Grocery Lists...

What's on everyone's grocery lists? Or what are a few things you just HAVE to buy? I am going to go to the store soon and I'm tired of buying the same things and I was hoping I could maybe see a few different things on here. Thanks!

I always buy:

Yoplait low fat yogurt - 100cals per, the thick and creamy one, because I hate fruit in bottom!

Small Bananas - 60-80 cals per, they are more tender and make really awesome snacks.

Lunchables Pizza - 310 calories for the smaller one (no drink or candy).  It curbs my pizza craving and actually does a decent job at filling me up.

String cheese - low fat, 50 cals per.

Butter lettuce, mushrooms, 2% cheese crumbles, and ginger wonton strips - for salads.

Fiber One bars - 150 cals per, I get the peanutbutter ones. Good for breakfast or as a snack, tons of fiber.

Special K red berries - I'm addicted to the stuff, 110 cals in a cup, I use 2% milk on it, but I don't use much, maybe 1/4 a cup.

Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches Mint - 140 cals per, these things save my arse, sometimes I want ice cream when I'm PMSing and even if I go alittle over board on them, it doesn't blow my calories out of the water.

Annie Chung's Udon Soup - 220 calories per container, this stuff is really awesome because it has yummy dried veggies, the broth is tasty and you can make it with hot water at your job.

Organic All Stars from Anne's Home Grown - 300 per can, miss spaghetti Os? Now you can have the better, lower calorie version. Makes me feel like a kid again and fills me up.

Fuze "slenderize" - 15-26 calories per container, it's a large amount of liquid and it tastes "real".  I have trouble getting enough water so this REALLY helps.  Becareful because they do have higher calorie versions.

Yakisoba - I think it's around 200 cals a cup, it comes in 3 individual wrapped packages from maruchan.  You can add a lot of veggies to it, it's surprisingly filling.

Boca burgers - I think it varies, 100-150 calories a patty, you can get whole wheat small buns and still keep the calories low, I think they taste better than hamburgers. lol

What kinds of foods are you shopping for? Staples or snacks? I'd love to help! I am a convert---and now shopping takes a little longer with all the label reading, but boy, is it worth it!!! 

Nocturne- Thanks for the list! I'll be looking for some of those things you listed, esp. the water. I am finally going to try to make sure I stay off diet sodas.

Olivia- I am shopping for a bit of everything. I usually buy the same things and I am a big label reader myself, and I just feel like I have looked at almost every label. I'm a picky eater, so some things look good, until I see there are mushrooms or something in them, like frozen dinners, which I hardly buy those because I don't have a lot of room in my freezer at the moment.

I want to buy a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, and fruits are easy for me, but veggies. I don't really like veggies. I like green beans, corn, and potatoes. The starchy ones. But I am going to try something new everytime I go shopping, so if you have a suggestion for a veggie, that would be great.

But yeah. Tell me what you know. I'd love to read what you buy, since you are a label reader, also.

Ooo I totally forgot, they have low sodium V8 now, which has a full serving of veggies.  You can get the little cans or the full bottles.  I have some everyday because I'm not a big veggie eater.

I use to eat bell peppers with hummus, but that got old fast =\

I've been meaning to try to eat veggies dipped in light ranch, but I havn't bought any yet.

Frozen chicken breast (boneless, skinless)-i just toss one frozen fillet on the old GF grill.

Birds eye asian veggies in sesame sauce- these are great two serving a container and they go great with the aboved mentioned chicken...for 2 servings and the chicken about 250 calories and alot bigger than a frozen meal.

Baked Lays Tostitos-with newmans own pinapple salsa...

Rice cakes-caramel and apple cinn.  for when i want somthing sweet and crunchy.

Fat free cottage cheese and pineapple-so good about 140 calories for a big serving of each.

Fat free sour cream and tortillas-i make these meatless tacos one tortilla, lettuce, salsa, ff sourcream...delicious and about 70 calories each.

Yoplait yogurt thick n creamy light-i get the thick and creamy because its flavored with splenda while the regular light is aspartame...aspartame f's my world up.

Lean white turkey-and all the fixin'...lettuce, tomato, onion, and spicy mustard in a whole wheat pita...

Grilled Fish Fillets-i like the Kroger brand of them...i get italian herb and lemon pepper...add peas and carrots.

