This is a sponsored post by Sprouts Farmers Market.  All opinions are my own.  Thank you for supporting the brands I love that make this website possible.

Things have evolved since I started my blogging journey. There have been many changes in my life.  I was a new mom. Tired, scared and basically flying by the seat of my pants to get my work done at my 9 to 5 job.  Always stuck in traffic, always on the go, leaving little to no time for meal planning and strategic grocery store trips.  I never looked for sales or read labels.  That was just one more thing I had to do.  It took a toll on me.

Fast forward eight years later.   I work from home 85% of the time in the kitchen and the rest typing away on a computer.  I love it.  Becoming a recipe developer has allowed me the flexibility to dedicate time to my family and my community, repairing our eating habits, focusing on me and most importantly, the ability to absorb and learn as much as I could from the great people I’ve encountered in this adventure.

Last month I had the opportunity to travel to Phoenix, Arizona and visit the headquarters of one of my favorite grocery stores:  Sprouts Farmers Market.  Shopping at Sprouts and eventually developing recipes with their products to share with you has changed my life.  I grew up in a border town with limited cooking ingredients.  Most of the time, we had to cross the border in order to shop for groceries we were familiar with. Fresh Mexican ingredients were a rare find in the United States in the 80’s and 90’s.  And of course, our family fell in the processed food trap out of convenience, financial circumstances and obliviousness of the ingredients in the foods we were consuming.

Sprouts Farmers Market is a health and wellness, full-service grocery stores with an emphasis on organic food, fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements. They also carry packaged groceries, meat, seafood, deli, baked goods, dairy products, frozen foods, natural body care and household items.

My visit to Sprouts was focused on plant based living. Something I am very excited about but completely new at.  Many of my relatives and friends with health problems are now on a strict plant based diet and I am the person they consult with because of my recipe development background.  They are overwhelmed and intimidated when setting foot in a grocery store with a focus on healthy living and would end up purchasing just a bag of apples and a bottle of multi-vitamins on their first trip.

I will admit.  I was overwhelmed and intimidated too at the beginning. I learned along the way.  Experimenting with new produce and vegan ingredients is a completely new way of cooking and my family and I are embracing the changes.

I learned so much about the plant based lifestyle, grocery shopping and about myself while on the trip.   I decided to put together a simple but effective list of how to navigate a health and wellness store like Sprouts.

Plan Ahead & Save

First things first. You don’t have to break the bank on your grocery runs.  Just like other grocery stores you shop at, Sprouts has weekly ads delivered to your home.  If you forget to check your snail mail, download their app.  I get notifications every week with mobile coupons and news about what’s on special that week.  Tip:  Plan your shopping trips on Wednesdays because it’s “Double Ad Wednesdays”.   Prices in the promotional ads from the previous week and current week are both honored. Wednesdays are a very popular day at Sprouts.

Head for the “Heart” of the Store:  Produce

Sprouts prides itself on its locally sourced, organic produce.  This is the perfect place to start your plant based journey. About one-fourth of the store is dedicated to produce and some of it is organic. They carry a great variety of fresh produce.   Some can be seasonal so make sure you stock up before it’s gone.  Check your app or circular because there are some great deals available every week in the produce section.

Bulk Up

The bulk food section is my favorite section at Sprouts.  It’s a great way to save money and purchase just the amount you need.  From oats, seeds and nuts to candy and flours, they even have a section where you can shop for spices in bulk.  It’s perfect for when you are shopping for a specific recipe or you are not familiar with the ingredient and trying it for the first time.

The Freezer Section is HOT!

We love the freezer section at Sprouts!  This is a great section to start with if you haven’t fully committed to a plant based lifestyle.  Start off with “Meatless Mondays”, just one day a week to eat plant based. Sprouts carries vegan prepared foods and brands such as Daiya, So Delicious, Silk, Qrunch and the Sprouts brand variety of veggie patties.

Check out “Fresh Finds”

If you are feeling adventurous and curious.  Check out the “Fresh Finds” section of the store.  These are the newest products in the store.  Some could be a new trend or a variation of one of your favorite products.

I hope this post helps you feel more at ease when shopping at Sprouts for the first time. The trip certainly helped me understand the layout of the store and be more strategic in my grocery shopping planning since.  If you are ready to give it a try, check out their weekly ad, download the app, visit your nearest Sprouts  and take the leap into a healthier lifestyle.