Grocery Shopping

Here are some important tips before going to the store:

Check your kitchen to see what you need to put on your list so you don’t get too much of one food item or more than you need.

Make a grocery list to better organize what you will be getting at the store.

Never go to the store hungry because when you are hungry you are more likely to make impulse decisions when purchasing food items.

Healthy Shopping at the Grocery Store:

The healthiest foods such as fresh produce, unprocessed meats and dairy products tend to be placed around the perimeter of the store. The unhealthy processed, junk and sugary foods are usually in the middle aisles.

Foods in the grocery store:

Healthy: fresh produce, unprocessed meats and dairy products (perimeter of the store)

Unhealthy: processed, junk and sugary foods (middle aisles of the store)

Choosing Fresh Vegetables and Fruits:

You want them to be firm, ripe and unblemished

Look for mold

Buy only the amount of produce that you can consume in about 3 days or it may not be good to eat.

If you cannot find fresh produce or if you need to store your fruits and vegetables for a longer duration of time then get frozen packages. Frozen foods will hold there nutritional value for a longer time. Avoid canned foods because they contain high amounts of sodium.

Shopping for meat/poultry:

When shopping for meat, poultry, fish and other protein sources choose wisely.

Fish: Contains healthy oils (Omega-3 fatty acids) – fish should have a fresh smell and have firm flesh

Meat: Make sure that you check the labels for “enhanced” with injected water, flavorings, and preservatives that you don’t need, Meat should smell fresh and it should not be sticky or slimy

Poultry: Often a good choice, but keep in mind that grocery store birds are usually high in fat.

Shopping for grains:

Grains: Choose 100 percent whole grain, do not choose white refined flour, leave the high fat, high calorie pastries where they are

Avoid high fat and high sugar snacks

Shopping for milk:

Always choose milk that is lower in fat or soy milk.