Do you hate grocery shopping?
I hear this from so many of my patients and am always so surprised. I absolutely love to check out all of the fresh food in both the grocery store and local farmers markets in order to get great options for meals. Well, because I find shopping a treat instead of a chore, I have done the dirty work for you. Here are 10 great tips for healthier grocery shopping that will also make it a more enjoyable experience for you.
As you have probably heard from me before, food is the essence of how your body functions. It either makes you healthy or makes you sick and disease-ridden. You must eat nutritious foods in order to think clearly, produce energy, manage daily living and feel good. And, the best way to do this is to stock your kitchen with healthy foods, so you can prepare yummy meals for you and your family.
Here is a list of 10 tips to help you make better food choices, so you stay on track and not veer off into “processed food land”.
1) Never shop on an empty stomach – you will make bad choices because of hunger, try all the unhealthy samples, and may rush instead of reading labels and searching for the freshest items
2) Shop with a list – this keeps you focused and keeps you from purchasing unnecessary items
3) Take your own reusable bags – save the planet and reuse bags (take small ones for fruits and veggies and bypass all plastic bags)
4) Choose a basket instead of a cart – you may purchase up to 40% more food with a cart
5) Shop the perimeter of the store – this is where the healthier, non-processed foods are kept
6) Focus on fresh, seasonal vegetables – pick a variety of colorful, fresh vegetables from local areas to get the greatest amount of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
7) Check EWG’s Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 app – this app by the Environmental working Group (EWG) tells you which fruits and veggies should be organic to prevent pesticide contamination
8) Check nutrition labels – avoid foods with a long list of ingredients and those containing sugar, MSG, dyes, canola oil, corn, or soy
9) Avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms) – these include foods made with conventional corn, canola oil, soy, cottonseed, sugar from sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya, alfalfa, zucchini, crookneck squash or meat of those animals fed any of these products
Look for this seal for a guarantee
Download a list of non-GMO foods HERE
10) Avoid the items on the ends of the aisles – they usually contain “sale” items that aren’t actually cheap or healthy
Use these tips every time you shop to prevent unnecessary items that cause more harm than comfort. Those processed foods that most people say they purchase because of a cheaper price will actually cause more doctor and hospital costs in the long run.
In order to feel great and enjoy each and every day, consume foods that nourish your body – fresh fruits and vegetables, coconut oil, grass-fed meat, free-range chicken and eggs, wild fish, beans, nuts and seeds. Stay tuned for our SuperFit Nutrition Plan that is all about loving your body and loving your food.
For great meal and snack ideas, take a look at our recipes section.
For specific ways to add more greens into your life, click HERE.
And please share below.
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