Sunday when we got home from Atlanta I wanted nothing more than to face plant into the couch. However in the back of my mind I knew I needed to stock up on food for the week, so with the mental support of knowing my grocery list was already made, I took off for Whole Foods.
It was quite the mental hurdle for me to get past some of my regular grocery buying habits. I tend to skimp on meat knowing I can fill out the meal with more grains or bread. Worried that David would need more snacks, I bought an entire box of Larabars and two packages of organic beef jerky. I could mentally hear the cash register cha-chinging higher and higher.
I bought everything on the list, minus green onions and cilantro because Whole Foods was out. I added some Traditional Medicinal’s Throat Coat tea because we really like that stuff. Then, I checked out.
The total was $183.14.
When I first heard the total, my heart skipped a beat because I know I’m capable of a lower grocery bill. I reminded myself that including grains helps keep the bill lower because eating largely organic vegetables, fruits, meats and healthy fats has a tendency to add up rather quickly.
I snagged Indian takeout on the way back home, then prepped a few items that I knew would make Monday much easier.
I tossed together a simple soup using extra potatoes (the bag of organic red potatoes was cheaper than buying them loose, so I had extra), some celery, diced tomatoes, frozen collards, frozen homemade vegetable broth, onion and anything else I had laying around.
Then, eggs of course.
I knew these would be important to have on hand for David’s breakfast and snacks. I boiled, cooled and peeled them all so they were ready to go.
So how did day one go?
I was in a hurry at breakfast time and through this two fried eggs with tomato and a banana together pretty quickly. It felt skimpy to me and I told myself I’d grab a snack soon, but surprisingly it, along with a handful of mid-morning almonds, kept me full for a few hours.
I ate a mason jar full of soup for lunch and found it be hearty and satisfying.
Throughout the afternoon I snacked on a few cut carrots, a boiled egg and another handful of almonds. Then there was dinner.
The spaghetti pie was good! Readers Emily and Shana gave me a heads up that it had a tendency to be a little watery, so I drained the spaghetti squash before making it. It still came out a little watery, but the flavor was good! David said it reminded him of lasagna. I would make this again, paleo or not, though I might double the recipe. The 8×8 square fed me, David and David’s mom, but I have a feeling we would have eaten more if it was there. Plus, I would have liked to have leftovers.
Initial thoughts:
– I didn’t feel deprived though I did have to stop myself a couple times when I realized how often I probably eat bites of whatever I am making for the girls (leftover cheese, a cracker here, etc).
– David said he was hungry during the day, though I think it’s mostly mental because he ate more yesterday than he normally does throughout the day. We’ll see how that continues.
– My energy throughout the day was good!
– I didn’t miss wine. That’s probably a result of having plenty of it this past weekend though. Talk to me when Friday rolls around.
– I liked that I was eating so many vegetables. Veggies make me feel good!
I’d say, so far so good. Today is a rather busy day, so I’m interested to see how it goes. Ok, baby is up- gotta run!
erin says
I have completed a full Whole 30 and the thing that was most shocking to me was just what you said- realizing how often i finished the kids food or took random bites here and there. I realized that I ate things more out of habit than need or even desire. It also opened my eyes to just how often we had “treats” at the office. When i “couldn’t” have those things i noticed them so much more and realized that there were either donuts or cake once a week and sometime more. Doing a whole 30 really did change how I look at food. I am looking forward to following along on your journey,.
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
I’m really interested in this! I’m excited to follow your journey. Everything looks absolutely delicious!!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
It was nice seeing a day of paleo meals that wasn’t just tons of meat! I don’t think I could do paleo as a vegetarian but it’s nice to see that paleo meals exist without just being piles of meat, haha
Brittany Dixon says
I still have too many vivid memories of meat overload from when I did Atkins in college… GIMME VEGGIES! 😉
Alex @ time to choose joy says
That soup is amazing, do you have a recipe that I may have missed? I love seeing people’s grocery carts! It inspires me to put away some processed junk!!
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
Everything looks uber healthy!
Kaitlyn @Keeping up with Kaitlyn says
I am currently on Day 9 of the Whole30 and prior to starting I was a HUGE snacker. Doing this has shown me how I eat out of habit, not because I was actually hungry. So I think, like you said, that is what your husband maybe experiencing! Day 1 was my hardest day and it has definitely become so much easier! Excited to see how your 10 days goes! The soup looks so yummy!!
Christy @TheMuddyApron says
I’m really excited to follow your progress. Good luck for all things Paleo! I love my veggies too but I can’t sacrifice anything else just yet.
C.
Kathy says
OH, THE SOUP! Looks delicious. Are you sharing the recipe?
Brittany Dixon says
There isn’t really a recipe to share- haha! I love soup because you really can’t mess it up. I saute the potatoes, onion and garlic in olive oil, then add the rest, broth and herbs. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a while. Trust me, you can’t mess it up! 🙂
Lyndsey says
I just wrapped up my Whole30 yesterday. Trust me, you’ll be missing wine very soon, haha!
whole30 tries to help people eat more satisfying diverse meals vs snacking throughout the day (though i know you’re nursing, so you’re probably metabolizing quickly!), but if I were to make adjustments to what you ate to help keep you fuller longer I’d say add more fat and protein. Breakfast: Add avocado to those eggs or almond butter to your banana. Lunch: Add chicken or beef to that soup. Olives on the side maybe? I was hungry the first few days but once i played around with those ratios, it really helped me to curb snacking at all.
