Ingredients
My diet has changed drastically over the last 2 years. Being an, “Eat- Real- Food- Clean-Ingredient” foodie left me unsatisfied. I liked having treats in my diet every once in a while. I enjoy eating a slice of pizza with the hubby on the weekends. Unexpected family gatherings? I don’t want to be stressing over what ingredients the ranch has on the salad I’m eating! Belonging to the, “Clean Ingredients” club was starting to stress me out and make me feel unwanted guilt around food.
Taste
I still like to be aware of ingredients- sometimes- but the dichotomous thinking is gone. There’s good, better, best, and when I can’t choose the “best” (or afford “the best” – ha ha) I’m content on settling! With zero guilt. This leaves me less stressed. I now eat food based off of what I want and what I’m craving. I eat to honor my hunger and satiety, not to eat to be, “clean.”
Protein
One macronutrient I am currently loving is protein! I don’t count all of my macronutrients (carbs, fat and protein) However, after all the studies I have read on the importance of protein I started trying to implement more into my diet (about 90-120 grams a day) And can I just say- WOOHOO! I’m loving protein! It keeps me satisfied, filled, and has helped me build muscle.
I haven’t necessarily added more food to my diet through eating more protein, I’ve just simply swapped out other foods for extra protein. For example, when ordering at subway, I’ll order extra meat, and ask them to hollow out the bread. Or when we have pasta, I’ll have a regular amount of noodles and usually dish up double the amount of chicken for extra protein.
Well there’s that! I give you this brief little intro to let you know why I buy what I do! š
Ingredients, taste, and protein are important to me, but not always in that order! Here are foods that I buy because of the ingredients, foods I buy for protein, and foods I just buy for taste!
Ingredients:
- Adam’s Peanut Butter (any peanut butter where there is just 2 ingredients – peanuts and salt)
- Mott’s Fruit snacks (no high fructose corn syrup, naturally colored, no dyes)
- Marinara Sauce (with olive oil & minima sugar)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Unsweetened Vanilla almond milk
- Spinach (when on sale- organic baby spinach)
- Potatoes (Great and quick- roast them, bake them or mash them!)
- Ham Deli meat (0 Nitrates added)
- Turkey Deli meat (0 Nitrates added)
- Chicken Deli meat (0 Nitrates added)
- Ice drinks
- Water flavorings (Without aspartame- Mio is my favorite brand)
Taste
- Crumbl cookies
- Ben and Jerry’s icecream
- Cookie two step Bluebell icecream
- Homemade brownie/brownie batter
- Peachios
- Pretzels
- Cereal (ever had poptart cereal? It’s good…)
- Caramel rice cakes
- White noodles
- Chicken ramen
- Low fat cream cheese
- Low fat sour cream
- 100 calorie individual smart pop kettle corn popcorn
Protein
- Frozen chicken breasts
- Frozen hamburgers
- Frozen Turkey Meatballs
- Egg white container
- Eggs
- Light Babybel Mozzerella cheese (they’re in the light blue packaging)
- Cheddar cheese (Guys- 2 slices of cheese has just as much if not more protein than the average protein bar! But 0 carbs! Perfect snack for those “low energy” afternoons.)
- Dannon Light & Fit 80 calories Greek Yogurts
- PB2 (Add to cereal, protein shake, yogurts)
- Kirkland Brand protein bars (Quest bar knock offs found at Costco!)
- Feta Cheese
- 98-99% lean ground turkey
- 96% lean ground beef
- Extreme Wellness Wraps
- Wheat Noodles
- Sara Lee Delightful 45 calorie bread
- Premier Protein shakes
- Parmesan cheese
thehealthylifeisgood 