Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips
Healthy eating begins at the grocery store. If you keep good foods in your fridge and pantry, you will eat good foods! Grocery shopping can be a stressful and difficult task for many because of the endless amount of choices offered. Here are some tips to help guide you in selecting the healthiest choices:
Never go hungry!
Going to the grocery store on an empty stomach could end in you buying items you weren't originally planning on. You could be craving junk foods, or unhealthy foods may look more appealing if you are very hungry. Go to the store after eating a meal or snack. If you are stopping on your way home from work, make sure to keep a granola bar or mixed nuts in your car for a quick snack before getting to the store.
Plan ahead -
Writing down your list before you head to the grocery store sets you up for success. For example, if you go to the grocery store over the weekend, think about what your meals are going to be for the week ahead of time and write these down. It takes a little extra time beforehand to write up a list, but it will save you time running back and forth to the store for missing ingredients.
"Shopping the perimeter" is outdated... -
You've probably heard it before that the healthiest foods are located along the outside perimeter of the store. While this is true about fresh fruits and vegetables, you'll also notice stores have been placing cookies, cakes, pies, etc. around the perimeter as well. Plus, without going down the aisles you miss out on so many nutritious foods such as nuts, seeds, oils, herbs, spices, lentils/beans, grains...More appropriate advice would be to avoid going down aisles that only have foods you don't need, or don't want to be tempted into buying (example: the chips, cookies, and snack food aisles).
Buy in season -
Buying fruits and vegetables that are in season will assure you are getting the most nutrients possible (and the best taste!) Check out this link for what's in season. Even better, find a local farmer's market for the freshest fruits & veggies!
Consider convenience -
Often times in the produce section, grocery stores carry pre-sliced fresh vegetables and fruits at a higher cost. If you know you personally won't have time with your busy work or school schedule to slice your own fresh produce at home for recipes or snacks, it is worth spending the extra money to assure you get in more fruits and vegetables! Don't feel bad about splurging on fresh fruits and vegetables. Having these handy snacks such as sliced watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots will encourage you to eat them without forcing you to putt in the effort of cutting them up yourself.
Frozen Foods -
When fresh fruits and vegetables aren't available, frozen fruits (without added sugar) and vegetables (without added cheese sauces) are an excellent, convenient option. They have just as many nutrients as fresh, but you pay less and can store for longer periods of time. Frozen fruits make a great dessert or smoothie option, and frozen vegetables can easily be steamed in the bag and added as a side for lunch and dinner.
Whole Grains vs. Enriched, Refined Grains -
When choosing which bread to buy, don't be fooled by the color of the bread in the package. Several brands of refined breads are darker due to added molasses or caramel coloring. Also be careful of packages that say "multi-grain", "12-grain", or "wheat bread". All three of those phrases mean it is not 100% whole wheat, but instead could be a mixture of wheat and enriched white flours. You should be looking at the ingredient label to see that "whole wheat" or "whole grain" is listed as the FIRST ingredient.
The least processed grain, the better. For example: old-fashioned and steel cut oats are better for you than instant oatmeal packets. They have no additives and higher amounts of fiber. For dry cereals, look at the nutrition labels to make sure it has at least 4g of fiber or more. Also take a look at the amount of sugar in your cereal…the less sugar, the better!
Check out my blog on Everything you Need to Know about Bread!
Read the labels!!
Avoid foods that contain a long list of ingredients - a general tip is no more than five ingredients. Avoid foods that list artificial flavorings or ingredients you can't pronounce! Avoid foods with ingredients such as MSG (monosodium glutamate) and partially hydrogenated oils, fractionated oils, and interesterified oils (trans fats). Don't fall for marketing tricks such as labeling something as "all natural". There is no true meaning of the term "natural" on food labels, although it is often confused as meaning "organic". Just because something is labeled as "natural", "healthy", or "low-fat" does not necessarily mean it is healthy! Same goes for gluten-free. Just because a food is gluten-free does NOT mean it's a healthy choice...sugar, salt, and saturated fat are all 100% gluten-free!