What I buy when I go grocery shopping

My biggest trick to keep eating healthy? Only stock your kitchen with food you want to be eating. This way, even when a craving hits, you'll have a variety of healthy snacks to pull from.

Meal planning is really popular in the blogging community, but I'm not really a meal planner. I like having a variety of healthy food on hand so that I can make whatever I'm craving at the time.

I shop mostly at Trader Joe's. I love it because it has most of the foods I need in sizes I need and at prices I like. I don't like to over-buy food, and Trader Joe's does a great job at having smaller sizes of stuff available at really reasonable prices. I still go to Safeway or Whole Foods for some things, but Trader Joe's is my go-to grocery store.

Here's what I bought this week:

 Fruits: I always buy bananas, and then pick different fruits that sound good that week. I already had some grapes and clementines, so I went with strawberries and a pineapple, plus some dates for homemade Larabars.

 Veggies: Spinach and kale (for salads and smoothies), cauliflower, green peppers, broccoli, green beans, and a cucumber.

Other stuff: Egg whites, chicken, peanut butter, vanilla, coconut oil, Larabars, chocolate chips. I still have beans, chia seeds, and almond milk on hand from last week, or I would have bought those too.

Some other words of advice:

1. I usually buy frozen fruit for smoothies. It lasts FOR. EVER.
2. Buy bananas in varying stages of ripeness. Freeze them in slices for smoothies or two ingredient "ice cream" once they start getting ripe.
3. Try to stick to the perimeter of whichever grocery store you choose. This is a sure-fire way to stick to clean, less-processed food.
4. If you don't want to eat it, don't buy it. If it's in your house, you're going to eat it.
5. Trying new foods is awesome! But don't get overzealous and buy massive amounts of something you've never tried. Inevitably, you'll hate it, and it will end up in the trash.
6. When you can, buy in bulk. Things like beans, rice, and oatmeal take FOREVER to go bad, so stock up because you'll save money.
7. For things that are perishable (like milk or veggies), track how much you consume and then purchase the smallest size possible to meet your needs. For me, I was ALWAYS throwing away milk or yogurt. Paying less per ounce means nothing if you're constantly throwing food away.
8. Freeze your meat in individual portions. It's easier to thaw what you need at the time.
9. If you're cooking for one, don't be afraid to cook multiple portions at once, especially if things are going bad. Cook and then store in individual portions so they'll be ready for you to eat.

Happy grocery shopping, and share your tricks in the comments!