Whole30 Eats: Packaged Protein

In honor of the new year coming up, I decided to do another “Whole30 Eats” post.  (See my previous post here: Whole30 Eats: Precooked Meats)

Photo from the Whole30 website:  whole30.com

Many people embark on a Whole30 program challenge at this time of year; and others commit to cleaning up their diet since the holidays are coming to a close.  Whether you are completing a Whole30 or not, all of these meats are great options for anyone who follows a “clean eating” or Paleo diet.

Protein can be time-consuming to prepare, but is necessary to have on hand for quick lunches and dinners.  I love that each of these products can be found at a variety of stores for a good value (especially Costco!)… but my favorite thing is how much they simplify meal prepping.  Because let’s all admit it~ while it’s fun to make things from scratch… sometimes it’s just not realistic!

All of these precooked, packaged foods are perfect for simplifying your meals, yet still made with quality ingredients that are 100% Whole30 compliant (free of sweeteners, dairy, legumes, grains, inferior oils, starches, etc.).  For the breakdown on the Whole30 list of “dos & don’ts” and all of the fine print, go to their site:  http://whole30.com/step-two/.

Toss the meatballs or roasted chicken with a clean jarred pasta sauce (I recommend checking Whole Foods Market for a local brand with simple ingredients… my favorite is by Mia’s Kitchen out of Sonoma, CA) and some zoodles, sauté the sausage with eggs & veggies, or grill up a pre-cooked chili lime burger & serve with pan-fried sweet potatoes and bell peppers.  All of these are also perfect over a salad for lunch.

Here’s the breakdown, with links to each company’s website (where you can find out what stores carry them near you).  I’ve found the following at Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods.

• Aidell’s Organic Chicken & Apple Sausage:  Chicken, Dried Apples, Salt, Fruit Juice Concentrate (Apple, Pineapple, Pear, and Peach), Spices, and Celery Powder, in a Pork Casing.  
• True Story Organic Oven Roasted Sliced Chicken Breast:  Organic Chicken, Water, 2% or Less of the Following: Sea Salt, Organic Garlic, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Pepper, Natural Flavor.  (The company’s site lists pea protein, but the packages I have purchased recently no longer contain it– just FYI.)
• Aidell’s Organic Chicken Meatballs (Sweet Basil & Roasted Garlic):  Organic Chicken, Organic Sweet Basil, Organic Moistened Sun-Dried Tomato, Sodium Lactate (from beets), Organic Roasted Garlic, Sea Salt, Organic Italian Parsley, and Organic Spices.
• Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Chicken Burgers:  Ground Chicken, Onions, Bell Peppers, Garlic, Cilantro, Natural Flavor, Salt, Lime Juice Concentrate, Red Pepper Flakes.

I hope this was helpful for you!  Please let me know if there are any other Whole30 posts you would like to see!