Weekly Meal Planning

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It can be difficult to maintain your healthiest lifestyle when the pace of your schedule picks up.  Sometimes, it seems easier to go for what’s more convenient rather than what’s healthy. Planning your meals in advance can not only save you time during the week, it can also save you money and stress. We’ve put together a simple guide to creating your meal plan for the week. Weekly Meal Planning

Healthy Meal Planning Steps

Before you go grocery shopping, it helps to have a game plan. Set aside about an hour or so to create your weekly strategy. There are a number of ways to get started! You’ll find dozens of deals in your local Sprouts’ weekly flyer, the digital weekly flyer is only a click away. A super-easy way to find deals, coupons and even create a shopping list is with our app—it’s available for both the Apple and Android, so you can easily download it on your smartphone! It’s simple to save money when you plan around sales.

Make a List

Now you’re ready to start filling in your weekly meal plan. If using your smartphone to create a list isn’t your thing, you can print off a copy of our handy meal planning template and start filling in your meals and snacks. Whether you choose digital or analog, a great way to begin planning the week’s meals is with your family’s favorites, filling in around those days you usually serve a certain dinner. Similarly, you’ll want to add any special meals, like birthdays or friends joining you. Stumped on what to have for breakfast, pack for lunch or make for dinner? We have tons of great recipes here!.

Shopping with Ease

One of the most frustrating parts about grocery shopping can be bouncing from department to department looking for all the items on your shopping list. When you make your list, break it down by department, grouping like items together. This approach allows you to check off all the items on the list before moving on to the next department—your weekly shopping will be done in no time! (Our weekly meal-planning guide is great because it includes a shopping list which is already divided by department for you.)

Did you know?

The average American household throws out 25% of their groceries—meal planning can help cut down on food waste!

What Can Be Composted?

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  Compost Components: person holding dirt with sprouting plant

Did you know?

Composting improves soil’s ability to retain water, which may help you save money on the water bill!

Aerobic Bacteria vs. Anaerobic Bacteria

Composting can be a carefully curated cast of characters. True, it’s easy enough to pile your leftover fruit and veggie kitchen scraps in with lawn clippings and leaves to create a basic compost. That will yield results—eventually. But if you’re interested in attaining some DIY soil a little more quickly, or curious to know more, here are some of the key characters you’ll want to become familiar with in order to direct the best production.

The Cast of Characters

  • Compost Heroes: Aerobic Bacteria

    These little powerhouses are the star of the show. They need oxygen (aerobic) to help break down all the matter you put in your compost bin. To create nutrient-rich matter in a timely manner, you need the right environment to encourage a healthy population of these good guys.

  • The Baddies: Anaerobic Bacteria

    These guys steal the scene when the pile has gotten compacted and has little to no air flow. Because they thrive in an airless environment (anaerobic), they have the power to overwhelm the population of the aerobic bacteria. A burgeoning population of anaerobic bacteria can bring composting to a near standstill.

  • Browns: Carbonaceous Matter

    Carbon-rich matter, or browns as they’re also known, are like the carbs in the diet of those good-guy bacteria. Think of browns like the colors they often are: dried grass cuttings, dried leaves, sawdust and shredded newspaper.

  • Greens: Nitrogen-Rich Matter

    Those hero bacteria also need to consume protein—enter the nitrogen-rich matter, or greens. These are your kitchen scraps from fruits and veggies, as well as things like coffee grounds (and your coffee filters, though technically, they are a brown) and green grass clippings.

  • Water

    Water stars as herself in this mellow-drama. You’ll need the right amount of moisture to ensure your good-guy bacteria neither drown nor dehydrate.

  • Pitchfork

    This character enters to stir things up when the plot … uh, compost thickens.

Use Your Nose

Properly tended, compost does not smell! Rather, it does not smell bad—it should smell rich and earthy. Here are some troubleshooting tips if your compost develops an unsavory scent. An ammonia odor means you have too much nitrogen-rich, green matter. Adding some browns to the pile, like shredded newspaper, dried leaves or straw, and giving it a swirl with the pitchfork should help immensely. Also, compost that has been layered, but not turned recently can emit this eye-watering aroma. Smells like sulfurous rotting eggs? If the pile is too damp or has become too compacted the result is a distinctive undesirable odor. If it’s been layered too tightly, simply turning the pile may alleviate the odorific problem. If it’s too wet, adding some carbonaceous materials and turning the pile will help give our compost heroes, the aerobic bacteria, a chance to breathe and thrive.

