Do you have a plan when you enter the supermarket?
Or do you wander aimlessly through the aisles hoping to pick out what you need? When shopping, it is extremely important to start with some preparation. Otherwise, you may come home with a bunch of healthy foods that don’t actually go together. Or you’ll find your shopping cart full of comfort food, leaving you without healthy options for the week. Want to live healthier or lose weight? Your shopping cart could be the very key to your success. Here’s how to make the most of it.
Make a Shopping List Before entering the Market
Being impulsive can be wonderful, but not when you’re trying to prepare for a week of healthy eating. A shopping list will give you two advantages when you go to the store. It will help you put together healthy meals. Without a list, you’ll probably end up buying lots of processed meals, ingredients that don’t make a complete meal or the same boring standards over and over again. If you want to bring some variety into your diet, pick one new recipe a week and add the ingredients onto your shopping list. But at the very least make sure you have a list because it is one of the best ways to keep you responsible for what goes in your shopping cart.
Start Shopping from the Periphery of the Store
Where are the healthiest items in the supermarket? They’re in the periphery of the store. The periphery of the store is where all the fresh fruit and vegetables live. It is where the chicken, turkey, and fish are located. It houses eggs and dairy. And it’s where you can find healthier snacks items like hummus and nuts. Approximately 2/3rds of your shopping cart should be filled before you get to the inner aisles. There are some healthy items to be found in the center of the store like grains, legumes, frozen vegetables and coconut oil. But most of your healthy food choices will be found before you start walking down the aisles.
Try a New Vegetable
Ever take time looking through the produce section? You probably realize that there are vegetables that you can’t identify let alone know what they taste like. A fun thing to do is find out the name of a new vegetable (there is usually a placard identify each vegetable) and then get on your phone and look-up a quick recipe. This is a great way to combat healthy eating boredom as well as get new nutrients into your system. Just make sure to add the other ingredients from the recipe on your shopping list so you have something to do with your new vegetable once you get it home. You might become surprised about all the great, healthy foods which you’ve never tried.
Don’t Forget to Purchase Snacks
Too often people overlook snacks when shopping for a healthy diet. But that becomes problematic if you get hungry between meals. Without healthy snacks on hand, you’re likely to run to the work vending machine. Or you’ll raid the fridge the second you get home. It is important to not only think of healthy snacks you would enjoy but find ways to make them portable. And look beyond fruit when you consider your snacking options. Options with protein can also come in handy. So think of nuts, turkey slices, unsweetened yogurt, and hummus. But prepare for healthy snacking or you’ll be at the mercy of whatever food item is in front of you at the moment.
Take a Label Reading Challenge
I talk often about the dangers of all the hidden sugar in the foods we eat. A great challenge is to read the ingredients label of every food item before putting it in your shopping cart. If a label contains sugar (or artificial sweetener), leave it out. When in doubt, if a word ends with “ose”, like in sucrose, dextrose or fructose, it contains sugar. You must read every label because sugar is often hidden in healthy sounding foods like salad dressing, tomato sauce, canned soup, dried fruit and more. I try to shop sugar-free and save my treats from when I’m away from home. That way I’m less likely to overindulge. Do this for one week to see how it changes the look of your shopping cart as well as how you feel.
Avoid your Own Personal “Danger” Aisle
We all have a week spot. Something that just help us come undone with our diet. A food that we’re more likely to overindulge in. The section of the store that houses your problem food is your danger aisle. The first step to overcoming being unraveled by this food is to keep your shopping cart as far away from that aisle as possible. The great thing about supermarkets is that they have more than enough food. You don’t need to go down every aisle. And if you want your favorite food from time to time, buy it when you’re out. That way you can have it in small amounts where it is less likely to make you binge.
Buy Yourself a Treat That Isn’t Food
The variety of items carried at most stores these days as amazing. Markets are hardly just a place to buy food. So, when you’re feeling deprived by what you’ve left out of your shopping cart, look for other ways to fulfill your needs. Perhaps that means buying a candle, a bath salts or maybe it is as simple as buying a fun magazine. Whatever it is, make sure to get something that allows you to feel like you are treating yourself. Taking care of yourself should never be about deprivation, but about treating yourself in healthier ways.
So these are my tips for making the most of your shopping cart. The choice to eat healthy starts with your purchases so develop a plan to get the most out of your shopping experience. When you come home with healthy foods to sustain you through the week, you’ve conquered your first diet change battle. And from there, success is within your reach!
