Here are some ideas for surviving your trips to the grocery store.
- Shop the outside. Most people know this, but it deserves a reminder. The outside aisles of a grocery store generally offer fresh produce, meat, dairy, and eggs, while everything that is highly processed tends to be in the middle or at the end of aisles.
- Don’t shop hungry. Avoid going to the store hungry so you can keep those snack foods from jumping into your grocery cart.
- Read labels. For any new product, make sure to check labels and keep an eye out for added sugar, fat, salt, and any ingredients you can’t pronounce.
- Watch out for marketing claims. Labels that say healthy, natural, or real can be misleading. Ditto for any claims for bone, gut, or heart health. Check with your coach if you have any questions.
- Use a shopping list. Using a shopping list—old fashioned paper and pen, or one of the many shopping list apps will help you plan ahead and not get overwhelmed by choices.
- Do a final check. Before you go up to the checkout, do a final check to make sure your kids haven’t slipped in a bunch of snacks or treats.
Getting home with bags full of whole, healthy foods is the first step in designing a successful food environment, but it doesn’t stop there.
