I loved the feedback from my last grocery store haul from Aldi’s. As I shared, we shop at a variety of stores, and in the last two weeks, we hit up Fry’s (our local Kroger affiliate) and Sam’s Club. I combined the two trips into this one post because they are very similar.
Quote of the day: “Don’t ruin a good today by thinking about a bad yesterday.” Anonymous
By posting these grocery store hauls, I have learned a personality trait, a friend’s input about In-N-Out, and environmental thoughts that I will share at the end of this post.
No surprise that I also have tricks/tidbits or details to share about a couple of products and finds.
And yes, I concentrate on being healthy at this time in my life. Part of it is that I’m trying to make up for all of the years I didn’t eat well or take care of myself. The other part is how Rob and I can feel a difference in our overall bodies when we eat/don’t eat certain things.
Everyone is different, and thus what is right for us may not be right for you.
You’ll see reusable bags from stores, and our insulated reusable bag from Sam’s. In the summer months, we fill the insulated bag with ice packs to keep the grocery store haul items cool on the drive home. We consider it essential, and you can find these on Amazon.
I Love to rotate our grocery spots based on what we’re needing at the moment.
The budget aspect is also part of our concern when shopping, which is why we appreciate our Sam’s membership. Frye’s sends us coupons on many of the produce items that we normally purchase, so that is one reason we visited.
Honestly, it’s like fashion in the kitchen—sometimes you want the boutique items, sometimes the budget items, and sometimes the bulk items. I always think you should shop at many different stores for your clothes so you don’t look like a walking advertisement for one brand, and it’s the same with your food choices.
This trip to Fry’s was produce-forward. While we are not vegetarians, there is never a meal without 2-3 vegetable/fruit items as part of it. It’s one of the reasons we have to shop weekly, to fill up our supply.
Let’s talk pineapples. We love them, but once I read the article about how pineapples grown in Costa Rica have more toxins in them, we have tried to find ones NOT grown in Costa Rica.
It’s not easy, but occasionally we are successful, and this grocery store haul at Fry’s, we found them grown in Mexico.
Insider tip: Is it going to kill you to eat a pineapple grown in Costa Rica? If you only eat them once every couple of months, your body should be able to filter out the toxins, depending on the issues your body is trying to take care of daily. But if you eat pineapple regularly, then you might reconsider.
If you do eat them often, this corer and slicer makes the job SO much easier. It does take a little arm strength, but once you figure it out, it’s magic.
Insider trick: My mom learned this trick in Hawaii, and we have used it ever since. Store your pineapples upside down so all of the natural sugar gets distributed throughout the fruit. Then again, maybe this isn’t true?? Let me know if anyone else has heard this.
After my friend, Sarah, shared that pasture-raised eggs were better than cage-free, we decided to Google the difference.
Most articles will tell you there are more nutrients in pasture-raised eggs. But at Fry’s, this day, the pasture-raised eggs were over $12 a dozen. While I believe that our food is an investment in our Health, we opted for the cage-free ones. (Spoiler alert: Sam’s came through with pasture-raised)
Yogurt is an item that we are picky about the ingredients. For this yogurt, I pulled out my Bobby Approved app to double-check that I was reading the ingredients correctly. I’m looking to make sure there isn’t any added sugar or chemicals.
It may seem silly that 2 people would need a bulk warehouse membership. Yet since we have extra storage in our house, it’s nice to get paper goods and even produce in bulk at times.
Some things we buy are pure habit. For example, spices at Sam’s. Are they fresh and flavorful? I wouldn’t say yes. If you compared it to a smaller batch jar, I’m sure they would fail the taste test. So why did we buy them? Pure habit and convenience.
Insider detail: You may wonder how 2 people can eat so much produce and why we buy so much in bulk? My answer in a nutshell: an extra freezer and refrigerator in our garage.
I will say that it’s nice to get some of the produce in bigger quantities because the price is so good. But you wouldn’t believe the size of the cauliflower. Was it on steroids? It makes me wonder about the growing practices.
