5 Ways to Make Healthier Choices while Shopping the Commissary

If you’re like me the hardest part of my health journey has revolved around food. Consistent workouts – check. Water intake – check. Eating more vegetables…. ahhh why does it often feel so hard?! Even with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and multiple nutrition classes and continuing education it can still feel at best, complicated… and more often just overwhelming. Even when we know what the “right” answer is when deciding what to throw in our grocery cart… knowledge doesn’t always make it easier. 

My good friend Karen, who is a ISSA certified nutritionist, put it this way,

“What we eat is so much more nuanced than how we move. What we eat encompasses our whole day, it includes social experiences and is closely tied with memories and special feelings related to the foods we eat. Nutritional changes are influenced by our support system, our culture, our knowledge, our time, budget and even what is available in our community.” 

So we know it’s more than just knowing we need to “eat more vegetables” but where do we start? I do want to give you some very PRACTICAL swaps you can make at your local commissary but first let’s chat about mindset shifts!

Play the long game!  Monica Reinagel, registered dietician, author and podcast host of Quick and Dirty Tricks: Nutrition Diva, says, “It’s not what you do on your best or worst day but what you do most days that matters.” It’s the small, everyday, micro choices that add up to a lifetime of living. And when we find healthy choices we can make everyday – it is money in the bank! Small investments, compounding interest that will eventually make habits and carry us to a more healthy lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, good food vs bad food…it can simply be small deposits into a bank account for a healthier future.

Okay, let’s talk about commissary finds! There are so many good options I have found shopping at our local commissary (and often they are priced better or comparable to the local grocery store).

1. Shopping Produce

When it comes to produce, there are certain items that are more “worth it” to buy organic than others due to pesticide exposure. The EWG’s list of Dirty Dozen (those with highest pesticides) include: strawberries, spinach, kale, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, grapes, bell & hot peppers, cherries, blueberries, and green beans.

The EWG Clean 15 (those least likely to have high levels of pesticides) include: carrots watermelon, sweet potatoes, mangos, mushrooms, cabbage, kiwi, honeydew melon, asparagus, sweet peas (frozen), papaya, onions, pineapple, sweet corn, & avocados. (source: EWG’s 2023 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce | Full List )

So for me, I will spend a little more on organic foods in the “dirty dozen” list, and go for the budget items for the ones that aren’t.

2. Shopping Baked Goods

My favorite baking ingredients is Bob’s Red Mill flours and oats! They are non GMO certified and I have found such a good selection at the commissary! From flours and oats to lentils and pizza dough, they are some of my favorite finds.

Another dry good option that I love is anything Annie’s! My kids LOVE a box of macaroni and cheese and I love that I don’t have to make it homemade to feel better about the ingredients. Annie’s also makes the BEST cinnamon rolls…find them in the refrigerated section next to the canned biscuits… you will NOT be disappointed!

3. Shopping Canned Goods

Speaking of pastas…I love that the commissaries I have visited carry Muir Glen. If you find your homemade pasta and pizza sauces being too acidic, it’s often due to the quality of the canned goods – try an organic brand like Muir and see if you can taste the difference!

Pizza night: I’ve found Primal Kitchen’s unsweetened pizza sauce, Muir Glen’s Organic (cheaper than the non organic) & Newman’s Own Organic all at the commissary!

4. Shopping Frozen Goods

Did you know frozen fruit and vegetables often have a higher nutritional value because they are flash frozen at the height of their ripeness (rather than picked early for transport)? Look for wild blueberries if you want to go one step further! 

Frozen chicken is always going to have more salt and preservatives than buying raw but I love this Foster Farms brand of uncooked but seasoned chicken with NO growth hormones!

We always have chicken nuggets in our fridge but our commissary carries Tyson Air Fried nuggets (and gluten free) which have significantly less saturated fats. My boys love them in the air fryer and I love how easy they are (and our Walmart doesn’t carry them). 

Don’t forget about frozen lunches for mom, Reds Organic and Annie’s Organic Burritos are go-to at our house, again not always at my Walmart but always at my commissary! 

5. Shopping the End Caps

Does your commissary have those weird end caps with seemingly random items? Don’t just walk by without a glance, I found some favorites there that are often items I could only get at Thrive Market, like this HU chocolate which is organic and fair trade! And also lots of kids snacks like fruit bars and fruit rollups from organic brands with less sugar!

And don’t forget, you can often find veteran owned or military supporting brands there as well. Black Rifle Coffee – always a staple at the commissary but sometimes there are other, less well known but Veteran owned companies, if you keep your eyes open for them!

Lastly, remember when there was an egg shortage and eggs skyrocketed in price? The cheapest place I could find them was at the commissary thanks to the DOD’s effort to lower prices on staple items like milk and eggs! 

Obviously this list isn’t all inclusive but I hope it does get you thinking about small changes you can make, on a budget, at your local commissary! 

Do you have a favorite commissary find? I’d love to hear about them so I can keep an eye out to try!