Happy Ending

Our bacterial heroes require a proper ratio of green/nitrogen-rich to brown/carbonaceous matter or N:C. This proportion can be anywhere from 50:50 to 20:80 depending on environmental conditions and how quickly you want your pile to become useable. Additionally, they are living organisms and require a balance of air and water which you’ll achieve by turning the pile (aeration) and occasionally watering it if it becomes too dry. Ultimately, your compost pile should look like dirt when it’s done, with an earthy smell (not like decayed, rotted food) and you shouldn’t be able to recognize any of the matter you added to it earlier.

Did you know?

The rapid composting method, also known as the Berkeley Method, can effectively create compost in as little as 14 days!

Gluten-Free Cooking

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Gluten Free recipe cookbookGluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, spelt and kamut. It’s part of what gives certain foods their structure and texture. Think about chewy bread or pizza dough—gluten is what makes that texture. If you’re looking to cut gluten from your diet, we’ve got a few tips as well as a free downloadable gluten-free cookbook packed with great tips and seven recipes you’ll want to try!

Hidden gluten?

Unfortunately, hidden gluten exists. Many processed foods have gluten in them, that’s because food manufacturers use gluten as a stabilizer, emulsifier, thickener and flow agent. This means it can show up in some least-expected places like flavorings and spice mixes, frozen foods, candy, sauces and more.

The Upside

The good news is, more than likely, plenty of what you already eat is naturally gluten free. Unprocessed foods like fruits, veggies, meats and seafood are all great choices. And, cooking gluten-free is easier than ever with the expansive selection you’ll find at Sprouts that fit your diet.

Plant-based Paleo Jerky – Is It for Real?

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Yes it is! A variety of vegetables can be used to make paleo-vegan jerky, including eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, coconut and even jack fruit. Dehydrated and seasoned with spices similar to animal jerky, veggie-jerky is a fun, easy snack to make at home and take on the go.

Benefits of Plant-based Paleo Jerky

  • Provides fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals
  • Is lower in sodium than traditional jerky
  • A great way to add vegetables to your diet
  • No dehydrator needed—make it right in your oven
  • Both paleo and vegan
Try these vegan jerky recipes for the perfect paleo snack while hiking, on-the-go or just about any time!

Chipotle Eggplant Jerky

Chipotle Eggplant Jerky
Photo courtesy of Caveman Foods.

Teriyaki Portobello Mushroom Jerky

Teriyaki Portobello Mushroom Jerky
Photo courtesy of Caveman Foods.
 

Brought to us by our friend, Jill West, RDN, at Caveman Foods.

How to Choose the Best Jerky

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When eating paleo, protein is a priority. Jerky makes a great protein snack for post-workout fuel, to satisfy hunger between meals or for healthy, on-the-go snacking just about any time! As jerky’s popularity has grown, so have the flavors and types of meat. Besides beef, look for chicken, pork, bison, elk, venison, turkey, salmon and more. Healthy Living - Choose the best jerkyJerky gives you more nutritional bang for your buck. It’s made with lean cuts of meat so it will dry out properly. This makes it a healthy protein choice because it’s low in saturated fat. Paleo jerky has many nutritional benefits over conventional jerky—without sacrificing taste. For example, the sugar content of paleo jerky is usually 2 grams or less, whereas conventional jerky ranges from 5–9 grams of sugar per ounce.

Benefits of choosing paleo jerky over conventional jerky

  • Lower in sugar
  • Lower in sodium
  • All-natural ingredients
  • No artificial colors or flavors
  • Higher meat quality standards (grass-fed, organic, hormone-free)

How do you know which jerky to choose?

Here’s what to look for on the nutrition facts label:
  • Serving size: 1 oz. (about 28 grams)
  • Less than 400 mg. of sodium
  • Less than 5 g. of sugar
  • 9 g. of protein or more
  • Nitrate- and MSG-free; no artificial flavors or colors (i.e. caramel color)
  • Paleo or Paleo Friendly certification logos
  • Certified Paleo FriendlyCertified Paleo

This article was brought to you by our friend, Jill West, RDN, at Caveman Foods.

What is Erythritol?

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Healthy Living - ErythritolA bit of a mouthful, erythritol, (sounds like air-rith-rih-tall), is a sweetener you may have seen listed among other ingredients for things like chewing gum, baked goods and beverages. While it sounds new, erythritol was discovered by Scottish chemist John Stenhouse in 1848. This sugar alcohol occurs naturally in some fruits like watermelon, pears and grapes, as well as some fermented foods like wine, sake and soy sauce. Even though small amounts of erythritol are present in nature, for mass production, it is generally made from cornstarch. It is about 60–80% as sweet as sucrose (sugar) but is nearly non-caloric. And, unlike sugar, it does not cause spikes in blood sugar, because the body doesn’t break it down like a sugar, making it a great option for those seeking an alternative sweetener.

