Tips on What I Buy Where (in NC)
This post is long overdue and in response to several people asking me where I buy my ingredients for baking and for my go to meals. We have some quick meals that we constantly have on rotation due to me working (yes, even working from home) and my daughter in school, running, and dance. We stay busy, just like most other families. And yes, sometimes eating gluten free in a healthy way can seem overwhelming or expensive. Once you get a system down though, I promise it gets easier. I live in the middle of North Carolina for a reference point, so I realize that not all of these will be applicable if you are in a different part of the country.
I do not go to every grocery store every week. I plan in advance and usually try to rotate which stores I go to when. Going on grocery trips and meal planning are services that I offer for those needing a little help navigating the stores to make shopping trips more efficient. Once you know what you're looking for and get your own system down, it's much easier to manage.
If you need help getting started with your grocery list, here's an editable template for you to use with the super foods already plugged in for you. Download here.
Aldi
I love the fact that they have a brand called Simply Nature.This brand leaves out over 125 controversial ingredients. They also have a wonderful selection of gluten free options that happens to rotate on a regular basis. Many of these are on the inside shelves that we try to spend minimum time shopping, so I encourage you to still read the ingredient labels. We like their veggie chips and some of the other options that rotate through the shelves. Other common items we buy there:
Greek yogurt
Nuts
Brussel sprouts (when in season, they have the smaller, sweeter ones)
Canned Pumpkin (seasonal)
Olive oil
Cheeses (the variety is usually really good)
Cream Cheese
Butter
Kefir
Vanilla
Spices
Cocoa Powder
ACV
Fresh Market
I shop there for their $2.99/lb Tuesdays for antibiotic & hormone free chicken and ground beef and check to see what the other specials are there for the week. Other items can definitely be overpriced.
Target
Applegate Farms brand lunchmeat, pepperoni, hot dogs - yes, it's a compromise
Trader Joe's Coconut oil spray - I swear theirs is the best. Cheeses Hearts of Palm (for the "Mac" & cheese)
Sunbutter
Coconut oil
www.amazon.com
*Due to varying suppliers, I have found it's best to compare with local grocery stores as well. Recently, I noticed a huge jump in price on the almond flour I buy at Amazon. While it cost $12.99 at my local Costco for a 3 lb. bag of Kirkland almond flour, amazon had it listed for over $20 for the same size and brand bag.
Coconut Milk
Almond Flour
Coconut Flour
Sweeteners: Swerve, Just Like Sugar, erythritol, stevia, monkfruit sweetener
Costco
Trident Alaskan salmon burgers (12 in a bag makes these last) Morey's marinated wild Alaskan salmon (normally I don't buy a premartinated meat, but...)
Palmetto Cheese (I'm not saying this is the healthiest, but I love this stuff!)
Sweet Kale Superfood 7 Salad (omit the dressing if you want) Frozen Berries
Champagne Mangos
Organic Eggs
Hard Boiled Eggs
www.nuts.com
It's been a while since I shopped on here, but I believe that signing up for the newsletter helps with promotions they run.
Whole Foods
I'm super excited about their merger with Amazon, as it's supposed to bring down some prices, but I haven't been in there in a while. I'm going to need to add that to the list.
*Still open to options for best prices on clean seafood: flounder, shrimp, etc.
