Some people like to scour garage sales and antique shops in search of hidden treasures. Others like to click around online to find fast deals on fashion. Me? Well, I like to go to the grocery store and comb the aisles for those guilt-free, multi-purpose foods hiding on the shelves. When I go grocery shopping, it’s a rush of excitement. (Is that pitiful?) I always try to leave the store with a new product that I can incorporate into my daily diet. Since so many awesome FED UP. readers have responded positively to a blog I wrote a few weeks ago on Chobani pumpkin-spiced Greek yogurt, I promise to make promoting some of my favorite products a weekly part of my blog. Here is just a sampling of a few “can’t-live-without-em” food finds:
Bolthouse Farms dressings
All of these dressings are divine. Extremely low in fat, Bolthouse Farms dressings are unlike many other salad dressings that make the nutritional intake of salads look more like that of cheeseburgers. The majority of the BF dressings are yogurt-based; some of the olive-oil based dressings (balsamic vinegar is yum) might be low in fat, but their carb count is just a bit higher than normal, so watch for that. Every dressing packs quite a flavor punch, so I imagine they can be used to spice up more than just salad. How about the chunky blue cheese dressing with a 95-5 burger? Or maybe some classic ranch dressing as a dip with your favorite veggie? The possibilities are endless. The variety of flavors (Caesar parmesan is my favorite) Bolthouse offers will help you fulfill any craving.
Weight Watchers bread
I’m afraid of carbohydrates, and I’m not ashamed to admit that. But two pieces of Weight Watchers bread has a measly 16 carbs! I love making a delish turkey sandwich for lunch with a side of pickles and slices of Cabot cheese (more on that in a later post). It’s the lowest-carb bread I have ever found, and it’s absolutely everything good in this world. I never liked eating wheat bread because it was, well, wheat bread. But this bread is light and fluffy and makes you wonder why you would waste carbs eating any other brand. Weight Watchers products are usually pretty macro-friendly, and there are a bunch of other great ones out there – bagels, muffins, etc. – that might be worth a try as well.
Pure Protein Chocolate Peanut Caramel
Words will never adequately express how much Pure Protein has changed my life. It took me a while to find a product that didn’t taste like chocolate-covered sand or a rock hard mess of disgusting flavors (sorry, Quest bars!), but I finally stumbled up this beacon of protein perfection. I consider myself a Pure Protein connousier, as I’ve tried just about every variety available. Chocolate peanut caramel has to be my favorite, though. Heat it up in the microwave for ten seconds and you’ll have an ooey gooey treat that tastes just like a Snickers candy bar. I find that this product always fulfills my sweet tooth and leaves me satisfied after dinner.
Let me know what you think of these grocery store gems, which, by the way, are available almost everywhere for reasonable prices. I’m always interested to see how people use them, and if there are even healthier alternatives that might be worth a try. Until then, stay healthy, my friends!
FED UP. 
I feel a grocery shopping trip in my near future! How do you feel about kale a.k.a. everyone’s new favorite super food?