Last Updated on August 6, 2025 by Pen Pixel
I’m gonna be honest… clean eating didn’t “fix” me.
- It didn’t save me from depression.
- It didn’t make me glow like the YouTubers promised.
- It didn’t magically turn me into “that girl.”
But it gave me one weird thing I didn’t know I needed: control.
Tiny, sacred, rebellious control… in a world where everything felt stolen from me.
So no, this ain’t some Pinterest-clean, aesthetic, “I only shop at Whole Foods” list.
This is the unhinged, painfully honest guide to eating clean when you’re tired, broke, emotionally fried, and lowkey angry at everything.
The Key Takeaway.
Clean eating isn’t about being perfect. It’s about not self-sabotaging through food when everything else in your life already feels like it’s on fire. It’s about one tiny list that helps you feel like maybe, just maybe, you’re not spiraling. You’re still here. You’re still fighting. And that matters.
The Real Enemy Isn’t Junk Food, It’s Mental Chaos.
Nobody talks about how HARD it is to eat well when you feel like trash.
Like, why is it that on the exact day you feel too bloated to breathe, too tired to cook, and too emotionally dead to move, that’s the same day your brain screams “eat bread, drink soda, and scroll till you rot”?
Clean eating isn’t hard because vegetables are hard. It’s hard because your inner chaos is louder than your grocery list.
So let’s not pretend the solution is “just plan ahead” or “watch what you eat.”
Listen, if we could plan ahead, we wouldn’t be crying into noodles by 2 a.m.
The actual solution is to make food choices BEFORE the chaos hits. That’s where the grocery list comes in.
Not just any list. It has to be a list you made with love, truth, and readiness.
How to Create a Grocery List for Clean Eating.
Start With What You’ll Actually Eat (Not What Instagram Says You Should).
- Don’t add quinoa if you’ve never tasted quinoa.
- Don’t write “chia seeds” just because some influencer with a flat tummy said it gives energy.
If all you know how to make is rice and stew, write that.
If your comfort meal is beans and plantain, good, that’s fiber and potassium.
You don’t need a new identity. You just need cleaner versions of the food you already eat. For example:
- White rice → switch to brown or basmati (less spike, more fiber).
- White bread → switch to whole grain.
- Fried stew → make it with less oil.
- Suya → pair it with cabbage and tomatoes, don’t eat 10 sticks in one sitting.
Simple swaps. Still you.
Choose Foods That Stay Good for Days.
Look, you’re not gonna meal prep 6 perfect Tupperwares every Sunday. You might not even cook every day. And that’s okay.
So pick stuff that waits for you in the fridge like a loyal ex. Foods that last, like:
- Eggs.
- Oats.
- Frozen veggies.
- Smoked fish.
- Garri (if you’re broke and African, garri is loyalty).
- Carrots, cabbage, cucumbers (these babies don’t die fast).
- Sweet potatoes (literally can’t go bad unless you abandon them for 2 weeks).
- Beans (cook once, eat 3 days).
Because if it’s too perishable, it’s gonna perish with your motivation.
Pick Your Clean Snacking Arsenal.
Clean eating doesn’t mean no snacking. It means no guilt-ridden, sugary spiral disguised as “just one biscuit.” So stock snacks that don’t betray you:
- Groundnuts.
- Banana.
- Dates.
- Garden eggs.
- Boiled eggs.
- Peanut butter (natural, no sugar. Not that sweet spready mess).
- Greek yogurt (plain. Not that flavored junk).
- Roasted chickpeas (if you’re bougie).
Don’t wait till you’re hungry. Have options ready. Because when you’re starving, logic disappears and cravings become law.
Add the Things That Save You When You’re Too Tired to Cook.
You’re gonna have bad days. Days where your only achievement is brushing your teeth. On those days, you need emergency clean food that requires zero effort.
- Boiled eggs.
- Sliced fruits.
- Oats (just add hot water, done.)
- Pre-washed veggies.
- Frozen soups you made during that one productive weekend.
- Roasted groundnuts.
- Garri and cold water (yes, even that counts when you pair it with protein).
You’re not lazy. You’re just human. So prepare for your humanity.
Include the Spices, Sauces & Extras That Keep You From Hating Your Life.
One big reason people fail at clean eating? It tastes like wet paper. Please, season your damn food.
Write down spices and extras that make your meals not depressing.
- Ginger.
- Garlic.
- Curry.
- Thyme.
- Dry pepper.
- Cameroonian pepper (for drama).
- Onions.
- Fresh tomatoes.
- Crayfish.
- Seasoning cubes (yes. Just don’t drown in it.)
Food can be clean and spicy. Healthy and sweet. Nourishing and loud. Don’t punish yourself in the name of discipline.
Don’t Forget the Hydration Squad.
Water doesn’t scream. Sugar does. That’s why you forget water until your lips look like roasted fish. So on your grocery list, include things that make drinking easier:
- Lemons.
- Cucumbers.
- Hibiscus leaves (no sugar!).
- Ginger.
- Moringa.
- Herbal teas.
- Flavored water (unsweetened, or homemade).
Clean eating is 70% hydration. No cap.
Write the List When You’re Sane. Shop When You’re Hungry for Change.
Don’t wait till you’re starving and pissed off to go shopping. That’s how you end up with chips, soda, and regret.
Make your list when your brain is calm and your heart wants better. Then stick to it when the cravings hit.
Clean eating starts with the list, not the fridge. You don’t just eat what’s in your heart, you eat what’s in your house.
Clean eating isn’t for people who have it all together. It’s for people trying not to fall apart. Your grocery list is your love letter to the version of you who’s tired, sad, lonely, or stressed. It’s not a diet. It’s a safety net. And that… is sacred.
