Your grocery shopping strategy can be a make-or-break when it comes to your diet. Keep these six simple tips in mind when grocery shopping to help you stay on track and avoid post-shopping guilt.
1. Get colorful
Make that basket colorful! Aim to have at least five different colors in your shopping cart, as color typically accompanies foods that are packed with nutrients and flavor.
2. Make a list (and stick to it!)
It’s super easy to see something in the grocery store and convince yourself you need it. You don’t. Make a list ahead of time, and don’t stray from it.
3. Eat, then plan
Before you start thinking about what you need in your pantry, make sure your stomach is full. When we’re hungry, we tend to think with our stomachs rather than our heads, thus making unhealthy choices.
4. Skip the store
Head over to your local farmers market to get the freshest and (usually) healthiest food while avoiding temptation all-together. If you don’t have the option to eat unhealthily, how can you?
5. Read the label
There might be foods that you’ve wrongly labelled “healthy” in your head that are actually calorie packed. Take a second to look at the label, and you might decide to cut that food from your diet. If you’re unsure of how to interpret what you see on the label, click here to learn how.
6. Pace the perimeter
Grocery stores are often set up with produce, dairy, meat and whole grains on the outer perimeter of the store. These are generally the healthiest, freshest foods. Only go down an aisle if you have something you specifically need to grab, and stay away otherwise.
Keep these tips in mind next time your fridge looks bare, and keep it stocked with healthy foods.
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