Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips: A Guide to Shopping With Intention
Temptation is everywhere, including the grocery store. Good for you, or not so good—if you buy it, you’ll eat it. The healthy grocery shopping tips below will help you shop with intention. They can also save you time and money.
#1 Plan Your Meals for the Week
Mapping out what you’re going to prepare for the week ahead ensures you know what to purchase when you go grocery shopping. There’s no need to go it alone, as you can use a cookbook or app that caters to your nutritional needs. Or choose your meals from a personalized meal plan prepared by a registered dietitian.
An added benefit of meal planning is that it saves time and can save money. When preparing meals that freeze well, double the recipe so you can freeze it for fast and easy future meals.
#2 Make a List
Without a list, you may forget an item or two. To maximize your budget, check to see what is on sale before you make your list, prioritizing sales and seasonal produce. In addition to the meal plan you’ve prepared above, be sure to include:
Coffee and tea
Low-sugar beverages
Healthy snacks
Herbs and spices
Fresh and frozen vegetables
Healthy canned goods
Nuts and seeds
Legumes and whole grains
Washed and chopped produce
Your go-to pantry staples
#3 Don’t Go Hungry or Shop Online
When, where, and how you grocery shop is one of the most powerful healthy grocery shopping tips on this list. In-aisle temptation is even more challenging to resist when immersed in a sea of processed foods. So, try to avoid going grocery shopping when you’re hungry. Or order what you need online to save time and drastically reduce temptation.
Shopping online includes healthy deli items, pre-prepped meals in a box, heat-and-serve meals, and fully prepared meals.
#4 Shop The Perimeter and the Aisles
The age-old advice of “shopping the perimeter” still rings true. This includes the produce department, meat and seafood department, and dairy department. Shopping the perimeter supports your healthful intention of purchasing whole foods, but the aisles have more healthy options than ever before. From the health food* aisle to frozen foods, canned goods, and dry goods. Avoid the soda and snack aisles if you can.
*Just because something is in the health food aisle, doesn’t mean it’s a healthy choice. Healthier than the standard alternatives, yes. Suitable for your nutritional needs, not necessarily.
#5 Read Labels
We can’t discuss healthy grocery shopping tips without discussing food product labels. When purchasing canned, frozen, bottled, and other prepackaged food products—be sure to read the label. Generally speaking, the fewer ingredients (5 or fewer) the better. Also, you should easily be able to identify most, if not all, of the ingredients.
In addition to ingredients, check to ensure the item is high in protein and fiber and isn’t too high in calories, sugar, carbs, and fat. What your nutrient intake looks like must be personalized to your individual lifestyle, health, and dietary needs.
#6 Stock Up On Healthy Fast Meals
Even with a meal plan, the week can get busy, leaving you with little to no time to cook. So, be sure to keep items in your freezer and pantry that are fast and easy to prepare. Choose from tuna and tinned fish to canned and frozen foods from various health food brands, and healthy late-night meals.
Or order from a pre-identified list of healthy menu items from local restaurants, being mindful of portion control.
Beyond The Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips Above: Need Help Meal Planning For Your Nutritional Needs?
If your biggest challenge is that you struggle to identify healthy meals that meet your unique dietary needs, let me know. We’ll work together to create a meal plan that is nutrient-dense, delicious, and easy to prepare.