Stay on the Outside-6 Tips to Navigate the Grocery Store

 

Stay on the Outside

                                  

It can cause anxiety, trigger a headache and for some, it may make you avoid doing this activity at all cost. On the other hand, for others, they do this activity everyday or maybe even twice a month!

What am I talking about? 

You know what I am talking about don’t you? 

Okay, I will stop playing the guessing game with you!

I am talking about grocery shopping! 

I  get it! 

Grocery stores can be intimidating to navigate. With so many choices and with new diets fads come out every year, it’s hard to identify what’s really healthy and what’s not. 

Believe me, we’ve all been there!

However, by applying these five tips, you will be well on your way to having a healthier grocery shopping experience.  Are you ready?  Here we go! 

5 Tips to Successfully Navigate the Grocery Store 

Tip # 1 Stay Near the Produce Area: The produce area is usually the first area you encounter in most grocery stores. In this area you will discover a rainbow of color from fruits and vegetables and other healthy products. The variety of colors you will discover in this area reflect the different vitamins, minerals contained within fruits and vegetables.

Tip # 2 Don’t Stay Too Long: When shopping for bread, cereals, and pasta, don’t spend too much time in these areas. When choosing to shop for items in this area, choose the least processed foods. For example, Steel-cut oatmeal is less processed compared to instant oatmeal. Check the sugar content and be mindful not getting tricked with keywords like "all-natural", "wholegrain" and "protein-packed".

Tip # 3  Choose Frozen: When fruits and vegetables are frozen after being picked, the nutrients are locked in. Some studies believe frozen foods may offer more nutrients compared to non-frozen foods. It is important to mention that all frozen foods aren’t healthy. Therefore, be aware of seasoned vegetables and frozen diet meals; these items are known to be high in sodium. 

Tip # 4 Limit Canned and Boxed Foods: Canned and boxed foods are typically higher in sodium compared to fresh foods. High amounts of sodium and preservatives are used to preserve their shelf-life. Therefore use canned and boxed foods sparingly. 

Tip # 5 Limit Your Amount of Sugar-free Foods: Although sugar-free foods may have less calories, these foods contain sugar alcohols, some which have been known for causing gastric distress. Therefore use sparingly and instead of Sugar-Free, try Stevia or Truvia which are plant based sugars instead.

Tip # 6 Don’t Believe the Plant-Based Hype: Just because a food product is plant-based doesn’t mean it is healthy. Therefore, read all ingredient labels on plant-based products and be mindful of their sodium, sugar and calories. Numerous plant-based products are high in sodium and high in calories. Plant-based doesn't equate to being healthy.

Grocery Shopping Doesn’t Have to Complicated

I get it! 

Grocery shopping can sometimes feel like going to the dentist. It can be painful and you only want to go when you have to. But hey, grocery shopping can be enjoyable and more easily navigated when you know what to look for, where to shop and you know how to identify what is really healthy from what isn’t! 

Here’s to keeping you well!

Looking for more action-oriented and non-complicated nutrition information? Check out my new nutrition book entitled” Don't Complicate It-Basic Nutrition and Healthy Eating Made Simple!”

And don’t forget to sign-up for my  monthly nutrition newsletter to receive more nutrition information and other wellness information in your in-box!

Here’s to keeping you well! 

Laticia “Action” Jackson

Olympian, 13 x Wellness Author, Health and Fitness Expert