Whole 30 with Walmart Only!

I don't know about you all, but I like to read every blog, article, whatever I can find before I do something. Starting the Whole 30 was no different. The problem I ran into though, again and again was that almost no one talked about how to practice Whole 30 when Walmart was your main shopping source.

Sure there were plenty of Whole 30 on a budget posts talking about how you can go to Aldi's or Sprouts or Costco to save money. But almost NO ONE mentioned Walmart. Did you know that 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Walmart? That means it's accessible to almost everyone!! In my searching I only found one blog that mentions some salsa's you can buy at Walmart that are Whole 30 compliant. But there is so much more! I've managed to make it the whole way through with using Walmart almost exclusively. I've also visited the Save-A-Lot and Ramey's when Walmart was out of something I needed.

I've had several personal friends and seen countless others online lament how they can't do this diet or be healthy because they can't afford it. Read: The don't have access to or the budget for Whole Foods/Trader Joe's/Costco. So I decided to give my tips and tricks to complete a Whole 30 with only Walmart groceries!

Tip #1: Don't Replace Items with Expensive "Clean" Alternatives

If you are on in the Facebook groups or the forums and you are CONVINCED you need primal kitchen mayo and ghee and wild planet tuna to make it through go ahead and do it! But for some of use spending $16 on 8 oz of non-dairy butter is just simply not an option. Rather than looking to replace things you normally eat lots of, find alternatives you have access to. For example, say you use butter a lot in cooking. Instead of buying expensive ghee, just switch it out with olive oil or another compliant oil. It will work virtually just the same! Or get really wild and crazy and try your hand at making your own.

Tip #2: Organic/Grass-fed/Non-GMO

Please do not think you have to purchase only "healthy" produce and meats. Studies have shown that there is no difference in the nutritional value of organic/grass-fed/non-GMO products to conventional ones. The real benefit of these items is that you are supporting better treatment of animals (if it's meat, dairy, or eggs). Health-wise it truly won't make a difference if your option is to buy organic meat or eat a prepackaged meal instead because it was too expensive. Obviously, if you can afford to choose to eat these things go for it! But, don't sweat it that Walmart carries very limited options in these categories.

Tip #3: The Walmart App is Your Best Friend

Meal planning is time consuming. Even more so when you are looking for very specific foods with specific ingredients. I have found the Walmart app to be enormously helpful in this aspect. Rather than waiting until you get to the store to pour over the labels and send out an SOS on the Facebook group of which kind of sausage is compliant, pick out what brand you will buy before hand. The app lets you search for what is available in your store (or nearby stores if yours does not carry it), view the ingredients or that item, and add it to a virtual shopping list you can then share with your husband when you are stuck late at work and need him to pick up things for you. It has been a game changer. Do make sure and double check that the ingredients are the same as listed online in store as some items are known to have different ingredients depending on your area.

Tip #4: Enough with the Lara/RX/EPIC bars!

I'll be straight with you. YOU DON'T NEED EXPENSIVE PROTEIN BARS. You just don't. While Walmart has expanded in this area of offerings the price has too. As of right now the only compliant snack bar options my Walmart carries are Lara Bars. Do you know how much they cost? About $2.50 for each!!! That's insane! Seriously, who pays that much for one tiny snack bar? If you have the money and you want to go ahead! But, for those of us that can't. I promise you, you can live without. While they are convenient they are technically not even in the real spirit of the Whole 30. So you're doing yourself and your budget a favor by not buying them.