Wondering how to grocery shop for good health? What jumps into your cart at the grocery store determines what you eat at home. Registered Dietitian Addie Claire Jones offers some helpful tips.
Knowing what to search for at the grocery store is a starting point to better nutrition.
Jones points out that many people hear the advice of “shopping the perimeter of the store”, meaning only visit the produce, meat, and bread sections. But sometimes this is not always feasible.
How to Grocery Shop and Buy Healthy Options
• “There’s definitely good options in every aisle. So, look for those lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats in every aisle”, says Jones. She adds knowing what to look for on the label that can make the biggest impact on your health, from checking the unsaturated fat levels to fiber and protein.
• For meal planning, instead of focusing on something different for every meal of every day, try focusing on recipe planning with healthy ingredients. Jones says, “take three recipes and use those to make a grocery list, and then make sure you have enough snacks foods for five days that’s usually easier and just stick with that. Stick with the three meals at a time, the three recipes worth of ingredients and go from there.
• “Most of the time you’re going to have leftovers and you’ll be able to stretch that over the week, it’s a lot less overwhelming than thinking about all fifteen meals at one time”, adds Jones.
• Also, don’t be shy about getting frozen vegetables. Food waste is very important and produce is the top type of foods that are wasted. Jones says, “Buying frozen vegetables is a good way of getting things that we’re picked and frozen right at their peak of freshness and their peak of nutrients as well….and also you’re able to keep them at hand.”
• Be sure to keep at least two meals worth of healthy food in your freezer and two meals of healthy food in your pantry. That way you are never out of healthy options.
Below are options from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s that Jones recommends to help get started:
At Whole Foods Addie recommends:
• Produce
• anything on sale
• Banza pasta
• 365 Organic Roasted Garlic Red Sauce
• Popcorner’s Flourish Veggie Crisps
• Tessemae’s Green Goddess dressing
• Tessemae’s Lemon Garlic dressing
• Delighted By Dessert Brownie Batter Hummus.
At Trader Joe’s Addie recommends:
• Bananas
• Pre-made salads
• A large selection for easy grab and go meals
• Heat and Serve Lentils
• The only seasonings you will ever need: 1) Everything but the Bagel Seasoning; 2) 21 Salute Seasoning; 30 Chili Lime Seasoning.
Click here to learn more about how to grocery shop for good health.
