Healthy Grocery Shopping 101

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If you’re like me sometimes making the trip to the grocery store can be a nightmare. What food will be good for my family? How do I make sure I’m getting the right nutrients and vitamins? How do I know what’s actually healthy? 

So I’ve put together my top tips for healthy grocery shopping to help you feel more prepared, organized and on top of your health when it comes to grocery shopping. 

1. Avoid Peak Hours 

If you go during peak hours shopping can be painful and mean lot’s of people are around and you may have to spend a long time waiting in lines. To avoid all of this try and find out when the busy times are and plan ahead to avoid going during these times. 

2. Be Prepared 

I know we’re all busy and it can be hard to plan out what you want to eat for the week. But, having a plan of what you will cook for the week and being able to shop accordingly will save you a lot of time and stress. When you’re planning remember to do a check at home and see what items you already have and then create your shopping list. 

3. Don’t Shop On An Empty Stomach 

We’ve all heard this one before but it really makes a difference. A number of times I’ve bought extra things I don’t need just because I was hungry, we all do it right? So if you want to stick to only buying what you need to make sure you don’t have an empty stomach. 

4. Fewer Ingredients Are Best 

If you’re buying processed foods stick to the ones that have a short ingredient list. If the ingredient list is long and filled with lots of long words you can’t pronounce it’s probably best to avoid if you can. 

5. Whole Foods Are The Way To Go 

Instead, choose whole foods that haven’t been heavily processed and usually have the least amount of ingredients. You can always add extra flavor, salts or sugars yourself if you want. This tip is especially important when buying bread or pasta, be sure to look for whole grain or whole wheat options and again look for the products with the least amount of processing. Look for brown rice instead of white rice and try to incorporate things like quinoa, barley and grain mixes. 

6. Spend Most Of Your Time In The Produce Section 

If you start out in the produce section of your supermarket you’re bound to end up with a range of healthy options that are reasonably fresh. Try to choose fruits and veggies in a range of colors to get a good mix of vitamins and minerals. 

7. It’s Okay To Buy Cut Up Fruit & Veggies 

It makes things easier and if the fruit is already cut up and ready to eat you may notice you end up eating more fruits and veggies because you don’t need to spend any time preparing them. 

8. Don’t Get Fooled By Overly Hyped Marketing 

Yes, the packaging may say low-fat, healthy, heart approved meals but always check the ingredients and don’t believe the hype. There are many times I’ve bought something that looked really healthy only to bring it home and find the healthy ingredients were less than 5% so be sure to check the ingredient list before making a purchase. 

9. It’s Okay To Buy Canned & Frozen Foods 

There is actually a whole range of healthy and cheap canned foods that you can stock up at home. Keep a mix of beans, veggies, and fruits as these are great for throwing into a weeknight meal and are super versatile. Remember to look out for added salts and sugars and try to avoid these if possible. As for the freezer items, some frozen veggies can be just as good for you as they’re frozen immediately to help lock in nutrients. 

10. Buy In Bulk 

If you’re into health foods and want to save some money it’s a good idea to buy in bulk if you can. Yes, it may cost you a lot up front but you’ll have something that will hopefully last for months and you won’t need to keep going back to stock up. 

11. Buy Local 

Find out if there are any local farmers markets in your town and buy directly from the farmers. This way your food will be much fresher and you’ll be supporting your community at the same time. A day at the farmer's markets can also be a fun experience for the family if you hate going to the store. You can also ask your local grocery store to point out which produce is local or read the labels to see where the ingredients are sourced.

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I kept this blog simple... well... because I do simple. With a food snob husband and two toddler boys to rally, I have to feed someone every second of ever day (or so it feels).

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