When it comes to eating clean, our approach is what we like to call "clean eating in the real world." Fresh fruits and veggies are a no-brainer, but here's the 411 on some other staples! And since
Hungry Girl Clean & Hungry (the brand-new, all-natural HG cookbook) makes its official debut in just
four days, it's time to hit the supermarket, and stock up on ingredients...
HG FYI: All of the foods here are readily available in natural varieties, and we've called out some brand favorites. Unsure if the product at the store is natural or not? Flip over the package, and check the ingredient list for anything questionable. Or just shop at natural-food markets.
Cheese
Reduced-fat cheddar and Mexican-blend cheese
Part-skim mozzarella cheese
Feta cheese
Parmesan cheese
Light (not part-skim) ricotta cheese
Natural cheese that comes pre-shredded, sliced, etc., sometimes contains (natural) preservatives. If you prefer, stick with block-style cheese, and DIY!
Favorite brands: Sargento and Cabot.
Milk
Unsweetened almond milk (refrigerated & shelf-stable)
This is a great alternative to dairy milk, which has two to four times as many calories and around 12 grams of sugar per cup. Some brands contain carrageenan, an FDA-approved (but controversial) plant-derived natural additive. If you prefer to avoid it, check the ingredients on the label.
Favorite carrageenan-free brands: So Delicious (refrigerated) and Silk (refrigerated).
Yogurt
Fat-free plain Greek yogurt
Prefer flavored yogurt, but don't want all the excess sugar? DIY by adding pure extracts (like vanilla) and natural no-calorie sweetener (like stevia). Easy-peasy.
Favorite brands: Fage and Chobani.
Eggs & Poultry
Large eggs
Boneless skinless chicken breast
Lean ground turkey (7% fat or less)
Considering paying more for products marked "no added hormones"? Federal regulations actually prohibit the use of hormones in any poultry. So if it's on store shelves, it's likely free of added hormones.
Meat & Seafood
Extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)
Tilapia
Shrimp
Salmon
Albacore tuna packed in water
FYI: Wild fish tend to be healthier, with less chance of contact with pesticides and contaminated materials. Good to know!
Veggies as Starch Swaps
Cauliflower
Spaghetti squash
Zucchini
Lettuce
Cabbage
Instead of calorie-dense rice, pulse cauliflower florets in a blender into rice-sized pieces. Once lightly cooked, it's the perfect swap. And rather than settle for a small portion of heavy pasta, cook up some spaghetti squash or thinly sliced zucchini noodles!
When it comes to sandwich "bread," we love lettuce buns and cabbage wraps. If you prefer the real thing, look for minimally processed whole-grain buns or bread slices -- the fewer calories, the better. Food For Life's Ezekiel line of sprouted bread products is great.
Grains, Nuts & Seeds
Old-fashioned oats
Almonds
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Canned Goods
Pure pumpkin
Crushed tomatoes
Black beans
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
Curious about BPA? It's a synthetic compound found in the lining of some cans. While it's safe in low levels, many companies have eliminated it as a precaution. Look for cans marked BPA-free.
We use black beans and garbanzo beans to make deliciously rich baked goodies! (Don't knock 'em til you try 'em.) The creamy pumpkin comes in handy there too...
Baking Chocolate
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Semi-sweet chocolate contains less sugar than milk chocolate. The semi-sweet chips by Enjoy Life and Sunspire are made with cane sugar, and Lily's makes stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips. Hooray for options!
Sauces, Salad Dressing & Condiments
Yellow mustard
Frank's RedHot
Olive oil
Nonstick cooking spray
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Pompeian makes a fantastic line of aerosol-free cooking sprays. Another option? DIY! Buy a food-safe mist sprayer bottle, and fill it with your favorite oil.
Apple cider vinegar is a key ingredient in a couple of our low-sugar, low-calorie sauce recipes: Clean & Hungry Ketchup, Clean & Hungry BBQ Sauce, and Clean & Hungry Teriyaki Sauce. (
Get a sneak peek here!)
Natural No-Calorie Sweetener
Natural no-calorie sweetener packets
Spoonable natural no-calorie sweetener
All-natural stevia blends are common and easy to find. They're made with stevia-plant extract and typically include another natural calorie-free ingredient for texture and taste. If you prefer pure stevia, look for liquid varieties or multi-serving jars of stevia powder.
Favorite brands: Truvia (packets and spoonable), Stevia in the Raw (packets and Bakers Bag), and SweetLeaf (packets).
Peanut Butter
Powdered peanut butter and defatted peanut flour
Creamy peanut butter (no sugar added)
Powdered peanut butter and defatted peanut flour are simply peanuts in powdered form... with the excess oil squeezed out! They have less than half the calories of standard peanut butter. We like to combine them with traditional PB to keep the stats low and the texture spot on.
Favorite brands: Just Great Stuff Powdered Organic Peanut Butter (made by Betty Lou's), Jif Peanut Powder, and Old Virginia Byrd Mill Light Roast Peanut Flour.
Protein Powder
Plain protein powder
The three most popular types of protein powder are whey, casein, and soy. Whey and casein are milk derived; soy comes from plants. Whey is our top choice, but egg white protein powder is also great!
Favorite brands: Tera's Whey, Jay Robb, and Quest (All-Purpose Baking Blend).
HG FYI: This isn't a full-on supermarket list. It's just a helpful resource to get you started in the world of Clean & Hungry!
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*The WW Points® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by WW International, Inc., the owner of the Points® trademark.
Questions on the WW Points® values listed? Click here.
Hungry Girl provides general information about food and lifestyle. This information and any linked materials are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. Click here for more information.
