What’s In My Family’s Online Shop: Alice Mackintosh
What’s In My Family’s Online Shop: Alice Mackintosh

What’s In My Family’s Online Shop: Alice Mackintosh

Stuck in a rut when it comes to your family’s weekly food shop? Sometimes all it takes is a look inside someone else’s basket to spark fresh inspiration. This month, we asked nutritional therapist, co-founder of Equi, and mum of two boys Alice Mackintosh to share her go-to online order. From gut-friendly snacks to wholesome staples, these are the items she buys on repeat.
By Tor West
Images: PEXELS/COTTON BRO
Images: PEXELS/COTTON BRO

@PaleoFoodsCo

FRUIT & VEG

Pomegranate seeds: These little gems are one of the best things you can feed your gut, full of polyphenols that fuel beneficial microbes. They’re also great for skin and heart health. Whenever they’re on offer, I buy a pot and freeze them – perfect for smoothies or topping breakfast bowls.

Kiwis: I don’t eat lots of fruit, but I try to have kiwis in for the kids because they keep them regular. The furry-skinned kiwi is best for this, but they also love golden kiwis as they’re sweeter. I sometimes blend them into smoothies with avocado, courgette, and banana.

Good4U Super Sprouts: I’d love to always have a batch of homegrown sprouts on the go, but for now, these are my shortcut. They’re a powerhouse of protein, fibre, and energising nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins. Sprinkle them on soups or salads or add them to wraps for an effortless nutrient boost. 

Organic easy peelers: These are still just about in season, and the kids love them. I always go organic as oranges can be sprayed quite heavily. They’re perfect for school snack boxes or taking out on picnics. I also love blood oranges when I can get hold of them – they’re delicious in salads with walnuts and goat's cheese.

Clearspring Seaweed Sprinkle: Iodine deficiency is common in the UK, especially for vegans, since it’s mostly found in fish and dairy. I’ll add this seaweed sprinkle into soups, casseroles and even scrambled eggs – it’s a nice way to season food and doesn’t taste fishy. 

Deliciously Ella’s hazelnut spread is a healthier take on Nutella – still delicious, but without the ultra-processed ingredients or added sugar.

FRIDGE STAPLES

Full Fat Goat’s Milk: My boys mostly drink this as it's easier on digestion than cow’s milk and naturally rich in A2 protein.

M&S Three Bean Salad: A lifesaver for quick, high-fibre lunches and immediately boosts your plant intake with three different beans. I mix it with avocado, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon for an easy side or WFH lunch. 

Fresh Pasta Co Pesto: Pesto pasta is one of our weeknight staples – delicious and ready in less than 15 minutes. I always check for extra virgin olive oil (many brands use rapeseed oil) and love this brand, which I order via Ocado. I serve it with broccoli and edamame beans – an easy win for the whole family.

Cottage cheese: This is high in protein and fat-soluble vitamins, and incredibly versatile. I blend it into soups for creaminess or fold it into a tortilla-style omelette with flatbread for a hearty brunch.

Yorkshire Provender soups: While I love batch cooking, these are a brilliant back-up – fibre-rich, balanced and freezer-friendly. I rate Tideford, Daylesford and Ossa soups, too.

Cathedral City Mini Cheeses: I pop these into my son’s snack box with an apple – it’s a simple way to get more protein and calcium into his diet. Unlike many of the processed mini cheeses from the 90s, these are made with real cheese and have a much better ingredient profile.

Smoked Mackerel Pâté: A simple way to tick off one of my three weekly oily fish portions, I spread this on toast alongside colourful veggie soup. My little one has eaten it since he was small, so it’s always in our fridge. I like Findlaters or M&S, and I’ll often top it with sauerkraut to balance the flavours.

Chalk Stream Trout: I love salmon, but I’m particular about provenance. This trout offers all the same nutritional benefits but comes from Chalk Stream River, where they prioritise animal welfare and sustainable farming. It’s a more conscious choice without compromising on taste or quality.

Kerrygold Butter: We get through a lot of butter in our house, and I have no regrets about it. I always add butter to the boys’ steamed veggies – in my experience, it makes them far more likely to eat them. Kerrygold is my go-to. It’s made from the milk of grass-fed cows in Ireland, which not only gives it that rich, delicious flavour but also makes it more nutrient-dense than regular butter.

@DaylesfordFarm

PANTRY

Bread: When I weaned my kids, I introduced them to wholegrain bread instead of standard sliced options, so they got used to toast and sandwiches that required proper chewing. I prefer to buy from Gail’s or a local bakery rather than pre-sliced supermarket loaves, which often contain preservatives and seed oils.

M&S Good Gut Mega Mix: With over 35 plant foods, this mix is a brilliant way to boost gut diversity. I sprinkle it on yogurt or salads to sneak extra fibre and nutrients into meals.

Deliciously Ella Pasta: This is white pasta but with a clever nutritional boost from lentil flour, making it higher in protein and fibre. The boys love it, and I can get a balanced meal on the table in under ten minutes by adding bolognaise, pesto or a veggie-packed tomato sauce. 