Something to Smile About

Other sugar alcohols you might know include sorbitol and xylitol. Like its sweet brethren, erythritol supports dental health because it can help suppress the growth of bad bacteria and acids, two things that can lead to tooth decay—that’ll give you something to smile about!

Did you know?

Even though erythritol was discovered in the mid-1800s, it wasn’t used as a sweetener until 1990.

Protecting Your Skin with Broad Spectrum Sunscreen

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Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Having fun in the sun is the perfect way to spend the day! Whether you’re spending a sunny summer day on the beach or making your way down the slopes during winter’s coldest months, it’s important to protect your skin from both the UVA and UVB rays of the sun.

What are the differences between the sun’s rays?
Put on your shades and let’s take a peek:

  • UVA are the longest of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays—they penetrate more deeply into your skin and are responsible for skin damage and premature aging.
  • UVB are the shorter wavelengths and affect the body in two different ways. First, UVB rays help your body transform sunlight into vitamin D, which is an important nutrient for many of your body’s functions. But you may have also experienced one of UVB’s other not-so-good-for-you effects—sunburn.

Protecting Your Skin with Broad Spectrum

Did you know sunscreen that doesn’t say “broad spectrum” on the label is only protecting you from half of the sun’s effects? Too much of either type of ultraviolet light can cause skin cancer, making broad-spectrum sunscreen a healthy choice because it helps protect your skin against both.

Picking Your Unique Protection

We know there are endless options for sunblock on the market, which is why we’ve compiled some tips, tricks and products you can use next time you’re stockin’ up and looking for the safest sunscreen option for you.
  1. Grab a bottle labeled broad spectrum, multi spectrum or UVA/UVB protection.
  2. Pick a bottle with an SPF (sun protection factor) that makes sense for you.
    The SPF number relates to how long it will take the UVB rays to redden your skin.

Top Picks for Broad Spectrum Protection

Shop Now


Cookie Ice Cream Bowl

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  Give into that sweet tooth craving- thank us later. Pile on scoops of gelato for a sweet, melt-in-your-mouth kind of bite. This is a fun way to get kids involved with cooking and an even better way to save time on dish washing, because you’ll be eating the bowl!

Ingredients:

Tools needed:

  • Wooden spoon
  • Mixing bowl
  • Set of measuring spoons
  • Mixer (optional)
  • Muffin tin
  • Cooking spray
  • 5-inch round disk cookie cutter

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Using a hand mixer or wooden spoon, blend butter until smooth. Add egg and Organic Chocolate Chippy Cookie Mix and continue blending mixture until dough is formed.
  3. Grease bottom of muffin tin. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut 5-inch round disks from dough. Cover one disk over the bottom of each muffin tin, pressing to form smooth surface.
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.
  5. Cool on pan for 10 minutes, then carefully loosen bottom edges of cookies from pan using spatula. Allow cups to cool completely on wire cooling rack.
  6. Fill up cookie cups with Sprouts Organic Vanilla Gelato, and drizzle with your favorite chocolate sauce. Enjoy!

How to Start Composting

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Did you know there is a difference between soil and dirt? Soil is nutrient-rich because it contains microorganisms, decaying organic matter, earthworms and other helpful insects. Dirt lacks all of those nourishing and living things. Even earthworms will not thrive in dirt—composting to the rescue! You can turn your dirt into soil with these composting steps.

How to Start Composting: composting in the back yardWhat is Compost?

Compost is a mixture of decaying organic material that helps to fertilize soil. At its simplest form, you can easily make compost by taking your vegetable-based kitchen scraps and yard waste like leaves and grass, putting them in a pile, and letting nature decompose it into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your house plants, garden or plants in your yard.

1. Pile vs. Bin

Decide whether you’re a super-DIYer and want to build a place for a compost pile in your yard or you’d rather use a bin. There are loads of simple plans for containing a compost pile online as well as various types of compost bins. Choose whichever best suits you.

2. Placement

You’ll want to find a spot in your yard to place your composting bin or pile. Ideally, this spot is not too sunny and easy to access from your kitchen. (The easier it is, the more apt you’ll be to continue your new composting routine!)

3. Save up Stuff

You’ve got your bin or pile space all situated and ready to go, now’s the time to rake your yard for dried leaves to use as the base of your pile. You’ll also want to start saving kitchen scraps of veggies and fruits. (Remember, no animal products can make their way into your compost pile!)

