2015 Newbie

Hi, gdewitt, and welcome. I am happy to answer your questions 🙂
Grass-fed (or “pastured”) will be clearly labeled on a product, so no worries. It does make a difference (you can read more about this here https://www.trimdownclub.com/pasture-raised-a-better-way-to-eat-meat/0, but if you choose fresh meat etc. intead of overly-processed, that is already a source of benefit, so no worries.
As for “non-processed,” it refers to foods left largely in their natural form and with their nutrients intake, and without artificial additives – for example, your canned beans and frozen fish (fish is especially relevant if “wild” or fed wild-type food (the tilapia sold at Whole Foods Market and CostCo are examples of the latter). Oats meet this definition if they are not “quick” or “minute” – steel-cut and rolled oats are preferred. “Quick,” as well as “refined,” is often a sign that the food has been overly processed.
With regard to your meals, don’t worry about minor deviances – it doesn’t need to be perfect, and neither do you. The point is to do better than you did before, and the small changes will add up, hopefully without making you crazy 🙂
To find recipes that might be what you are seeking, try using terms like “meal-in-one” in the search box in the recipes section. Example: https://www.trimdownclub.com/recipe/weight-loss-recipe-simple-super-salmon-recipe/.
PS: If you can find a high-quality uncured bacon, you can fit it in once in a while (that’s part of the not making you crazy). Here is a list of our exchanges that can be fit into your menu pattern: https://www.trimdownclub.com/exchanges-lists.

Hi to all, I just joined today and set up my first weeks menu starting on Monday giving me some time to go shopping. I’m very excited about this and looking forward to it but OMG I love good food(maybe bad for you) and like to cook. How do I know if something is grass fed (eggs, chicken, beef) and does it really matter a great deal? I’m also curious about what exactly non processed foods are. Is a can of great northern beans Processed? Is quaker dry oats processed? Is my frozen walmart packages of tilapia processed? What exactly does that mean and how can I tell for sure? If I set up a meal and I can’t get it exact is that an issue? I never go over but some of my first weeks meals are .5 short on pros and carbs assuming pros are protiens. Is that ok? I don’t’ worry if my fat is short, should I be? Are there recipes that if eating the right portion they include everything a given meal requires? Sorry for all the questions but I want this to work and do good with it. mmmmm I miss bacon already….hehehe

Hi i am just starting on my TDC journey, and I am trying to incorporate a “nutribullet shake in for 1 of my snacks/meals. Im having trouble because of the options. Anyone know how i can do this without going over my daily exchange?

Hi, scousemc, and welcome. Don’t worry too much about getting the most expensive items. If you are eating whole, relatively unrefined foods, you are already on the right track.