Plan a basic menu, take inventory of what’s on hand and what you’ll need to buy to prepare the meals on your menu, then make a shopping list – and stick to it. You’ll be sure to have everything you need and the extras you don’t.
Add breakfast and snack foods to your list, too. That way you won’t be caught off guard early in the morning or when a snack attack hits. Think whole grain cereal and crackers, fruit, cut fresh veggies, yogurt and snack-sized packages of nuts and low fat cheese.
If you’re shopping for just a few items – grab the hand-held basket instead of a cart. You’ll get more of a workout – and, many step counters don’t calculate steps when you’re pushing a cart.
Divide your grocery cart in half and plan to fill half with a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables – fresh, frozen and canned they all count towards your “half-plate produce” goal at meals and snacks.
Did you know many grocery stores will prepare your fresh seafood selection for no additional cost? It’s a simple way to eat one of the two recommended fish meals weekly.
If temptation lurks in the aisles, pass up those you don’t need such as the chip, cookie and sugary drink aisles – even opt for candy-free check lanes.
As you unpack your bags at home, put away the perishables ASAP – but save the fresh vegetables for last. Then clean and cut up vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, jicama, bell peppers and cucumber.
Store them in zip-top bags in the refrigerator (at eye level.) so they’re ready when you are for a quick salad, stir-fry, grill or roast or simply eaten out of hand at snack time.
Are you ready to start making healthier choices? Let our registered dietitians take you on a personalized tour of your usual store to get accurate and helpful information to make the healthiest choices. Call 314.996.4987 for more information or to schedule your grocery store tour.