Our first grocery trip when we decided to do the 4HB was a tough one. With so much produce, it seemed like a high risk for waste — but now we’ve hit a great stride of fresh, canned and dried goods.
When you’re eating so many vegetables and beans, do not underestimate the power of adding just one new ingredient to your pantry. For example, the unassuming bean sprout launched a culinary revolution in our kitchen.
Here’s a list of things we commonly buy. Many of these we always try to have in stock (aka, all of the canned and dried goods), while for anything fresh, we buy a handful of things for the week.
THE PANTRY
Meats
Pork chops
Skinless/boneless chicken breast
Turkey pepperoni sticks
Eggs
Chicken bacon
Sliced ham
Salmon
Ground turkey
Lamb shanks
Vegetables
Spinach
Arugula
Rapini (a variation on broccoli)
Green onions
Green peppers
Red peppers
Iceberg lettuce
Avocados
Mini tomatoes
Asparagus
Onions
Garlic
Zucchini
Bean sprouts
The Cannery
Crushed tomatoes
Tomato paste
Light coconut milk
Black beans
Refried beans
Garbanzo beans
Bamboo shoots
Water chestnuts
Pumpkin
Corn
Tuna
Salmon
No sugar, just spice
Cumin seeds
Black mustard seeds
Curry powder
Montreal steak spice
Fresh ground pepper (so much more taste!)
Salt
Chicken stock powder
Dill
Basil
Cilantro
Ginger root
Tamari
Ground cumin
Rosemary
Cinnamon
Sugar free cocoa power
Unsweetened, shredded coconut
Crushed salted peanuts
Other MVPs
Olive oil (a cheaper one, for cooking)
Olive oil (a slightly higher-end one, for on salads)
Kicking Horse coffee (just one cup in the morning)
100% peanuts peanut butter
Fat-free Greek yogurt
Fat-free cottage cheese
Olives
Dill pickles
95% cocoa Lindt chocolate (a square a night can go a long way!)
Red wine — our usual is a cabernet sauvignon (but as per the book — merlot, pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon are all ok choices)