Whole grain english muffins-mmmmm

i buy all non-fat dairy products so skim milk and fat free cream cheese are always on the list...they taste exactly the same to me...i actually think skim taste BETTER than regular milk.

If you're looking for a way to boost up your water, try VitaSplash.  It's in the section with the koolaid type drinks, comes in a single serving pack that you add to a bottle of water.  Several different flavors and variety of added vitamins.  I like the multivitamin and immune boost for myself, adds just a few calories to your water, but tastes great and the extra vitamins!  I also like the Jennie O turkey burgers, the spicy ones - not quite a juicy, greasy burger, but very good and helps when the rest of the family is having the real stuff.  I have found a chicken sausage with spinach and asiago cheese.  They have them at Sam's club, and probably wal-mart, but I haven't looked there.  They are every bit as good, or better than a Johnsonville Braut with cheese.  Can't even taste the spinach, if you're concerned about that.  Just tastes like sausage.  I've had them on a low-cal bun or even sliced up in pasta.  They're great. 

Chicken breasts

Cod Fillets (when the store has them, which hasn't been often lately.)

Extra lean ground beef

Healthy Choice smoked sausage

98% Fat Free hot dogs

Turkey

Lean ham

Fat free swiss and american

Yogurt

Fresh fruits and veggies for snacks/salads.  (lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower, onions, carrots, radishes, mushrooms, pears, apples, berries, etc)

Sara Lee Soft n Smooth Whole Wheat Bread

Sara Lee Heart Healthy hot dog buns and hamburger buns (100-110 cal)

Kraft Light Zesty Italian (this stuff is SOOO GOOD)

Potatoes

Green Beans (fresh if in season)

Corn (fresh or frozen ears)

Brown Rice

Pinto and Great Northern Beans

Sauerkraut

Broccoli

Apple Cinnamon Quakes

Water

Crystal Light lemonade

my staples: mixed organic greens, cucumber, carrots, peppers, crimini mushrooms, whole-grain bread, aged cheddar, lean beef (for grilling, tenderloin steak, 65-75g each), frozen chicken breast meat pieces (half breasts are way too big), IQF prawns, skim milk, kashi golean crunch, kicking horse coffee.

seasonally: corn on the cob, watermellon, asparagus

emergency rations, in case the martians attack: canned sockeye salmon and tuna, mushroom soup by the flat, dry pasta, lentils, canned corn (niblets, never creamed - blech).

breakfast: stonyfield organic yogurt smoothies and cliff peanut butter z-bars

lunch/snack foods: fresh spinach, red and green peppers, onions, carrots, cheese (what kind depends on my mood), whole wheat wraps or pita, hummus, black bean dip, eggs, blueberries, apples, bananas, peanut butter, rice cakes

dinner: tofu, some of the lunch/snack stuff, broccoli, garlic, frozen yogurt, cucumbers, green beans...i eat dinner out often.

only beverages i ever regularly buy at the store are vitamin water, beer, wine, and occassionally san pelligrino.

Everyone has great ideas! ( :

jessi--
Tortilla Factory whole wheat or garlic and herb tortills --50
Egg Beaters! (30 = 1 egg)
SALAD in bags (I am lazy)
ever tried bok choy? cabbage? all the varieties of squash?
Do you like veggies maybe in homemade soup? I have been experimenting and have several now I love, 50ish calories a cup, easily freezable and reheatable (yay for not having to cook!)
Ever stir fried? I find I can stomach even veggies I don't like (green peppers) if they all sort fo taste like each other.... lol
Edy's sugar free fruity popsicles (30)
Jello sugar free pudding cups in flavors like mint chocolate and mochaccino (60!) YUM!
Apples, small bananas, canteloupe, grapes
100 calorie packs of regular popcorn and kettle corn
sugar free brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal (100)
Wonder whole wheat "light" bread (40 a slice)
My favorite lunch meats are turkey and ham--I do openfaced/one slice bread, a serving of turkey or ham (70), mustard, cucumbers, lettuce or pickles and it;s a huge sandwich { a big salad or bowl of soup = 200 calories for lunch and I;m stuffed!
Cucumbers! Mushrooms, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower with fat free italian (I try to always have a munchioes bag readily available in the fridge for snacking weakness moments)
Ever tried edamame?
20 calories a cupcake size serving cheesecake you can make yourself?
low fat or fat free cottage cheese
I have found all kinds of flavors of low cal (70 calories for 9-10) mini rice cakes--caramel, cheese, ranc.... and soy crisps! (I had never tried the soy ones, and OMG are they good!)
Special K with berries and vanilla light soy milk (190 calories for a cup each of the cereal and the milk!)

