Shopping for Healthy Groceries Made Simple
Every year, millions of dollars are spent on advertising foods that might not be the best choices for your heart and health. Yet, healthy food is out there and available. A wise shopper must learn where to look and how to go about making healthy choices.
When it comes to types of food and brand items, grocery stores offer their shoppers a lot of choices. So many choices can oftentimes be daunting. Shoppers do not have to be discouraged, however.
Before you go to the store, create a grocery list. You can't eat in a healthy way if you don't have all the ingredients you need for your meal. This can also save confusion, later, when you're in the store.
As you're making out your list and planning your menu, remember the food pyramid. Making sure that you have the correct amounts of vegetables, whole grains, dairy, fruits, lean meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and beans is important to your overall health.
Try to incorporate lots of fresh fruit and produce into your diet. This means fewer canned fruits and vegetables. They don't have to be organic, either. Try your local farmer's market to get locally grown fruits and vegetables.
If you and your family are big pasta and rice lovers, try switching to whole grain. Although the taste might take some time getting used to, it holds more fiber which is a healthy alternative.
When choosing meats, try to purchase lean cuts, as well as skinless poultry. The skin usually holds the most fat. When it comes to fish, salmon is generally a good bet because it's healthy and doesn't have a "fishy" taste to it.
You don't have to blow most of your grocery budget on meats, either. The USDA only recommends that 1/4 of your plate be filled with protein. By protein, that includes eggs, tofu, beans, and nuts, too. The rest can go to fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
While you're shopping, stick to the edges of the store. The healthy foods like the meat, produce, and breads are usually located on the edges. The junk food aisles are generally in the middle of the store.
If buying canned food, watch for items that do not contain a lot of salt. Canned fruit that is packaged in fruit juice is also a healthy choice.
When you're buying fruits and vegetables, try to purchase items that are in season. These are generally cheaper and have a better taste. When buying some fruits, you can always freeze them and use them later when they are out of season again.
Don't think that you have to cut snacks out of your menu all together. Actually, eating regular snacks is healthy, as long as you do it in moderation. Make sure that you balance out unhealthy snacks with healthy snacks, however. If you find yourself craving a cookie or chocolate throughout the day, also make sure that you have apples and oranges to snack on as well.
Lastly, pre-packaged food is almost always in sodium and saturated fats. It always makes more sense, when trying to shop for healthy choices, to buy fresh ingredients and prepare the meal yourself. It might take a little bit more time, but in the end you spend about the same amount of money and you have a much healthier meal. - 17273
When it comes to types of food and brand items, grocery stores offer their shoppers a lot of choices. So many choices can oftentimes be daunting. Shoppers do not have to be discouraged, however.
Before you go to the store, create a grocery list. You can't eat in a healthy way if you don't have all the ingredients you need for your meal. This can also save confusion, later, when you're in the store.
As you're making out your list and planning your menu, remember the food pyramid. Making sure that you have the correct amounts of vegetables, whole grains, dairy, fruits, lean meat, poultry, fish, nuts, and beans is important to your overall health.
Try to incorporate lots of fresh fruit and produce into your diet. This means fewer canned fruits and vegetables. They don't have to be organic, either. Try your local farmer's market to get locally grown fruits and vegetables.
If you and your family are big pasta and rice lovers, try switching to whole grain. Although the taste might take some time getting used to, it holds more fiber which is a healthy alternative.
When choosing meats, try to purchase lean cuts, as well as skinless poultry. The skin usually holds the most fat. When it comes to fish, salmon is generally a good bet because it's healthy and doesn't have a "fishy" taste to it.
You don't have to blow most of your grocery budget on meats, either. The USDA only recommends that 1/4 of your plate be filled with protein. By protein, that includes eggs, tofu, beans, and nuts, too. The rest can go to fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
While you're shopping, stick to the edges of the store. The healthy foods like the meat, produce, and breads are usually located on the edges. The junk food aisles are generally in the middle of the store.
If buying canned food, watch for items that do not contain a lot of salt. Canned fruit that is packaged in fruit juice is also a healthy choice.
When you're buying fruits and vegetables, try to purchase items that are in season. These are generally cheaper and have a better taste. When buying some fruits, you can always freeze them and use them later when they are out of season again.
Don't think that you have to cut snacks out of your menu all together. Actually, eating regular snacks is healthy, as long as you do it in moderation. Make sure that you balance out unhealthy snacks with healthy snacks, however. If you find yourself craving a cookie or chocolate throughout the day, also make sure that you have apples and oranges to snack on as well.
Lastly, pre-packaged food is almost always in sodium and saturated fats. It always makes more sense, when trying to shop for healthy choices, to buy fresh ingredients and prepare the meal yourself. It might take a little bit more time, but in the end you spend about the same amount of money and you have a much healthier meal. - 17273
About the Author:
For even more suggestions on how to create a useful healthy grocery list, visit 4GrocerySavings.com to learn how to successfully shop for healthy groceries.
posted by X - Men at
5:13 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home