Staffer Picks: Our Favorite Finds to Make It Through Whole30
The little things that help us get through 30 days of clean eating.
If you've completed your own Whole30 before, you'll know that there's no magic pill to keep you from dreaming about chocolate chip cookies chasing you down the street or going (a little) crazy at the grocery store when you realize that there's sugar in every. single. mustard. option. These are the picks that help Food Network staffers' lives a little easier during Whole30 and keep them going strong and eating cleaning through the full 30 days.
What happens when you over-process homemade cauliflower rice? You make cauliflower grits! And this happy accident is essential for Whole30 Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits, which has been a weeknight game changer for me. They are just as creamy as regular grits and I love them for breakfast too, with a sunny-side up egg and wilted greens.
- Leah Brickley, Senior Editor, Culinary
The first time I did Whole30, a group of about 10 people in the office did it together. We had a lunch club: Every day a different person was assigned to bring food for the whole group. It helped to have a supportive group of people and fewer meals to plan for myself each week – not to mention a great excuse to try out different Whole30-approved recipes when it was my turn.
- Sarah Balke, Culinary Producer
BUY IT: Amazon, $33.99 (reg. $75)
I cannot do Whole30 without my mini food processor. Every Sunday when I meal prep, I make a few dressing, salsas and sauces to jazz up my dishes throughout the week. This little gadget whips them up in minutes and I love that it barely takes up space in my kitchen!
- Gabriela Rodiles, Social Media Specialist
BUY IT: Amazon, $13.98
To help me balance the fact that this is a month full of saying "no" to the food I love, I treat myself to mini extravagances throughout Whole30, mostly in the form of beverages. Usually it's the monster pack of LaCroix from Costco or all the kombucha my heart desires, but I just discovered these single-serve packets of unsweetened matcha tea powder that are perfect for stashing in my purse. It helps to be able to sip on something I’m excited about while everyone else is ordering a scoop of ice cream or glass of wine.
- Julie Hines, Manager of Digital Programming
BUY IT: Macy's, $79.99 (reg. $114.99)
I’ve found the air fryer to be super helpful. My favorite Whole30-approved snack involves throwing some kale, olive oil spray and salt into the air fryer for a few minutes. It comes out crisp and delicious.
- Kari McMinn, Senior Product Manager
BUY IT: Amazon, $89.95 (reg. $139.95)
My Instant Pot is a GAME CHANGER for Whole30. It makes food prep a breeze. That’s the most annoying thing about Whole30 – you have just SO much food prep to do. The Instant Pot makes it all easy and, dare I say, fun? On Sunday I’ll do a big batch of chicken, sweet potatoes and hard-boiled eggs for the week ahead. I’ll also make chili in it which is done in 30 minutes. 30 MINUTES?! That chili feels like it’s been cooking forever but it’s only been in there for 30 minutes. I’ll never tell if you won’t. I’ll also make pasta sauce, bone broth and other big-batch essentials in the Instant Pot to make the Whole 30 not feel like quite such a chore. Release the steam and have a party – a clean eating party. And isn’t that the BEST kind of party? No, not really. But in January, it feels right.
- Laura Eshelman, Senior Producer
BUY IT: Amazon, $19.99 (reg. $24)
Sheet pans are the workhorse of my Whole30. So many batches of veggies and protein can be tackled in one shot with minimal effort. Runner up? My Instant Pot. We lived off of shredded chicken for lunch. (cont'd)
BUY IT: Amazon, $9.51 (reg. $10.01)
As for ingredients I would not have made it all 30 days without ghee! I made mine myself so I’d have plenty to get me through the month, and I still love it in place of olive oil and butter, but the store bought stuff worked well in a pinch when I roasted a chicken at my mom’s house and forgot to bring my own!
- Tina Weber, Executive Producer
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