Why am I sharing my top 5 supermarket buys?

There’s no doubt that a diet high in ‘wholefoods’ is best for optimal health. This means little processed food and lots of fresh fruit, veg, nuts, seeds, legumes and grains.

However, I’m a realistic Nutritionist, and everyone needs what I call ‘grab and go’ things every now and again. Especially when you have kids – you need ‘grab and go’ more than ever. So here come my top 5 supermarket buys.

My top buys are chosen based on a few things including:

• They have a decent macronutrient make-up, meaning they have a decent amount of protein, fibre and/or fat.
• The ingredients list is fairly simple and contains little sugar.

Here are my top 5 supermarket buys at the moment:

1. FODBOD’s Bars

These bars are always in my fridge at the moment! They are one of the only bar brands with no dates. Dates are fine in small amounts, but many bars contain a lot. Being date-free makes them low FODMAP which is great for my clients on a low FODMAP protocol. Not only are they low FODMAP, but they contain about 15g of protein which is great for a snack.

Some Woolies stores now stock these bars. You can find where to buy FODBOD’s here.

2. Keep It Cleaner Lentil or Chickpea Pasta

I love the Keep It Cleaner brand, they’re doing some great stuff! Legume pasta is our new go-to dinner for the kids when you have those nights when you’ve forgotten to prep anything, at all. Lentil and chickpea flour have more protein and fibre than standard wheat flour, and they’re also gluten-free. A more nutritious option to replace your normal pasta with, or if you’re a 5-year-old in my house, a perfectly reasonable dinner meal with a little bit of grated cheese.

Coles stock Keep It Cleaner pasta, either in the health food or pasta sections.

3. The Happy Snack Company Chickpeas

Another great snack option. These come in large packets and smaller, one-serve packets. Both are great for lunchboxes! These roasted chickpeas are gluten-free, and the chocolate-coated ones are even dairy free. They even have other flavours as well. Chickpeas are great as they have some protein and fibre. Some people might hate these as they have canola oil, but there’s so much hype around seed oils that’s unfounded so far, and I’m not recommending you eat these all day every day!

Most Coles and Woolies stock The Happy Snack Company Chickpeas.

4. Pipel Hummus

I’m a big hummus fan. Obviously, I like chickpeas, as this is the THIRD product in this list that contains chickpeas! I like that they have a massive tub. It’s also made with olive oil, and little else! Most Coles and Woolies stock the Pipel Hummus.

5. Pure Harvest Almond Milk

My pick of the plant-based kinds of milk. Almond milk is my go-to at home when baking or making smoothies due to its composition (Oat milk for coffee though for the taste!). The Pure Harvest brand is one of the best when you’re looking at almond milk, as they have unsweetened versions, so there’s no added sugar. It’s also calcium-fortified and has few added preservatives. If you’re keen to know a bit more about plant-based kinds of milk, I did a whole post on this here.

Most Coles and Woolies stock Pure Harvest Almond milk.