Making healthy grocery shopping decisions can be hard, especially on a tight budget. There are ways that you can make healthier food choices when you are shopping for your groceries though.
- Shop the Perimeter
Shopping the perimeter of the store is just that: shopping the outside sections of the store. The reason why this is suggested is because there tends to be more whole foods on the perimeter of the store and less products with high contents of sugar and preservatives. By keeping a conscious effort to try and avoid the middle sections if possible, you will be able to prepare meals that might be more nutritionally valuable.
- No Coupons
There have been studies produced showing the negative impact that couponing can have on your health. This is because what tends to be promoted with coupons are foods that are not the healthiest choice.
- Shop Sales
This may seem obvious, but shopping sales allows you to save some extra money, especially if you might be choosing some healthier products that might cost more.
- Organic when you can
Ideally, choosing organic sources of products is more beneficial than your standard products, especially when it comes to meat. An area where you should avoid compromising on this, if possible, is with meats. Non-organic meats tend to contain hormones and possible preservatives that are less than ideal.
- Frozen is okay
When you cannot afford to get organic, or when it is not available, standard products are completely acceptable to choose. This even includes buying frozen vegetables/fruits. Basically it comes down to any fruit or vegetable is better than none. So if you need to purchase frozen vegetables or fruits to save a couple extra dollars, then do so! Buying canned fruits and vegetables is fine as well, but it is important to make sure you are reading the label, and avoiding those that are packed with syrups or a lot of sugar.
- Plan meals in advance
Planning your meals for the week will help keep you focused on what you are really there to get while grocery shopping. By doing this, you avoid purchasing products that you see and want, but do not really need.
- Seasonal When Possible
Finally, buying seasonal fruits and vegetables is a good way to save some money (because it tends to be on sale), support local farmers, and purchase foods that might have more nutritional value (because the produce was more recently harvested, spent less time traveling, and so has retained more of its nutritional quality).
Some of these ideas are not necessarily cost effective, but, by adopting some of these habits, and keeping these things in mind while shopping, it may help you to choose healthier, higher quality foods.
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Some of the information provided above may not be appropriate for everyone, please consult with your doctor before trying any of the above. If you are interested in Naturopathic Medicine and wanting a different approach to your health care needs, please book an appointment with Elisha Cook at the RSNC today and let me help you achieve your health goals.