Whole 30 on a Budget: 10 Must-Have Items You Can Find at Walmart
7:47 PM
1. Coconut Oil. While I generally use olive oil to cook with, coconut oil comes in handy. I use it in my stir fry and cauliflower fried "rice." I also use it in place of ghee when I don't have any on hand. something about it seems more buttery and indulgent than olive oil. For a 'treat,' sautee apple slices in it and top with a drizzle of coconut milk and a sprinkle of cinnamon. mmm.
2. Almond Flour. Anything that needs breading will call for almond flour or coconut flour. I find coconut flour to be a lot drier than almond flour. I also have used it to thicken although most recipes call for arrowroot starch (I could never find that stuff at the store!).
3. Dates. It's sort of difficult to 'snack' on The Whole 30®- which I suppose is the point. But since I do it every January, I'm often watching football. I usually make appetizers for the playoffs and dates wrapped with compliant bacon is delicious and easy. I also tried my hand at barbecue sauce this time- most bbq sauce recipes call for dates. I've seen other recipes call for them as a sweetener. I didn't use them often but they're worth it!
4. Lara Bars. I generally save these for when I'm out and about or need to grab something quickly because they are not low calorie. BUT they are two to five ingredient bars that taste delicious. I can't make it through the month without them! Not all flavors are compliant but the cashew cookie, apple pie, and coconut cream pie (TO DIE FOR) are all compliant and less dough at Wal-Mart.
5. No sugar added Almond Butter. Another thing I can't make it without. I actually lost a jar (don't ask. ha) and had Joe stop on his way from work to grab more because I have to have it. Typically in the afternoon, I'd eat a banana or apple slices with almond butter and after you haven't had sugar in a while, it tastes so sweet! I caught myself double-checking to make sure I didn't accidentally buy one with sugar in it because it was that good. It's a healthy snack that's filling and feels like a treat. win/win/win! You're not supposed to make pseudo treats on the Whole 30® but toward the end if I'm feeling desperate (or during one of those playoff games when Joe is crushing a bag of Tostitos), I'll blend a frozen banana, coconut milk, baking cocoa, and almond butter and it might as well be ice-cream. Oh, and Wal-Mart sells a store brand version that's less expensive than MaraNatha and seriously so good.
6. Coconut Milk. I use this in my coffee every day- it's creamier than almond milk. I also use it in this egg bake that's a lifesaver for a quick breakfast (and so yummy). And like I mentioned earlier, I'll use it in the occasional smoothie as well. Oh and I'll toss a little in my fried "rice," too.
7. La Croix. When I feel like a glass of wine, I drink a La Croix. When I feel like a Corona, I drink a La Croix. When I felt like shoving my face in a bowl of cookies and cream ice-cream, I drank a La Croix.
8. Cauliflower Crumbles. I make fried cauliflower 'rice,' taco 'rice' bowls, and meatballs over 'rice' at least a few times during the Whole 30®. While I usually don't pay for convenience (I'm a stay-at-home parent and even though it's annoying to chop veggies for 10 minutes I can start dinner at 4 so I do it), I found I hated grating cauliflower or using a food processor. Thanks to the cauliflower craze, a head of it isn't that cheap anyway so these crumbles are worth the extra change. In my experience, they're way better than frozen!
9. Ghee or clarified butter. I'll be honest, I didn't use this much. I didn't love the taste of it. but surprisingly enough, Wal-Mart has a few different brands so it might be worth trying. I included it because a lot of Whole 30® recipes call for it. It did taste better mixed with hot sauce for this recipe and vegetables sauteed in it were tastier.
10. Raw Cashews. It's tough to find cashews that aren't roasted in peanut oil, These are completely raw and besides the fact that they are tasty (especially mixed with raisin and coconut shavings as a snack), I can not live without cashew sauce during the Whole 30®!
So that's it- 10 must have Whole 30® compliant ingredients at Wal-mart. I have to add three tips to a successful Whole 30® program-
TOP 3 TIPS FOR COMPLETING THE WHOLE 30
1. Meal Plan. You just have to unless you're the type who can eat a baked potato (without butter/cheese/sour cream) and a chicken breast every night. I'm not! Take a look at my Pinterest board for ideas!
2. Use online grocery if you can. It's so much easier when you're buying lots of fresh food and specialty items.
3. Do it with a buddy. DO NOT TRY THIS ALONE, especially if it's your first go. There've been so many times I wanted to quit or cheat and a friend (or my mom!) talked me down- the reverse is also true! It's just too easy to give in without any accountability (plus misery loves company! ha!).
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If you've completed the Whole 30®, tell me what I missed!
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