5 Tips for Healthy Food Shopping!
What’s the biggest temptation-rich environment, which you encounter on a weekly basis, and the one that can really play havoc with your diet? My guess would be the supermarket!
Think about it, more than 50,000 food items on sale, packaged attractively, and strategically placed on the shelves, so that we buy them without further thought. What we need is in this environment is self-control. Easier said than done, I admit!
Do the contents of your shopping trolley match your healthy eating plan? If not, here are a few tips:
1) Make a shopping list
Bring a list, and stick to it. Healthy decisions start at home! It’s a great idea to start your list during the week. You could attach a notepad to your fridge door, each time something runs out, write it on the list. This is also good practice for the rest of your family, as you’ll be less likely to miss something. You may want to try planning a weekly menu, and then write your list based on what you’ll require for those meals. To save you time at the supermarket, write your list in the order you will be shopping.
2) Don’t shop hungry
Never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry! I’m sure you’ve done it before, and you’ll know how difficult it is to resist those foods that normally, you’d neither want, or need. You’ll save both money and calories, by making sure you’ve had a meal, or snack, before browsing through the supermarket.
3) Cruise the perimeter
Stick to the outer aisles, as much as possible, as this is where you’ll find fresh produce, fish, poultry, breads, and dairy products, in their most-natural, and least-processed form. Ever wondered why they are located here? It’s because they require more frequent stocking, and therefore need to be situated as close to the outside stock rooms as possible. It makes sense that these foods are healthier, than those situated in the middle aisles. Obviously, it’s not possible to completely avoid the middle aisles, but limiting your shopping time spent here will make a difference.
4) Shop alone
If at all possible, leave your kids at home. It’s estimated that people spend 10 to 40 percent more money when their kids are present. Leaving them at home will mean you’re less likely to buy junk foods, and overall, you probably won’t buy as much.
5) Read food labels
Don’t forget to use the nutrition facts on the food label to help you decide which foods are best suited to your needs. Check out The Lowdown of Food Labels, for tips on how to interpret the manufacturing jargon!
When is the best time to shop?
Try to do your main shopping soon after the major deliveries have taken place. For some stores, this will be soon after the weekend, such as on a Monday, otherwise you may find that the shelves are poorly stocked, and whatever is left, is not what you would ideally have chosen.
Did you enjoy this article? Please be kind enough to share it -
You may also like to read the following:
Jun 15, 2007
Another one I like to tell my clients is to shop at the city market.
We have a beautiful China Town market place where I live in Australia and it is filled with local produce and Asian imports. It really inspires you to be healthy by just walking around and I find I’m more likely to buy healthy temptations like honey, teas and new types of fruit.
RT
Jun 16, 2007
RT - thanks for dropping by!
That’s a great tip. I used to live in London, and the markets there were great for finding unusual foods, and so cheap as well. Some of the veg I hadn’t even seen before!
Unfortunately we don’t have that now, in this part of Australia, where I’m living.