Skip to content

An Fx™-Approved Shopping List for a Healthier Holiday

An Fx™-Approved Shopping List for a Healthier Holiday

The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.

The experience of holiday food traditions instantly transports me back to childhood. Fond memories of sitting around the crowded dining room table with my extended family celebrating the season with foods from our Ukrainian heritage truly warms my heart.

I share this because I want you to know that I understand the importance of tradition, and I’m not suggesting abandoning yours in exchange for something different. Instead, I’d like to offer you options for upgrading ingredients to make your holiday meals and treats more Fx™-friendly. These may be items you add to a meal or ingredients you replace for an even more delicious outcome. No matter how you use them, you’re guaranteed to find them all at Heinen’s!

Sure, you may spend a few more pennies for the upgrade, but I can assure you it’s still affordable. And I believe the health of you and your family is worth this extra investment!

For Your Fridge

Dairy

  • Rumiano Organic Pasture Raised Cheese
  • Organic Valley Sour Cream or Kite Hill Dairy-Free Sour Cream
  • Heinen’s Pasture Raised Eggs
  • Kerrygold Grassfed Butter

Deli

  • Wholly Guacamole
  • Sidekicks Salsa
  • Hummus Goodness

Produce

  • Great Lakes Growers Fresh Rosemary, Sage, Thyme and Oregano

Specialty Cheese

  • Nuts for Cheese Plant-Based Dairy-Free Cheeses
  • Silver Goat Crumbled Goat Cheese (Great for salads or topping hot veggies.)

For Your Freezer

  • Heinen’s Frozen Quinoa
  • Hanover Frozen Cauliflower Florets (Use 5 cups frozen cauliflower in place of 1 head fresh cauliflower to make this Sweet Potato Cauliflower Mash.)
  • Heinen’s Frozen Butternut Squash (Blend into a simple One-Pot Butternut Squash Soup and serve as an appetizer.)
  • Cape Cod Select Frozen Cranberries
  • Ezekiel Bread (Replace a portion of white bread with sprouted bread in stuffing, or go all in and make this 100% Sprouted Stuffing with Gravy.)
  • Erie Chicken or Beef Bone Broth

For Your Pantry

Cooking Essentials

  • Heinen’s Pink Himalayan Salt
  • Heinen’s Organic Spices
  • Heinen’s Brown Rice
  • Heinen’s Quinoa
  • Heinen’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Heinen’s Avocado Oil
  • Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Bragg Salad Dressing
  • Heinen’s Beef, Chicken or Bone Broth
  • Primal Kitchen Gravy
  • Primal Kitchen Spicy Queso Plant-Based Dip
  • Amy’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

Baking Essentials

  • Spectrum Culinary Organic All-Vegetable Shortening
  • Bob’s Red Mill 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Pastry Flour or 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour
  • Bob’s Red Mill Flaxseed Meal (Replace 1/3 cup of oil with 1 cup milled flaxseed in baking, or use as a substitute of an egg by combining 3 Tbsp. water with 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.)
  • Heinen’s Old Fashioned Oats
  • Let’s Do Organic Coconut Flakes
  • Equal Exchange Chocolate Chips
  • Big Tree Farms Coconut Sugar
  • Heinen’s Raw Honey
  • Heinen’s Pure Organic Maple Syrup

Snacks and Drinks

  • Divina Olives
  • Brazil nuts
  • Filberts (hazelnuts)
  • Cashews
  • Pecans
  • Unsalted walnuts
  • Made in Nature Dried Fruit
  • Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers
  • Smart Bark Snacking Chocolate
  • Undercover Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt Quinoa Crisps
  • Heinen’s Sparkling Water
  • Hint Water
  • Zevia Soda

Key Takeaway

There’s no such thing as a perfect eater, especially around the holidays. By upgrading some of your ingredients, you can relive the comfort and joy of nostalgic holiday traditions with health in mind, and without sacrificing taste.

Melanie Jatsek RD, LD

By Melanie Jatsek RD, LD

Heinen's Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek, RD, LD believes that the answer to a strong, healthy and vibrant body lies within. As a published author with over 20 years of experience in wellness program development, health coaching and professional speaking, Melanie offers expert guidance through Heinen's Club Fx program to help customers take inspired action to build the healthy body they were meant to live in without giving up their favorite foods.

Related Recipes & Stories