I’ve taken you to the grocery store with me multiple times.

Something I like to impart time and again when reviewing meat is our tried and true tests:

➡️ The Protein Test – When you check the nutrition label, is there 10g of protein per every 100 calories? One easy way to do the math is by adding a 0 to the end of the protein. For example: 23g protein — 230 calories or less? If yes, it passes.

➡️ The Lean Protein Test – Is there 10g or less of Total Fat or 4g or less of Saturated Fat? If yes, it’s considered a lean source of protein.

For those times there isn’t a nutrition label, consider:

➡️ The Eye Test – This is just what it sounds like. If there isn’t a nutrition label, using your eyes can be one of the better tools in determining whether or not a cut of meat is lean. Is there a lot of marbling? If yes, there is a higher fat content.

➡️ Naming – If a cut of steak says ‘top’, ‘sirloin’, ‘round’, ‘flank’ those are typically leaner cuts of meat.

Use this guide as your cheat sheet when shopping for beef.

In this video, I’m walking you through a full low calorie, high protein grocery haul from Aldi. I’ll show you exactly what I buy to stay on track with my nutrition while keeping the cost low.

If you’re trying to eat healthy, build muscle, or lose fat, the foods you keep in your house matter. This is how I stock my kitchen with high protein, low calorie options that make it easy to stay consistent.

I’ll break down which foods deliver the best protein-to-calorie ratio and how to build balanced meals using Aldi staples that you can find at most major grocers like Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, Wegmans, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and BJ’s Wholesale. You don’t need expensive brands or fancy supplements – you just need a plan and the right groceries.

Recipe: High protein PB&J greek yogurt:

1️⃣ Tare your scale out with an empty container
2️⃣ Empty 340g of Greek yogurt into container
3️⃣ Add 1 tbsp, 16g, peanut butter
4️⃣ Add frozen berries of your choice
5️⃣ Mix well, put lid on your container, pop in the refrigerator

Macros: ~320 calories 44g protein 4g fiber

When you’re ready to enjoy the next day, all the berries and peanut butter will be mixed in giving you a nice, refreshing, high-protein treat.

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Here are 3 high fiber foods you can find at @Costco:

1️⃣ Black beans – So versatile and can be added to many dishes. I like putting black beans in my tuna bowls and even my eggs. I try to eat ½ cup to 1 cup of black beans each day to help boost my fiber intake. 1 cup of black beans contains 15g of fiber.

2️⃣ @Goodles – Yes. Macaroni and cheese can help boost your fiber intake. One serving of Cheddy Mac Goodles has 7g of fiber. Adding in your favorite ground meat (boosts protein) and your favorite fibrous vegetable can make this an insane macro boost. I like adding spinach or broccoli to mine.

3️⃣ Avocados – High in fiber and also rich in monounsaturated fat. Avocado is extremely easy to add to meals; take a sandwich for example. Pairing avocado with a high fiber bread and lean lunch meat is an extremely easy lunch option that provides a ton of macro and micronutrients. 100g of avocado roughly gives you 7g of fiber.

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Today I’m breaking down my weekly grocery haul – everything I buy to keep calories low while hitting my protein and fiber goals.

I’ll cover the foods I eat every day, the ones I keep in for flexibility, and the healthy fats that round out my diet.

I follow a flexible dieting approach: about 80% of what I eat comes from single-ingredient whole foods, and the other 20% are foods I enjoy or that help me hit my macros – whether that’s dinner out, fiber-enriched candy, or high-protein ice cream.

This is the same structure I’ve used to help thousands of clients get lean and strong and the same approach I used this summer to lose over 30 pounds.

Here’s the full grocery list:

🔘 Dairy: eggs, nonfat cottage cheese, lowfat Greek yogurt, fat-free milk
🔘 Seafood: fresh salmon, tinned sardines
🔘 Poultry: chicken thighs, chicken breast, @PerdueChicken lightly breaded chicken chunks, @Wegmans pre-cooked chicken
🔘 Fruit: raspberries, blueberries, apples
🔘 Vegetables: spinach, broccoli, microwavable potatoes, @StrongRoots Proper Fries, shredded hash browns, canned black beans
🔘 Healthy Fats: extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nut butter
🔘 Pantry: @SchmidtOldType 647 bread, @Hero rolls, @MissionFoodsUS Carb Balance wraps, @LegendaryFoods chips, @EatShameless Snacks
🔘 Desserts: @SkinnyCowUS, @Tasty_Profeel Pudding, @EatSweetGains ice cream

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Review: @QuestNutrition protein cookies

I’ve reviewed quite a few “macro-friendly” cookies and they’ve quite literally all ended in disappointment…

My thinking up to this point has been to just get the traditional cookie that you want. Plan for it, save calories, etc… these alternatives are never worth it.

Until, Quest decided to enter the arena.

All of the cookie flavors have 250 calories or less, 15g of protein, and 10g of fiber or greater. No, they don’t pass The Protein Test (10g of protein per every 100 calorie) and they aren’t considered a lean source of protein (10g of total fat or less; 4g of saturated fat or less).

These are definitely the best tasting protein cookies I’ve tried and they have so many fun flavors – White Chocolate Macadamia, Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Snickerdoodle, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Double Chocolate.

Don’t think of these as a replacement to protein bars. The macros simply aren’t to that standard. Think of this as more of a treat or dessert.

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Reviewing my coaching client @RMC5599 form video.

As part of my coaching program, clients regularly send in form checks so I can correct their lifts – whether it’s tracking week-to-week progress, increasing weight strategically, fine-tuning form, and making sure their lifts are as optimal as possible.

Rich has been making incredible progress. In this clip, he’s pulling 315lb with great tempo and textbook form. When he first came onto coaching, he couldn’t perform machine abductors without his lower back hurting. Now, he’s crushing 315lb deadlifts with impeccable form.

Rich went to JacobZemer.com to change his life – and you can too.

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