Protein aisle
- Chicken breast or thighs
- Lean ground turkey or beef
- Eggs and egg whites
- Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
- Beans, lentils and tofu
Produce + carbs
- Potatoes, oats, rice, whole-grain bread or wraps
- Bananas, apples and other fruit you will actually eat
- Frozen or fresh vegetables
- Avocado, olive oil and nuts for measured fats
The practical rule
Build the cart around foods you already know how to prepare. A “perfect” grocery list is useless if half of it expires untouched.