I have made myself hungry now, so snack time! ( :

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm ready to go shopping soon, so I am keeping a visual list in my head, since I always lose the lists I write out.

I'm re-doing this calorie counting thing. I'm one of those people who can't stay on one thing. I'll do one diet, and while I'm on that one, I'll jump to another one. And then I'll just stop all together. I like calorie counting the best, but I get bored easily and sometimes it gets boring eating the same things, so with all these new options, I should be not so bored for a while. Thanks and good luck to everyone!

This is going to be really long....

Oatmeal
Raisin bran cereal
Raw almonds
Smart Squeeze
Mrs. Dash
Sweet-n-Low
Fat free cottage cheese
Cascade Fresh fat free yogurt
Greek-style fat-free yogurt
Silk soy milk
Low Carb fajita tortillas
apples
plums
nectarines
peaches
grapes, red and white
tangerines
oranges
mandarins
blueberries
blackberrries
strawberries
boysenberries
pineapple
mangoes
papayas
Nature's Own light wheat bread
"       &n bsp;        ;   " sugar free whole grain hotdog buns
"       &n bsp;        ;       &n bsp;        ;       &n bsp;        ;       &n bsp;  " hamburger buns
Multi-grain bread
red and yellow bell peppers
zucchini
yellow squash
butternut squash
acorn squash
corn on the cob
fresh green beans
butter lettuce
baby spinach
carrots
celery
onions
potatoes
sweet potatoes
brown rice
couscous
barley
wild rice
basmati rice
flour
turbinado sugar
lite pancake syrup
dried beans: black, red, garbanzo, lentils, green peas, pintos
yellowfin tuna steak
boneless chicken breast
tilapia
salmon
lean beef
chicken sausage
turkey sausage
cornish game hens
turkey
Smartdogs
Morningstar Farms chicken patties
"       &n bsp;        ;       &n bsp;   " Grillers Prime
"       &n bsp;        ;       &n bsp;    " Black bean burgers
"                           " garden burgers
Boca crumbles
Galaxy Veggie cheeses
Egg beaters...... and the list goes on and on...

-At least 3 different kinds of fresh fruit, enough to last me a whole week (typically 14 servings' worth, but I might buy a little extra of something that keeps fresh for a long time, like apples)
-At least 3 different kinds of fresh vegetables, usually four. One will be for salads (spinach or lettuce) and one will be something that doesn't need cooked, like celery, carrots, or bell peppers.
-A box of tofu
-A container of almond milk
-Low-sodium vegetable broth or bouillon (unless I have some bouillon left over from another shopping trip)
-2 kinds of grains or grain-like foods, normally rice plus one other - millet, amaranth, potatoes, etc. I get 'em from the bulk bins, so I can buy one week's worth at a time.
-1 kind of bean or legume, and I buy a different one every week because their nutrients are all a little different
-Anything I normally keep on hand that I don't think will last me until the next shopping trip: cornstarch, coffee, herb tea, Splenda, etc. But I go through those pretty slowly, except for the coffee, so I buy them pretty rarely.

I hit up my local market and buy as much fruit as I can carry. This time of the year it is beautiful fruit and cheap!

I buy whatever is in season there: strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. Sometimes I throw rasberries and blackberries in there. Then when I get home with that I cut everything into tiny peices and portion them out into baggies. I freeze the fruit and make smoothies for my breakfast. I just throw the baggie in with some juice. Orange Pineapple is my favorite.

This is what I have bought recently:

1. almond milk - I refigerate it because I like it cold
2. mini whole wheat bagels (150 calories each)
3. light peppridge farm whole wheat bread ( I make PB sandwhiches, which I use to get my protein.)
4. Kashi crackers
5. Kashi granola bars
6. Dark Chocolate PB (Target Brand, surprisingly a tad less calories and fat than regular).
7. Annie's Bunny Grahams
8. Cans of Vegetable Broth
9. Light coconut milk
10. Cans of curry paste
11. Basmati Rice
12. Lower sugar oatmeal

All in all I tried to eat as much fruit as possible, and to stay natural. If I buy sweets, I get nice dark chocolate. I stick to whole grains. My only advice is watch the labels. This gets me so mad BUT most mainstream brands are LYING when they say they are whole wheat. If you look at the label it will usually say: Enriched Whole Wheat Flour. This basically means they still went throught the white bread process but then put the nutrients back in, which isn't the same as just using plain Whole Wheat. So I buy brands I know are truly Whole Wheat, like Kashi and Annie's.

