My Top 30 Essentials on Whole30 (so far)

I’ve put together a list of My Top 30 Essentials on Whole 30. These are 30 items that have been instrumental to my whole30 journey and I hope they will be for you, too. Check it out and enjoy. Having that said..here is my list!

 

It Starts with Food: Discover Whole30 & Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways– The book that started it all. Many people read this book before they do their Whole30 so they know what to expect and how to prepare. Me? I just dove right into it. I actually liked reading it during my whole30 because it kept me motivated like my companion I read each night reaffirming all the awesome choices I made that day.

Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker – If you are someone who is busy and doesn’t have a lot of free time (and who does these days?), the slow cooker will be your best friend on your Whole30. You can easily prep dishes in minutes and set them overnight or while you are at work. I like the programmable slow cooker because after it fully cooks it just automatically goes to “keep warm.” We graduated to this slow cooker from our baby one and are very pleased with it.

Natural Calm – This is a magnesium supplement. You take it before you go to bed at night and it helps you sleep. The magnesium supplement helps restore calcium levels and is great if you’re stressed out. I have been taking this supplement every night before bed since before I started the Whole30 and I really notice a difference (either that or my sleep is just really AWESOME on Whole30).

Cuisinart Mini Food Processor– There is so much I could say about this food processor I don’t know where to begin. It is probably my ultimate tool on the Whole30. It allows me to easily chop vegetables without doing it by hand. And it chops garlic and ginger in a flash. These are items that used to take me FOREVER to cut by hand. I love technology and I love the new world of cooking that having this food processor has opened up to me!

Full Leaf Tea-Vanilla Rooibos by Tazo – I had this tea for the first time at Starbucks and I bought a tin because it is so full of flavor and delicious. I have been adding some coconut milk to it and it’s a very nice warm treat. I have this creation almost daily and I love it.

Organic Sunflower Butter-I read the Sunbutter Organic Sunflower Seed Butter in my Whole30 Success guide PDF. It is damn good. I really enjoy this and it makes me feel like I’m eating something decadent, yet staying Whole30 compliant. Be careful not to overeat it though! The Organic Sunbutter Flavor is Whole30 compliant. Make sure to get the organic one because the regular one has added sugar and is not whole30compliant.

Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce-I am obsessed with Sriacha and Cholula Hot Sauce. Anything hot and I’m all over it. I read that Frank’s Red Hot Sauce was whole30 compliant and approved so I gave it a whirl. I put this stuff on everything – eggs, chicken, meat. I love spicy food and I love sriacha so this is a good alternative right now on the Whole30.

Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle– I’ve had this book for months now but it has really saved me during my whole30. The author, Diane Sanfilippo, gives 30 day paleo diet plans to help treat specific conditions such as IBS, Celiac Disease, Arthritis, and more. I have been incorporating a lot of the meals from her book into my whole30 plan. My favorite right now are the Mustard Chicken Thighs because they are so easy. The only downside to her book is that it features a lot of delicious looking paleo desserts but unfortunately paleo desserts are not whole30 compliant. Sad.

 

 

 

 

 

Courage Chakra Pillow By Gurutej– I was given this Chakra pillow by Gurutej when I took her kundalini yoga class one day during my Whole30 Journey. The red is for the Root Chakra which stands for Courage. Gurutej gave it to me because changing your eating habits on Whole30 takes courage. The pillow has a wonderful scent of cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. I use it when I am relaxing at night. She makes chakra pillows for all of the chakras and they are amazing and very unique.

OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler– Okay, so people have enjoyed how amused I am with my peeler but seriously folks, this is amazing. It’s another one of those kitchen gadgets I never had but now makes my life easier in the kitchen.

Coconut Aminos – Before Whole30 I used Wheat-Free Tamari as a Soy Sauce Substitute. I tried Coconut Aminos for the first time when I made a beef and broccoli stir fry. It was really good. Highly suggest this for those looking for a soy sauce alternative on Whole30.

Bragg – Apple Cider Vinegar– If you haven’t heard of the benefits of apple cider vinegar, there are many. It may be acidic, but like lemon it becomes alkaline once inside your body. I have been using Apple Cider Vinegar as a replacement for Rice Wine Vinegar during my whole30 and for use in salad dressings. It also makes a great tonic elixir just by mixing it with water.

Kombucha– I am so happy Kombucha is Whole30 Approved because it is a probiotic and really helps soothe my tummy. Make sure you get the kind with no added sugar. Some of them like the Guava flavor have added sugar which is a no no on Whole30. You can get Kombucha at Whole Foods or any health food store. I’ve even seen it at Von’s / Safeway.

Coconut Water-I am obsessed with this coconut water by Ecos. It tastes really fresh and in my opinion is the best coconut water on the market right now next to the real thing. Ecos is also a local company in Hermosa Beach, Ca and I love supporting local companies. I expect big things from this brand!

SFH – Stronger Faster Healthier Liquid Omega 3 Fish Oil– My crossfit friends turned me onto this one. It is the most potent Omega 3 fish oil on the market. It’s in liquid form so it absorbs more quickly. I got the vanilla flavor which is good, but I don’t recommend taking on its own. I also got a sample of the tangerine flavor which I liked much better. It comes in several different flavors.

