Looking and feeling healthy come from a combination of regular exercise and smart eating habits. Healthy clean eating starts with stocking your kitchen and pantry with the right foods. I decided to piece together my absolute staples when I head to the grocery store. The foods below aren’t the ONLY clean foods in the world, but are simply my favorite clean foods that I personally enjoy and would recommend.
My body responds well to clean eating and makes me feel energetic while keeping me full! I’ve noticed when I have my cheat meals, most of the time my body does not respond well afterwards. I try to fill my plate with mostly veggies, followed by lean proteins, and then occasionally some carbs (like brown rice or quinoa) if I feel like having them. This is a balanced and very healthy meal that will surely cleanse your system. You can use my list below to come up with meals that work for you!
TIP: The fewer ingredients an item has, the “wholer” it is, as in less processed. Try to purchase items with five or six ingredients at the most.
Veggies & Fruits
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
- Carrots
- Dark Leafy Greens (Kale, spinach)
- Sweet Potatoes
- Bell Peppers
- Garlic
- Onions
- Lemons
- Avocado
For fruits and veggies, pretty much anything in season is safe! Try to stay away from fruits that are high in sugar, such as mangoes, cherries, and grapes.
Lean Proteins
- Lean Ground Turkey
- Chicken Breasts
- Salmon, Tilapia, or other fish
- Eggs
- Non- or Low-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt (great substitute for mayo)
- Low-Fat Cheese
- Shrimp
- Tuna
Grains (The Good Carbs)
- Brown Rice
- 100% Whole Wheat Pasta
- 100% Whole Wheat Bread
- 100% Whole Wheat Tortillas
- Quinoa
- Oatmeal
Canned/Jarred Foods
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- Tomato Paste
- Tomato Sauce
Oils & Condiments
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Coconut Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- Mustard, no sugar added
- Ketchup, naturally sweetened
- All Natural Peanut Butter
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Herbs & Spices
- Basil
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Cumin
- Chili Powder
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
Herbs and spices are essential to clean eating because they are ultimately what gives your food flavor!
Beans & Legumes
- Red Kidney Beans
- Edamame (great snack)
Sweeteners
- Honey
- 100% Pure Maple Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Stevia
Processed sugar is a fast way to add pounds and wreak havoc on your health. Go natural instead!
Snacks
- Raw Almonds
- Hummus
- Popcorn (no butter)
DANG, Christine! 
Super helpful! Thanks, Christine!
Yay! Anytimeee 🙂
I’m stealing this awesome shopping list!
Yayyyy!! Glad I could help 🙂
What a great shopping list! I like to add any and all types of nuts to my grocery list 🙂 My favorites are…almonds, pistachios, cashews, macadamias…oh, wait…they are ALL my favorites!
Oh, and a question. What do you do with apple cider vinegar? I keep hearing so many wonderful health benefits of this, but I have absolutely no idea what to do with it.
Help!
I definitely love snacking on all those types of nuts, too! They’re very yummy 🙂
Apple cider vinegar can be used for sooo many things! It can be made in to a dressing by simply wisking in olive oil and some herbs. It can also be used to marinate your meats! What I mainly use it for is to make sauces. It adds a tangy, fruity flavor. Also, if you have a recipe that calls for an acidic element like lemon, but you don’t have some, you can substitute in some ACV! Hope this helps! I’ll try to post some recipes up that use ACV, so it can help you a little more 🙂