I have to have a list when I grocery shop Erica otherwise I wander aimlessly buying willy-nilly. I started looking at labels to even a great degree last year. I was amazed at how EVERYTHING has sugar. We gave up yogurt until I could find something that tastes good with less than a typical 24 grams (about 6 tspns) and I finally found one. Siggi’s have you heard of it. Not a lot of flavor selection but it tastes good and has just 8 to 10 grams of sugar. I like the coconut one. Thanks for great tips to keep getting better with this healthy shopping cart trip.
I’ve never tried Siggi’s but I usually have the completely plain stuff. It is pretty shocking once you start looking at labels, isn’t it?!
Erica, these are great suggestions. Somehow the very word ‘snack’ makes you think of forbidden foods like chips and chocolate bars – your suggestions for the healthy snacks are great.
I also like the infused water suggestions on the side. Got to try a couple of those.
Yes Lenie, snacks can definitely be health promoting if you pick good ones!
Yes, I write shopping lists. I write the list according to the layout of the store (OCD alert!)
I do not particularly enjoy food shopping except for the Christmas period. I make it as painfree as possible by shopping fortnightly and going first thing in the morning or late in the evening. Never ever on a weekend!
I agree with your point about buying snacks. I have a fairly healthy diet so buy dried fruit, dried nuts and other snacks for in between meals. I also include snacks for the children for when we are out and about.
Wow, I’ve never known someone to write their list according to the store layout! That is organized!
My husband does the grocery shopping. So anything I want or need has to be on that list. It also means doing at least some meal planning to know what needs to go on the list. This has lots of advantages. The one disadvantage is that if I were shopping I may make some meal decisions in the grocery store based on what fresh produce looked particularly good that week. However, I don’t feel strongly enough to take over the grocery shopping. It’s not my favourite activity. I do need to pay more attention to your advice to include healthy snacks on the list.
Donna, you should look at your store circular before sending him. The produce on sale is usually in-season and very fresh. I would love to have someone do my grocery shopping for me!
Erica — I do make out a shopping list. Mainly so I don’t forget what I need to buy. I read the labels, too. I have to be careful buying “dietetic” foods like low-calory ice cream bars or low fat yogurt. they aren’t good for your waistline if you end up eating the entire box full of bars or several containers of yogurt. So I just stopped buying those items. Can’t have them in the house!
Jeannette, I used to be such a victim to those dietetic ice cream creations. They were definitely my danger aisle for years while I trained myself not to eat them in excess.
These are wonderful tips Erica. I do use a list and am pretty disciplined but I really like the way you’ve organized the process of going through the store. And to be honest it never occurred to me to buy myself something other than food when I’m there but I am going to make a point of checking out the ‘other’ isles on my next trip to see what I’ve been missing. 🙂
I don’t often venture down those other aisles either. But it is fun when you want to treat yourself in a way that’s not edible.
What interesting and unusual tips! I loved your article. The danger aisle – great concept. Being sure to buy healthy snacks is a super tip. Love the idea of trying a new veggie. In fact, the entire piece is chock full of super ideas.
Thank you, Beth. You should definitely try a new veggie. It is always an interesting experience for me.
Erica, I’ve learned so much from you about foods,what do look out for on labels and the entire shopping experience. I’m still reeling over the non-fat yogurt thing. One of the items you mentioned, snacks, is such a great tip. I always make sure I have “go to grabs” . I realized when I’m hungry I will put ANYTHING edible in my mouth, while I’m looking for something to eat. I’d wind up eating two meals. It’s gotten much easier to find packages of pre-cut vegetables and fruit. Slap a little almond butter on those babies and you’re good to go.
I LOVE almond butter on veggies…that is one of my favorites! Thanks for reminding me of that!
What a great list, Erica! Making a grocery list is KEY for us, and I make it while menu planning. I love the non-food treat idea, I feel like that would give you the same excitement as buying a little pack of cookies (I NEVER do that…) for yourself. My addition- never go shopping hungry!!
Yes, shopping while hungry is so difficult. You just want to buy everything. Good point!
I recognize most of these suggestions and they make sense.
Unfortunately, I am a single guy and have horrible plans when I go food shopping. I basically go food shopping every day, and buy what I am going to eat that night right then.
I wished I was more of a frugal shopper, buying items on sale and stocking up on them. Maybe your posts will make me do that someday.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
William, I used to do the same thing when I lived in NYC. Of course that does tend to cost more, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make unhealthy choices.
Fair enough Erica; snacks will no longer be a decision between the good and bad that sit astride each shoulder.
No, you definitely don’t wan to look at snacks like that, Tim.
Informative as always! your health heaven sent. I struggle with my shopping list, since my passion and love is junk food (Horrible right) However, I’m thinking of rewarding myself with something that is not food as you mentioned, if I minimize my junk food purchase.