Yoga MatI’ve been trying to do yoga once a week while I’m on whole30. But my yoga mat comes in handy for more than just that. I have been using it to do stretches in the morning and help with my mobility. If you don’t have a yoga mat already, do something nice for yourself and get one.

SeaSnax – I am obsessed with roasted seaweed snacks but the ones I get at Trader Joe’s have a bunch of junk in them and are not Whole30 approved. Who knew? I found these on the Whole30 website and they come in several different flavors and all the roasted seaweed snacks are Whole30 compliant. They taste the same to me as the ones from Trader Joe’s, too. Great snack especially on road trips.

Cuisinart Blender, Chrome and Black– I use my magic bullet for pretty much everything, but it hasn’t been cutting it for some of the whole30 meals. I have been using our blender to puree and it works great. I also used this blender to make homemade almond milk. This blender is old and we have a brand new one waiting to be opened but we figured we might as well use it while it works great!

Trader Joe’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil– Coconut Oil, what would I do without you? I use coconut oil as the main fat source in most of my meals. I especially like it on butternut squash and sweet potatoes when sprinkled with a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Yum. If you are doing whole30 you will probably go through at least one of these jars during your journey especially if it is your main fat source.

 

 

 

Guidi’s Aromatherapy Detox Bath Salt- This stuff is the bomb. It’s made with lemon, grapefruit, and epsom salt and designed to help detox your lymphatic system. I was introduced to Guidi’s Aromatherapy at a farmer’s market in San Diego and I have been ordering online from her ever since. If you want to indulge in a nice relaxing bath while you’re on Whole30, this is a great option.

Apple Corer and Divider– I was introduced to this genius invention at my office. It automatically divides an cores an apple for you. And it’s super easy to use. I am a big fan!

Celtic Sea Salt– I love sea salt especially the Celtic Sea Salt. I even have a mortar and pestle that I use to grind the salt and make it smaller. It’s very flavorful and I enjoy using it in many of the dishes I use. Sea salt makes me happy 🙂

Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat-This book was a lovely accidental surprise to me. I received it as part of a 33 paleo e-book bundle I bought as a promotion. I heard a lot of people talking about this cookbook on the Whole30 forum and low and behold, I already had it! It’s really good for making paleo “comfort food” – thick, hearty meals- which is something I’ve been really wanting during week three of my whole30.

Paleo Slow Cooking: Gluten Free Recipes Made Simple-This is another paleo book I’ve had for several months now but I really think it’s great. It’s actually part of what inspired me to try Whole30 because I saw how easy it was to eat paleo and feel good when using the slow cooker. I’ve made a bunch of recipes from here and they are all really yummy.

Produce CSA Box- I am a big fan of the produce box we’ve been getting from a company called Farm Fresh To You. During Whole30 we’ve been going through one box per week. Before whole30 we were going through one box every three weeks. I guess that’s a sign we’re eating healthier! I encourage you to look into a CSA Box if you are on Whole30.

Purity Farm Organic Ghee, Clarified Butter, 13-Ounce-Whole30 is teaching me all sorts of interesting things like about Clarified Butter, also known as Ghee. I used to read about Ghee in paleo books and think “what the heck is ghee?” It sounded weird to me so I never cared to learn more about it. But Ghee is just another word for clarified butter. And clarified butter is super interesting. Basically butter is 80% animal fat and 20% water and milk proteins. What they do is they separate the water and milk proteins from the animal fat. So you’re left with..pure fat. It actually tastes really good and I am a fan.

KOR Waterbottle– Drinking water is important, especially on Whole30. I try and carry a waterbottle with me wherever I go so I always have water handy. My favorite is this nice stainless steel waterbottle by Kor.

Amazing Nut-Milk Bag from Elaina Love’s Pure Joy Planet -Oh, the almond nut bag. If you’ve been reading my Whole30 recaps so far you will know how much joy and laughter I’ve gotten out of this thing. It is not an essential for me, but I’m putting it on this list purely because of the laughs I have had from it and shared with others!

Mason Jars-I love mason jars, and I bought a pack of them to make almond milk with. I have also used them to make flavored water. They are a fun addition to the whole30 regimen but definitely more of a novelty.

Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk-I used to buy coconut milk in the carton until I learned it is not good for you. I started buying coconut milk in the can on whole30. I’ve used it to make curry and add to some of my recipes. I also use it as a creamer for my tea. I’ve always drank my tea straight but holy cow, coconut milk is really good in tea. I have about 4 cans of this stuff in our cupboards right now. I don’t think I could ever go back to drinking coconut milk from the carton now and I don’t think I care. I like this kind from Thai Kitchen and the one from Whole Foods.

There you have it, my top 30 on Whole30. I’m feeling pretty courageous for putting this gigantic list together. I think I will go use my root chakra pillow and relax.

What do you think of this list? Is there anything you’d add? Learn something new? Post in the comments and let me know. These items have all really helped me and I hope they help you, too!

Other Posts You May Like: 

• Paderno Veggie Spiralizer Review – If you want to make yummy, paleo / whole 30 friendly veggie noodles, check this out.
• Top 5 Paleo Snacks On The Go– A great list of paleo snacks you can take with you on the go.
• My Whole 30 Days 1-30 Recaps- A list of my daily recaps from the Whole 30.

Please note: this post contains affiliate links which means I earn a commission if you end up making a purchase for any of the items below or from their vendors.