My Top Five Whole30 Items
I am officially on day 28 of my second Whole30 journey. As I mentioned before I am actually doing it for 48 days this time around, so I still have 20 to go. Honestly this time around has not been even half of the struggle it was the first time I did it. But I will save all that for my post when I finish up. I wanted to take today to talk about the top five items I always like to have on hand when doing Whole30. These are also going to be great things to have if you are trying to be healthier but are not doing a Whole30. So let's get into my top five items to always have on hand!
The first item I want to talk about is a pretty big one. On Whole30 you are only allowed to use certain kinds of oils to cook with. I personally like to always have olive oil and avocado oil in the kitchen. I really like having both of them on hand at all times. They are great to cook with and I also love to make my own salad dressings and I've even made homemade mayonnaise with them too. Olive oil is a stronger flavor as I am sure many of you already know. I like to cook my proteins with it a lot of the time or even toss potatoes in olive oil before putting them in the air fryer. Avocado oil has a much lighter flavor and also has a much higher smoke point so I like to use this for stir-fry. Even when I am not doing a Whole30 I am cooking with one of these oils.
The second item I always have on hand is apples. I especially ate a lot of apples during my first Whole30 since it was during the fall and I live in an area that has a ton of apple orchards. We went apple picking and to the farm a few times so we always had apples on the counter. I personally also just really love them. They are a nice sweet treat to have when you may be craving sugar. I also find them to be pretty filling for a snack. Pair them with almond butter and you have a nice snack with good carbs, protein, fiber, and healthy fats. An extra little tip: sprinkle them with cinnamon! It almost feels like you are enjoying a dessert rather than just a piece of fruit. They are also a great portable snack to just grab on your way out the door. Sure this time of year isn't exactly the same as having apples I picked myself, but the ones in the grocery store are just fine.
The third item on my list is potatoes. This might seem like an odd one but potatoes honestly make this plan that much more bearable for me. You are not allowed really any of the types of carbs we are so used to pairing with meals such as pasta and rice. Potatoes are a nice way to get some extra carbs in for extra energy during my day. As I mentioned before I personally love to toss them in some olive oil and seasonings and put them into the air fryer. Dip them in some Whole30 compliant salsa and you have a healthier version of French fries and ketchup. I also love to add them to any soups I make on this plan. I currently am making some chicken soup for my lunches this week and it will have some cubed potatoes instead of pasta. Sweet potatoes are great too!
Fourth is coconut milk! I personally love coconut but I feel like people either love it or hate it. If you are not a fan of coconut this choice obviously is not for you. I love to add it to my morning coffee when I want a change from the Nutpods creamer. Just yesterday I made my first batch of cold brew coffee and I added coconut milk and a little cinnamon in the morning and it was delicious! One of my favorite Whole30 breakfasts is a mashed sweet potato bowl and I pour coconut milk over that too. The coconut milk really is delicious with the sweet potato. I personally like to buy the reduced fat versions like this one from Trader Joe's, but the full fat is delicious too. Just a little tip when buying the reduced fat make sure you check the ingredients. This one is only coconut milk and water so it is just fine, but make sure there are not any added ingredients you don't like.
My fifth and final item on this list might be a little surprising, but it is a pretty big one for me: Frozen vegetables! I always make sure I have frozen vegetables on hand at all times but especially when I am doing Whole30. I especially like the bags that you can just throw into the microwave and steam. As I mentioned in my Whole30 meals blog a few weeks back, stir-fry is a dinner I make for myself quite often. Frozen stir-fry blends make this even easier. Here are the steps to my easy stir-fry in case you were looking for a quick week night dinner:
- Start to cook your protein (I love chicken or shrimp) in a pan with a few teaspoons of avocado oil.
- When your protein is about half way done put your frozen vegetables into the microwave and cook according to the package's instructions.
- When your vegetables are done, add them to the pan with your protein. Add some coconut aminos and toss it all together. Cook for a few more minutes until the liquid in the pan reduces.
- That is it! just put onto a plate and into a bowl and enjoy! Pretty quick and easy right?
All of the items mentioned in this list are things I love to have on hand not only during Whole30 but all the time. The are all fairly healthy ingredients to add to recipes or cook with and I personally find they help me stick to healthier eating when I have them available. It is especially easy to cook up a fast meal after my workout when I have frozen vegetables and avocado oil on hand. I love to make sure I can just grab an apple and head out the door to work in the mornings. Potatoes are a great way to add some extra carbs and calories into a meal if I feel I might not have enough of those planned in my meals for the day. Coconut milk is such a great thing to always have on hand so I can eat a little less dairy too! I would love to hear your thoughts and examples on items you like to have on hand to stay healthy too!
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