Grocery Shopping Tips
By: Courtney Little, CN + Founder of NWHS
When talking with family, friends and client's, people will usually share with me that they love going grocery shopping or despise it! No matter where you are on this spectrum, below are some helpful tips to help make your next trip to the grocery store more efficient and enjoyable!
Food Shopping Tips:
1.) Plan ahead. There's nothing worse than coming home from grocery shopping realizing you forgot key ingredients for that night's dinner plans! Take a few minutes to gather inventory in your fridge and pantry and then write down what you truly need for that week's weekly meals. Having a plan of meals and snacks for the week will also help to cut down on your grocery bill so you are only truly buying what you need. Take a picture of your list on your phone in case you lose your shopping list!
2.) Hydrate + avoid going hungry. Our brain confuses thirst for hunger so if you are grocery shopping dehydrated, you are more likely to pick up unhealthy food items! Additionally, we highly recommend eating a high protein snack or meal before venturing into the grocery store to help minimize cravings and maximize will-power.
3.) Keep it simple. Ingredients first, nutrition label second. When picking up a food item for purchase, be sure to make sure you can actually read and pronounce the ingredients! If you cannot read or pronounce the ingredients try to find a healthier alternative with safer ingredients you can identify. Second, review the nutrition label once you have verified the ingredients are safe for purchase. The key thing to look for is the amount of sugar an item contains. LESS IS BEST! A food can appear "healthy" and "safe for purchase" but the amount of grams of sugar an item contains is massively important to your health. As a reference, it is best to stay 40g or less of total sugar for the day, and I repeat, less is best!
4.) Look for key terms. Once you have ok'd the ingredients and amount of grams of sugar, these key terms are your go to's for ensuring healthy food items. They are: USDA Organic (green label), GMO free, Gluten Free as well as Dairy Free.
5.) Fresh + local. The majority of your food in your shopping cart should be as much produce as humanly possible. The more fresh organic fruits and vegetables the better and the less boxed and plastic items as you can. Your body and your family's bodies need REAL food, not boxed "food products." When possible, aim on shopping local at your local butcher shop and or farmer's markets for the best in in season items, supporting your local communities and helping the environment. When shopping local you are cutting down on food transport time and helping to decrease pollution - always an added benefit in so many ways!
Have a great trip on your next grocery run!