Restock Your Fridge with ALDI
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Can you believe it is already 2019?! Where in the world did 2018 go? (Oh, and also 2010-2017). I swear, they all flashed before my eyes. 2018 was a year filled with personal growth and exciting opportunities, and I can’t wait to see what this new year has in store for me, my family and Wellness For The Win. I definitely think it can be refreshing and motivating to start a new year with a clean slate and new aspirations. I have a lot of goals in mind for my blog this year, but we’ll get to those at another time. 🙂
FUN FACT: today marks almost exactly one year since I posted my original Dietitian-Approved ALDI Finds, and at the time, it was my most viewed post ever! In that post I wrote, “I’m not sponsored by ALDI, but man, I wish I was!” It’s amazing what can happen in a year’s time if you work hard and go after what you want. With that being said, this post is sponsored by ALDI, but of course, all opinions expressed are my own.
As you all know, I am a big advocate of intuitive eating and I use a non-diet approach in both my personal and professional life as a Registered Dietitian. In other words, you won’t find me endorsing any cleanses, detoxes, weight loss or extreme fad diet-related New Year’s Resolutions this month. We should all strive to respect our bodies and engage in behaviors that make us feel our best all year round. With that being said, I do believe that nutrition is an important component of our health, and I love showing others that eating healthy can be simple, delicious and affordable. And let’s face it, eating well just makes you feel GOOD.
I am so excited to have partnered up with my friends at ALDI again to show you how to make healthy food fun & satisfying in 2019 without breaking the bank.
Just because the prices at ALDI are amazing does not mean they don’t have nutritious, high-quality products lining their shelves. I am always so impressed by their selection of healthy foods; many of which are organic, gluten-free and more in order to meet the dietary needs of a wide variety of individuals like yourselves!
I went for my weekly Sunday ALDI run this past weekend and stocked up on ALL the goods! In an attempt to provide some inspiration and guidance as far as picking out healthful items from ALDI, I’m giving you a sneak peek into my own fridge. Today I’m sharing some of my favorite picks from ALDI & why I love them!
What’s In My Fridge
Produce:
- Simply Nature Organic Spinach & Arugula Mix
- Perfect for throwing on Veggie Flatbreads or in a side salad!
- Tri-Color Bell Peppers
- Clementine’s — the perfect little snack!
- Brussels Sprouts
- See my Simple Roasted Veggies recipe for the next few items!
- Cauliflower
- Sweet Potatoes
- Healthy Harvest Cubed Butternut Squash
- So convenient! I love either roasting it with cinnamon or using it in Butternut Squash & Black Bean enchiladas.
- Spaghetti Squash
- One of our favorite ways to mix up pasta dinners! Check out this recipe to try it out.
- Bananas
- Our bananas almost always end up in the form of Banana Bread. 🙂
- Organic Avocados
- Organic Tomatoes
- Red & Yellow Onions
Meat/Dairy:
- Simply Nature Grade A Organic Cage Free Brown Eggs
- Since I tend to incorporate a few meatless meals in our meal plan each week, we don’t spend a ton of money on meat, so I am willing to spend a few extra dollars on higher quality eggs. I am not vegetarian, but I do care about animals and I like knowing that these chickens were humanely raised.
- Simply Nature Organic Free-Range Chicken Breasts
- Same as above. : ) The price tag on these is amazing.
- Fit & Active 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey
- Ground turkey is one of our go-to protein sources to include in a variety of dishes. Ethan gets bored if I just cook chicken all the time, so this is a good way to mix it up! We love mixing ground turkey into my Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, as well as this One-Pan Mexican Quinoa from Damn Delicious.
- A variety of cheeses
- The cheese selection at ALDI is THE BOMB. We get string cheese on every trip, plus anything else that sounds good to us! This often includes a block of pepper jack cheese, extra sharp cheddar, Gouda or this week, Double Smoked Cheddar Cheese. I also grabbed a few kinds of shredded cheese, like Simply Nature Organic Mozzarella Cheese and Shredded Mexican or Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
- Friendly Farms Plain Greek Yogurt
- I add this to everything. It’s a great substitute for mayo or sour cream, or a great addition to smoothies to make them creamy! I use it in my slow cooker Lasagna with Chicken & Veggies, and my Healthy Southwest Chicken Enchilada Bake.
Miscellaneous Items:
- Little Journey Organics Baby Food Pouches
- I’m not always great about getting fruit in my diet, so I love to snack on their organic baby food pouches as a way to get some extra servings in! Yes, they are delicious – I promise!
- 70% or 85% Dark Chocolate
- Dipped in almond butter… my favorite bedtime snack!
- Belle Vie Sparkling Water
- Simply Nature Milled Flax Seed
- This can easily be added to smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods or other recipes to boost the amount of fiber, plant-based protein & heart-healthy fats!
- VitaLife Organic Kombucha
- Kombucha is full of probiotics, which are great for gut health. I’m going to give kombucha another shot in the New Year!
Pantry Staples:
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- Simply Nature 100% Pure Avocado Oil
- Avocado oil is one of the main cooking oils that I recommend to clients, along with Extra Virgin Olive Oil! I love that this is now available at ALDI, and not to mention, at a great price.
