Vegetables at Whole Foods

5 Must Haves for Whole 30

Whole 30 can be a daunting challenge. I typically eat a healthy diet, but Whole 30 takes meal prep to a new level. Don’t be discouraged. I learned a lot about myself and my body during my last 30 days and I am eager to feel some of those things again. For me, I lost about 12 pounds, dropping from 200 to 188. I also saw the inflation in my body nearly disappear. From back and neck pain to other nagging body aches, they all disappeared or were substantially relieved. It wasn’t easy though. Here are four things that made my Whole 30 journey a bit more manageable:

How Do You Like Your Eggs?

I wanted to maintain a high level of protein during the Whole30 challenge and I found that eggs were a convenient way to do it. I always had a batch of hard-boiled eggs ready. Preparing a supply of cut vegetables ready to mix in with scrambled eggs is another great idea.

Primal Kitchen Salad Dressing

Salad became a regular staple for me during Whole30. Normally, I’d add some grilled chicken breast, avocado, and a hard-boiled egg. Primal Kitchen was available at my local grocery store and had a great avocado oil based dressing.

Food and Ingredient Reference App

I used an app called 30WholeDays. It allows you to check ingredients and scan bar codes to see if the food you are considering is compliant. The app costs a couple bucks, but it saved a ton of time and was a great reference. You will find that some scans aren’t covered, but they do a pretty good job.

Magic Bullet Blender

I’ve made the Magic Bullet blender a part of my normal diet. I typically buy frozen broccoli and mixed fruit. I get the big bags from Costco. I’ll fill up the bullet half way with broccoli and a quarter of the way with fruit. I then cover about half of that with water and mix away. The resulting smoothie is a pleasant way to eat a couple servings of broccoli and typically fills me up.

Mixed Nuts For a Snack

Snacking is something you want to minimize during Whole30, but you have to have an occasional snack to keep you moving or satisfy a craving. For me, some salty mixed nuts were something I depended on to get me through the day. Normally, a small handful was a good snack or a complement to a meal. You’ll need to find a mix that is Whole30 compliant with no peanuts or peanut oil. And when you’re snacking, don’t overdo it.

I hope this helps you on your Whole30 journey! Feel free to put your recommendations in the comments.