Creating Your Palate
When working on any creation you will always need the appropriate set of tools to build your masterpiece. The perfect diet for you; is not the perfect diet for me. One size does not fit all here. A Plant Based Diet can have so many options that sometimes people get so overwhelmed that they choose not to proceed.
Establishing a menu and a shopping list is the first place to start. What are some dishes that you would like to try and does not require a whole afternoon to make? Can you create a shopping list where you won't have to drive for miles for everything on your list? Identify your home base. Find out what grocery stores in your neighborhood sell locally grown organic vegetables. Which store will carry most of the things you are looking for? I have four stores that I shop from every couple of months. Since I have a large family, I frequent BJs Wholesale club and stock up on their organic frozen veggies among other things. I go to Trader Joe's every other month for fresh salad ingredients, fun dressings, nuts and seeds, and healthy snack options. Fambria in Queens is a super sized Korean Grocer. I go there for all my beans, grains and ethnic seasonings. Last but not least is the Vitamin Shoppe. There, I stock up on raw honey (my acceptable sweetener), teas, coconut oil, and Bragg's Liquid Amino.
What are the proteins, nuts and seeds, grains, fruits and vegetables that you like. You must establish your staples. These things will become so easy for you to find in the grocery store. You don't want this to be an additional chore, but something you have to think about less and less as time goes on. Take the guess work out of what you are having for breakfast, lunch or dinner on any given day. Choosing high quality produce will have a direct effect on how you look and feel. Take a look at the section labeled Shopping List in the Plant Based Diet for Beginners for some ideas.
Establishing a menu and a shopping list is the first place to start. What are some dishes that you would like to try and does not require a whole afternoon to make? Can you create a shopping list where you won't have to drive for miles for everything on your list? Identify your home base. Find out what grocery stores in your neighborhood sell locally grown organic vegetables. Which store will carry most of the things you are looking for? I have four stores that I shop from every couple of months. Since I have a large family, I frequent BJs Wholesale club and stock up on their organic frozen veggies among other things. I go to Trader Joe's every other month for fresh salad ingredients, fun dressings, nuts and seeds, and healthy snack options. Fambria in Queens is a super sized Korean Grocer. I go there for all my beans, grains and ethnic seasonings. Last but not least is the Vitamin Shoppe. There, I stock up on raw honey (my acceptable sweetener), teas, coconut oil, and Bragg's Liquid Amino.
What are the proteins, nuts and seeds, grains, fruits and vegetables that you like. You must establish your staples. These things will become so easy for you to find in the grocery store. You don't want this to be an additional chore, but something you have to think about less and less as time goes on. Take the guess work out of what you are having for breakfast, lunch or dinner on any given day. Choosing high quality produce will have a direct effect on how you look and feel. Take a look at the section labeled Shopping List in the Plant Based Diet for Beginners for some ideas.