Plan

THM Store Bought On Plan Bread

June 17, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

A huge list of THM store bought on plan bread options that you can purchase at your local grocery store.

Lot’s of THM beginners want to know what kind of bread you can have that is on the Trim Healthy Mama plan.

And with that I mean what kind of store bought bread can you have. I mean, I’m not a drive thru Sue all the time but I’m also not Betty Crocker either.

You know that saying “the best thing since sliced bread?” It didn’t come about with busy mama’s making bread.

Nobody wants to have to make and slice their own bread. (OK, I actually want to & it is on my THM bucket list to grow one of those creepy sourdough starters in a mason jar on my counter, feed it and make my own beautiful loaf. But I am a working mama of 2 young kids. No time for now!)

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Finding THM Store Bought Sprouted Bread At The Grocery

If you are looking at breads, the first ingredient should be a sprouted grain and there should be less than 2 grams of sugar (1 is preferred).

To save you the trouble of reading every bread label, here are some commonly used THM store bought on plan breads.

Need Store Bought On the Go THM snacks? Click Here!

Found at Most Large Grocery Chains (Walmart, Kroger, Target)

You may be able to find these at additional grocery stores but this is where I have found them in my area.

Ezekiel Sprouted Bread – Look for it in the freezer section (Kroger, Walmart, Target)

Silver Hills Sprouted Bread (Target, Sprouts, Whole Foods)

Pepperidge Farms Soft Sprouted Bread (Target, Kroger, Walmart)

Greenwise Sprouted Multi-Grain Bread (Publix Bakery)

Simple Truth Sprouted Grain & Legume Bread (Kroger)

Found Primarily at Specialty Stores (Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Costco)

Knock Your Sprouts Off Bread (Aldi)

Sly Red Ancient Grains (Aldi)

Trader Joe’s Sprouted Sourdough

Alvarado St. Bakery Sprouted Bread (Whole Foods, Natural Grocers)

Angelic Sprouted Bread (Sprouts, Costco, The Fresh Market)

THM On Plan Store Bought Sourdough Bread

Trim Healthy Mama on plan store bought sourdough can be hard to find but it is possible.

Here is the sourdough criteria:

First Ingredient should be Whole Grain
Yeast should NOT be in the ingredients

Trader Joe’s has an on plan sourdough. You may also find an on plan sourdough at some specialty store bakeries like Sprouts or Whole Foods.

Serving Size & Fuel Type

Bread is a carb source so traditionally it is going to be used in “E” Meals.

E Meal Bread Serving Size : 2 Slices

But if you want to get crazy, you can also have some bread with “S” foods. Wait, what?!

You mean to tell me I could have a piece of cheese toast? Or I could sop up a nice runny egg with a piece of toast?

Yes Ma’am! This is called an S Helper. It is when you go over the carb limit for an S meal but don’t add enough carbs to move into XO (crossover) territory.

S Helper Bread Serving Size: 1 Slice

If you have more than 1 piece of bread with other S foods, you would move into XO territory.

The Exception To The Rule

If you have an Aldi near you, they have a relatively new product Zero Net Carb bread.

Here is a picture of it & a review from the Aldi Reviewer.

I have tried it and I like it. If you get this bread, you can eat it in an S meal and keep it in S territory (no S helper or XO). I like having that option.

*Note: The THM team calls this one a personal choice. It is not for the purists at heart but I’m definitely not that.

Looking for THM Approved Store Bought Wraps and Tortillas? Check out this list of 14 On Plan wrap options.

How to Eat (& Like) Sprouted Bread

If you have not eaten sprouted bread before it does take a little adjusting to. Especially if you are coming from a super soft white bread.

So what is the key to liking sprouted bread?

I have found that toasting the bread is my favorite way to eat it. I honestly don’t care for ANY of the sprouted breads that I have tried fresh out of the bag (and I have tried a lot).

But toast it up in the toaster and it is great with on plan peanut butter, Light Laughing Cow Cheese, Polaner’s jelly or sandwich fixins like this THM E tuna salad.

Need more Trim Healthy Mama Help? Check out this THM A to Z post where all your questions are answered and meal plans and ideas are found!

THM Caramel Iced Coffee – Fuel Pull

June 14, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Looking for an easy and inexpensive alternative to the coffee shop? Stay on plan with this THM caramel iced coffee fuel pull.

Since having kids, coffee is life. A cup (or 3) in the morning is what gets me moving and focused in the morning.

I love sitting on the porch with a nice hot cup of coffee and watching the sunrise. Or as most real mornings happen, slurping down a monster cup of coffee while pouring the kids bowls of cereal, packing lunches and trying to get everyone ready for the day.

And while I love that cup of joe in the morning, I can’t drink hot coffee in the afternoons. Don’t know why, it just doesn’t appeal to me like it does in the morning.

