Nutritional Tips:
Limit "supermarket foods" to minimally processed and single ingredients as much as possible. This means avoiding ingredients that aren't good for you: food dyes, additives and emulisifers like polysorbate 80, preservative, and added sugar and artifical sweeteners. Prioritize homemade snacks and treats. Below are some "minimally processed" packaged foods I occasionally use.
Focus on whole foods like fruits and vegetables. Organic produce is preferred because it's grown without most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which may help reduce exposure to certain agricultural chemicals. If you can't buy organic produce all of the time, concentrate on avoiding the worst offenders. The Envoronmental Working Group releases a list of the "Dirty Dozen" every year: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
Organic produce is ideal but eating MORE fruits and vegetables is most important! So eat as much as you can, organic or non-organic! Store-bought produce washes don’t remove all pesticides. Instead soak produce in: 2 teaspoons baking soda per 4 cups water for 10-15 minutes. Rinse well + pat dry.
*If you live in South Florida, join our organic produce CSA delivery here - organic, regeneratively grown, pesticide-free vegetables grown in Miami!
Jovial Organic Diced Tomatoes in Glass Jars - Pack of 6
Chemicals from aluminum & plastic packaging can leach into acidic substance like tomatoes. Glass is best.
Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste in Glass Jar - Pack of 12
Chemicals from aluminum & plastic packaging can leach into acidic substance like tomatoes. Glass is best.
Lundberg Tests Rice for Arsenic
Rice can absorb arsenic naturally present in soil and groundwater, and because it's typically grown in flooded fields, it often accumulates more arsenic than other grains. Long-term exposure to high levels of arsenic has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other health problems
Organic and simple ingredients for when you don't have time to make your own.
Available at Costco
High Quality Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
I save this high quality olive oil for salads, as cooking with it decreases its high polyphenols
Why I like this brand: it is sourced from organic olives, includes a harvest date to indicate freshness, and is packaged in glass bottles that help protect the oil from potential leaching and light degradation.
Avocado Oil Based Mayonnaise
Uses avocado oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fats, and avoids ingredients such as soybean oil, added sugar, and artificial preservatives found in some conventional mayonnaises. However, it's still calorie-dense, so moderation is important.
Avocado Oil
Many avocado oils on the market have been found through third-party testing to be diluted or blended with other cheaper oils, but independent testing confirmed this brand to be 100% pure avocado oil.
Purchase at your local supermarket
Avocado Oil Spray
Healthier alternative to Pam spray
Many avocado oils on the market have been found through third-party testing to be diluted or blended with other cheaper oils, but independent testing confirmed this brand to be 100% pure avocado oil.
Purchase at your local supermarket
Pack of 6
Large fish such as tuna can accumulate mercury from the ocean food chain, and frequent exposure to high levels of mercury may affect the nervous system and brain health. This brand has lower mercury levels than conventional tuna, but it should still be limited because canned products contain plastic lining with BPA-type chemicals.
Soaked & Pressure Cooked = Best Way to Reduce Phytates and makes them more digestible
PSA Canned beans are cooked and sold in cans lined with plastic. Glass jar avoids Endocrine-disrupting BPA leaching nto your beans
Buy in your local supermarket
Soaked & Pressure Cooked = Best Way to Reduce Phytates and makes them more digestible
PSA Canned beans are cooked and sold in cans lined with plastic. Glass jar avoids Endocrine-disrupting BPA leaching nto your beans
Buy in your local supermarket
I encourage you to make your own dressings but if you're going to buy, Primal Kitchen dressings has ingredients that are pretty "clean"
Organic Almond Milk Concentrate
Need Almond Milk in a hurry? Keep this in your pantry to make it any time
Makes up to 7 quarts Almond Milk
Only 2 ingredients!
Soy milk is a nutrient-rich plant-based beverage. Organic standards prohibit the use of genetically modified soybeans, which helps reduce exposure to synthetic pesticides and herbicides commonly used in conventional agriculture.
Fermented Sauerkraut (without vinegar) is an excellent source of probiotics. I like this brand because it comes in a glass jar and reduces exposure to plsstoc - based chemicals that more easily leach into acidic foods like sauerkraut
Refrigerated -purchase at supermarket
Great source of probiotics!
