Meal Prep & Grocery Shopping

When putting together a meal it’s important to understand the nutritional value that different foods provide therefore ensuring you are eating a balanced meal. What I mean by balanced is that you are taking in all the nutrients you need instead of too much of one and not enough of the others. Therefore, breaking down foods into their corresponding macronutrient categories can be helpful when planning each meal.

What Foods Are Carbs/Starches

Carbohydrates are sugars, fibers and starches. This includes fruits, certain vegetables, beans, legumes and grains. Carbohydrates also include any kind of sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, etc.

They get a bad rap because an excess amount of sugar can lead to stored fat and blood sugar crashes. Carbs can also provide a temporary filling of fullness and dominate meal choices so that protein and vegetables become neglected. That said they have their place, they are the body's primary source of quick energy and not all carbs are created equal. It is best to get your carbs from unprocessed ( as natural as possible) foods such as fruit, grains, and vegetables indicated). These will provide your body with fiber and help keep you regular as well as sustain heart health. Carbs from fruit are used immediately by the brain ( glucose) and therefore fruit is an ideal food choice as it is unlikely to be stored as fat due to its nutrient accessibility to the body. Hence, choose grains, vegetables, and fruits as your carb source ( within proper portions) and avoid or limit anything packaged/processed.

Certain vegetables are high in carbs such as Peas, Corn, Winter Squash, Root vegetables, sweet potato, Plantains, and Potatoes

Fruit ( there are degrees to carbs here as well: note berries and melon are much lower in sugar than mango or pineapple)
ALL LEGUMES: Beans, Lentils, and Peas etc
Grains: Oats, Quinoa, All rice variations, Whole wheat, Farro, Spelt
Breads, Rolls, and Tortillas

Therefore, any foods that are grain based and include significant naturally occurring or added sugar will be a carb.

All pasta and rice variations
All Cereals
grain/oat based bars ( high sugar content)
Dairy products if sugar is added ( ie blueberry yogurt, chocolate milk)
Any kind of packaged snacks ( popcorn, potato chips, pretzels)

Non - Carb Vegetables

As previously mentioned, the body responds to certain vegetables as they would to carbs more than other vegetables. True Vegetables are more water bearing and very low in calories ( under 100 per serving) whereas potatoes/sweet potatoes, root vegetables, chickpeas) are not. Below are non carb/starchy vegetables that are great in salads, soups or roasted/stir fried. Vegetables provide incredible nutritional value ( whole food) and important for your bodily functions/building amino acids for complete proteins. They can also help get you full in a meal so you eat less other carbs/sugar.

Artichokes
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Brussel sprouts ( not drenched in oil/sugar ;)
Summer Spaghetti squash
Eggplant
Cucumber
Green Beans
Leafy Greens
Bok Choy
peppers

What Is A Protein?

A animal/dairy protein source will provide you with all the amino acids your body needs to make a perfect protein. Plant proteins can be combined together to achieve all these amino acids but the absorption quality is inferior also because these plant protein sources are also carb dominant. Protein is critical, it keeps all your body’s chemical reactions functioning, supports brain function, maintains your energy levels, creates lean muscle mass, and much more.

While I advocate for less processed and more accessible proteins for the body, I have included a varied list. Remember, if you opt for a plant based protein such as lentils, you are taking in significant carbs as part of your protein source! So if you pair lentils or chickpeas etc with grains and sweet potato/starchy vegetable you are consuming a high carb meal.

Animal Proteins

Eggs & yogurt ( my favorite- large amounts of ( 15-20 g) quality protein for the body at 100 to 140 c, unmatchable nutritional profile to other foods )
Milk, low fat cheese
Egg Whites

Fish (High Omega-3) and other seafood
Poultry
Red Meat
Lamb, Duck etc
Any other animal protein sources
Whey/dairy derived Protein powder

Plant Proteins

When you start talking about plant protein you talking about foods that are not pure protein and usually contain a large amount of carbs and fat.

Tofu- one of the few exceptions: this is concentrated soy and between the concentrated protein and fat, it does a good job of keeping you full and offering viable protein to the body it responds to
Seitan/Tempeh: similar to tofu these plant proteins are modified so that the carbs are extracted leaving the concentrated protein.
Legumes and legume pasta ( chickpeas, lentils, black beans)
Nuts ( nuts have proteins but are also mostly a fat source)
Quinoa ( again okay some protein, registers as a carb to the body)
Peas ( high in carbs as well)

Best way to stay lean with eating protein ( and in general) is to avoid access marinades, breading, sauces, sugars, and dressings! Limit your consumption of anything deep fried or super oily because it adds several hundred extra calories to your meal!

Fats?

Fats are probably the most misunderstood. Your body and brain depend on fats to carry out their functions although some fats the body wants more than others. Again, processed trans fats not what we are talking about. Foods heavily cooked in oil or deep fried will be an excess of calories and fats to an otherwise calorie sufficient meal. That said, healthy monounsaturated fats are important within proper portions. People already eat a ton of oil in their food as it is but what they may be lacking are fats that provide other important nutrients like nuts, avocado, seeds, milk and yogurt, coconut. Fats are critical for our cellular health, hormone production, organ function, weight management, and they keep us full like no other.

Fats are not low in calories so use sparingly and try not to just use a lot of oil!

When at the store:

Avocado ( salads, avocado toast, smoothies)

Peanut or almond butter ( sandwich, smoothies, breakfast toast)
coconut/butter ( oatmeal, stir fry, soup, pancakes)
Flax seeds, Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds ( stews, stir frys, yogurt, hot cereal, smoothies)
Tofu and eggs are also great sources of fat as well as protein*

Meal Prep & Grocery Shopping