1. Make a grocery list.
We're all too familiar with walking the store and forgetting what you came to get. This leads to picking random items we don't need, and impulse buying. Creating a list takes the stress out of grocery shopping. A list improves grocery shopping in numerous ways. First, it gives you the ability to organize your food ideas, you know exactly what foods your searching for, secondly a good list helps you save time in the store. You know exactly what you came for, and you can get back to the more important things in life.
2. Don't Shop While Hungry
Shopping hungry often leads to impulse buys. These impulse buys are often snack foods that can be consumed quickly such as chips, candy bars, honey bun etc. These type of foods consumed in excess are associated with negative health outcomes including obesity, cancer, heart disease and more. Shopping on a full stomach will allow you to fight temptation easier and avoid the candy aisle.
3. Shop the Perimeter of the Store
Typically the healthier food items- fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats are on the perimeter of the store. When shopping for fresh produce, try to get all the colors of the rainbow in your basket. While unhealthy processed foods are typically in the center aisles of the store.
4. Buy Whole-Grains
Avoid white breads, and flours, those breads are stripped of their nutrients and will cause a spike in blood sugar when consumed. Whole grains products are better because they have all of their nutrients and it's fiber content prevents a rapid spike in blood sugar.
5. Read the Food Label
Avoid foods that contain more than eight ingredients, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, artificial flavors/ingredients, and ingredients you can’t pronounce. Buy foods that have ingredients that are familiar and recognizable. The best foods in the entire store have no ingredients list.. the produce!
6. Use Coupons!
Couponing will allow you to buy more food while saving money “Hello BOGO sales”!
Most grocery stores send a coupon list/sales out a week before. You can plan ahead with these list to plan what meals you are going to prepare for the week ahead. They also can provide some serious savings when used consistently.
