So You’re Going Grocery Shopping?
Love it or hate it, grocery shopping is something we all have to do (unless you pay a delivery server to drop off the groceries at your house, which is just plain laziness unless you don’t have a store anywhere near you). If you’re anything like me, you’ll often times end up leaving the store with things you didn’t intend on buying, and really don’t need to or shouldn’t be eating! In today's article, I will lay out some easy to follow guidelines to help with your overall shopping experience and how to keep it healthy!
1. NEVER, EVER, EVER go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.
2. Plan your upcoming weeks meals ahead of time & make one trip to the store.
3. Do as the wise Santa Claus does, write a list and check it twice!
4. Stick to the outside aisles.
5. Go at a time when the stores tend to be less busy.
6. Choose whole foods.
7. Check the ingredients list.
8. Put it all together.
1. NEVER, EVER, EVER go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.
This little trick has quite possibly changed the way I grocery shop more than any other, and it is very important. I would always go to the grocery store hungry (because I usually waited until I had no food left in the house before I went shopping), and would buy whatever looked good. Problem was, I was hungry, so EVERYTHING looked good! I would end up leaving with snacks, frozen dinners, ice cream, way too much peanut butter, and whatever else caught my eye as I walked by. You can see the problem here… if you’re hungry and you see something that looks good, chances are high you WILL buy it. So, next time, before heading off to the grocery store make sure you have a good meal filled with quality protein and carbohydrates to keep you full throughout your shopping trip. If you’re full, the chances of you getting only what you intended are much better! The mind can be a powerful tool, and this trick definitely helps it to work in your favor.
2. Plan your upcoming weeks meals ahead of time & make one trip to store.
Like nearly everything else health and fitness related, it pays to be prepared! If you plan your meals ahead of time you should end up only having to take one trip to the store every week, depending on how you shop. Say, for example, you don't plan ahead and end up having to go to the store 3 times in one week. That means you’re 3 times more likely to buy junk food or unhealthy foods you don't really need or want! So plan ahead, and make sure you get everything you need in one trip.
3. Do as the wise Santa Claus does, write a list and check it twice.
Another really important aspect of grocery shopping is going in prepared with a list of EVERYTHING you need written out. Check your refrigerator and your cabinets before you go and make sure the list is comprehensive. This way you know what you need and know where to go in the store. If you do not have a list, you will find that you are just browsing up and down the isles, passing all those delicious looking cookies, crackers and brownies. So, have the list prepared and as you pick up an item, cross it off your list and move on to the next item. Simple as that!
4. Stick to the outside aisles.
Sticking to the outside aisles has literally saved me hundreds of dollars and thousands of calories. In nearly every grocery store i’ve ever been to, all of the fresh food and produce is on the outside aisles, while all the processed and junk foods are on the inside aisles. So here’s what I do. I do one large loop around the entire outside of the store getting everything I need, then hit only the inside aisles that I need to finish up with my shopping list. While sticking to the outside is a good idea, there are still plenty of good and healthy food choices on the inside aisles. Imagine this, you accidentally turn down the candy aisle and while walking by your favorite candy you decide...“well, one or two couldn’t hurt, right?” Sound like something you’d do? It happens to everyone, but if you avoided that aisle in the first place and new what aisle your were going down and what item you were getting, you most likely wouldn’t have even thought about that candy!
5. Go at a time when the stores tend to be less busy.
I like to go shopping when the stores are less busy, this will often mean during the week and middle of the day. Now I know a lot of you work during these times, but even later in the evening should be okay too. Avoid weekends if you can and late-afternoons. There have been a few occasions when the stores were packed that I left early without finishing my list. This of course is a no-no because I had to go back to the store again later to finish shopping. Another thing that could happen is you could end up buying foods you did not plan on buying. What happens a lot of times when people get angry/upset/aggravated? They eat comfort food! So, when you’re surrounded by comfort food and you get angry/upset/aggravated, what do you think will happen? I’m not saying this happens to everyone, but if you’re one of the people it does happen to, I would do my best to avoid shopping when its busy.
6. Choose whole foods.
Whole foods are foods that are processed or refined as little as possible and are free from additives or other artificial substances. This includes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, poultry and meats, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and seafood. Most whole foods are one ingredient foods and should make up the bulk of your daily calories.
7. Check the ingredients list.
Last but certainly not least, check the ingredient list on every food you’re unsure about. If there’s more than 5 or 6 ingredients, or you don’t know how to pronounce the majority of them, there’s two immediate red flags! Generally speaking, the shorter the ingredient list, the healthier the food. Here’s one thing to keep in mind, real food is made from real ingredients… foods/names you should recognize! So when in doubt, take a look at the list before putting in into your cart. Just as an example I was looking up some unhealthy ingredient lists and came across one for Buffalo Style Chicken Strips with Ranch Sauce. The food label listed over 100 different ingredients to make such a simple meal!
8. Put it all together
With all your newfound knowledge on the grocery store, you’re now ready to hit the shelves confident that you’ll make better decisions. If you follow these steps I can guarantee you’ll have a much healthier variety of foods in your shopping cart at the end of your trip.
Eat before you go, plan ahead, make a list, stick to the outside aisles, go when the stores are less busy, choose whole foods, and check the ingredients!
Thats it.
Until next time guys, keep it healthy!