Let’s face it, planning and prepping meals is a lot of work! From finding recipes you’ll enjoy, to writing grocery lists and braving the often busy grocery store, planning and prepping meals is no small task! Despite the work associated with planning and prepping meals for the week, the process can be instrumental in helping develop awareness around the food choices you are making.
Spending time planning, shopping, and preparing meals is far more of a commitment than ordering from the cafeteria or going through the drive-thru. This commitment can ensure that your choices are both delicious and align with your health goals! To help you plan ahead, we have compiled some tips and tricks as well as three separate grocery lists with corresponding recipes to help you get started planning, shopping, and prepping!
Grocery Lists for Beginners. Where do I start?
When diving into the world of meal prep and grocery planning, it is important to take time and plan it out. There are many different ways to approach meal planning and like with all things at Noom, it’s important to find what works best for you.
When looking at a weekly meal plan, you can plan your specific meals ahead of time and create your grocery list around those meals, or you can create your grocery list and then plan your meals around your list! Whichever way you choose, it’s important to go in with a game plan so you are able to purchase foods that you enjoy eating and align with your goals, whatever they may be!
If you are worried about the amount of money you may have to spend, a great way to create a cheap meal prep grocery list is to stay flexible and focus your choices for the week around sales! Recipe calls for spinach but kale is on sale? Go for it! Working with sales and making affordable swaps where you can is a great way to save money and still have delicious and nutritious meals.
How do I budget calories for my grocery list?
When creating a meal prep grocery list for weight loss, it is important to keep your calories in mind. A simple way to do this is to calculate the calories you want to eat per meal! Whether that’s three, five, or seven meals throughout the day, simply divide your overall calorie budget by the number of meals you plan to eat and voilà, a calorie breakdown per meal to help you plan your grocery list.
Meal Prep Grocery List
Below you will find three separate grocery lists to give you a starting point in planning and preparing your meals. These grocery lists are based on popular eating styles including keto, vegetarian, and of course Noom! Our lists are broken down by sections in the grocery store and should help make your trips to the store stress free and productive.
Remember, part of the fun in meal prepping and grocery shopping is being flexible and trying new things. If there are foods on these lists you don’t enjoy, that’s ok! Feel free to experiment and riff on these lists to find the foods and recipes you enjoy the most.
Keto Grocery List
| Produce | Protein | Dairy | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | Vegetarian | Cottage cheese | Condiments |
| Grapes | Eggs | Goat cheese | Nutritional yeast |
| Bananas | Egg Whites | Feta cheese | Guacamole |
| Clementines | Tofu | Parmesan cheese | Marinara sauce |
| Blueberries | Tempeh | Coconut yogurt | Salsa |
| Watermelon | Seitan | Greek yogurt | Hummus |
| Cantaloupe | Veggie Bacon | Almond milk | Dijon mustard |
| Nectarines | Tofurkey | Soy milk | Balsamic vinegar |
| Pears | Legumes | Freezer | Tamari |
| Vegetables | Chickpeas | Edamame | Pesto |
| Kale | Black Beans | Ice cream | Hot sauce |
| Broccoli | Lentils | Veggie burgers | Other |
| Cucumber | Black eyed peas | Soy crumbles | Rice cakes |
| Avocado | Kidney beans | Pantry | Rice crackers |
| Zucchini | Soy beans | Grains | Tortilla chips |
| Cauliflower | Green peas | Quinoa | Pretzels |
| Carrots | Nuts And Seeds | Brown rice | Lentil soup |
| Asparagus | Almonds | Cream of rice | Dark chocolate |
| Mushrooms | Cashews | Rolled oats | Cookies |
| Green pepper | Pistachios | Sourdough bread | Dates |
| Starcy Veggies | Sunflower seeds | Whole Grain tortilla | Seasonings |
| Corn | Chia seeds | Black Bean pasta | Red pepper flakes |
| Sweet potatoes | Flax seeds | Whole Wheat pasta | Sea salt |
| Beets | Hemp seeds | Pita | Garlic |
| Acorn squash | Peanut butter | Oils | Ginger |
| Parsnip | Tahini | Olive Oil | Pepper |
As you can see, the keto grocery list is lighter on the fruits and veggies and heavier on the protein and fat. This grocery list is based strictly on the requirements of following the keto diet and ensures followers have enough fat and protein to reach and still feel full while in ketosis. Keeping these keto staples on hand can give you options for the week! Below are some of our favorite keto meal prep recipes that could be made using the items on this grocery list!
Breakfast
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Snacks
Cashews & walnuts
Lunch
Dinner
Chicken Breast with avocado salsa
Vegetarian Grocery List
In contrast to the keto grocery list, the vegetarian grocery list includes more fruits, veggies, grains, and plant based protein sources. It is important to note that a grocery list and eating style focused on lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains, takes even more planning! Since these foods ripen and can spoil quickly, make sure you plan out the specific meals you will cook these foods. Below are some of our favorite vegetarian meal prep recipes for the week.
Breakfast
Snacks
Apples & almond butter
Lunch
Dinner
Noom Grocery List
You may be noticing that Noom’s grocery list strikes a balance between both the keto and vegetarian lists. This is because at Noom we believe balance is key! Although we know that certain diets work for certain people, we have seen the power of developing awareness around food choices and choosing to eat the foods you enjoy while also working towards your weight loss goals.
Check out some of our favorite Noom meal preps below!
Breakfast
Snacks
Apples & almond butter
Cashews & walnuts
Lunch
Chicken, rice, and broccoli bowl
Dinner
At the end of the day, meal prepping and grocery shopping is all about finding the foods you enjoy and using those foods to help you reach your goals! Although it may seem like a chore, planning and shopping for these foods gives you the power and responsibility over your food choices which are vital in reaching any health or weight loss goal.
If planning and shopping for an entire week seems overwhelming, start small! Try planning and shopping for one meal in advance. The more you do it, the easier and more enjoyable it gets! Find times where the grocery store isn’t as busy so you can spend the time looking for sales and finding new foods to add to your meal prep repertoire.
Like what you are seeing? Wanting to know more about Noom’s approach to meal prep, mindfulness, and behavior change? Try a risk free Noom trial today!
