Whole Foods Epic Badass Shopping Tour
download our FREE “Quality Matters – Ingredients, Labels, & Definitions” handout here.
remember! you don’t have to shop at Whole Foods! but many of the principles and items discussed will apply most places you shop! below we have all kinds of resources and links, please be sure to go thru them all!
produce
here’s some information about Whole Foods responsibly grown system.
The Environmental Working Group at ewg.org, a great resource! their mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment by providing all kinds of information and resources on toxins from every place you can think of.
- EWG’s clean 15. the cleanest produce on the planet.
- EWG’s dirty dozen. the dirtiest produce on the planet.
white rice pasta
you can find white rice pasta in many health food stores.
- here’s a great white rice pasta option.
- here’s another. many of us have used it and love it.
canned coconut milk
use in sauces, soups, and stews. use in smoothies. use as a creamer for coffee and tea. a great source of healthy fats including Medium Chan Triglycerides.
olive oils & vinegar
remember! many olive oils are blended with other oils! check out this site Truth in Olive Oil. it’s an amazing resource for all things olive oil, including finding the olive oils that are 100% pure. here are some of our top picks:
- California Olive Ranch. our favorite!
- Corto Olive. another amazing pic!
- Costco Kirkland Toscano.
- O-Live! haven’t tried it but heard great things!!!
Bragg’s Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. our favorite all purpose, you MUST keep this in the house!
Whole Foods meats
remember, by definition, the meats at Whole Foods have to meet minimal quality standards, which means even if you get their cheapest meats that are on sale, they are still a level of quality above what you will find in a conventional grocery store. check out their Step 1 rating below.
ice cream!
ice cream is in the deal! look for minimal ingredients including cream, egg yolks, and real flavorings.
- more about our beloved Straus ice cream! it’s approved, but be careful, because it’s dangerous!
- a grass-fed ice cream you may be able to find here and there – Jeni’s.
- our favorite non-dairy option – Coconut Bliss.
sweetener options
stevia is a great no calorie option. remember, honey is going be our favorite calorie option with grade b maple syrup being a close 2nd.
- the best option for stevia.
- we love this honey.
- and this is the best grade b maple syrup.
- these chocolate chips are dairy, nut, and soy free!
- another amazing option for organic chocolate chips.
nut butters!!!
we prefer these butters over peanut butter all day every day!
- our top pick is this sunflower seed butter.
- here’s a great option for almond butter, nothing but almonds!
condiments and dressings
remember, condiments are in the deal! look for our deal-breakers, and be aware of sugar content.
- organic yellow mustard.
- great buy for organic ketchup. remember it has sugar, so time it right!
- mayo! yes mayo! this is our top pick!
- our favorite barbecue sauce. also has sugar, so time it right in the day!
- love this Sky Valley Sriracha and this one by Ninja Squirrel.
- need an alternative to soy sauce? try these coconut aminos!
- honestly my favorite hot sauce is this Triple Threat from JoJos! also Cholula hot sauce is great, traditional Tabasco hot sauce is also a great option.
- for salad dressing, ideally make your own using our simple recipe in the guide, but you can also try these from Primal Kitchen. it includes a honey mustard, greek vinaigrette, and ranch.
spices and seasonings
most spices and seasonings should be fine, esp individual spices and herbs. be sure to look at ingredients especially on blends. remember to throw out your morton table salt and replace it with nutrient-intact Himalayan salt or even this Redmond Real Salt.
canned seafood
super nutrient dense because you’re getting shellfish and sometimes the entire animal!
- our top pick for delicious sardines!
- I absolutely love these oysters! super nutrient-dense!
water coffee, and tea
for water, look for Reverse Osmosis, carbon filtrated. most “drinking” or “purified” waters will have this in the fine print. don’t pay extra for alkaline water. also, sparkling water is a great option.
- absolutely LOVE this Pellegrino for a quality sparkling water option.
- La Croix is a great option on occasion. I would not recommend getting all your daily hydration from these things!
coffee and tea are great. I always opt for organic coffee and teas.
chips and snacks
believe it or not, there are great options out there for snacks.
- I love these pork rinds!!! great quality and great price!
- plantain chips are the best! they have more starch than sugar (a good thing). look for ones cooked in coconut oil, there are a few out there. even better – make your own!
- make your own popcorn using this heirloom organic version, cooked in your own coconut oil such as this.
- for potato chips? Jackson’s Honest are the best! cooked in coconut oil.
- Bare fruit is a great option for snacks!
eggs
remember conventional eggs are fine, organic would be the next step up, and then the best would be a pasture raised egg such as the ones from Vital Farms. they have several levels of quality so check them out!
full-fat dairy
remember we always want full-fat versus reduced fat. and we always want a minimal level of quality, starting at hormone antibiotic free!
- all cheeses are in the deal including but not limited to cheddar, brie, blue cheese, swiss, manchego, goat, gouda and so on. experiment!
- full-fat yogurts are great! go for plain or greek, and add your own fruit or honey.
- heavy cream is a staple and a power house! Clover is a great brand, Straus is another one. Horizon and Organic Valley are fine :)
- butter! 100% real butter is great, Kerrygold is probably the most cost-effective quality option.
- sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and other full-fat options are in the deal.
alcohol is in the deal
in moderation, a drink or 2 per night is fine.
- dry wines are optimal, sweet wines are fine.
- vodka, whisky, scotch, gin and other liquors are fine as well. ideal with sparkling water, club soda, and squeeze of fresh fruit.
on prepared foods
take advantage of convenience. but also look for our deal breakers!
- rotisserie chickens are GREAT. read the ingredients on the seasonings.
- salad bars are great. if looking at something that’s already been prepared in the salad bar, read the ingredients, esp looking for toxic oils. all the veggies, the hard-boiled eggs, shredded chicken, etc., are great options.
- prepared foods? be sure to ask about ingredients. they typically are NOT displayed. so you have to do some investigating.
chocolate and food bars
chocolate is perfectly fine, later in the day. look for dark chocolate vs milk chocolate. read the sugar content. be aware of 4g = 1tsp, and moderate how much you consume. if a bar has 5g of sugar per half bar, that isn’t a lot of sugar. if it has 15g per half bar, that’s pretty significant, so moderate how much you consume.
- we love these by Green & Black’s.
- and these by Endangered Species.
remember, we are not big fans of “bars” in general, but if you must, just to keep some on hand, there are some healthful options with minimal ingredients:
- we love these bars made by Primal Kitchen! a top pick!
- we also love these Epic bars, basically like a variety of beef jerky in a bar. great quality!
- most of these Lara Bars will check out. we feel like this is moving in the wrong direction, but they are a great option. read the ingredients.
