How do you feel about grocery shopping?! Grocery shopping can be a love or hate relationship, and for some a love/hate relationship.
However you feel towards grocery shopping it’s important to not let it sabotage your health goals. That is why I am sharing with you my 4 tips to make grocery shopping productive and beneficial to your health.
1. Don’t go hungry. I think we all know this one, but sometimes we don’t have a choice. Being a busy mom sometimes means the shopping trip gets done when the opportunity calls. If you can help it, eat before you go. This will help you stay on track and not get distracted wanting to buy everything in sight… which has happened to the best of us more than we would like to admit.
If you do get caught at the grocery store hungry, grab something to snack on while you shop. I am not sure if this breaks the store rules but I do it ☺ Grab a kombucha drink, or some type of healthy bar to hold you over.
📷
2. Have a plan. Take a few minutes before you head to the store to make a list and STICK TO IT! Plan out your meals, but also check to see what you already have on hand. If you already have some items, build a meal around what you got. This saves time and money, but also helps cut back on food waste.
📷
3. Focus on the perimeter, but don’t forget the frozen aisles and the canned foods. You may have heard this one before, but shopping the perimeter helps ensure to keep your grocery trip healthy and fresh. Most of the produce, dairy and meats can be found along the perimeter. If you follow this rule, you prevent yourself from getting distracted with unnecessary junk. However, I have an exception to this rule.
Canned food can be a great option to keep stocked in your house. The long shelf life will help make sure that you always have some type of vegetable to add to dinner or last minute protein such as beans to bulk up a meal. It is true that canned foods are higher in sodium but if you rinse them a few times before cooking you can cut down on some of the sodium. Boom! The frozen section should not be ruled out either. Frozen foods are picked in their prime season so they are very nutrient dense + quick and easy to prepare!
📷
4. Get foods that you enjoy.
It is not good to deprive yourself. We need to eat food that we enjoy, but that doesn't mean splurge and buy a bunch of junk. Plan meals that you enjoy and find away to make them healthy. For example, if you love pasta try using an alternative such as quinoa pasta or chickpea pasta. If pizza is one of your favorites, throw some veggies on top or pair it with a large salad. Eating foods you enjoy and finding ways to make them healthier will help to keep you on track but will also eliminate food waste in your home.
📷
Do you have any tips or tricks that help you stick to your health goals? Share them with us over at the Busy and Healthy Moms FB group!
to your health
xxx
📷