You can follow my instagram for my eats @kindredstrength !
Brittany Dixon says
Great suggestions- love avocado! And I really like the idea of olives (healthy fats + my salt fix- yum!). I really appreciate the tips and I think you’re right- I’ll be missing vino soon. I’m so impressed you made it 30 days!
Liz says
I’m not sure if you have a Costco membership, but if so, check them out! You can get 2 dozen organic eggs for $7, 3lbs of organic bananas for $1.99, bags of frozen organic fruits for $10… We get our organic carrot juice for smoothies there, grass fed butter (3/$7 as opposed to 1/$3.50 at Whole Foods)… They have organic chicken and grass fed beef too, but I feel like the large manufacturers of organic meats aren’t as humane (I make an exception for the eggs though since we eat SO MANY!). We’ve been shopping there in addition to Whole Foods and it definitely helps cut back on the bill!
Brittany Dixon says
We don’t have a Costco (WAHHH) because otherwise I’d totally be taking advantage of those kinds of deals! Awesome.
liz says
I am kinda doing this with you..went shoping with your list and am doing your meal plan with a few whole grains mixed in. Had a similar grocery bill at kroger. So far so good and I have felt full without feeling lethargic. I like the idea of eating whole foods but like having whole grains as part of my meals to (or at least some of my meals each day).
Megan B says
I love your blog and read regularly. I also have a baby and I am nursing. How do you deal with nursing hunger while eating Paleo? I crave starch and sugar and I wonder also if it is a habit more than a need. #carbaddictforlife lol. I am interested in hearing your thoughts on this. Thanks!
Brittany Dixon says
I’m incredibly lucky that I don’t have the sweet tooth gene. Now salt tooth, I have that one, but I don’t really crave sweets. At this point (almost 8 months in), my nursing hunger has subsided a little too. I certainly make sure I eat whenever I’m hungry, but I’ve found that if I prep food so I can have leftovers or hearty soups or other healthy snacks ready to go, that those help my energy levels stay up, supply stay strong and cravings stay minimal better than any carby quick fix. Plus I always keep almonds on me. Always. #addicted 😉
Megan says
Thanks for the reply! Great tip on the prepped food. Almonds are so good, I should incorporate more of those. I’m curious to see what other fun meals you post in a paleo-style plan. I love that the meals are so full of veggies!
Megan B says
I love your blog and read regularly. I also have a baby and I am nursing. How do you deal with nursing hunger while eating Paleo? I crave starch and sugar and I wonder also if it is a habit more than a need. #carbaddictforlife lol. I am interested in hearing your thoughts on this. Thanks! P
Amy says
Yay sounds awesome! I just started a paleo challenge too: on day 8! Feel pretty good so far…depends on the day. Some days I want all the carbs! I’m nursing too and it hasn’t seemed to effect that…the key is eating enough (which is easier to do with carbs). Looking forward to hearing how it goes for you!
Brittany Dixon says
Yes, I agree that it hasn’t affected my supply but I definitely need to eat LARGE portions to stay satisfied. Glad you are enjoying it too!
Colleen says
I’m on day 13 of the whole 30 and really do feel great. You will miss wine eventually, trust me 😉 It’s ok, though, good to go without for awhile, even if it is only 10 days. Funny, I literally had the EXACT same breakfast as you on my first day, eggs with hot sauce & cherry tomatoes, banana on the side… crazy!!!
Brittany Dixon says
Hahaha that’s what I keep telling myself, it’s only 10 days!, but sometimes at 5:00 my wine glass just looks so sad and empty 😉
christina says
Oh you will totally rock this challenge. You eat so well to begin with! I thought about doing Whole 30 but um, no wine…I would whine. 😛
Stacey @ Binge Free Me says
My spaghetti pie is always watery too! Did your readers give you any other tips to keep it from getting too watery besides draining it?
Brittany Dixon says
I think what I’ll do next time is put the cooked spaghetti squash (after I scrape out all the “noodles”) in a fine mesh colander, and use the back of a big spoon to ‘squish’ out all the extra liquid. I think that will help a lot!
Lisa says
I am literally obsessed with that spaghetti pie, although its more like lasagna!
here are my tips:
-chicken sausage bought from the meat counter, de-cased and cooked with the onions
-added peppers and mushrooms in with the meat once its cooked, and mixed them in as well
-Added about 1/4 cup of ricotta
-fresh Parmesan cheese shaved on top
Rachel @ Athletic Avocado says
Although I don’t follow a pale diet, I love that it focuses on whole foods!
Andrea Bowen says
Can you freeze the mason jars of soup?
Brittany Dixon says
Absolutely! Just make sure you get the freeze-friendly mason jars that have wide-mouth openings.