- Simply Nature 100% Pure Avocado Oil
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- Specially Selected Raw Mixed Nuts
- Nuts are one of my favorite things to snack on during the work day — they provide great healthy fats & actually keep me full! ALDI has a huge variety of nuts to choose from. I love their Specially Selected Deluxe Unsalted Mixed Nuts to make my homemade trail mix (along with pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate chips, and dried cranberries), as well as Southern Grove Pistachios! This time I also grabbed a bag of Simply Nature Raw Almonds, Pecans & Pistachio Kernels.
- Specially Selected Raw Mixed Nuts
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- Carlini Ghee Clarified Butter
- I don’t use butter very often, but ever since I snagged this ghee from ALDI a month or so ago, I have been using it like crazy! It came in handy for the Sweet Potato Casserole that I made for three different Thanksgivings, as well as some baked goods I’ve whipped up lately, like my Healthy Gingerbread Muffins!
- Benefits of ghee: suitable for high-heat cooking (smoke point 450 F); made from grass-fed cows; gluten-free, lactose-free, sodium-free and free of trans fats. Oh, and it’s delicious.
- Carlini Ghee Clarified Butter
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- Simply Nature Organic Seedtastic Bread
- You definitely won’t find Ethan & I swearing off bread in the new year (or ever), especially because we absolutely love this Seedtastic whole grain bread from ALDI! It’s so delicious for cream cheese + jelly toast, avocado toast, French toast or a loaded, melty grilled cheese. *heart eyes*
- Simply Nature Organic Seedtastic Bread
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- Organic Double Fire Roasted Salsa
- This is my favorite salsa of all time.
- Organic Double Fire Roasted Salsa
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- Simply Nature Organic Black Beans
- I always have at least two cans on hand. So easy to throw into recipes!
- Simply Nature Organic Black Beans
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- Simply Nature Organic Quinoa
- Quinoa is definitely one of our go-to starches to mix into dinner meals, and this large bag is extremely affordable at ALDI.
- Simply Nature Organic Quinoa
Frozen Faves:
- Earth Grown Quinoa Crunch Veggie Burger
- I’ve been raving about these on my Instagram stories for months now. I’m in love. I usually just eat them by themselves with some avocado and ketchup on top! So yummy and convenient for a quick lunch option.
- Season’s Choice Riced Cauliflower
- Perfect for making my Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice!
- Sea Queen Medium Cooked Shrimp
- Shrimp is a total staple in our house, especially frozen! It’s something I can quickly & easily thaw for a healthy protein option at dinnertime. See recipe above. 😉 I also love making shrimp tacos!
- Season’s Choice Kale & Quinoa
- This is actually my first time picking this up but it’s a steamable bag that provides both veggies + whole grains, making it a perfect side dish for a quick, weeknight dinner. Pair it with a veggie burger or shrimp and you’re good to go!
- Simply Nature Organic Frozen Fruit
- Not pictured, but I love using their frozen fruit in smoothies and other recipes like my 5-Minute Protein Overnight Oats or Blueberry Pecan Baked Oatmeal.
Get Moving
Have you ever walked through the aisles at ALDI that are full of miscellaneous items? It’s an actual GOLD MINE. They have everything from kitchen tools and utensils, appliances, pet supplies, and even workout equipment!
I have been saying for months (basically, ever since we got our puppy, Koda, in October) that I want to stock up on some workout stuff I can use at home on the days when I just can’t make it to the gym. Have you been thinking the same thing?
Well, look no further! ALDI not only has your meals covered, but you can also pick up an exercise mat while you’re there. I’m telling you, this place is a one stop shop! This Crane Exercise Mat is perfect to use for a variety of at-home workouts, like yoga or body weight exercises, or simply stretching (an item that’s on my list of things to do more often in the New Year). The Crane Exercise Mat will be available on 1/2/19 for a limited time, so head to the closest ALDI store to grab one ASAP!
I thought this would be the perfect way to stretch while we watch our shows in the evening without getting dog hair all over me, but as you can see, that plan didn’t really work out. 😉 The dogs want to join in on the fun!
Now RUN — don’t walk — to your nearest ALDI store to stock up on some healthy eats and exercise equipment so you can start off the New Year feeling your very best!
Click here to find an ALDI near you!
Happy New Year!
Shanna
#whatsinmyfridge #ALDILove #ALDIUSA #sponsored #wellnessforthewin
YES!! I Love Aldi, I’m from England and Aldi is our number one store out there so when I moved to California and noticed the price of groceries I used Google to see if there was an Aldi out here, I was so Happy there was!! Now I tell all my work friends to go there!!! Thank you for all your ideas they help me a lot.
Ah yes it is the BEST! So glad my posts are helpful for you!! 🙂
Proud to say your fridge looks a lot like ours! We love Aldi and all the healthy options they provide!
Aw, yay! It sounds like you’re setting a great example for your family. I hope you are doing well! Your little ones are tooooo stinkin’ cute! 🙂
LOVE your post! Please keep them coming! (I’m also an Instagram follower, I found you on the Aldi hashtag). I’ve been an Aldi lover for years. I’m from the south and was raised pretty clueless on how to make healthier food choices. I always thought you had to subscribe to a diet. Which worked short term but was never sustainable. I love the non-diet approach. Making healthier choices and learning how to feel better and live better without being constricted to elimination diets has helped me so much! Your blog is very inspiring and helping me with my healthier and budget friendly self acceptance journey!! Thanks!
Aw, thank you so much Courtney! I’m so glad to hear my posts have resonated with you and that you are embracing the non-diet approach. That is amazing! I will definitely keep them coming. Thanks for your support!