Here are some shopping strategies to help you with your diet:
- Prepare a list ahead of time. Spend a few minutes writing down what you need. This will save you time and money because, after you get to the store, you might want to buy more items than were part of your original plan or budget.
- Make sure you shop on a full stomach. Don’t shop when you are hungry. You may not make the best judgement on what to get and may grab any junk food in sight because your body needs to be fed!
- Shop the perimeter of the store. All your basic staples are there — fresh fruits and vegetables, breads and other grains, raw meats and seafood, and dairy products. All the highly process packaged foods are in the middle aisles.
- Buy pre-cut and washed fresh fruit or vegetables. Use a bagged salad or slaw mix for a quick salad.
- Load your freezer with frozen vegetables and fruits. Vegetables can be easily added to soups or sitr-fry’s. Berries can be added to yogurt, smoothies, and breakfast cereals.
- Instant oatmeal and whole grain cereal make for a quick breakfast or snack. Make sure you choose a plain cereal with less added sugar.
- Pick up whole wheat pitas, wraps, or English muffins for a change from sandwich bread.
- Select pre-marinated meat, poultry, fish, vegetable, or shrimp skewers.
- Add canned beans and lentils to soups, chilis, pasta sauces, or salads. They are healthy alternatives to meat and can save you meal preparation time.
- Nuts and seeds (without salt) are healthy snacks to help you through a mid-afternoon slump.
- Check out the deli section of the store for healthy foods like hummus, salsas, roasted chicken (remove the skin), and deli meats. Choose deli meats that are low in fat, like turkey, chicken, and lean roast beef.
- Yogurt comes in all different sizes and flavors and is a good calcium-rich snack. Cottage cheese and ricotta cheeses are both high in protein and calcium.
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