9 - Effective Grocery Shopping Strategies
9 - Strategies to Effective Grocery Shopping
Grocery Shopping – Some of us love it, others hate it. However, when it comes to healthy eating, the grocery store can be where it all comes undone. So I have devised some strategies that help you get in and out of the grocery store while sticking to your ‘healthy eating’ plan.
1. Don’t shop hungry
Reason: Shopping hungry makes sticking to a menu plan very difficult. You will be tempted to buy easy snack foods to consume right then and there. So do yourself a favour and ensure you have eaten a good meal before stepping into the grocery store.
2. Do your meal planning for the week before hitting the store
Reason: Devising up a rough meal plan prior to shopping gives you a fair idea on the types of foods you need to buy to make it through the week.
3. Clean out your fridge
Reason: Clean out your fridge and observe exactly what you require and what you don’t need. Write these items down.
4. Write a specific shopping list and stick to it
Reason: In writing a shopping list, you know exactly what you need. This will stop you from buying unnecessary food items and can also lesson the overall food bill.
5. Shop in the fresh food section first
Reason: In doing this you will be able to ¾ of your shopping list. Fruit and vegetables, nuts, protein sources (meats and fish), poultry and dairy. These are all of your ‘wholesome food sources’.
6. Visit the ‘grains’ isle
Reason: Your next stop should be to stock up on any grains that you may require. E.g. lentils, oats, rice, legumes, beans.
7. Avoid the isles you do not need to visit
Reason: Many of the food isles within a grocery store are filled with packaged foods filled with preservatives and artificial ingredients. So avoid many of the isles you do not need to go down. They only act as temptation.
8. Check the ingredients list
Reason: If you are unsure about a product, flip to the back and have a look at the ingredients list. If there are any ingredients that you cannot pronounce or read, put it back on the shelf!
9. Check nutritional panels
Reason: If you are unsure about the nutritional breakdown of a product, flip to the back and check out the nutritional panel. ‘Hidden sugars’ are the biggest problem with pre-packaged foods, so ensure there is not a truckload of added sugar in your tomato pasta sauce before you put it in the trolley.
So there you have it – 9 effective strategies to grocery shopping that will leave you with a trolley full of nutritious food to help you live a healthy and happy life.
