Grocery Shopping Tips

Here are a couple tips for grocery shopping, feel free to print this out and take it with you next time you head to the store.

Beforehand:

Do: Plan meals/ snacks and make a list of items you need to prepare these.

Don’t: Go on an empty stomach, this will cause you to buy more and make it more challenging to make smart choices.

Produce-

Do: Begin your shopping trip here and experiment with new colors and flavors.

Don’t: Limit your selection to only fruits and vegetables you are use to.

Healthfood Section-

Do: Get some good alternates which are more natural and many times limited in added sodium.

Don’t: Buy additional “junk” food here because it is “healthy” junk food.

Meat, Dairy, Eggs-

Do: Choose lower fat options and if possible buy organic.

Don’t: Pay extra for gimmicks such as “hormone-free eggs” or “natural milk.”

Juice, Crackers, Cookies

Do: Choose 100% juice and 100% whole grain crackers such as Triscuits.

Don’t: Buy crackers/ cookies with more than 1/3 of the fat saturated fat and avoid trans fat.

Canned and Starches-

Do: Choose canned fruit “in its own juice” and vegetables with “no salt added.” Choose brown rice and 100% whole grain pasta.

Don’t: Purchase canned meats/ meals high in sodium.

Dried Fruits and Baking-

Do: Pick dried fruit with no added sugar and whole grain flour.

Don’t: Buy artificial sweeteners.

Breakfast Items-

Do: Choose oats, whole grains and natural peanut butter.

Don’t: Purchase too many caffeinated beverages.

Drinks -

Do: Choose bottled water if you prefer this for convenience and seltzer water if you prefer some extra pizzazz!

Don’t: Buy soda.

Snacks-

Do: Choose baked chips, lower sodium popcorn/ nuts.

Don’t: Buy a large bag if it will be too tempting to eat too much at a sitting.

Frozen-

Do: Choose fruits and vegetables to add to dishes or eat plain.

Don’t: Buy high fat/ high sodium highly processed meals.

Deli-

Do: Choose salsa and hummus.

Don’t: Purchase high sodium meats and fried choices

Things to consider-

DO: Be patient with yourself and others, learning to grocery shop a healthier way can take some time.

Don’t: Expect perfection.