Grocery stores are my happy place!! Believe me, I know that probably sounds a little “cray cray” but I love to wander the aisles looking at different products and finding new things to try. What can I say…..it just makes me happy!
Recently I’ve stumbled on a few great finds that quickly became my favorites so I thought it was high time I shared them with you. As you can imagine, I’m a stickler about reading labels and making sure all of the ingredients are healthy so rest assured, all of these products passed the test. And they taste amazing too!
Dressings, Marinades and Sauces
Since summer is all about salads and barbecues, I thought I would start with my new favorite dressings, marinades and bbq sauces. I love how these pantry staples can be the secret ingredient that can take a dish from ordinary to extraordinary!
*Primal Kitchen – This company started with their dressings which are made with avocado oil, but they also make some pretty amazing bbq sauces. So often dressings and bbq sauces have added sugars but thankfully, these do not. Just goes to show you don’t need sugar to make things taste great. You can see all of their products here.
*Noble Made – The dressings by Noble Made use a base of tahini and/or almond butter along with extra virgin olive oil and apple cider vinegar. My fav’s are Carrot Ginger and Almond Butter Turmeric. The marinades use a base of coconut aminos and apple cider vinegar. Both the dressings and the marinades can be used as a marinade, a sauce for your saute or as a finishing sauce. What I love about both of these is that they add a lot of flavor but not a lot of calories. 2 tablespoons is only 10-25 calories. Can’t beat that, right? You can see the variety of flavors here.
You can find both of these brands at Natural Grocers, Sprouts and Whole Foods.
Protein Bars
I am always on the hunt for a protein bar that is not full of cane sugar or brown rice syrup. Since I don’t really like the taste of stevia, finding a healthy and tasty bar has been a challenge but recently I found a few that I really like.
Elemental – This is a superfood seed bar that uses honey and lucuma as a sweetener. The rest of the ingredients are nuts, seeds, buckwheat and vanilla. There are 6 different flavors which you can check out here. My favorite is the Cranberry, Almond and Lucuma. These bars need to be refrigerated so that’s where you will find them in the grocery store.
OHi! – This is another superfood bar that I recently discovered. These bars are grain free and they use coconut nectar as a sweetener. They have 8 grams of protein and taste divine! I like the Coconut Macadamia but you can check out the other flavors here. You will find these in the refrigerated section as well.
Rawkin Raw – These bars have been a favorite of mine for a while. They are made with a base of almonds and coconut flakes and sweetened with coconut nectar. One bar has just 2 grams of sugar. My favorite is the Spirulina Mint but when I want some extra protein, I’ll grab the Power Protein Cookie which has 8 grams of protein. There are several other flavors which you can check out here. This is another one you will find in the refrigerated section of the store.
Dang – This bar is made with nuts and seeds and has pea protein so you get 9 grams of protein per bar. It is sweetened with stevia. I know I told you I don’t like the taste of stevia, but this one is not too bad. No weird aftertaste which is what I don’t like about stevia. My favorite right now is the Cardamom Chai. These bars do not have to be refrigerated so you will find them in the aisle with all of the other protein bars. You can check out the different flavors here.
NaamNom’s Carob bars – These are technically not a protein bar but I have to mention them because they are my favorite when I need a sweet treat. They are made with simple ingredients like carob and cacao butter and they have no added sugar! They’re just naturally sweet from the carob and the nuts. These bars are not sold in stores here in Arizona so I buy them wholesale to get the best price ($3 per bar). If you live in Tucson and want to give them a try, let me know. I always keep a stockpile in my offices. You can find out more on this company at http://www.naamnom.com
With the exception of the NaamNom bars, you can find all of these bars at Natural Grocers, Sprouts and Whole Foods.
Beverages
Water is my go to for staying hydrated during the summer but after a while, plain water just doesn’t seem to cut it. Sure I can add lemon or fruit to my water but sometimes I just need a little bubbly!
DRAM – I just discovered this sparkling water and fell in love with it! The base is purified carbonated water and then they add really cool adaptogenic herbs. Several of the flavors have CBD which I love. Normally I only take CBD at night to help me sleep so I wondered if drinking this would make me sleepy. Good news….the combination of the herbs and the CBD left me feeling nicely energized all day long! Now I have to tell you there is a bit of sticker shock with this one. A 12 oz. can will run you $5 or $6 dollars which I know is expensive. If you order a case online, that brings the price down to $4 per can. 5 Points Market here in Tucson sells all of the flavors ($6 for the ones with CBD and $3 for the ones without) so you can taste test them before you order a case. Lemongrass has been my favorite so far.
Mountain Valley – I have been drinking their spring water for sometime now, but I recently switched to the sparkling water. If you are looking for a simple flavored sparkling water, this is a much cheaper option than the DRAM drinks. Since peaches are in season now, I have been loving the peach flavor!
So there you have it! These are a few of my favorite things! Hopefully they will become your favorite things as well. If you have questions about any of these products, hit reply or give me a call. You know I love to chat about food!!
If you would like something a bit more personalized, consider scheduling a Grocery Shopping Experience with me. Here’s what that looks like:
* We have an initial phone consultation to talk about your goals and any obstacles you are facing.
* We meet at a store of your choosing, put on our face masks, grab some hand sanitizer and start shopping. All the while, we will maintain our social distance.
* I’ll show you my tips and tricks for creating quick and healthy meals that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. And we’ll find some yummy treats for those moments when you just need a little something to snack on.
* You will leave the store with recipes, meal plans, healthy food and the confidence to put it all together.
Even though grocery shopping is not what it used to be, I promise your Grocery Shopping Experience will be lots of fun and I have a feeling the grocery store just might become YOUR happy place too!
Enjoy!
