I visit the grocery store at least twice per week in order to have fresh food in the fridge and to keep on track with my nutrition. It’s something that I’ve come to accept and I don’t mind it too much because I live pretty close to the store. If you’re just getting started with flexible dieting and you’re not sure where to start with your grocery list, I’ve got you covered with my IIFYM grocery list! You can very easily make one grocery store trip for basics and have all your meals prep for the week.
I’ve been following flexible dieting for about a year and a half and pretty much buy the same grocery staples every week. Some people may find this boring, but I find it makes my meal preps easy and keeps me on track with my nutrition. Of course because I follow IIFYM I indulge in fun, “unhealthy” foods when I can make it fit – and I always make them fit – so my grocery hauls can vary depending on what I’m craving that day.
My IIFYM Grocery List
When I’m training hard and heavy, I tend to eat higher carbs and keep my fats pretty low, depending on the day. I find that this macro split works best with my training, body composition, and food cravings. Every night, I log my next day’s meals into MyFitnessPal leaving room for snacks during the day and a sweet craving in the evening. I would say I log 75% of my food in advance of the day. Every Friday or Saturday, I try to sit down and plan out the recipes I want to prep for lunches and meals I think I’ll want for dinner. Read my blog post about how I approach meal prep Sunday and how to get back on track with your fitness goals.
When at all possible, buy in bulk. It’ll save you time and money (though not fridge or freezer space). My dad has a Costco membership so I usually take a Sunday morning once per month to hang out with him and run to Costco for my bulk items.
Coscto/Bulk Items
- chicken breasts
- jasmine rice
- egg whites
- salmon
- Greek yogurt cups
- protein bars
- protein powder – Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Ice Cream and PEScience Snickerdoodle (I get these on Amazon)
What I don’t buy at Costco, I’ll buy weekly at my local grocery store.
Typical Basics
- ground chicken or turkey
- whole eggs
- Light & Fit Vanilla Greek Yogurt (large tub)
- strawberries or raspberries
- almond milk
- spinach / lettuce / greens (I like having a variety)
- cucumber
- carrots
- mini bell peppers
- grape tomatoes
- hummus
- asparagus
- zucchini
- rice cakes (plain and Garden Tomato Basil)
- frozen riced cauliflower (Green Giant has some great options!)
- Gardein Beefless Crumbles
- Sugar-Free Jell-O
- pretzels
- Joseph Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Tortillas (80 calories each)
- Flatout Light Wraps
Next I’ll pick a few fun “unhealthy” items that I’ll have for preworkout carbs or late night sweet treats. I don’t purchase these every time I go grocery shopping, but they’re some of my favorite picks.
Fun Items
- Goldfish Vanilla Cupcake Grahams (great on top of the Greek Yogurt!
- Halo Top – my favorite flavors are Birthday Cake, Mint Chip, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- mini-chocolate chips
- peanut butter (been loving White Chocolate Peanut Butter from the Peanut Butter Company)
- saltine crackers (on the fun items list because I can eat a whole package at once)
- chips – Salt and Vingear or Hint of Lime
- whip cream
On-the-Go Items (for when I have busy weeks)
- Sunkist Tuna or Salmon Packets
- deli chicken or turkey
- rice cake chips
Some staple recipes that I tend to make with the above ingredients:
Egg White Frittata Muffins
Flatbread Pizza
Mariana Zucchini Noodles
Shredded Chicken
Tuna Zucchini Salad
Quesadillas (with the shredded chicken and tortillas)
Oven Baked Salmon
I hope this helpful! Happy shopping and meal prepping!
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