So what to do when that afternoon slump hits? A THM caramel iced coffee is a fuel pull that can be paired with an S or E Snack.

(Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.)

THM Caramel Iced Coffee Fuel Pull

You can make an iced coffee using a variety of methods. But thankfully the coffee companies have come to the rescue and made it so easy.

Pretty much every coffee brand now has a range of cold brew options that you can buy at the grocery store or Amazon. No fancy contraption or a bunch of time needed.

Just buy. Pour. Bam – THM Caramel Iced Coffee Fuel Pull to pull you out of your slump. Ok, maybe not that easy but it is pretty simple.

On Plan Trim Healthy Mama Iced Coffee Drink

Now, how can you make that black cold brew delicious and on plan?

You just need a couple of ingredients!

What You Need:

Cold Brew Coffee – Update: This is the cold brew I have started using. I LOVE it. Not too weak and not bitter.
Heavy Cream
Almond Milk
Sweet Drops – Caramel

Wait, Heavy Cream In A FP?

By balancing a splash of heavy cream with almond milk, you lighten this iced coffee up quite a bit while still keeping it rich and creamy.

If you use only the 1/2 a tablespoon of heavy cream, you will be at about 2.5 grams of fat which keeps it in a FP.

So this will fit in a FP or an E if you keep all other fats really low. It will also go great with an S meal.

You could also drink this coffee if following a low carb or Keto lifestyle.

Making the Caramel Iced Coffee

I used a Dunkin Donuts cold brew that you need to steep overnight in a pitcher. I like the taste and cost of this product but you do have to plan ahead for your coffee.

There are also tons of pre-made cold brews that are ready to pour. This is the one I have been using & love.

In a tall glass, add 8 oz cold brew coffee.

Next, add in 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream & 1/2 tablespoon of Almond milk.

Now, time to sweeten it up.

Add 5 drops of the caramel Sweet Drops.

Stir the coffee, cream and stevia sweetener together.

Add 1 cup of ice and serve your THM caramel iced coffee with your FP, S or E meal or snack.

Need More Trim Healthy Mama Drinks?

THM S – Bai Creamsicle
THM S – Bai Pina Colada Mocktail

THM Caramel Iced Coffee - Fuel Pull

Servings

Ingredients

Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Add 8 oz cold brew coffee to a tall glass.
Add cream, almond milk and caramel Sweet Drops to the coffee.
Stir well.
Add 1 cup of ice and serve the iced coffee with a straw if desired.

7 Layer Dip Tostada Tower

June 13, 2020 by Stacy Craft 2 Comments

A 7 layer taco dip layered between baked tostada shells for a low fat and delicious lunch or dinner.

Mexican food is my favorite and I’m not willing to NOT eat it while I’m trying to eat healthy. So what do I do?

Take my favorite meals and trim them up so that they fit into my healthier lifestyle!

Last week these Keto/THM S Cheese and Onion enchiladas were on my plate. This week were these Ah-mazing low-fat 7 layer dip tostada towers!

Wondering why I flip flop between Keto & Low Fat/Healthy Carb meals? Because I’m a Trim Healthy Mama! You can read about how THM helped me lose 60 lbs postpartum here.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

7 Layer Dip Tostada Tower

If you love 7 layer taco dip, this simple recipe turns your favorite appetizer into a meal without making you feel any guilt.

Why? Because this stack of double layered tostadas is filled with healthy carbs, low in fat and filled with delicious Mexican flavors.

THM E/Weight Watchers Low Point Ingredients

This recipe fits in a Trim Healthy Mama E Meal (Or WW) because it is low in fat and has healthy carbs.

Baked Tostada Shells
Laughing Cow Cheese
Fat Free Refried Beans
Lettuce/Tomatoes
Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (Sour Cream Sub)

And I am telling you it was so good! Often times these low fat THM E meals leave people feeling dissatisfied. Not the case with this 7 Layer Dip Tostada Tower!

It tastes sinful but it’s not.

Wait, We can have Tostada Shells on THM?

Yes, Ma’am! I know I just made your day.

The key is finding tostada shells that are baked. These are the ones that I used and i found them at my normal grocery store.

How To Make the Mexican Tostadas

Warm the tostada shells in the oven for a few minute to warm and crisp up.

Heat the Fat Free refried beans and enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan.

Assemble the Tostadas – Serving for 1

Spread 1/2 Laughing Cow Cheese on one tostada shell.

Spread 1/2 cup of the bean/enchilada mixture on top of the Laughing Cow.

Next add on shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. Rotel tomatoes would be yummy and save some chopping time.

Layer 5 is salsa! I had salsa verde on hand from making Salsa Verde Queso Chicken but you could use a traditional red salsa as well.

Layer 6 is Non-Fat Greek Yogurt that takes the place of sour cream.

