We hear you!

You guys would love a shopping list feature in our app and this is something we are working on right now… but we want to make it perfect, so it may take some time.

For the meantime, we thought we’d share the Fitaz team's tips and tricks to create the perfect shopping list!

Now, we totally understand how overwhelming it can be when starting a brand new fitness program and reading through the nutrition method…

The amazing thing about Transform is we give you all the necessary tools and information to take that overwhelming feeling and jump straight into Transform.

It’s important to note that your first grocery shop in Transform will be your biggest!

This is the trip where you will most likely buy some pantry staples and long-keep items that you will use throughout the next 8 weeks.

We’ve all been there before… rushing to the grocery store after work with no idea (or time) to cook anything, in cases like this we typically grab quick meals, lots of snacks and typically overspend on unhealthy food that won’t nourish your body or make you feel good.

Good list-writing and meal-planning skills can help you avoid that mad dash to the grocery store, save money, and make cooking more enjoyable!

PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!

This first tip works hand in hand with Transform.

Our nutrition method provides users with a variety of different recipes to choose from alongside our meal builder feature.

So first things first.

You are going to go through the recipes for the level and phase you are currently completing and pick your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes/ items.

You are able to favourite recipes on the Fitaz app by selecting the red heart in the top right corner of each recipe - this is so you can keep note of what recipes you’ve picked for your day/ week while also allowing you quick access for when you are cooking or writing up your shopping list!

Figure out what you are going to eat for the week and then make a list based on those choices.

We suggest finalising your meal plan for the week while writing your list right after, it is also great to write these in your kitchen where you have a view of your pantry and fridge so you know what you do and do not have.

Like we mentioned above, there are a few staples you will always need to have available. Items like olive oil, salt, pepper, sugar etc that the staples you will use in most recipes throughout the next 8 weeks.

Before writing your shopping list, keep note of what staples you already have in your pantry and how much of these items you have left.

For example if you have the 500ml Moro Extra Virgin Olive Oil in your cupboard that only has about 100ml’s left, it’s best to jot that down on your staple list to replenish. 

A great trick from the Fitaz team is to keep an ongoing list in your phone notes and jot down any items you run out of as you run out - that way you’ll easily remember what you need to replace.

We know nutrition on a fitness journey can be really intimidating and from talking with our amazing community we have been told you guys LOVE our meal builder feature. 

Our meal builder allows you to create meals that identify with our nutrition method and portion sizes as well as customise meals to your dietary needs.

Even better, you can use the items you already have at home for these types of meals!

When choosing the recipes you will eat during the week you are able to select your meals based on the items you have on hand.

This will help you create a specific grocery list to get what you need and replenish what you don’t have and in turn, save some money!

Transform follows a Mediterranean diet approach, known as one of the oldest diets of all time the Mediterranean diet includes a diverse range of fruits and veggies.

When writing your shopping list it is important to take into consideration how quickly your fruits, vegetables, or herbs can perish.

Alternatively, if you can find the shelf-stable versions of these fruits and veggies, frozen and canned can be incorporated too.

ORDER YOUR LIST BY AISLE

Now if you're like us, you may have a go-to grocery store that you gravitate towards over others.

Personally, I will only go to a certain store for my groceries - not only do I love the quality of the produce and the items, I also know where everything is and I am able to create my shopping list in a way that matches that store's aisles.

Organising your list by store sections will save you time, remove the hassle of running back and forth throughout the store, and stop you from grabbing those unhealthy snacks.

Using headers like:

• Produce
• Meat
• Bakery
• Dairy
• Meat

This will allow you to move throughout the store with ease and get the job quickly and effectively. 

And there you have it, Fitaz’s top tips and tricks for writing the perfect shopping list!

By Courtney Moane.