The Paleo Food Co. Granola: Mornings are chaotic, and for a while, I fell into skipping breakfast. Now I make a point to have something. This low-sugar granola with Greek yogurt and frozen pomegranate seeds is my go-to – around 15g of protein per bowl and keeps me full till lunch.

Hemp seeds: One of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, I stir these into porridge, smoothies or yogurt for a hidden hit of protein, iron and zinc. 

Bold Bean Co.  Queen Chickpeas: Eating just one portion of nuts or beans a day has amazing health benefits, so I try to sneak them in wherever I can. My quick WFH lunch is often mashed chickpeas with avocado, lime, olive oil, and chili flakes on toast with sauerkraut. These chickpeas have an amazing texture and store well in the fridge in the jar. I also prefer to avoid cans to limit my microplastic exposure.

Ortiz Anchovies: Full of nourishing omega-3 fats and umami goodness, I add these to salads, pastas or even a quick toast topper. They melt into slow-cooked sauces, adding a savoury depth the kids never notice.

Tinned sprats: A nutrient-dense, sustainable fish option. I always have a couple of tins of these and serve them with a tzatziki dressing and greens for an easy, brain-boosting meal.

Heinz Low-Sugar Baked Beans: These have less than half the sugar of regular baked beans, making them a better option without compromising on taste. I often serve them to the kids alongside mushrooms and eggs for a quick and easy weekend brunch.

Crosta & Mollica Flatbreads: Made with just flour, salt and olive oil, these flatbreads are a cleaner option compared to most. Its sourdough pizzas are great too – no vegetable or seed oils in sight, making them perfect for a family pizza night.

Hunter & Gather Mayo: Most mayo is made with seed oils, so I love this version made with avocado or olive oil – perfect for creamy dressings and sandwiches.

Chickpea rice: A higher-protein, fibre-rich alternative to regular rice – I love it in a minestrone. 

Tahini: Sesame seeds are super rich in zinc, iron and calcium. I drizzle tahini over roasted veggies, stir it into porridge, or use it as a creamy dressing base.

M&S Super Seeded Nut Butter: This is a staple in our house, and I love that it has 4g of protein per tablespoon and is a blend of five different nuts and seeds. It’s great on toast, stirred into porridge or eaten straight off the spoon. 

Deliciously Ella Hazelnut Spread: A healthier Nutella alternative, this is still indulgent but without the ultra-processed ingredients and extra sugar. The kids love it on toast with banana at the weekends.  

@DaylesfordFarm

I always add butter to the boys’ steamed veggies – in my experience, IT MAKES THEM FAR MORE LIKELY TO EAT them.

@CrostaMollica

SNACKS

Brave Chocolate Chickpeas: A crunchy, high-protein snack that feels like a treat but is full of fibre – great with a cup of tea for an afternoon snack.

Boundless Crisps: When I’m craving a crunch but want to avoid deep-fried snacks, these are made with sprouted sorghum and pea flour, meaning they also contain gut-friendly fibre.

Forest Feast Chocolate-Coated Brazil Nuts: One of my absolute favourite snacks. Just three nuts provide your daily dose of selenium – crucial for thyroid and skin health.  

FREEZER

Soffritto mix: A frozen base of onion, carrot and celery that makes getting dinner on the table quicker and more nutritious.

M&S Frozen Bone Broth: I love adding this to the creamy butternut squash soup I make weekly. It boosts protein and collagen without changing the flavour. 

Yutaka Edamame Beans: A freezer staple, these shell-on edamame beans make an easy snack and are an affordable way to add protein, calcium and iron to meals. My kids love popping them and finding the treasure inside, although plenty ends up on the floor.  

Strong Roots Sweet Potato Fries: A healthier alternative to regular fries and great for quick family dinners. 

Ice Kitchen Frozen Curry Paste: These frozen cubes are my latest obsession – they make whipping up a green curry, jalfrezi or massaman incredibly quick and easy. 

DRINKS

Equi Wellness Formula: I add a scoop of this to a shaker with water and ice and drink it after lunch. It tastes great and has the benefit of 50 incredible nutrients to support everything from energy, focus and immunity, to hormones and gut health. I really notice the difference in the afternoons when I don’t have it. 

Smiling Wolf Spirits: A recent discovery, these alcohol-free spirits have natural mood-boosting ingredients, so you get the uplifting buzz without the downsides. I love winding down with one after the kids are in bed.

Freja Chocolate Bone Broth Shake: A gut-friendly alternative to protein powder. Once a week I’ll blend this into a smoothie with frozen berries, walnuts, avocado, cacao and courgette.

LA Brewery Sparkling Alcohol-Free Wine: Essentially kombucha in disguise – I love serving this in a wine glass with ice when I want something special.


Follow @AliceMackintosh_Nutrition


SHOP ALICE'S FAVOURITES

Smooth Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

Deliciously Ella
£2.64  (was £3.30)

Inspiration credits: @PALEOFOODSCO | @DAYLESFORDFARM | @CROSTAMOLLICA

DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.

All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products.

The Parenting Edition from SheerLuxe
Delivered to your inbox, quarterly