If you’ve started a new fitness routine or are working on lifestyle changes, even your familiar local grocery store can suddenly seem intimidating. You may feel a pressure to buy “all new foods” and to completely overhaul your current eating plan.
Kimberly Edwards, a registered dietitian, warns that this can quickly become discouraging. Fitting all those new foods into your day-to-day routine can be overwhelming, she says, and you may end up throwing away lots of items that spoil before you can use them.
But help is at hand. Follow Kimberly’s tips and navigate the grocery aisles like a pro.
Preparation
- The first rule of thumb is, always shop with a grocery list—and have a plan for each of the foods listed. Planning meals for the week can help you avoid poor choices.
- If you know the layout of your grocery store—and you probably do—it helps! Know which aisles contain the healthy necessities and which ones to completely avoid (we’re looking at you, snack and chip aisle!).
- Never go shopping when you’re hungry, which is typically a signal that your blood sugars are running a little low. The brain needs fuel to work properly, so a growling stomach may mean your decision-making skills are not at their best. This can cause you to add unhealthy items to your cart that you’d usually speed on past.
- Keep chips, cookies and other “trigger foods” out of the cart if you think portion control will be a problem once you get them home.
Produce First
Start your shopping in the produce section and continue around the perimeter of the store before heading down the interior aisles for shelf staples. The perimeter of the store is usually where fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and dairy are to be found.
- Remember that the majority of your foods should come from the produce section.
- Stumped by how to use them? For breakfast, fruits can be added to whole-grain cereals or smoothies and sautéed vegetables to eggs. For lunch and dinner, think salads and roasted vegetables.
- Stock up on raw fruits and vegetables like carrots, grape tomatoes and broccoli for snacking.
- Sticking with produce in season will not only make for more affordable choices, but will also maximize the variety of fruits and vegetables you eat over the course of the year. (Check out farmers markets and produce stands at this time of year as well.)
- Buying precut fruits and vegetables saves prep time. They are more expensive, but can definitely be worth the extra cost if you’re more inclined to buy them and thus improve your diet. When fresh is not available, choose frozen or canned fruits and vegetables without added sugars and salts.
Meats
- Focus on lean cuts of meats and fish, and work toward replacing meat with fish at mealtimes throughout the week. Lean cuts of meat—those lower in saturated fat—include beef and pork labeled “loin,” “tenderloin” and “round.” Ground beef should be at least 97 percent lean.
- When selecting chicken and turkey, look for skinless and for leaner parts like the breast. If buying ground poultry as an alternative to ground beef, make sure it’s labeled “ground turkey or chicken breast” and not just “ground turkey” or “ground chicken.”
- Opt for fish like salmon, tuna and whitefish as well as canned tuna and salmon packed in water, not oil.
Milk/Dairy/Cheese
- Selecting lower-fat dairy options will help reduce the saturated fat in your diet. Go for skim or 1 percent milk.
- If choosing milk alternatives such as almond or soy, make sure they’re unsweetened, with no sugars added.
- Buy eggs that have no cracks and can move easy in the carton. With little saturated fat, eggs are a great low-calorie protein choice. Egg substitutes and egg whites are also available if you’re looking to reduce your cholesterol consumption.
- For protein snacks, there are a variety of lower-fat and packaged-by-portion cheeses to choose from. And it’s OK to enjoy the full-fat cheeses once in a while, but keep portions small.
- Most yogurts in the grocery store are loaded with sugars. If buying the flavored variety, try to keep the sugar content to fewer than 10 grams. Better yet, choose plain low-fat Greek yogurt and add your own unsweetened fruits.
Breads/Grains
- Pick whole-grain breads and pastas (make sure the first ingredient listed is “whole wheat” or “whole grain”).
- All-Bran, 100% bran and shredded wheat cereals are good choices (look for those with at least 5 grams of fiber and no sugars added).
- Choose rolled oats instead of the instant variety with added flavors and sugars.
Interior Aisles
- While rolling through the interior aisles, stock up on healthful essentials such olive oil; all-natural nut butters; nuts (no salt added); popcorn (plain); canned (no salt added) and dried beans; and quinoa, wild rice, barley and other bulk grains.
Personalized nutritional consultations can help get your shopping—and eating—on the right track. To schedule a consultation with a registered dietitian at Beaufort Memorial LifeFit Wellness Center, call 843-522-5635.