Layer 7 is a teensy tiny amount of shredded cheese (1 TBSP is what I use). You get plenty of cheesy flavor from the Laughing Cow but the little sprinkling of cheddar is visually appealing to me because cheese is life.

And tacos, enchiladas, tostadas and nachos all need cheese, right?

After layer 7, start again to build the perfect 7 layer dip tostada tower. In order to keep the fat and carbs within E territory on Trim Healthy Mama, you will want to keep your Mexican tostada stack to 2 layers. So 2 tostadas stacked high with all 7 layers.

THM E Fat & Carb Limits

For an E meal you are looking for the following:

Healthy Carbs – Up to 45 g

Fat – 5 g

If you keep the beans to 1/2 cup total and 2 baked tostada shells, you will be at around 42 carbs. Perfect for an E meal.

The fat in a Pepper Jack Laughing Cow Cheese is 1.5 grams. No fat in the beans, shells, lettuce, tomato or yogurt. Keep your shredded cheese to 1 Tbsp total and you will stay below the fat maximum for an E meal.

If you only use the shredded cheese on the top layer, it will give the illusion of more cheese. Kinda like the trick to eat your meal on a salad plate to make you feel like you are getting more food because your plate looks fuller.

7 Layer Dip Tostada Tower

Servings

Ingredients

Toppings

Servings

Ingredients

Toppings

Instructions

Combine 1 can of fat free refried beans with 1/2 a can of enchilada sauce in a medium saucepan to warm.
While the beans/enchilada sauce are warming, warm the desired number of tostada shells in the oven at 350 degrees for about 4-5 minutes.
Take one shell and spread 1/2 of a pepper jack Laughing Cow Cheese triangle.
Next, top the shell with 1/2 cup of the warm bean/enchilada sauce mixture.
Add on desired toppings: Lettuce, tomatoes, greek yogurt (sour cream sub) and salsa.
Place a second tostada on top and repeat layers.
Finish with a small amount of shredded cheese.

2 Ingredient Air Fryer Snickers

June 10, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

These 2 ingredient air fryer Snickers bring the county fair to your kitchen in less than 10 minutes.

Is there anyone out there that doesn’t love fair food?

The blooming onions, pronto pups, chicken on a stick and turkey legs are some of my favorite savory dishes. But if you know me, you know I’m really there for the sweets.

Funnel cakes, ice cream, cotton candy and just about any candy, cookie or Twinkie you can dream up – deep fried!

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I literally dreamed about fair food. And since these 2 Ingredient Air Fryer Snickers are puffed up in the air fryer instead of grease, they are ever so slightly better for you than the real deal at the fair.

See how I made you feel good about this delicious dessert? That’s what friends are for.

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

2 Ingredient Air Fryer Snickers Bundles

These little bundles of yumminess will make any day a little more of a celebration. The crescent dough puffs up and gives you that deep fried feel while the Snickers inside gets all gooey and melted.

Enough talk, let’s get to the recipe so that you can have a 2 Ingredient Air Fryer Snickers on your plate in just a couple of minutes.

What You Need:

Mini Snickers
1 Container Crescent Roll Dough
Air Fryer

Directions for Fried Snickers Bars

Preheat your Air Fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350 degrees.

Lay one crescent roll triangle flat.

Place 2 unwrapped mini Snickers or one fun size in the center of the roll.

Fold the crescent roll around the Snickers to create a bundle.

Pinch all the sides together to create a seal.

Place the bundles into the air fryer.

Cook for 6 minutes at 350 degrees.

Flip the bundles and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Optional: Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

How to Amp Up The Wow Factor

For an even more decadent dessert, brush the fried snickers with some melted butter using a pastry brush before dusting with powdered sugar.

More Fun Dessert Treats:

Dulce De Leche Cheeseball

Nutella & Strawberry Puff Pastry

No Bake Dulce De Leche Caramel Pie

2 Ingredient Air Fryer Snickers

Servings

Ingredients

1 Package Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
16 Mini Snickers (Unwrapeed)
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar *Optional for dusting

Servings

Ingredients

1 Package Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
16 Mini Snickers (Unwrapeed)
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar *Optional for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the Air Fryer for 3-5 Minutes at 350 Degrees.
Place one crescent roll triangle flat on a cutting board.
Place 2 mini Snickers in the large part of the crescent roll.
Using your fingers, fold and pinch the dough until the candy is covered with dough. Be careful to ensure that you "seal" the seams by pinching the dough. This will prevent the chocolate from spilling out during the frying process.
Place each bundle into the air fryer.
Cook at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.
Since the bundles are too heavy, they won't fly around in the air fryer. After 6 minutes, flip each bundle and cook for another 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving if desired. Serve immediately.

Meal Planning On Trim Healthy Mama

June 7, 2020 by Stacy Craft Leave a Comment

Meal planning on Trim Healthy Mama or with any lifestyle will make your days and evenings so much easier.

