28 Healthy Non-canned Foods to Stock Up On

Are you like me? Panicked far less about the novel Coronavirus impacting your home than about having kids home from school for two to three weeks and having to not only entertain them but feed them!  My kids are lucky to not be 1 of the millions of kids nationwide that will go hungry when schools inevitably close but the stress of feeding them two snacks a day plus lunch when my normal meal planning schedule doesn't account for any of that was getting to me.

So I've compiled a list of nutrition-packed lunch and snack ideas to keep your family from munching on over-processed trash during the next few weeks at home.

Best of all, if you shop at Harris Teeter, much of what is on this list is on sale right now. So go ahead, brave the crowds, stock up on healthy foods that will last, and while you're at it, consider grabbing a few extra of each item to share with a kid in need because all kids deserve nutritious food free of overly processed ingredients, fillers, food dyes, and chemicals!

28 Healthy Foods to Keep on Hand When COVID-19 Has You Home with the Kids

Smoothie ingredients!

1. Frozen Fruit - Select Simple Truth Organic frozen fruit is on sale for $3.39
2. Protein Powder
3. Rolled Oats
4. Bananas - remove the peel, drop them in a bag, and pop them in the freezer!

Low-Calorie Snacks (because we all know boredom leads to the munchies)

5.Smartfood White Cheddar popcorn - you'd be surprised how clean this cheddary goodness is. (2/$5 right now)
6. Lara Bars - can't beat these when they're 10/$10
7. Yogurt - not on sale but Siggi's 0% is our go-to brand because they offer the highest protein and lowest sugar content of anything else we see on shelves. BONUS: They just started making kids pouches!
8. Cheese sticks - HT Organics on sale this week 2/$7

Pantry Staples

9. Peanut / Almond Butter - Simple Truth Organic Almond Butter on sale for $3.99 each this week! I get crunchy because it's way more satisfying. Fun fact, did you know the act of chewing tells your brain you're eating, which really does help satiate you!
10. Don't forget the jelly.
11. Rice
12. Protein Pasta - we like Barilla Chickpea pasta -- chickpea is the only alternative pasta I've found to hold up, suck up sauce, and taste like the real deal!
13. Whole Grain Bread - we opt for Dave's Killer Bread and if your Harris Teeter is like ours, you'll find plenty left since people scooped up all that bleached nonsense already.

14. Oatmeal - We prefer the Kodiak brand so our oatmeal contains a decent amount of protein and less sugar than you'll find from other brands. On sale this week, too!
15. Pancakes - Once again, we opt for Kodiak, on sale at HT for just $3.99.  I love Kodiak because of all the flavor options. Dark Chocolate is our go-to and we skip the sugar-rush by topping them with peanut butter and eating them sans maple syrup. My kids are obsessed!

16. Tuna in water - Starkist brand white albacore is on sale this week (my store was almost out so hopefully, you can find some!)
17. Marinara sauce - There is no easier meal than pasta marinara with a can of tuna thrown in for protein! If you want, grab some shredded carrots and you'll even be able to sneak veggies into your kids with this easy lunch!

Long-Lasting Fridge Staples

18. Eggs - a great source of healthy fats and protein that will last a good month in the fridge. Stock up! (Eggland's Best Organic on sale this week for $3.99)
19. Perfect Bars - These are a must-have in my house. Balanced nutrition in a bar that will actually fill you up and this week they're 2/$4 so stock up!  The smaller kids' sizes are on sale, too! And they last forever!

20. Hummus - Sabra brand is delish and BOGO this week at Harris Teeter! We bought 4!
21. Baby Carrots - These last forever in the fridge and make the perfect tool for getting your BOGO Sabra hummus from plate to mouth!  Another kid-approved snack in our house!

For the freezer

Please, for the love of your body, skip the frozen meals!  Instead, opt for fresh proteins that are versatile, budget-friendly, and will freeze/unfreeze nicely in case you're stuck in the house for a few weeks. BONUS, they don't come in big obnoxious boxes that take up tons of freezer space!
22. Chicken
23. Ground beef or bison
24. Beef stew meat
25. Ground turkey
26. Cod
27. Salmon
28. Edamame (HT Organics for the win again -- BOGO this week!)

10 Healthy Breakfasts You Can Take On-The-Go

I don't have to tell you how good it feels to start your day off with a nutrioutious breakfast. But if you're like me, you can barely make it out the door in time becuase it's pretty much a guarantee that something unexpected is going to happen every morning. A dog will puke. A kid will refuse to get dressed. An email from work will make you forget how long you've been staring at your phone. Basically, I move at half-speed (brain speed, too!) until my coffee has kicked in and at that point I'm halfway to work. 

So I had to figure out another way to get a good breakfast in each day after coming to the realization that cooking in the morning only happens on ABC Family. Here are my 10 go-to healthy breakfast options to take to work with you:

Option 1: Kodiak Cakes + Protein 

Sadly, I can only find the good kind at Target. They sell other flavors at other stores but only Target seems to carry the one that has extra protein in it.  I like the chocolate in particular because I can eat those plain and even cold.  I can make a giant batch on a weekend morning, pack up individual servings in sandwich bags, stick them in the fridge, then eat them on the go throughout the week. 

Option 2: Egg Scramble with veggies and toast

You can either do toast with jelly or do an egg white only scramble and do toast with some type of nut butter. Make sure you choose nut butters that don't have added sugar. (meaning you don't see sugar as a listed ingredient) You'll be surprised how difficult that is to find! The cheapest is Harris Teeter organic. Don't get the one that says "no stir" get the other one. The no stir one has sugar in it as a binding agent to keep it from separating. People are weird about reheated eggs. I don't notice any difference between fresh and reheated scrambled eggs.

 

Option 3: Overnight Oats. 

Soooo easy! We make a big batch then portion out into single servings and stick in the fridge. There are a ton of recipes out there but not all are healthy. We love these ones. You can substitute raspberry jam for the berry chia stuff she mentions. Other one's I haven't made but look good and healthy:

-- http://www.frankiesfeast.com/2014/06/28/carrot-cake-overnight-oats-gluten-free-dairy-free-vegan-raw/

-- http://asunshinyday.com/coconut-pomegranate-overnight-oats/

-- https://www.skinnytaste.com/coconut-lime-raspberry-chia-pudding/

Option 4: Egg & Turkey Stuff Poblanos

We made these this week and they were delicious!  They definitely took some time to make though. About an hour. So you'll want to make a bunch over the weekend. 

Option 5: Think Thin Oatmeal. 

This isn't enough food for me for breakfast but it's a great quick and easy on the go food. Can you stand hard boiled eggs? One packet of this plus a hard boiled egg is a perfect breakfast!  And if you get ambitious, you can make a big batch of a healthy, homemade oatmeal like this Slow Cooker Oatmeal recipe from Fit Men Cook. We made this last week!

Option 6:  Don't knock this before you try it. 

I personally can't stand cottage cheese unless it's hidden in lasagna until I tried this from Fit Men Cook and I LOVE it! 

-- 2 slices toast

-- Topped with 1 TBL each of low-fat cottage cheese

-- Topped with Italian tomato salad -- Diced tomatoes, chopped basil, salt, garlic powder, and marinated in a bit of balsamic vinegar for 3-5 minutes. Strain out balsamic then add tomato mix on top of your cottage cheese toast. OMG -- it's AMAZING! If you like Caprase Salad you will like this!

Option 7: Yogurt Parfait 

Keep the sugar low with Fage 0% Greek Yogurt (1 cup), 1 TBL honey, top with Berries of choice. (My fave is either pomegranate seeds or blue berries.) . You can also add some crushed cashews or other nuts to get some crunch/texture. This is another thing you can make a bunch of and stick in the fridge. Just add your crunch before you leave in the AM so it doesn't lose it's crunch!

Option 8: Banana and egg white protein pancakes. 

Sooo simple!  Mash-up super-ripe bananas and add 6 TBL liquid egg whites and 1 TBL almond flour for each banana. that equals 1 serving. Cook on a griddle like you would normal pancakes. When you flip, use the bottom of your spatula to mash each one down to about 1/2 inch thick. You'll have a flip twice to ensure it's fully cooked. Dip in maple syrup or honey. Or eat plain. Again, they're good! And you can eat these cold or heat them up in a toaster throughout the week. 

-- Here's another variation w/ oats instead of almond flour: https://www.skinnytaste.com/4-ingredient-flourless-banana-nut-pancakes/

Option 9: Sweet Potato Hash with Chicken and Eggs. 

You can mix in scrambled eggs if you don't want to do the poached ones she suggests. 

Option 10: Any kind of frittata

Super easy to bake a big one that will get you guys through the week. 

-- https://www.skinnytaste.com/leftover-turkey-and-sweet-potato/

-- https://aggieskitchen.com/kale-red-pepper-goat-cheese-frittata/

-- http://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/my-favorite-veggie-frittata/

Protein + Energy Breakfast Bowl Recipe (Meal Prep Optional!)

I love this recipe because it's a fairly quick and healthy breakfast recipe to make on Saturday or Sunday mornings when you have a bit more time.  And if you work like us, you spend that precious time getting your meal prep in place for the week. This particularly breakfast bowl recipe is delicious reheated.

Healthy Breakfast Bowl Meal Prep Recipe

~ 6 servings

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups (dry) quinoa of your choice
• 12 eggs
• 4-6 cups laciento kale, chopped
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 3 oz crumbled feta cheese

How to make these delicious protein breakfast bowls:

1. Cook quinoa according to box (typically a 1 dry::1.3 water ratio; boil then cover and simmer 15-20 min.)
2. Meanwhile, dice peppers and chop kale.
3. Pre-heat griddle to medium (~300 degrees) and pre-heat a large skillet to medium high.
4. Spray griddle with light coat of avocado oil. 
5. Using an egg ring, cook eggs on griddle to desired doneness (over medium is my favorite for this recipe, you need the goo!)
6. While eggs are cooking, saute tomatoes & kale in skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the tomatoes start to char a bit (5-7 mins). Remove from heat. 
7. Add quinoa and feta cheese to skillet with veggies, toss to combine. 
8. Divide quinoa mixture among bowls then top with 2 eggs per person. 
9. Kick up the heat by drizzling with siracha, salsa, or your favorite hot sauce. 

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Protein Bars

It's officially October, which means it's time to pumpkin spice all the things. We did just that in this week's meal prep with these delicious, macro-balanced protein bars, great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Pumpkin Protein Bar Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 can pureed pumpkin (Check the ingredient list. Make sure it's nothing but pumpkin. You don't need anything else!)
• 3 Scoops VEGA Vanilla Protein Powder (with greens)
• 3/4 cup liquid egg whites
• 3 TBL Apple Butter 
• 1.5 Cups Almond or Cashew Milk (unflavored, unsweetened)
• 1 TBL Vanilla
• 1/3 cup Almond Flour
• 1 cup rolled oats

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat over to 350 degrees.
2. Spray coconut oil in 9x13 baking dish
3. Whisk all wet ingredients together in a large bowl (pumpkin, egg whites, apple butter, milk, vanilla)
4. Add in dry ingredients and stir to combine. 
5. Spread batter in baking dish and cook for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick stuck through the center comes out clean (you know, the way you check brownies...)

Cut into 8 equal servings and store in plastic sandwich bags in the fridge. Grab and go for breakfast or a snack all week long. 

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Macro Nutrients for Pumpkin Spice Bars

Calories: 202

Fat: 4

Carbs: 26

Protein: 15

Rucking: The Strong (Wo)Man's Walk

This week’s workout is the simplest way to break a sweat you never thought of. It's about to be hottest week of the year, so why not head into the great outdoors and go for a Ruck! First thing you are thinking….

What does it mean to go rucking? 

A ruck is a walk with a weighted backpack called a rucksack.

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The Benefits of Rucking: 

1. Burns more calories than walking
2. Can relieve and even prevent back pain
3. Builds your endurance
4. Aids in building muscle
5. Improves posture
6. Gets you out of the gym
7. Helps prevent injuries

Rucking is something that has been used by the military for years. Soldiers will ruck with their packs for 20+ miles and around 200 lbs and the benefits far outweigh the other alternatives (running, walking, etc.). PLUS you can go for a ruck with kids and/or furbabies. #NoExcuses!

Who should do it?

Anyone and Everyone. Seriously. You can go rucking... And YOU can go rucking... And YOU can go rucking. Everyone can go rucking!

What do I need to go rucking? 

A good pair of shoes (I prefer running shoes), a backpack (I prefer a pack with a chest strap and padded straps), and weights to put in the pack (I wrap them in an old towel to prevent clanging.)

When should I go? 

Obviously you can go anytime but if you live in NC like we do… We know that is not an option from 11 am to 3 pm. This will take more out of you than a plain old walk so try early morning or late afternoon/evening to avoid a heat stroke.

How much weight should I take rucking? 

Start at a weight no more than 10% of your body weight. Feel free to start lower if needed. The key is to maintain proper posture while walking with the pack. If you are counting macros and want to know how to calculate what you are burning. Just calculate how many calories someone at your weight PLUS the weight you added to the pack would burn for the distance walked. For example, a 150 lb male with a 50 lb pack will burn 344 calories vs his typical 258 per hour (17 minute mile ~ 3.5 mph). I like that math.



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Links for additional info:
The Power of Rucking (from a former soldier)
More on Rucking as A Tool in your Fitness Arsenal

15 Grocery Items We Keep Stocked in the Fit Fresh Real Kitchen

After a few weeks on our meal plans, you'll start to see some our favorite healthy ingredients playing on repeat. Many are simple, healthy swaps for other items you probably already have in your pantry. It's okay to use those "less healthy" items until they run out but as you start cleaning out unhealthy foods from your pantry and fridge, here's a quick list of items you'll want to start replacing them with:

1. Liquid Aminos (instead of low-sodium soy sauce)
2. Coconut Sugar and raw, organic honey (instead of cane sugar)
3. Avocado Oil, Coconut oil, and a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oilinstead of canola or vegetable oil
4. REAL sticks of unsalted butter (instead of fake buttery spreads)
5. Almond flour and coconut flour (instead of white or wheat flour)
6. Low-fat, PLAIN Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream or any other kind of yogurt -- you want it to taste like sweet yogurt? Just add honey and some real fruit.)
7. Almond Butter and Peanut Butter free of sugar (The amount of sugar in most of these is cray-cray. It's used as a binding agent to help lazy people from having to stir before spreading. Don't get sucked into that madness!)
8. Unsweetened Almond, Flax or Cashew milk (instead of cow's milk -- dude, think of it this way, you're basically drinking from a cow's boob. You don't need that...)
9. Basic flavoring spices (parsley, cilantro, garlic powder -- not garlic salt!, onion powder,  salt and pepper, chili powder, paprika, cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, and turmeric)
10. A few baskets of decently healthy snacks: Organic jerky, variety of raw or plain roasted nuts, low-sugar cereals, apples, bananas, carrots, hummus, salsa and organic tortilla chips, and oatmeal. 
11. Organic Lemon & Lime Juice (NOT lemon or lime flavoring. Try Lakewood Organic.) 
12. Low-sugar Marinara Sauce (This is another food that is often packed with unnecessary sugar. Tomatoes already have natural sugars, and that's okay, but when you see sugar on the ingredient list of a marinara sauce, you should run for the hills. We like Muir Glen's Organic Classic Marinara. It's the only organic option in it's price range with good-for-you ingredients and no added sugar. Plus, it's delish!)
13. Canned Tuna (line-caught, BPA free)
14. Variety of whole grains (like brown rice, farro, and quinoa) 
15. Protein pasta (The closest type your find to real pasta is this pasta with protein added from Barilla -- a decent choice. Or, try the many varieties of lentil or bean pastas available at your local grocery store.)

Organizing Your Kitchen for Healthy Eating

You know how you keep yourself from impulsing grabbing and snacking on crap? GET IT OUT OF THE HOUSE!

You know how you turn healthy food into cravings? MAKE IT LOOK DESIRABLE!

I know, I'm yelling. But I shout the truth people. It works. So if you're really willing to commit here, follow these simple steps to getting your food storage organized. You'll be amazed how this small change affects the way your entire family responds to hunger cravings.

Source: The Container Store

Step 1: Clean out the crap

You're going to think I'm crazy but to do this right you need to empty you entire fridge, pantry. and food cabinets. That's right, take out those cereal boxes, jars of marinara sauce, spices jars, flour bags, etc. Put it all on your counter or kitchen table.

One by one, check the label. 

1. Dates: If it's a shelf-stable item (pantry) that's more than 3 months past expiration, in the fridge  or a "refrigerate after opening" item that's more than a month past expiration, make the trash can it's new home. 
2. Ingredients: We follow the simple rule in our household that if it includes an ingredient we can't pronounce, we don't eat it!  So that's a place to start.  If there are ingredients you can't pronounce without Googling, throw it away. (or Google first, your prerogative, but check nonetheless!) If you want to get REAL here, check out our Fit Fresh Real No-No List. 

Step 2: Put the crap in a corner

Out of sight, out of mind is the best tool in your arsenal when it comes to staving off cravings and opting for healthy choices. If you're really committed, we recommend getting this stuff out of your kitchen for good. That means putting it in the trash and taking unopened items to a local food shelter.

But if you can't bring yourself to actually throw food away, at least put it in a corner shelf you never open at a height you need a stool to reach.

In looking at the remaining items, make a judgement call. What's not healthy? I bet you'll find cookies, chips, chocolate filled granola bars, cereal with more than 9 grams of sugar (heck, anything with sugar as one of the first 3 ingredients), maybe some Alfredo sauce or candy? Go ahead and separate those out. And while you're at it, put all the pre-made dressings and marinades over in that group, too. See any bread or flour products (like pasta) that contain "bleached flour", send them to the corner! If it contains high-fructose corn syrup, put it in the corner!

Step 3: Organize like a grocery store

Next, sort what's left by the aisle you find it in the grocery store and put it back in your pantry and fridge in groups:

• Dressings & Sauces
• Spreads and Nut Butters
• Canned Veggies & Fruits
• Baking Goods (flours, sugars, breadcrumbs, spices, oils, vinegars)
• Cereal and Oatmeal
• Teas & Coffees (sweeteners, too, like agave or honey)
• Pastas and Noodles
• Healthy Snacks (Pre-packaged and bulk; including granola bars, nuts, crackers, jerky, etc.)
• Root Veggies (potatoes, onions, garlic) -- these can/should be stored in a cool, dark place like your pantry. 
• Fruits and veggies that don't get refrigerated --- these should get stored in a clear, clean place on your counter
• Fruits and veggies that do get refrigerated
• Meats
• Cheeses & Butters
• Drinks (This pile should basically be empty)

Step 4: Baskets & Labels

Now it's time to make friends with The Container Store. Think about everything that can go in baskets and bins. Our pantry includes:

• 2 healthy snack baskets fill with Kind Bars, fruit & veggie apple sauce packs, and organic beef jerky. 
• 8 - 10 see-through food canisters filled with raw nuts and seeds (raw cashews, raw almonds, raw pecans, raw pumpkin seeds, etc.)
• A few more see-through food canisters fill with healthy grains like steel-cut oats, farrow, and brown rice

Head on over to our fridge and you'll find the entire thing filled with these clear fridge bins designed to give everything from sauces and spreads to eggs and meat a specific home inside. 

And it's ALL LABELED. Yes, we bought a label maker and printed labels to stick on all these bins. Our fridge features  labeled bins for: 

• Large Jars
• Mustards
• Spreads
• Dressings & Marinades
• Eggs
• Meat
• Cheeses

Why are we so crazy about keeping our food sorted and organized? 

First, it ensures we don't collect crap. If it doesn't have a home, it doesn't belong. It also creates a sense of purpose and focus around the food in your kitchen. It's totally subliminal but if you've ever stared a full fridge and wondered why do I have so much food but nothing to eat you'll recognize how this small change to the way you treat food completely shifts your feelings about food. It becomes a positive part of your life. One designed to help you feel good and give you energy, not anxiety or discomfort.

Step 5: Stock Up on Meal Prep Storage Containers

Now that you've got your space organized. You'll also want to make sure you have left plenty of room in the fridge for storing prepped foods (mainly breakfasts and lunches). Our food storage inventory includes:

• Two-three packs of these Pyrex dishes -- we love this mix pack in particular because of the varying sizes and shapes that allow for storing all types of food. 
• A set of these dishwasher safe, BPA-free Bento Boxes -- not as sturdy as the Pyrex dishes but great for storing meal preps that you don't want touching when it gets shaken around in your car on the way to work (like BBQ chicken and fresh veggies)
• Two Dressing shakers & a few 1/4 cup sauce containers (We make all our own dressings because it's nearly impossible to find one's at the store that are healthier -- plus, it gives us the flexibility to create delicious dressings that complement the overall flavor of our meal, rather than a boring old balsamic vinaigrette for everything. 
• Optional: Fruit & Veggie Savers. We know people who swear by these things. Apparently they work. But you honestly shouldn't need them if you know how to use your crisper drawer and actually follow our meal plans that will keep you from storing fresh foods longer than they'd naturally last anyway.  

Don't have enough space for all the fruits and veggies we've having you buy in the two little veggie drawers that came with your fridge? Convert your deli drawer to a veggie crisper as well. Drawers in your fridge serve two purposes. 1) Keep in the cold air while you're opening and closing the door all day and 2) (specific to veggie drawers) let you open and close vents to control the level of humidity in the drawer. 

Since you don't have a vent in your deli drawer to release the moisture, just keep leafy greens or other items found under the grocery store sprinklers that like staying wet and you're all set! Plus, on our plan, you won't have a need for that deli drawer anyway!

6 Months Later:

Revisit your Corner O' Crap and throw away anything that's still sitting there.

Also, repeat steps 1-3. No doubt you've had a few missteps along the way and collected a few not-so-great-for-you pantry items. That's okay. We all have our days. (weeks?)  Now's as good a time as any to do another reset!