How to Play the Game at the Grocery Store and Stay Healthy

I honestly don’t get it when people tell me it cost more money to shop healthy. Really? How much does it cost to buy junk food that has absolutely no nutrtional value and offers you poor health? How much will that cost you. So how does a person play the game at the grocery store and win?

Did you know the grocery store is set up for you to buy more profitable items like junk food and by passing the healthier choices such as vegetable, fruits, and eggs etc.?

Grocery stores and food companies purposefully set up enticing displays of expensive cookies, crackers and other packaged food hoping to coax you to buy them on a whim. They also purposely place common items all the way in the back of the store, so you have to walk down the aisles to get there. The more snacks, cereals and other processed foods you’re exposed to, the greater the chance you’ll grab something, typically unhealthy not on your list.

Stores even place the items they want you to buy most-the ones that give them the most profits-where they’re easiest for you to see: between knee and shoulder-height.

The food manufacturers themselves are in this game too.
There is an entire “science” devoted to developing the most enticing product packaging, names, flavors and colors, many of them targeting to your children.

But beside from luring you into buying MORE than you intended, these tactics will also temp you to buy more junk food then you intended…ultimately leading to poor diet and poor health.

Nine  rules that will help you shop healthy

       1.      Make a list of foods and stick to it.

       2       Plan your list according to your meals that you have planned for the week

       3.     Shop on the outside aisles where the fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and meats are located.

       4.    Choose foods from whole grains.  Choose brown rice, Quiona (this is actually not a grain but herb) barley, bulgar, and teff. Dump the instant pre-packaged oat meal especially those with sugar and corn syrup added.

 Did you know granolas even the low fat have more sugar and fat than other cereals.

         5.  Meats and fish. Include fish in your diet at least 2 times a week. I stay away from most farm raised because of the added hormones and go for the wild. Make sure that some of the fish you eat are fish like
salmon that are high in the Omega 3.

         6. Dairy- choose low fat options including drinkable yogurts if you like. I prefer the milks that are known to not use hormones. Watch out for even the ones that claim to be organic like New Horizons.

        7.  Frozen foods. Be sure to pick the fruits and veggies without any sauce. The frozen veggies can fill in the gap especially in the winter when making soups. Also choose whole grain waffles rather than the white flour waffle or pancakes. 

       8.  Canned and Dried Foods. Keep a variety of canned vegetables, fruits, and beans on hand to toss into soups, salads, pasta, or rice dishes. Whenever possible, choose vegetables without added salt, and
fruit packed in juice. Tuna packed in water, low-fat soups, nut butters, olive and canola oils, and assorted vinegars should be in every healthy pantry.

       9.  Never going shopping hungry.  You are more prone to get unhealthy fast foods