Top 5 Grocery Must Haves

I love reading the daily menus posts although I never contribute  and I started thinking about having some basics around while still adding variety. I'm curious about the top five things you feel help you stay on track or keep you focused. For me, they are:

1)Premier Protein Vanilla- I add this liberally to my decaf coffee every morning for a latte like drink and am already 1/2 way to my minimum protein goal for the day.

2) Dannon Light and Fit Greek Cherry Yogurt- the others are good too, but I actually moan with delight when I have this and I've never been a big yogurt fan.

3) Babybel Light- It's just a quick, easy grab if I need something on my way out the door and have forgotten to eat.

4) Crystal Light Peach Tea- I'm not even a huge peach fan, but I LOVE this flavor and get it out whenever I am having trouble getting all my water in.

5) Orville Redenbacher mini bag Smart Pop- I don't have this very often, but it seems to be the thing that satisfies me the most when I'm hungry, but don't know what to eat, already have most of my calories in, and really feel the need to chew.

6) Premier Protein and/or Pure Protein bars- I eat these 1/2 at a time, but they have been great for those days when I'm really on the run.

 

I know I only said five, but I couldn't leave my trusty protein bars out, because they really have helped out in a pinch. I have tried  Quest bars since everyone seems to like them, but the ones I tried were so hard, that I could barely bite a piece off. I must be getting the wrong kind.

 

How about you? I would love to hear about some of your staples.

Well this is just amazing.  We have the same list.  I use one premier protein per day, baby bel daily, premier protein double chocolate daily (we buy it by the box), and I get the skinny pop at Costco and snack daily.  I use the Dannon vanilla spread on blackberries or 4 ozs. of strawberries for lunch.  Now not the crystal light.  I don't use that.  But I guess i should try as our other tastes are so in tune.  I have a new night snack now.  Pickles.  Hot and spicy pickle slices.  Just a few but they crunch and are not sweet and different.  

You try the Crystal Light and I'll try the hot and spicy pickles

Mine is similar also...

1 - Premier Protein Chocolate - get them at Costco
2 - Pure Protein bars - choc/pb - I order several boxes at a time from Amazon.
3 - Chick Peas - roast them with Splenda and cinn, have them every.single.day.
4 - I make white bean chicken chili often and freeze the extra and pull them out as needed.
5 - Dannon Light and Fit Greek - Caramel Machiatto, Strawberry Cheesecake, Key Lime, Choc Raspberry

Hi Nickeliz,

Great idea for a post!  I'm only 7 weeks out, but here are some of the staples I've developed so far:

1. Premier protein (both choc. & vanilla)  these are my go to.  I drink one every single day b/c it's the easiest way to get my protein in (and some days when I'm really lazy I just drink 2).

2. Fage greek yogurt 2%.  I eat this most mornings for breakfast.  Oddly, I notice I seem to lose more weight when I start my day with Fage.  This of course could just be a coinsidence, but I don't want to break with tradition while it seems to be working.

3. Unjury Chicken Soup.  I use this on the nights where eating just seems like to much of a chore.  I get lots of protein, it goes down easy and doesn't taste to bad.

4. Ricotta cheese and tomato sauce.  My favorite thing to eat since surgery.  It's very warming, it taste good (like lasagna w/ the noodles) and my pouch doesn't seem to mind it.

5.  Dasani Cherry Pomegranate drops.  I've tried a bunch of water flavors (crystal light, other dasani's) and this is by far my favorite.  It really helps me at the end of the day when I struggle to get all of my water in.  I'm a big fan (although I really like green tea, so I'm going to try the crystal light peach tea now, thanks for the rec.)

I know these are kind of boring staples, but they seem to be carrying me right now and I"m thankful to have found all 5.  

I think boring is probably good for staples and then we can spice up the rest of the days. I will definitely try the pomegranate drops too as I need to branch out.

iced vanilla  latte protein shake

sugar free chocolate coffee syrup  (add to my protein shake. I change flavors with the season.  I did gingerbread at christimas.)

string cheese

lettuce to use in wraps instead of bread

boars head turkey

Greek yogurt

crystal light

1) Similar, but I prefer the chocolate in coffee. 

2) This, but for me it's the banana cream. ( And the vanilla, and the chocolate cherry, and the key lime. )

3) Part skim mozzarella cheese sticks or Sargento cheese slices

4****ep a few Quest bars on hand, just in case. My favorite is the Double Chocolate Chunk followed by the Choc Chip Cookie Dough. I don't eat them as much as I used to, but they sure are handy in a pinch. 

Love the key lime

The banana is good.Sometimes I put sugar free chocolate chips in it.