Tips for a healthy grocery haul
1. Focus on real, whole foods. You can find everything around the perimeter of the store - meat, fruits, vegetables, dairy + eggs. This is the majority of what I stock up on. After I shop the perimeter, I stroll the aisles for some of the cleaner, packaged products/drinks - siete foods chips, spindrift sparkling water, nut butter, etc.
2. Read ingredients, not labels. Nutrition labels on the front of the products can be very deceiving. Things like sugar free, all natural, heart healthy, etc. lead people to believe those products are healthy. It doesn’t mean anything, it’s just marketing. Reading the actual ingredient list is what’s really important. I typically stay away from refined sugars and vegetable/seed oils. I also try to keep it minimal if possible, a few ingredients instead of 20-30. I understand this can be difficult. Reading ingredients and learning about them can be overwhelming. Years ago, I would look things up when I wasn’t sure what something was. The first step is to just start reading them. The more you do that, the more you will learn and it opens your eyes to what’s in our food.
3. Buy seasonal produce. It’s a great practice to start buying seasonal fruits and vegetables, and local ones when possible. It’s typically much richer in vitamins and minerals because it’s in season and recently harvested. It can also be more affordable because there’s an abundance.
4. Have a plan. If you know what you will be making or have some recipe ideas, this can save time and make the shopping process so much easier. I've done it both ways and it’s honestly so much quicker and more convenient to have a list. I like to plan my dinners for the week and write out all of the ingredients I need. Then I also add in snacks, breakfast items, etc.
5. Don’t buy and you won’t eat. I know some people may disagree with this because you need to live your life, too. Totally get it. However, if you are trying to make some serious changes, it’s honestly easier not having it in the house. If I am trying to eat a little more strictly, I skip the siete cookies, sourdough bread, ice cream and crackers. Do I think these foods are “bad”? No. I just understand that if they’re in the house, I will most likely eat them and I have other goals. What I do: buy snacks that I know will satiate me, that still taste good!
6. Shop at local natural food stores and farmer’s markets. While supporting local businesses, you can also find so many awesome goodies that the retail grocery stores may not have. I do a large part of my shopping at Hannaford, then I will hit up a local natural food store for special items, specific foods I want, etc. They usually always have some local, homemade food items too!
Hope this was helpful! Happy shopping!