Naturally fermented pickles (made without vinegar)
Refrigerated-purchase at supermarket
Level up: Plastic container not ideal. Scroll down for instructions on how to make pickles at home. Easy & fun project with kids
Organic option decreases exposure to high levels of pesticides typically used in in grapes
Wheat is heavily sprayed with the weedkiller glyphosate - organic reduces exposure to harmful chemicals when making your challah
Great option for those following a Gluten free diet. Uses non-GMO ingredients - while not organic, this label means less exposure to pesticides. I recommend following directions for "extra fluffy"
Vanilla Plant Based Protein Powder
Protein powders are often contaminated with heavy metals, which are toxins. This brand uses third-party testing & publishes their safety results for heavy metals
cRc Kosher Certified
Chocolate Plant Based Protein Powder
Protein powders are often contaminated with heavy metals, which are toxins. This brand uses third-party testing & publishes their safety results for heavy metals
cRc Kosher Certified
Organic, High Protein Instant Oatmeal
Best to make oatmeal from scratch but when you're in a hurry this is a good option
Tip: Add 1 TBS each chia, flax, and hemp seeds for extra protein + healthy fats
Our family's favorite snack bar!
Many protein bars are highly processed with preservatives and emulsifiers that can be difficult to digest. This one contains simple, clean ingredients.
Use code "nontoxicpsychologist" for 20% off
Earth Kosher Certified
*keep refrigerated or frozen until ready to eat
Organic Flax Seed Snack
Tasty with dips or avocado
Flax is a great source of Omega-3's
Almond Flour Crackers
While not 100% organic, they are non-GMO and made with a nutrient-dense blend of almonds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds.
Lower in Lead and Cadmium than Most
Chocolate can contain small amounts of lead and cadmium because cacao absorbs cadmium from soil and lead can contaminate beans during processing/drying. Long-term exposure to these heavy metals can build up and may harm kidney and nervous system health.
Organic Dry Roasted Cashews - 50% Less Salt
Certain nuts are highly sprayed with pesticides and best to buy organic
Organic Dry Roasted, Salted Pistachios in Shell
Certain nuts are highly sprayed with pesticides and best to buy organic
Sweet Potato Chips in Avocado Oil
Baby Step: Still a "processed food" but sweet potatoes provide fiber and micronutrients like vitamin A, and avocado oil is more heat-stable and higher in monounsaturated fats than seed oils
Seaweed snacks provide minerals like iodine and antioxidants. When made with avocado oil instead of seed oils, they have better resistance to oxidation during processing.
Organic Popcorn made with Coconut Oil
Organic popcorn is preferred because it may reduce exposure to pesticide residues used in conventional corn farming. Coconut oil is favored over seed oils because it is more heat-stable and less prone to oxidation during high-temperature cooking
Avoid chemicals in microwaveable popcorns and make your own in a brown paper bag
Organic Lentil, Rice & Cauliflower Chips - Sea Salt Flavor
Baby Step: Let me be clear - this is still a "processed food" but simpler, healthier ingredients than most school snacks you buy for your kids!
Organic Popped Sorghum Snack - Pack of 6
Sorghum is a gluten-free whole grain that provides fiber, antioxidants, and minerals, which can support digestive health, blood sugar control, and overall nutrition. Great snack option for those avoiding gluten and/or corn due to food sensitivities.
Organic Peanut Butter in Glass Container
Peanuts can contain pesticide residues because conventional peanut farming uses chemical sprays to protect crops from pests and fungi during growth and storage
Peanuts are prone to mold - store tightly sealed in a cool, dry place
A healthier dairy-free ice cream
Multiple flavors available - made with simple, organic ingredients like coconut and honey
Avoid conventional ice creams that can contain ingredients like artificial flavors, artificial colors, emulsifiers, thickeners like carrageenan and gums (such as guar gum or cellulose gum), high-fructose corn syrup or other added sugars, pesticide residues from conventionally grown ingredients, and milk from cows treated with certain hormones.
4–5 small cucumbers (pickling cucumbers work best)
2 cups filtered water
1 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt (non-iodized)
2–3 cloves garlic, smashed
1–2 sprigs fresh dill
Optional: peppercorns, mustard seeds, grape leaf, or bay leaf for extra flavor and crunch
Instructions
Dissolve the salt in the water to make a brine.
Place the cucumbers, garlic, dill, and any optional seasonings into a clean glass jar.
Pour the brine over the cucumbers until they are completely submerged.
Use a fermentation weight or a small clean jar to keep the cucumbers below the brine surface.
Cover loosely with a lid or fermentation lid to allow gases to escape.
Let ferment at room temperature (65–75°F / 18–24°C) for 3–7 days, tasting daily after day 3.
Once the pickles reach your desired sourness, seal the jar and refrigerate. They will continue to develop flavor slowly in the refrigerator.
Tips
Always keep the cucumbers submerged under the brine to prevent mold.
Purchase fermentation weights here
Discard the batch if you see fuzzy mold, smell spoilage, or notice unusual colors.