m here to help!
Here are some of my personal favorites for whole30 shopping. Keep in mind this was my first attempt at a whole30 so if you spot anything on here that doesn’t quite fit the official whole30 bill, leave a comment and let me and other readers know! It’s hard to navigate the store, but I hope that this serves as a helpful place for you, and a reminder for me if I decided to go another round. I will call out my specific approach to whole30. For the first go-around, my goal was to stick to the food limitations as closely as possible. Meaning that I allowed myself to eat if I felt hungry, including snacks which is technically a no-no. I also allowed myself french fries as a compromise for going out, as long as they followed the other rules (e.g. no Five Guys fries as they’re fried in peanut oil). So you will see a fair number of snacks on my lists here, and I’m okay with that.
First and foremost, Trader Joe’s is your friend. Honestly, for this diet, I’ve gone at least once a week, if not more. If you don’t have a TJ’s convenient to you, don’t worry, you can find options almost anywhere these days. The obvious organic-and-health oriented Whole Foods, Wegmans, etc. are also great places to shop, but I love TJ’s because it’s has relatively cheap prices and is very in-tune with the current food trends. But even if these stores aren’t a part of your typical grocery run, you’ll be surprised what you can find. Harris Teeter is great for wing portions for making chicken wings, it took going to Giant to find Primal Kitchen’s Mayonnaise and dressings, and Costco has some surprisingly tasty options like pulled pork and sausages. So you can do this! It just takes a little bit of planning.
Proteins
You’ll be eating lots of meats. I won’t be listing out every kind of meat you can eat, but know that ground beef/chicken/turkey, steaks, chicken breasts, etc. is all good as long as it satisfies the rules!
- Kirkland Smoked Pulled Pork (Costco) – I actually loved the portion size here. You think Costco you think huge. But I split the 2lb package in half and froze one half for another week. One pound is great for 3-4 individual meals in a week and it’s quite delicious!
- Canned Salmon (Trader Joe’s) – perfect for salmon cakes! Just make sure to swap the mayo for whole-30 approved mayo.
- Pepperoni/Prosciutto (Trader Joe’s)
- Aidell’s Chicken and Apple Sausage (Costco)
- Eggs (Costco) – get the big baby. You’ll go through it
- Grass Fed Beef Sirloin Roast (Trader Joe’s) – delicious and perfect for exhausting days
- Frozen shrimp (Wegmans)
- Chicken Wing Portions (Harris Teeter)
Condiments / Bases
- Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayonnaise (Giant)
- Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Ranch Dressing (Giant)
- Yellow mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- White vinegar
- Almond Flour (Trader Joe’s)
- Coconut Flour (Wegmans)
- Capers (Giant)
- Almond Butter (Trader Joe’s)
- Coconut Oil (Trader Joe’s)
- Fresh garlic (Harris Teeter)
- Clarified Butter / Ghee (Trader Joe’s)
- Coconut Milk (Trader Joe’s)
- Coconut Aminos (Trader Joe’s)
- Chicken Stock (Trader Joe’s)
- Salsa (Giant)
- Chia Seed packets (Wegmans)
- Tomato Sauce (Wegmans)
- Cinnamon
Sides / Snacks
- Sweet Plantain Chips (Trader Joe’s) – these are no longer approved as all chips are off limits, but I still buy them
- Rx Bars, Mixed Berry & Blueberry flavors (Trader Joe’s)
- Original Larabars, Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, & Key Lime Pie flavors (Trader Joe’s)
- Salt and Pepper Pistachios (Trader Joe’s)
- Dried Fruits, raisins, apricots, pineapple, apple rings (Trader Joe’s)
- Sabra Guacamole Cups (Giant)
Fruits / Vegetables
Obviously go wild with your preferences. Find tasty vegetables you’re willing to eat! I’m not going to make this a list of vegetables because I presume you all know what fruits and vegetables are. But I will list products that were tasty and helped me.
- Cauliflower Rice (Trader Joe’s)
- Carrot Noodles (Trader Joe’s)
- Frozen Hash Browns (Wegmans)
- Roasted Potatoes with Peppers and Onions (Trader Joe’s) – does contain trace amounts of milk, if you’re trying to be 100% compliant
- Fire Roasted Bell Peppers & Onions (Trader Joe’s)
