Ditch Your Grocery Store Run—Here’s What a Nutritionist Shops for on Amazon

Healthy swaps for your snacks, salads, and more.

By Cyrus Ferguson

Updated on Oct 12, 2018

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May Zhu nutritionist

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For many of us, balancing a healthy diet with work-from-home demands can feel like an uphill battle. How can we eat in a way that works for our bodies and routines, makes us feel good, and doesn’t deprive us of life’s simple joys (hello, Milk Bar cake truffles)? To help make navigating the grocery store a little less confusing, we enlisted registered dietitian-nutritionist May Zhu to guide us through her favorite healthy snacks on Amazon.

Zhu founded her Chicago private practice, Nutrition Happens, to provide clients with, as she puts it, “practical approaches to eating well for the long run.” So when it comes to the perennial question of how to improve your diet, she says the easier you can make it for yourself, the better. “Start by picking one change to focus on throughout your day, every day for a week,” says Zhu. For example, swapping out high-sugar cereal for overnight oats or adding protein-rich chia seeds to a smoothie or salad. “You’ll be amazed by how much just one habit stacks up over time,” she notes. Begin by trading your usual snacks and staples for alternatives with natural ingredients and less sugar, like her go-to products, below. 

The Short List

1. Best Oats: Quaker Overnight Oats

Just add your choice of milk or water, leave it in the fridge overnight, and grab it in the morning for breakfast. These oats are 100 percent whole grain and provide a good source of fiber to support digestion.

2. Best On-the-Go Snack: Enlightened Bada Bean Crisps

Zhu reaches for these mini packs of fava beans in between meetings. They are individually portioned (perfect for your desk drawer or bag) and seasoned with natural ingredients such as sriracha, sea salt, and cinnamon. Each contains seven grams of plant protein and five grams of fiber—great for on-the-go snacking or as faux croutons on salad.

3. Best Jerky: Chomps Free Range Turkey Jerky

Zhu says this is one of the best high-protein, sugar-free snacks you can take with you anywhere. With 10 grams of protein per serving, it will help stabilize your blood sugar to avoid a midafternoon energy crash. 

4. Best Pasta: Barilla Chickpea Rotini Pasta

This pasta is made with only one ingredient: chickpeas. It’s easy to prepare and a great nutrient-dense alternative to traditional rotini. Each serving provides a good amount of plant-based protein and fiber to help you stay satisfied long after your meal.

5. Best Salad Dressing: Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil 3 Pack Vinaigrette Dressing

Skip sugar-laden store-bought dressings and add this trio to your cart. Each one is made with a base of avocado oil, which is a source of healthy fats that can help absorb the nutrients in your salads, says Zhu.

6. Best All-Rounder: BetterBody Foods Organic Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a nutrient powerhouse. Not only are they a good source of fiber for healthy digestion, but the balance of healthy fats and protein also helps stabilize blood sugar levels and keeps you full. Zhu recommends adding them to oatmeal, yogurts, and smoothies.

How We Vetted These Products

May Zhu is a registered dietitian-nutritionist who specializes in personal nutrition plans and corporate wellness in Chicago. The founder of Nutrition Happens holds a bachelor of science in food science, nutrition, and dietetics from Clemson University and shares recipes and healthy eating advice on her website and Instagram account. We turned to Zhu to share the Amazon items she uses, loves, and recommends. 

Every product in a Domino guide meets these criteria: 

  1. They blend form and function. We believe the best-designed products reflect your personal style and are a joy to use. 
  2. They’re expert approved. In addition to our team of editors, we tap a range of designers, makers, renovators, and all-around knowledgeable people to share their intel. 
  3. They’re endorsed by people who actually own them. We pay close attention to real reviews from both our creative community and third-party websites to know that they pass the test IRL. 

This story was originally published in October 2019 and has since been updated.