4. Layering

Ideally, you’ll want to have about three times as much dried matter to the wetter fruit and veggie scraps from your kitchen. Put down the dried matter first, then add your kitchen scraps on top. Add a layer of soil and a little water to moisten and there you have it—your beginning compost pile!

5. Turning

You’ll need to turn your compost from time to time. Also, if it is dry, give it a little water. If it smells, it has too much water, add some crushed leaves (not more kitchen scraps), turn it and that should do the trick! If it’s really dry, it needs to be turned and watered, or add more fruit and vegetable scraps.

6. Ready to Use

You’ll know your compost is ready to use when it looks like dark rich soil. Add it to your houseplants or garden—they’ll love you and so will the environment! Tip: Crushing or shredding your dried yard leaves and cutting your kitchen scraps into smaller pieces will help your compost turn into usable compost more quickly.

Did you know?

Crushed egg shells are the only exception to the no-animal products rule in composting. Including them in your compost pile adds calcium—an important nutrient in helping plants build cell walls!

Veganism: Where to Start

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If you’re new to veganism, avoiding animal-based products might seem fairly straightforward. However, there are a few things you’ll want to pay special attention to. We’ll help you navigate through these ingredient lists so you can steer clear of some potential hidden animal products that may surprise you.

Whey

Often used in baked goods, whey is one of those words you may or may not be familiar with—it’s the watery part of milk that is leftover after curds are formed in the cheese-making process. Because whey contains much of the lactose and about 20% of the protein in milk, it has become a valued byproduct. (It used to be something that got thrown away!) Whey powder is a mainstay in many non-vegan protein powders. Combined with other ingredients in processed foods, whey conveys a host of desirable properties—for this reason, you might find it listed in the ingredients for baked goods, beverages, dressings and a myriad of other products.

Casein

Another milk-based protein is casein. One of the two primary proteins in milk, it accounts for 80% of the protein in cow’s milk. You may also see casein in the ingredient list as caseinate or lactic acid which sometimes contains casein. Some foods where you might also see casein listed are margarine, non-dairy coffee creamer, cheese-flavored chips and snack crackers, as well as baked goods.

Vegan Marshmallows View RecipeGelatin

Created from the skin, bones and connective tissues of (typically) cows and pigs, gelatin can be found in things like candy (think gummy bears), gum, capsules used for supplements and marshmallows. A vegan substitute for gelatin is agar-agar. A flavorless gelling agent, agar-agar is derived from cooked and pressed seaweed. Whether you want to gather ‘round a campfire and roast marshmallows, or just sneak a few from the pantry (we won’t tell) you can try this Vegan Marshmallow recipe—you’re friends and family will love them!

Natural and Artificial Flavorings

You might want to err on the side of caution with this phrase when you encounter it in an ingredient list as it can be either animal- or vegetable-sourced. Listed in the FDA’s Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, natural and artificial flavors are both described as able to include “meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof”—a pretty wide window!

Vitamins and Supplements

Vitamins and supplements are a part of many people’s healthy living journey. As a vegan, you’ll want to pay a little more attention to the labeling. Found in many multivitamins, vitamins A, D and B12 can be derived from animal products. Additionally, many supplements come in capsule format, which may be made of gelatin. When shopping for vitamins and supplements, it’s best to check the label and look for those that are labeled as vegan. 

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce View RecipeWorcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire sauce seems to show up in loads of recipes that you may want to convert to your new plant-based diet. The ingredient that will kick this condiment from your fridge, however, is anchovies. But fret not—here is a vegan version you can whip up in no time!

Beer and Wine

It might come as a surprise that some wines and beers may not be vegan. After all, wine is made from grapes, and beer from hops and barley—all plants! Yet, some beers and wines might be made with non-vegan-friendly ingredients like dairy or honey. There is also the question of process: Animal products are often used in the filtering and fining, or clarification process of both wine and beer making. These include things like isinglass (from fish), sea shells, albumen (egg whites) and gelatin. Luckily, this website contains a comprehensive list of well over 35,000 beer, wine and spirits, showing whether they’re vegan-friendly or not.

Carmine

A naturally sourced red dye used in food and drink, the most surprising thing about carmine is its source—a bug! For centuries, red dye has been created from the cochineal bug that lives on the pads of prickly pear cacti. Rich in history, this bug-centric colorant eventually made its way into modern-day food production. Some other names you might also see carmine listed as include cochineal, carmine lake or natural red 4.   Did you know? Broccoli, bok choy, chinese cabbage, collards and kale are all great, non-dairy sources of calcium.