Healthy Choices While Grocery Shopping
Although various brands of food spend millions of dollars a year advertising foods that aren’t necessarily healthy choices, there are healthy foods out there in your local grocery store, waiting to be found. With a few tips, a smart shopper should be able to find good buys that are good for the wallet, as well as the heart.
With so many choices when it comes to food, shoppers can sometimes feel discouraged when it comes to making healthy choices. Customers shouldn’t feel daunted when trying to find healthy food, however.
First, create a shopping list before you leave for the store. Cooking in a healthy way requires you to have all the necessary ingredients so you don’t want to forget anything.
When you’re making out your list and menu, be sure to keep the food pyramid in mind. In order to stay healthy, it’s best to have the right amounts of vegetables, whole grains, dairy, fruits, lean meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and beans.
You don’t have to eat organic to be healthy. As long as you eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re doing well. Try adding these to your list instead of the canned variety. To get a good deal, and help out your local economy, consider visiting your local farmer’s market.
Although the taste might take some time to get used to, try using whole grained rice and pasta when cooking. These foods contain a lot of fiber, which is good for you.
As you’re buying meats, do your best to purchase lean cuts. With poultry, it’s good to use skinless pieces. Salmon is a good choice for fish since it is fairly inexpensive and doesn’t always taste “fishy.”
You don’t have to fill your entire plate with protein, either, which is good for your budget. The USDA only recommends that of your plate be protein, with the rest being fruits and vegetables and whole grains. That doesn’t even have to be meat-it can also be beans, tofu, eggs, or nuts.
The healthiest food options are usually located around the edges of the store. This is where you will find your breads, produce, and meats. The junk food aisles tend to be in the center of the store.
If buying canned food, try to look for food that has minimum salt. Fruits stored in fruit juice are a good option as well. If worried about salt, you can always rinse off the items before you use them.
Seasonality plays a part in produce. Fruits and vegetables tend to cost less, and are tastier, when they are in season. Some fruits, such as strawberries, can be frozen, too, and used in the off-season instead of purchasing them later when they are more expensive.
Snacking might have a bad reputation, but it can actually be good for you, as long as you don’t overdo it. When you pick out your snack foods, make sure you that you include both healthy and unhealthy snacks. Along with your ice cream and cookies, be sure to include nuts, apples, and bananas as well.
Last, but not least, although pre-packaged food looks more convenient, it is usually filled with sodium and saturated fat. When shopping for healthy choices, it’s always better to purchase the ingredients and prepare your food yourself. In the long run, you’ll end up paying about the same amount of money, but your menu will be much healthier.