My weekly shopping list

6 dozen eggs

box of chicken breasts

10 cans tuna

bananas

grape fruit

popcorn

protein powder

5 top sirloin steaks

almonds

brown rice

mixed green veggies (no peas though, to high in sugar)

5 tubs fat free cottage cheese

skim milk

oatmeal

Lettuce

Coffee

Case of Rock Star Diet Energy Drink (ya i know its bad for ya, but some times I need the kick for my work outs)

This is basically what i keep at my place, I am putting on muscle right now so hence the high protein, low sugar diet

i just bought a few things recently - here's my lil reviews of them and how i eat them:

boca burgers - flame grilled variety  - heat in a non stick pan (or you can nuke - eat it on a bed of lettuce a slice of tomato and maybe a teaspoon of ketchup  under 150 calories and yummy

southbeach diet wraps - sesame chicken -  i just tried this the other day and it's yummy!  plus you get a tiny sugar free jello with it. :P  whole kit is 220 cal and 21 g of protein

gerber graduates apple cinnamon puffs - LOL  you guys know who you are that suggested this and you were right.  they are so light and crunchy and not all corn syrupy sweet.  only 25 calories in like 65 lil puffs (1/2 cup)  6 carbs,  some vitamins

i eat a lot of veggies and fruits - right now i have red seedless grapes, blueberries, broccoli, asparagus, romaine lettuce, cucumber, nectarine, apples

athenos original hummus -  take two of those romaine lettuce leaves and drop a tablespoon of hummus on each, fold it and munch.  you can also add a few slices of cucumber for added crunch.  this is great if you are trying to graze rather than eat 3 big meals a day or makes a healthy snack.

special k red berries - the bomb!  i have one cup (110 cals) with half a cup of real whole milk (75cals)  for breakfast or as a late night graze when i keep weird hours and am up til 4 or 5 am.

vlasic dill pickles - the big ones - yes i know we have to be cautious of sodium so i only have one instead of 3 or 4 :P  one equals 2 servings which is around 10 calories

light and fit blueberry yoghurt - a lot of people rave about it, it tastes fake to me and watery.  i will go back to the real stuff i think. i despise fake sugar.  i'll use the one i have left for a smoothie i think by adding a bit of soy and some frozen berries.

green tea - i'm trying a bunch - bigelow's mango and celestial seasonings honey/lemon and raspberry.  i use three bags in a teapot size amt of boiling water - let steep for a good 5 - 10 mins.  add a little cold water and chill in the fridge.  drink 2 or 3 glasses a day.

ovengold boar's head turkey breast - remember those romaine leaves?  yep i use them as bread. :P  a slice or two of turkey, some cucumber maybe a slice of baby swiss and munch.

okay i'll shut up now.  great thread.  i'm picking up some new ideas!

Where do you guys find low fat cheese?!! I have looked at every grocery store in my town and the only thing that comes close is the cheese made with 2%. I love cheese!

laughing cow cheese is low fat and usually not with the regular cheese. I normally find it by the deli area in the coolers around it with the really odd cheeses. This brand is really good and low cal.

For my shopping: I love ground turkey - I use this to make some really fulling lettuce and turkey wraps with salsa for an added taste.

Kashi snack bars are really good and do the trick for a snack for only 140 calories a bar. I like the honey almond flax and the cranberry one

I love fresh veggies - if you steam them it makes them really soft and good. I will steam them and I found a great salsa mix to put over top of them for added flavor in the michael thurmond six day body makeover book.

I will also buy frozen fruits and fat free vanilla yogurt to make breakfast smoothies which are low in calories. Usually about 100 to 140 calories depending on what you add. I will buy fresh fruit to add with them as well like bananas, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, etc.

so that's where they are hiding the laughing cow cheese everyone seems to rave about.  hopefully, i'll find it next grocery trip.  i lurves my cheese too!

Thanks biggestloserfan!

I'm gonna check it out tonight! :)