HEALTHY GROCERY SHOPPING TIPS

Implementing some simple grocery shopping strategies can lead to successful nutrition options at home. Explore our 8 healthy grocery shopping tips to make your trip to the store fruitful.

1. BUY WHOLE FOODS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE Veggies, fruits, meats, nuts etc.  Stick to foods that come from a plant and stay away from those made in a plant. Buy packaged/pre-prepared foods in moderation.
2. SHOP THE PERIMETER OF THE GROCERY STORE Generally, the most nutritious foods are along the perimeter of the grocery store (think fruits, veggies, proteins).
3. SHOP ACCORDING TO WHAT IS IN-SEASON In-season produce is nutrient-rich and less expensive. If needed, supplement with frozen for those foods not in season. Explore our list of in-season fall foods.
4. SUBSCRIBE TO THE MARKET BULLETINS FOR ON-SALE ITEMS Market bulletins make it much easier to buy cheaper and healthy options you may not normally purchase.
5. PLAN AHEAD Planning a few meals keeps you in line with your wallet and your waist. If you go to the store with a grocery list you are more likely to stick to nutritious foods and less likely to come home with lots of unnecessary, often less nutritious foods.   
6. BUY FULL-FAT PRODUCTS Fat does not make you fat! Low-fat options have more sugar added. Pay attention to labels as many foods you wouldn’t expect are often loaded with sugar and other fillers such as; yogurt, salad dressings, packaged foods, cereal, etc.
7. PAY ATTENTION TO LABELS Remember ingredients are listed in order by weight, so the predominant ingredients will be listed first.  As a general rule of thumb, if there are more than 10 ingredients listed or you can’t pronounce the ingredients, ditch the food, because your body probably won’t be able to recognize and appropriately digest the food either. Remember to look at how many servings are offered, as the labels are based on serving size. For example, if you ate 1 bag of goldfish with 20 grams of carbohydrate per serving, and the bag contained 3 servings total, you must multiply 20 x 3 = 60 grams of carbohydrate consumed. Also, don’t forget about the sugar. Although there is no adequate amount of sugar, try and stay under double digits per serving.
8. WATCH OUT FOR BUYING “LIQUID CALORIES” Juices, Gatorade, energy drinks, alcohol, etc., are filled with sugar and calories, so be aware of what choices you are making. Remember water is your best bet!

Set yourself up for success with these healthy grocery shopping tips! Check out some of our favorite recipes.
 

Download PDF