Before she became Sporked’s managing editor (and my boss), Gwynedd Stuart was an L.A.-based writer and editor who spent way too much time at the grocery store. Since joining Sporked, well…not much has changed. She’s still a real creature of habit when it comes to grocery shopping. So, when the world’s best boss heads to her local grocery store—Pavilions, in case you were wondering—to stock up on essentials, what does she toss in her cart?
- Gardein Plant-Based Ground Be’f
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Neither Gwynedd nor her husband are vegetarians, but they often buy plant-based products because they try to eat as little meat as possible for health and ecological reasons. She uses Gardein veggie crumbles for “pretty much anything”—tacos, chili, and as an add-in for mac and cheese, to name a few. When she can’t find Gardein, she grabs Quorn Meatless Grounds instead.
- Chobani Sweet Cream Coffee Creamer
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As a longtime Chobani Sweet Cream consumer, Gwynedd was pleased when it took the top spot in Sporked’s coffee creamer ranking. She says, “So many coffee creamers are made with oil, but this one is actually made with cream, which is why it tastes so good.” She pairs it with Lavazza espresso in her homemade Americanos.
Related: The 6 Best Coffee Creamers Will Enrich Your Morning
- Fage Total 0% Milkfat Plain Greek Yogurt
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If you’re not eating them simultaneously, it can hard to tell the difference between full-fat and fat-free Greek yogurt. This is especially true when it comes to Fage’s fat-free Greek yogurt, which Gwynedd describes as “thick and satisfying.” She eats it with honey and diced honeycrisp apple for breakfasts, and pretends it’s sour cream when she makes tacos.
Related: Best Greek Yogurt: The 8 Best Greek Yogurts for Breakfast and Beyond
- Old El Paso Stand ‘n Stuff Taco Shells + McCormick Taco Seasoning
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In true Los Angeles fashion, Gwynedd is 10% human and 90% taco. If she’s not eating the delicious, authentic tacos you can find pretty much everywhere in L.A., she’s eating not-at-all-authentic tacos at home. Old El Paso Stand n’ Stuff taco shells are her favorite because they have plenty of room for fillings and they don’t tip over! “Stand ‘n Stuff taco shells are one of the great innovations of the 20th century and you can quote me on that!” (Alright, Gwynedd, I did.) She also buys McCormick Taco Seasoning to spice up her Gardein veggie crumbles.
- Open Nature Three Cheese Cauliflower Crust Pizza
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“I absolutely love products that allow me to pretend like I’m doing something good for myself when I’m not,” Gwynedd says. For her, that means opting for cauliflower crust pizza instead of pizza made with wheat flour dough. Is it better for you? Who knows! But she likes the chewiness of the crust and the fact that she can pretend she had a vegetable for dinner instead of pizza. Speaking of vegetables, she usually tops her frozen pizzas with sliced Vidalia onion and canned mushrooms.
Related: The 5 Best Cauliflower Crust Pizzas
- Signature Select Mushroom Pieces & Stems
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Since her husband dislikes mushrooms, Gwynedd rarely buys them fresh. These canned, pre-cut mushrooms are a good solution when pizza night rolls around.
- Harvest Snaps Wasabi Ranch
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This is another product that lets Gwynedd pretend she’s eating a vegetable when she’s actually just eating more snacks. To her, Harvest Snaps taste “a little green and gardeny like peas.” In other words, healthy. And the Wasabi Ranch flavor is especially zippy and delicious.
- Better Than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Roasted Chicken Base
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In Gwynedd’s household, Sundays are for soup. Since she buys Better Than Bouillon, she always has broth on hand—no need to stock up on countless cartons of broth from the store. “It’s so chickeny and savory and comes in hand for adding flavor to so many things,” Gwynedd says. Even if you use it a lot, a jar of it lasts for ages.
Related: Welcome to the Bone Zone: It’s the 7 Best Bone Broths
- Canned Tomatoes
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Gwynedd always picks up a can or two of tomatoes. She buys fire-roasted diced tomatoes (usually Hunt’s) for soup (probably chicken tortilla) and whole tomatoes (usually San Marzano) if she’s making pasta sauce.
Related: Best Canned Tomatoes: The 7 Best for Your Sauces and Soups
- A Block of Decent Parmesan Cheese
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Gwynedd firmly believes that “parmesan is a very underrated snacking cheese,” so she always keeps a block on hand. And, of course, it comes in handy when a recipe calls for some grated parm (or a rind if she’s making soup).
- Fruits and Vegetables
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In the produce section, Gwynedd goes bananas. By that I mean, she grabs bananas for her husband, who eats one every morning. She also picks up honeycrisp apples, Cuties, and a couple lemons and/or limes for soup. She also grabs Vidalia onions, iceberg lettuce (for tacos, of course), and Nature Sweet Cherubs Grape Tomatoes because they’re “the best.”
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!