List of products and menus for the week
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all shopping list. Each person chooses products depending on their taste preferences, their usual diet, and the family members.
We offer you a basic set of products for a week for 2 people, which you can change based on your needs.
But before we get to the selection of products, we want to share a few helpful tips when building a shopping list.
How to make a grocery list for the week?
- Remember, this is an essential grocery list. It should contain all the ingredients needed for the main meals. You can prepare many simple meals with these products.
- Once you understand what you need in the base set, you can start expanding it. List the ingredients for elaborate meals or create a meal plan.
- You can use convenience foods and frozen foods. Although fresh fruits and vegetables are considered the foundation of a healthy diet, don't rush to skip frozen ones. Frozen fruits and vegetables last much longer. And if you buy chopped vegetables, they will save you cooking time. Besides, frozen food practically does not lose nutrients, which means it will not harm your health in any way.
Don't do that!
Don't buy too many products at once. Some people have the misconception that you can buy everything in bulk and save your family budget. Everything happens exactly the opposite.
First, not everyone has enough refrigerator space to store large quantities of food. Second, if you buy many perishable goods, you will be throwing away more than you saved.
Try shopping a few times with your essential shopping list, and when you understand how much food you consume and how much storage space you have, start expanding it.
Your one-stop grocery list for the week
Now that we have outlined the basic rules for creating a menu with a list of products for the week let's move on to the necessary ingredients.
But if you want to follow the rules of proper nutrition or lose weight, we recommend that you look at our article "Menu for weight loss with a list of products for the week."
Meat and fish
- Meat. You can choose the beef yourself based on your taste preferences. However, we recommend giving priority to white meat without skin. For example, turkey or chicken fillets are considered the healthiest due to their low saturated fat content. To diversify your diet, you can buy some red meat. It can be steak or beef tenderloin. When purchasing meat, assume 150 g per person per day.
- Fish. Nutritionists recommend that everyone eat fish twice a week. It is desirable that the fish be fatty and contain many beneficial trace elements—for example, tuna, mackerel, or sturgeon varieties. The minimum portion per person is 100 gr.
- Cold cuts or sausages. It is a must-have for breakfast or as a quick snack for unexpected guests. It is better to choose products made from natural meat—for example, bacon, prosciutto, or boiled pork.
Grocery
- Paste. Any kind of pasta is a great dish that is easy and quick to prepare. A pack of spaghetti, horns, noodles, soba, funchose, or another pasta type, depending on your preferences, should always be kept in reserve by every housewife. We recommend choosing pasta made from durum wheat, buckwheat, corn, or rice flour. They are suitable for any diet and do not contain harmful trace elements.
- Figure. It is a versatile cereal that can be used to make many delicious and simple dishes. The rice choice is also varied: white rice, long-grain, basmati, jasmine, brown and wild rice, arborio.
- Bread. Bread is essential in every person's diet. We recommend choosing whole-grain bread for a healthy amount of fiber.
- Flour. Flour should always be in the house. It is not only the main ingredient for pies, cakes, and other baked goods. You can also use it as a thickener for gravy and breading meat to give it a crispy crust when frying. There is a wide variety of flours sold in supermarkets - you can buy regular wheat flour or gluten-free types such as rice, buckwheat, almond, soy.
- Dry breakfasts. It is a quick breakfast option that can be useful. Choose muesli, granola, or cereal without sugar and high in fiber.
Oils
- Vegetable oil. You will need it for most meals. If you have a healthy diet, choose olive oil, flaxseed oil, or other oils rich in omega-3s.
- Butter. Another versatile product that should be in any refrigerator. Butter is excellent for breakfast toast, as well as for cooking and baking.
Dairy products and eggs
- Milk is an irreplaceable ingredient. You will need it for breakfast cereals, in coffee, for making delicious sauce, and baking. Vegans and health-conscious people are advised to look at alternative milk types such as soy milk or almond milk.
- Eggs. Eggs are the primary source of protein that everybody needs. Eggs can be used in any dish and are an excellent option for a quick breakfast or late dinner. An adult needs to eat at least 2-3 eggs a day. Those on a sports diet should increase the serving size to 5-7 eggs.
- Cheese. Cheese can enhance any simple dish. 40 g per day of cheese will saturate your body with useful trace elements. Choose a cheese of your choice. However, before buying, make sure the cheese’s quality should not be a cheese product.
- Yogurt. We recommend taking classic Greek yogurt 3-5% and adding fruit and honey to it yourself. This way you will get not only tasty but also healthy dessert. Plus, Greek yogurt is an excellent base for any sauce or salad dressing.
Fruits and vegetables
- Onion. It's hard to imagine a homemade dish without using it. It can be stored for a long time in a cool, dark place. Therefore, you can safely have several onion heads at home in reserve.
- Garlic. Another essential ingredient in many dishes for flavoring. It is also stored in a cool dark place for a long time.
- Fruits. They contain many beneficial vitamins and minerals to help you stay healthy and maintain an effective immune system. They can be used as a snack between meals. Give preference to seasonal fruits, so you get all the necessary micronutrients, and you can not worry about the quality of the products.
- Vegetables are another great source of vitamins. We recommend mixing as many vegetables of different colors as possible since each color of vegetables usually contains other essential vitamins. Therefore, you should not dwell only on green vegetables. Buy seasonal vegetables and use them in all your meals.
Conservation
- Beans. Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or just on a diet, you need to eat legumes to get additional protein into your body.
- Tomatoes in their juice. Sliced tomatoes are incredibly convenient as they eliminate the hassle of blanching and slicing fresh tomatoes yourself. Also, they are found in many sauces and dishes. Need a quick snack? Saute the onions, garlic, and add a jar of chopped tomatoes for a simple tomato sauce over the pasta.
- Fruits, seeds, and nuts. They are great for toppings or healthy snacks. Add dried apricots, dried fruits, and various unflavored nuts to your diet. It is a natural source of amino acids and protein.
Condiments
- Salt. Almost all dishes require salt. However, one should maintain a balance and not oversalt the plates, but only emphasize their taste in this way.
- Pepper. It can be ground pepper or in granules.
- Herbs and spices. Dry natural herbs add a unique flavor to your food and do not affect its quality. Choose herbs that suit your culinary taste and preferences. If you lean towards Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, buy basil and oregano if you prefer oriental cuisine, stock up on coriander and caraway seeds.
- Honey. Use it as a natural sweetener for yogurt and cereal.
- Vinegar - adds spice to food. You can mix it with butter for a simple and healthy salad dressing.
- Sugar will add sweetness to your tea, coffee, and desserts. Opt for artificial sweeteners if you're concerned about your health or counting calories.
You can get a complete list of products with brands and prices by clicking on the link: https://link.costless.com.ua/RWaELLlKYdb
To remove some products or add your own, download the Costless app and create unique product lists for all occasions.