7 Things to Splurge On When You're Trying to Eat Healthier
This story is part of the 2018 Feel Good Food Plan, our two-week mind-body-belly plan for starting the year off right.
I don’t worry about my grocery bills in January. Especially if I'm doing Dry January, this is the month that I splurge on the healthy products that I'm most excited to eat and cook with. Here's what you'll find in my house:
Photo by Alex Lau1/7Gaea Fresh Olive Oil
A few months ago we tasted a LOT of crappy olive oil just to be able to tell you this: If you are looking for the best supermarket olive oil brands, Gaea and Lucini are the ones to look for, at any price point. Gaea Fresh is a balanced dose of fruit, grass, and pepper. The matte black bottle will make you want to leave it out on your counter all the time. Buy Gaea Fresh olive oil, $18.99
Photo by Alex Lau2/7Katz Vinegars
The Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc and Late Harvest Zinfandel vinegars will redefine what sour grapes mean to you. Frankly, any of Katz vinegars will make you eat a lot of salad just to eat more vinegar. Buy it and you will believe. Buy Katz Vinegar, $12.
Photo by Alex Lau3/7White Moustache Yogurt
I let myself buy one of these every week (at $5–6 each, it isn’t cheap), but in January I'm allowing two. This yogurt is so creamy and smooth, it makes every other food it touches better. You don’t need more than a few spoonfuls of it to feel satisfied—it's rich. If White Moustache isn’t in your area, this is the time to buy those small expensive glass pots of yogurt you have been eyeing in the dairy aisle. Buy White Moustache, $6, at select locations in NYC.
4/7Aleppo-style and/or Urfa Chile
A sprinkle of mild chile flakes brings out the flavor of everything on your plate. Both of these chile flakes are sweet, earthy, and hot compared to standard crushed red pepper flakes, which add fire but little flavor. Buy Aleppo pepper, $6.75
Photo by Alex Lau5/7Health-Ade Pomegranate Kombucha
It's the only brand I have found that tastes anything like Brad’s. A bottle will last for a few days, giving me a little rush of happiness when I unscrew the cap and hear that little hissing sound. Buy Health-Ade Kombucha, $24 for a 6-pack.
6/7LaCroix Sparkling Water
If there is one product that will help me keep my my Dry January vows, it will be this. I recommend pamplemousse. Buy LaCroix, $10 for an 8-pack.
Photo by Alex Lau7/7SOS Chefs Spice Blends
Having a few spice blends means the rest of the spice drawer can stay fairly lean, and there's no better resource online for incredible spice blends than SOS. How old are your cumin seeds anyway? Za’atar, vadouvan, ras al hanout, and berbere are four blends that you won’t find in most grocery stores. But they are staple blends with transformative power, whether you're roasting vegetables or making soups. No more staring at the same six spices in your drawer. Buy SOS Chefs spice blends, from $15.