Insider tip: The plums we got were bad…most of the insides were brown and soft. You can return them and get your Money back. We always take a photo to show them. And I had a patient who told me that this is a good practice so that Sam’s knows which suppliers are better.
We used to buy 5 dozen bulk eggs at Sam’s, but that wasn’t available this time. Instead, they had a steal on pasture-raised eggs for $5 (and cents) for 18 eggs. That’s why we loaded up with 4 packages. We have eggs every morning at breakfast.
My friend, Sarah, shared with me that she finds grass-fed, grass-finished beef at Walmart. Since Sam’s is owned by Walmart, I figured we could find it on our trip. And we did. We spent about $70 on steaks and ground beef, making the final cost about $5 a pound.
One of the reasons we alternate stores is to stretch the grocery budget while keeping things interesting. Fry’s lets me snag deals on produce and such, while Sam’s helps us stock up on the things that we go through quickly.
I like to think of it as mixing high and low in fashion—some pieces are statement-worthy, others are the go-to basics. The same goes for food!
And just like I plan outfits in advance, somewhat, I try to meal plan loosely so nothing goes to waste.
Many times, we have a kitchen sink salad or stir fry to use up what we have in the fridge.
There are so many things to point out with a grocery store haul. Here are a few observations.
I can be a tad obsessive when it comes to something I’m passionate about. It’s an aspect of my personality that I’m working on to change.
Because of this, I’m trying to take a cue from The Fitness Chef, when he talks about how food shouldn’t be classified as “bad” or “good”.
It’s no different than my perspective on clothing. There is no “right” or “wrong” with style…it’s called personal style because it’s personal.
And food is no different. There are various aspects of all food that make it good/bad.
“I don’t know if you know this but In-N-Out uses 100% ground chuck and they grind and form the patties themselves, they chop fresh onions for either fresh or grilled onions and they hand cut their potatoes (I’m sure with a special cutter to do it in bulk) into sticks before they are fried. Yes, they are fried in sunflower oil, but there is more and more evidence that seed oils AREN’T the enemy like so many influencers are trying to tell us. These myths are being debunked every day, just like all the other “trendy myths” that have come and gone over the years. As you know, we have to be so careful not to jump on these fear-mongering bandwagons when moderation and 80/20 is still a healthy way to live. A perfect example is how we’re seeing the slow switch from PROTEIN, PROTEIN, PROTEIN to fiber, fiber, fiber.
So if you ordered a burger with no bun and fries, you’d get: fresh ground chuck with fresh vegetables (tomatoes, lettuce) and fresh potatoes that are fried (consider it a treat). So it’s not really UPF. If you wanted a sweet treat to go with it, their shakes and their lemonade have been “redesigned” as the IG carousel mentioned, so there’s very little bad stuff.
Just thought I’d pass that along. Not all fast food is UPF, which is nice when you are on the road for the day and need something quick.”
There is a lot of plastic when you look at your grocery store haul this way.
We don’t mind the clear plastic bags we use at Fry’s to collect our produce because we recycle them as kitty litter poop bags.
However, it makes me wonder about the effect of all of this plastic in our garbage.
A grocery store haul might not seem glamorous, but it’s part of everyday life—and that’s what makes it worth sharing. It’s not just about what we buy, but the reasoning behind it.
Groceries, cooking, and food may not be the most exciting topics, yet we’re nourishing ourselves, which is part of our health.
I consider my emails an extension of my blog that is chock-full of positive inspiration that one friend calls a “Variety Show.”
I include articles, videos, and posts that strike my fancy, and since I have no siblings to share with, I share them with you.
I hope I thank you enough because your support allows me to continue this journey, which I LOVE!!!
Supporting a blog can be easy and free. Just visiting my pages, clicking my links (especially for Small Businesses and sponsored posts), and sharing the things you like on your social media make a huge difference. Spreading the word is how I can reach more wonderful people like you!
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The post Inside My Latest Healthy Grocery Store Haul appeared first on Jodie’s Touch of Style.