Do you start the new year off with new organizational goals? Being more prepared is always on my list of goals for the new year. Implementing plans to get my home and life more organized just makes life easier and gives me more time to do things that are more fun.

Meal planning on Trim Healthy Mama is not just a New Year’s Resolution for me. I do it all year long. If I don’t plan my meals, I may as well plan to fail! That might sound dramatic but it is true.

Even after following THM for several years now, I need my plan to keep me on track. Now if you are thinking that you can’t plan, don’t like to meal plan or can’t be that organized don’t leave me yet. I have some tips and tricks that make it pretty easy.

Check out this cleaning hack that keeps my home tidy using a Fitbit or Smart Watch!

Affiliate Links are used in this post. A small commission may be paid to me at no extra cost to you and that helps to support this page. Please see my disclosures page for additional information.

Meal Planning on Trim Healthy Mama

Since college graduation, I have been dabbling in meal planning. Having a plan certainly helps during that 6:00 “What’s for dinner?” rush. And it will also help save you money on your grocery budget so that THM doesn’t cost too much.

This post will show you the different tools that I use to meal plan for my family in an effort to stay on plan.

Meal Planning App

Let me start off by saying that I don’t pay for apps. Like ever. I think I have bought maybe a handful in the last 10 years. But I did buy this one and have used it for many years now and really love it.

I think it costs $2 or $3 to purchase.

(I think it is good to note that this is not sponsored, I just really like the app & I paid my own money for this app)

To find it search Meal Plan+ on the App Store. The icon looks like a blue handheld shopping basket.

Why I Love This App

You can save recipes from websites right on you meal plan (making it easy to find later), write in your own recipe names or comments, and add categories like “snacks” or “dessert.”

The app also has a shuffle feature that will allow you to shuffle previous plans and use that for your meal plan for the week instead of starting from scratch. You will need to use the app for a couple of weeks first so that it will have a history of plans to shuffle.

Here is an example of how I have mine filled in:

Magnetic Chalkboard Meal Planner

If writing out your meal plan is more your style, a magnetic chalkboard stuck right on your fridge will help you plan.

I like this organizer because it helps me to see what I have planned for dinners and it shows my family what we have planned (eliminating the what’s for dinner question).

The only thing that I don’t like about this is that the sections are not big enough or sectioned correctly to list breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.

So I just use it for dinners. However, I do love having it right on the fridge so that I can refer to it quickly to start dinner.

I tried & tried to get a good picture but the board had a bad glare. Anyway, you can see mine here on my fridge. Write out your meal and the Fuel type to make dinner a little easier.

Check Grocery Sale Flyers & Buy In Season

If saving money is part of your goal with meal planning on Trim Healthy Mama, you will want to check the weekly circulars and buy in season produce.

Glance through the flyer of the store that you plan to shop at. If they have a great sale on pork chops this week, add THM S Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops to your meal plan.

Wanting to make a new recipe that you found but the main item is not on sale this week? Just save that recipe for a day next week and check to see if there is a better deal then.

Meal Planning Process

I am sure there are tons of different ways to plan your meals. I wanted to share the way that I meal plan on Trim Healthy Mama.

Planning Throughout the Week

When I see a recipe on Pinterest that I want to make, I will save it to a board that I can easily access. If I know that I really want to make it, I will go ahead and add it to my meal planning app for the upcoming week.

And randomly throughout the day, I will occasionally think of a recipe. For example, you see a Mexican restaurant commercial on your TV and it reminds you that you haven’t made the cheesy salsa verde enchiladas that your family loves in a while.

As I think of those ideas that sound good, I will add them to the plan for a day in the next week or two.

Doing so gives you a partial plan so that on Sunday night you are not trying to plan 21 meals from scratch.

Using the Shuffle Feature on Meal Plan App

If you use the meal planning app from above, you can use the shuffle feature.

This will shuffle your past meal plans and give you a sample plan for the upcoming week. This is great for me if I did not plan throughout the week and I’m feeling uninspired.

And you will be able to delete anything that doesn’t work for the week. For example, if the app picks Georgia Peach baked oatmeal for you in the dead of winter, you might want to select something a bit more appropriate for the season.

Shop Your Pantry Before the Grocery Store

Another thing that will save you money when meal planning is to shop your pantry (and fridge/freezer) before you shop at the store.

Do you have a big head of cabbage that needs to be used? Add Cabb and Saus from the THM cookbook to your meal plan.

Already have some frozen chicken and cream cheese? Make this salsa verde cheesy chicken.

The key is to use up what you have that way even if you have to buy some items to complete your recipe, you at least started with some things that you previously bought. So you are preventing wasted items (and money) too!

This post was letter “M” in the Trim Healthy Mama A to Z series.