Are you ready to get started with a Whole30 diet? Are you unsure of where to start and what deals you can get in Costco? Don’t go away – we have all of the information you could possibly need on how to follow this innovative lifestyle choice.
It can be pretty scary to start something new. This goes for Whole30 too – if you don’t know what’s going to happen next then it can be daunting to get started on a new lifestyle.
Of course, one thing that can make the process a little less daunting is knowing what you’re up against. That also means meticulously planning your shopping list in order to get the best possible results. As it turns out, Costco is a fantastic place to go if you are planning on following the Whole30 diet – all you need is to know what things should be on the list!
The Whole30 Diet In A Nutshell
Technically, diet is sort of the wrong word for Whole30. It’s more like a challenge. For 30 days, you are supposed to eradicate certain types of food from your diet. It’s essentially giving your body a clean slate. It helps you to learn more about the kinds of foods that your body responds well to, and what foods it isn’t so fond of. There’s a lot more information about this throughout the web, so it’s certainly worth reading into it!
Things to Buy for the Whole30 Lifestyle
If you want to truly succeed at the Whole30 lifestyle, it’s best to prepare. This consists of things like food preparation, bulk cooking and ensuring that you aren’t limited in your options. This will help you to stay on track, especially in the early days. This sounds simple enough at first glance, but what adds complication is the fact that it can often be difficult to know exactly what you should be purchasing when you are at the store. Likewise, it can be difficult to know where the best place to go even is.
There are a lot of different options available to you too, including Trader Joe’s, Aldi, Whole Foods, Amazon, the local grocery stores, and of course, Costco.
If you are going to do a Whole30 cleanse, then Costco is a fantastic place to start. You’re more than likely going to have a hard time digging through huge amounts of asparagus on your own if you have nobody to share it with, but there are a lot of other great items that you can buy there that will surely be a staple on your shopping list for months to come.
Things You Can Buy at Costco for Whole30
First, a quick disclaimer. The items that we’ve written on this list may be a little different from the ones that you find in your local store. A lot of the stores can vary in terms of stock. As such, we’ve simply covered the products in our local store – you will likely find a few of the items or things that are similar in your local store. This is mainly to give you an idea of the kinds of things that you can get.
Seeds and Nuts
There are a lot of different seeds and nuts in Costco – so many that it would be somewhat challenging to photograph all of them without taking an entire day.
You can find things like cashews, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts, chia seeds, pecans – you name it. Anything you can think of, you will probably find in Costco. Before you buy them though, it’s important that you have a look at the ingredients list. Some of the bags of raw nuts just have nuts, but there will be roasted ones that come with oil and salt – these aren’t always compliant with Whole30, so check before you buy.
If you want roasted nuts, it’s usually best to just roast them yourself and then add some flavoring and spices to make them taste better. In reality, there are so many options in Costco that there’s no reason that you shouldn’t have plenty of healthy fats in your diet for Whole30.
Dried Snacks and Healthy Fruits
One thing you need to be wary of on a Whole30 cleanse is dried fruit. It’s a great choice for a snack, but they can often be full of sugar. As we’ve said though, if you need a last minute pick me up then they can be a real lifesaver.
In fact, we are quite fond of eating a couple of dried apricots and some tasty cashews on the way to work if we’re feeling a little peckish. In our local Costco, you can find apricots, dried broccoli, raisins, fits, dates and apple rings.
One great thing that you can do is get some pre-pitted dates. You can use these in a lot of different recipes like Sweet and Spicy Date Bars and Nutty Espresso Bars. These are full of energy and deliciousness if you need a last minute snack that’s suitable for Whole30.
Spices and Co
We get pretty excited when we head down the sauces and garnishes aisle in Costco. In fact, things like spices and sauces can really add a lot to a Whole30 diet. Your meals can get 10 times the usual flavor with these!
There’s a lot of things to love in Costco in this category. What’s particularly great though is the tomato and basil pasta sauce. This is fantastic when used with spaghetti squash and ground beef, a dish that’s simple to make and very enjoyable to eat.
You can use Kerrygold to make some ghee, there’s Red Hot sauce that you can use for Buffalo Chicken Casserole and some yummy avocado oil to whip up some quick and tasty mayo. You can even do DIY ranch dressing if you’re particularly talented in the kitchen.
If you’re going to do Whole30 then it’s a good idea to cook most things in Coconut oil. If you want to add extra flavor to your meals, then things like roasted red peppers, salsa, garlic, olives, sun dried tomatoes and capers can really add a lot of intrigue.
A Secret About Olive Oil: We actually don’t tend to buy olive oil in stores. There are two main reasons for this. For starters, there are some better options online for olive oil so we don’t feel the need to buy something mediocre from a store.
In addition to that, the vast majority of olive oil that you buy from 3rd parties tends to not technically be olive oil.
Your Protein Sources
So many options! There’s a lot of variety in Costco for protein, so you are almost certain to find something that will work for you.
You can get protein in all sorts of forms – non organic, organic, frozen, fresh and there are even ready made meals and meats that are suitable for Whole30. The chicken and apple sausage is a good choice, as is the packaged prosciutto, spinach chicken and roasted red pepper sausage.
Before you buy though, it’s in your best interest to read the labels to check the ingredient list. The chicken and an apple will work well for Whole30, but there are a lot of other flavors that won’t work for Whole30.
The Frozen and the Fresh
A word of caution – if you’re only going to be cooking for yourself, it may be best to avoid buying the 10 pound bags of sweet potatoes. It’s a great deal unless you’re alone as you won’t be able to get through it before it isn’t suitable for eating anymore.
There are a lot of frozen vegetable options on the market that work particularly well. They work well for last minute meals, and the remainder can stay frozen for a rainy day. You will love the frozen stir fry mix too – it’s perfect with a little bit of sliced chicken or steak in a pan. Toss in a little coconut oil and add some of that tasty avocado and salsa. You have a unique meal on your hands that you and the whole family are sure to enjoy.
If you like the idea of fresh food better, then you can bulk buy it in store. If you don’t think that you will be able to get through it in time then you can simply freeze and cook all of the things that you may not eat so you can use it later on. Learning how to master ingredient prep will ensure that you are well equipped for your Whole30 journey!
Drinks and Storage
This may seem like a bit of a bizarre category, but hear us out. We all love a bit of tap water, especially on a diet. It goes without saying though that plain tap water for 30 days in a row can get pretty boring very quickly. Instead, you should try something like seltzer water. Try to stay away from the ones with added sugar, but this should at least give you a few extra options to play around with.
You will find that you need to do a lot of cooking on a Whole30 diet, so it’s a good idea to store your leftovers in the right kind of storage. You can find containers in Costco that are fit for this exact purpose. When you are done with the storage, grab a sharpie marker and some painter’s tape to label them so you know what they are. It’ll make it a lot easier than just simply guessing what you have. You can even peel the painter’s tape off afterwards without damaging the container.
What Things Should I buy In Costco for Whole30?
You can print off this list to give you a good idea of what kinds of things you can buy that will be suitable for the Whole30 diet!
Your local store may not have the specific things that we have mentioned on this list today. That’s okay, as it will help to give you some inspiration. You should have a decent idea of where you should look and what kinds of things you can get.
Now you have everything you need to get started on your Whole30 journey! It may not be easy at first, but you will soon agree that it is most certainly worthwhile to give it a try. You will feel cleansed and fantastic after trying this diet, so you are ready to tackle life head on!
