The best advise I can give is to buy Seasonal, Local, Organic, Whole foods.
Here are some of my tips for a healthy food shopping experience.
Your farmers markets are a great start to finding these foods. Talk to the farmers, find out what’s in season, they may even be able to give you tips on how to cook their produce.
Buy items in bulk if you can, most healthy flours, nuts and seeds are cheaper if bought in bulk and if you have the room store them in the freezer to maintain the quality.
Buy your meat from the farmers market or your local butcher or even straight from a farmer, some farmers offer onsite preparation and pick/delivery of a side of beef/lamb. Often, they can package to your family’s number of people.
Make your list of meals for the week and stick to it, wandering the supermarket with no idea of what you have planned for the week can be disastrous for your wallet and your health.
Look for new foods. We often end up with the same items in our trolley/basket. There are probably some vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes you haven’t tried before. Try something different! Think about trying one new food per week. Think of it as trying the rainbow and if you have young children they will love eating the rainbow.
Frozen foods have been known to have a bad reputation, I’m not talking frozen ready meals, but frozen veggies. Many companies have stepped up their game and you can find a variety of nutritious options in the freezer aisle. If the fresh produce doesn’t look good, opt for frozen fruits and vegetables: they’re flash-frozen right after picking depending on what’s in season they may be a fresher option.
Before you go food shopping have a small snack, so you aren’t shopping hungry. This helps to avoid those impulse buys. Remember what’s in your trolley/basket will likely end up in your stomach.
Make it healthy!
It is suggested that people make poor decisions if they are shopping when hungry.
Eating healthier starts with what you buy and how you think about it. Following these tips will help you choose the best healthy food during your food shopping experience.
Hopefully some of these tips will help you with your food shopping and picking the healthier options.
Actions items: