This post was sponsored by Lightlife 

It’s time for a healthy grocery haul!

We are just about one week into 2019 and I know I say it every January but I just LOVE the start of a new year. It’s exciting, fresh, and always gives me anticipation for what amazing things the year will bring. I’ve written a couple posts about New Years Resolutions (here and here) so that’s not what this post is about today, rather I’m sharing my Healthy Grocery Haul for the New Year to inspire you to bring some healthy additions to your weekly grocery trip in 2019. 

Some of these foods may not be new to you and that’s ok, maybe you can simply learn a new way to enjoy them more often! If there are any foods in my haul that are new to you though, I’d love for you to bring them into your weekly routine in the new year as they all have wonderful health benefits. Many of these items are plant-based as I’ve been naturally leaning to a more plant-focused way of eating myself and there’s no denying that plant-based whole foods are loaded with nutrients. 

Here’s what’s in my grocery haul!

Super Seeds: Small but mighty, these particular seeds are loaded with vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, protein, and fibre and can be enjoyed on a daily basis. By “super seeds” I am referring to chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds, each with their own individual health benefits. Try adding any of these seeds to your smoothies (by the tablespoon!), sprinkling them over salads, stir fry’s, oatmeal, or avocado toast, adding them to dressings, or mixing them into Greek or coconut yogurt! 

Citrus Fruits: I imagine that citrus fruits aren’t new for most of you, but I wanted to include them in my list because I think they are so amazing, beneficial, and can really make their way into your diet on a daily basis. Orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime are all loaded with immune boosting properties and can be enjoyed so many ways. Add fresh lemon slices to a big glass of water every morning for a digestion boost, throw grapefruit or lime segments into a smoothie, or add freshly squeezed orange juice to a stir fry sauce!

Tempeh: Another newer food item to my diet, tempeh is a plant-based protein made of cultured soy-beans. It has a much firmer texture than tofu and works wonderfully as the main protein source in many kinds of meals including curries, tacos, stews, stir-fry’s, salads, and even sloppy joe’s! Lightlife’s Organic Soy Tempeh is made with just three ingredients: soybeans, water, and brown rice.  It packs a protein punch with 16g of protein per 3 ounce serving and it also contains healthy fats, B vitamins, and fibre! 

Raw Nuts: Like seeds, raw nuts have a ton of nutrients packed into each little bite. If you are used to sticking with almonds, change it up and try walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, or macadamias. Add nuts to salads, energy balls, smoothies, curries, or just eat them on their own for a filling nutritional boost to your day. 

Nut-Based Cheeses: I have a dairy allergy so regular cheese has been off the table for me for a long time, but over the last year I’ve noticed a huge spike in plant-based cheeses showing up in grocery stores. Lots of local smaller businesses are specializing in natural nut-based cheese that really tastes so similar to the real thing but also has the added benefits of healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts like cashews and almonds. Lactose intolerance and dairy allergy is surprisingly common (65% of the population according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine!) so it’s understandable that many of us could benefit from dairy-free cheese alternatives. Check around your city to see if there’s a smaller local brand making nut-based cheese or try your grocery store for brands like Miyoko’s Creamery, Follow Your Heart, or Treeline Treenut Cheeses. 

Leafy Green Herbs: When it comes to leafy green herbs we often think of just adding them as a garnish to enhance meals but there’s more clever ways we can consume larger amounts of these nutrient-dense greens. I LOVE blending a handful of fresh parsley or mint into my smoothies, loading sauces with fresh dill, or adding tons of chopped chives and cilantro to a salad. When it comes to leafy green herbs be sure to try all different kinds and add more to your meals, not just a sprinkle! 

Plant-Based Meat Alternatives: If you are used to cooking up beef, chicken, or pork on a regular basis, try swapping them out for a plant-based alternative a couple times a week. Try veggie ground in pasta sauce or tacos or swap in a garden veggie tempeh burger on burger night. Lightlife offers tons of organic, non-GMO, plant-based meat alternatives that contain a great amount of protein, vitamins, minerals. They are also made with natural ingredients and are often easier to digest as they have the added benefit of fibre that isn’t found in animal protein. 

Fresh Juices: If you own a juicer or a blender, that’s amazing, I want you to juice, juice, and juice some more in the New Year! While I don’t usually recommend replacing whole meals with juice, you can add fresh fruit and vegetable juice to your daily repertoire for an extra nutrient and antioxidant boost. Many grocery stores make their own fresh juices daily (these usually expire in 2-3 days because they don’t have preservatives added) and they come in great combinations like carrot and beet, mint pear and pineapple, or celery and apple. I’ve been making my own blender celery juice at home using this recipe!

I hope you are inspired by this list to bring some new and fresh foods into your diet in 2019! I’d love to know what items you include in your own healthy grocery haul and which items in my list you’ll be adding to yours! Be sure to pin the photo below to save this post for later and of course, share the love!

Happy New Year!