Cooking healthy meals at home is much easier if your kitchen is stocked with healthy options. A healthy diet starts with making smart choices at the grocery store. However, with thousands of options and dozens of aisles, a trip to the store can quickly become overwhelming.
Here are some tips for making healthy decisions in the supermarket:
- Have a plan. Think about all of the meals you need to prepare during the next week and the ingredients you’ll need to purchase prior to going to the store. You can even save time while you’re in the store by grouping your ingredients that are in the same aisle or department. Having a plan will keep you on track and prevents you from buying items that are unhealthy or unnecessary.
- Eat a small healthy snack before heading to the grocery store. It’s important to avoid going to the grocery store while hungry as it avoids making unhealthy decisions.
- Shop the perimeter. The outer aisles of the grocery store are where you’ll find the freshest and least processed foods, like leafy green vegetables and lean meats.
- Shop seasonal. When vegetables are in season, they are often more abundant and less expensive. Zucchini, butter lettuce, and cucumbers are a few options that are especially in season during the summertime.
- Avoid buying bulk. It may seem like a good deal, but having larger quantities of food can make it easier to overeat. If you choose to buy bulk, try repackaging your food into single-serving containers when you get home.
Ask Coach Maria for other healthy grocery shopping tips or if you have your healthy on your mind, let’s chat.