What I Eat: Grocery Haul + Healthy Recipe

Hey y'all! This post was really highly requested so I finally got around to doing it! I get a lot of requests for posts about what I buy and what I cook on the daily so I thought I'd do a grocery haul and give you guys a little glimpse into my kitchen. I didn't really feel qualified to be sharing what I eat because I'm mainly a beauty and style blog but if the people request it, I will do it :) I tend to share a lot of what I cook on my instagram stories and sometimes my feed and I get asked a lot for the recipes! The problem is, a lot of times, I'm just cooking from experience and don't really follow a recipe. For this post, I sat down and thought through a popular sandwich I love to make and that Joey loves so that I could formulate a recipe for you guys! If you want the recipe, keep reading!

So when I go grocery shopping, I try to spend as little money as possible. We are a young couple just starting out so being frugal is key. At the beginning of every week, I plan out what meals I'm going to be making for the following week. I check what I already have and what I need for specific recipes. I find that when I do that, I don't need to make random trips to the store throughout the week and don't deviate from the list, ultimately saving money. Joey and I have a little whiteboard calendar in our kitchen so he'll write down what groceries he'd like that week (orange juice, granola bars, etc).

Speaking of my husband, I try to make him a healthy eater to some degree. I loooove eating healthy but Joey is not like me in that he loves his processed foods. Tastykakes, Coke, and chips are among his favorites. Because most of the meals I make are healthy, it kind of counteracts his love of junk food ;p He eats healthy for the majority of his day because his lunch consists of leftovers from the healthy dinner I made the night before and then I make a healthy dinner that day. I'd say 2 out of 3 meals is a win. I'm not that wife who won't let her husband eat what he wants and then he ends up hating his life. I can get some healthy things into him for most of the day and he really likes whatever I make so that helps. That's not to say he doesn't eat veggies or fruits, they're just not his go-tos. Ya feel?

That was quite a tangent, but back to business. When I go grocery shopping, I will get whatever I can at Aldi because, hello bargains, and whatever I can't find there, I'll get at Walmart. I've been using Walmart's grocery pick up service and it has made my life so much easier. Most of the time, I don't feel like going grocery shopping after being at work all day so I will order my groceries in advance and pick them up. Lately, I've enjoyed going grocery shopping so I haven't used it but it's a great tool if you don't have time to shop.

Let's get into what I got for next week! I'm not going to go into EVERYTHING because that would be a lot. I'll highlight my favorites!

I recently started shopping at Aldi. I was hesitant because I didn't think it would be much better than Walmart when it came to prices. Boy was I wrong. Aldi is a lot cheaper than I thought! I don't have a problem with generic brands. Sometimes it really makes a difference in taste or texture but that's when you just have to figure out what works and what doesn't. They also have a lot of organic foods for much less than a grocery store so if that's important to you, you'll hit the jackpot at Aldi. Let's jump into what I scored!

Strawberries

This is one food that I will actually buy organic. Strawberries tend to have the most pesticides used in comparison to other fruits so I like to get organic ones. This 1 lb container was less than $3! I love strawberries and I think they can be so versatile in the way you use them! Strawberries are always a must!

Avocados

If you're a millennial and you don't like avocados, I think you may be the only person. I used to hate avocados as a kid but then I came to my senses. Avocados are a great source of healthy fat and I love incorporating them into salads, breakfast dishes, and on sandwiches! These mini avocados are so cute and I love making a quick guacamole for the week to use on my turkey sandwiches :) This little bag includes 6 avocados and is less than $3.50! That's a steal because avocados can be pricey...why you think they charge extra at Chipotle for guac ;)

Flaxseed

To be honest, flaxseed sounds like a weird health food that only hippies and hard core "clean" eaters have in their pantry. They are a great source of fiber and protein and taste super nutty. I think they taste a lot like sesame seeds and I like to incorporate them into smoothies as well as on top of my eggs in the morning! This big bag will easily last me at least a month and it was less than $3!

Almond Butter

Ok, this item was one that I was so incredibly excited about! I loooooove Almonds and I could eat them all day long so when I first tried Almond butter, I was hooked. This jar was a bit more expensive than most things at Aldi but still a good price compared to most grocery stores. I got this jar for about $4. I've seen jars of almond butter in my local grocery store for $10! This is such a deal! I love using almond butter as the fat in a baking recipe as well as using it on almond butter and honey sandwiches! So delicious!

I wanted to give you guys a recipe since I get a lot of requests for recipes and what I eat so below is one for an Italian favorite with a healthy twist. I absolutely love sausage, pepper, and onions and I love the meal even more as a sandwich! I cut out 70% of the fat by using chicken sausage instead of regular pork sausage. You won't even miss the greasy pork sausage because this brand of chicken sausage tastes exactly like it! You can definitely use uncooked chicken sausage, your cooking time will just vary. I actually ended up using pre-cooked sausage by mistake the first time I made it with chicken sausage. I didn't realize it was pre-cooked but I used it anyway and I loved it so much, I continued using it! It is just a convenience thing and helps a lot if you're crunched for time :) Just make sure you're using Italian sausage and not breakfast sausage because they definitely taste VERY different! I like to cut the sausages in half and lay them flat because it makes them easier to cook and because it makes it easier to eat as a sandwich. The sausage won't go rolling all around on your sandwich if it's butterflied. The peppers, onions, and sausage are great on their own but putting it on a bun just makes it all the better! I swapped out the normal white sandwich rolls for whole wheat rolls to get that extra boost of fiber and complex carbs! You're all set!

Healthier Italian Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 Bell peppers (yellow, red, or orange), sliced

2 Medium Onions, cut in half lengthwise and sliced

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 Mild Italian Chicken Sausages (precooked)

4 Whole Wheat Sandwich Rolls

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. On medium heat, heat olive oil in large skillet.

2. Slice peppers and add to skillet. Cook about 2 minutes until they start to soften.

3. Slice onions and add to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until onions are translucent and peppers are soft, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat, cover, and set aside.

4. Slice each chicken sausage in half and lay flat.

5. Lay each sausage flat in a nonstick pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side on medium heat.

6. Toast sandwich rolls.

7. Pile sausage, peppers, and onions onto the toasted bun and enjoy!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post. It's definitely out of my element but if the people ask, I will deliver! Let me know if you'd want to see more of this kind of post! I hope you guys have a great week!

XO,

Gabby