Tips For Healthy Grocery Shopping

Tips to Make Grocery Shopping Even Healthier

Buying fresh produce, lean protein, and whole grains are easy ways to make grocery shopping healthier, but as with everything, there's always room for improvement, right? Here are some ways to make a trip to the market even healthier.

  • Skip shopping on Sundays: On the weekend, Saturday is often the day to relax or do something fun, and Sunday is for errands like grocery shopping. With so many people shopping on this day, you're left with one quart of rotten strawberries and a few bunches of wilted kale. Ask someone in the produce department what day they normally get a big shipment in, and switch up your shopping days to ensure the best supply of fresh fruits and veggies.
  • Once is not enough: The produce you buy may be crisp and fresh when you bring it home, but when you go to make a salad five days later, it's so wilted or bruised that it ends up in the compost bin. Even when you store fruits and veggies so they last a long time, you can't always prevent these delicate foods from going bad. To get the freshest produce possible, head to the grocery store twice during the week — once for a big run and then a few days later to pick up some necessary perishables.

Keep reading for more healthy grocery shopping tips.

  • Shop with a list of meals: Before heading out to the store, most people jot down a list of foods they need. This is a great way to prepare, but it won't necessarily result in complete healthy meals. It's better to come with a list of healthy meals and the ingredients needed to prepare them. Here's an example of a weekly menu complete with grocery list. You can do the same thing for breakfasts and the lunches you pack for work.
  • Buy in bulk: Whole grains, nuts, pasta, and dried fruits are just a few of the healthy choices in the bulk-food section at the grocery store. Buying larger quantities not only saves you money, but having more of those healthy foods in the house will inspire you to eat them.
  • Something new every time: Whether you want to try a new ingredient for one of the meals you've planned, or you happen to see some exotic variety of chard in the produce section, make a point to try a new, healthy food every week. It's a great way to keep things exciting in the kitchen, and you may discover that brussels sprouts are your new favorite food.
  • Go after you've eaten: Just a reminder not to hit up the grocery store on an empty stomach — you don't need hunger pangs tempting you to buy cookies and potato chips.

Source: Flickr User rick