Want to give your shopping cart an overhaul? Remodel the foods in your cabinets and fridge? Start with these tips for healthy shopping.
- Don’t shop when you’re hungry. This is an old rule, but one well worth remembering. Everything looks good when you’re hungry!
- Don’t shop when you’re stressed or depressed. You may be more likely to give in to unhealthy impulse purchases.
- Make a list and make it organized. If you’ve been to the same store for years, you have a good idea of where everything is. Organize your list based on where things are in the store — you’ll get your shopping done faster and you won’t miss things on your list.
- Shop alone. Leave the kids at home if you can — you’ll move faster and spend less. Shoppers surveyed spent as much as forty percent more at the food store when they had the kids along. It will also be easier for you to avoid the junky snacks your kids might crave.
- Skip the skin. Poultry skin is loaded with fat, so buy skinless or remove the skin after cooking.
- Be choosy if you’re buying organic. Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables like apples, celery, grapes, peppers, nectarines, peaches, berries, spinach, potatoes, and pears. Buying everything organic can shoot your shopping bill through the roof!
- Frozen produce is okay, really! Frozen foods are often put on ice within hours of being picked; fresh produce may sit on a truck or in the storeroom for days, losing vitamins. Plus, frozen veggies and fruits aren’t going to spoil if you don’t eat them within the week.
- Need to get some extra steps in your day? Park at the farthest end of the parking lot and walk to the door. You’ll get closer to your 10,000 steps for the day. And you won’t have the stress of fighting for parking spaces and circling waiting for that ultra-close spot. Save the close spots for someone who needs it!