If you’ve spent the last few months at home and noticed yourself hunting for snacks in the cupboards more than usual, then you also may have noticed the number on the scale moving upwards. You are not alone, many others have found their eating habits have also been affected by the Covid Shut in.
Working from home or just having to be around home more, is challenging for many reasons. It is not uncommon for people who are bored, depressed, or stressed, to reach for something to munch on. This is especially true if you are within arm’s reach of the fridge, freezer or pantry.
Can you relate?
Despite the grocery store being essentially unchanged (minus the occasional shortages of toilet paper, baking goods and now cleaning supplies) you might need to grab more of your favorite snack items before they disappear too. But, if you’re looking to change that number on the scale, the key to getting your health back on track actually starts with your shopping list.
What you choose to purchase at the grocery store (or Farmers Market) can help you to gain weight, lose weight or maintain the weight you have. All that is required is to choose wisely and make a plan.
Start by picking satisfying, nutritious foods and drinks as you build your grocery list. If you need help selecting healthy snack items.
Once you create a list of snacks and drink items, you will need to make a list of meals for the next week or two, then formulate your grocery shopping list. This will make food shopping a breeze instead of a chore. It will also help you save time, money and even calories, while reducing food waste.
So are you ready to give your grocery shopping list a tune-up? Here are 5 tips for shopping smarter.
Tip #1 – Create a Master Shopping List
Have you ever gotten to the grocery store or Farmers Market and made a mental note of a few things you might need, then hoped you would remember more items as you wandered through the store? How did that work for you? Taking a more organized approach means you’re likely to remember those items you need and not have to make additional trips to the store. I like to keep a master list on a white board or magnetized note pad on the fridge where family member can add items as they run out. You can also keep a list on your phone or computer. The sample healthy shopping list I like has a place to check off items needed so you can make a list more quickly. Send me an email at heatlhcoachkellogg@gmail.com and I will send you a copy.
Tip #2 – Take Soda’s, Energy Drinks and other sugary beverages off the list.
This is the most important thing I recommend leaving off your list. Especially if you are trying to drop a few pounds or have diabetes. They provide no nutritional value and decrease your body’s immunity.
Instead, add beverages without sugar (not diet) like flavored bubbly water, or natural fruit juices (not from concentrate). You might also consider vegetable juices like Suji or fermented teas like kombucha. There are a wide variety of beverages to choose from including just plain water. Just be sure to read the ingredients list so you know what you are getting. 
Tip #3 – don’t skip the middle Aisles
You might think that “shopping the perimeter is best for your health – and it is, but the middle aisles an provide you with some nourishing staples for the pantry. You can find foods like nuts, beans and gluten free pastas to add to your healthy meals. This is also where you find healthy flours like Bob’s Red Mill and raw cane and coconut sugars to use in baking. When buying food in cans be sure to look for the BPA free label to reduce the number of toxins you are getting. Middle aisles are also a good place to find frozen fruits and veggies. These have a much higher nutritional value compared to their cousins in the can.
Tip #4 – Spend Time in the Produce Section
This is the most important section of the store Of course, if you buy all of your veggies from the Farmers Market or get them in your CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box, then you may not need much time here. If you do find you need to do some fruit and veggie shopping, keep in mind the “dirty dozen” and purchase them only if they are organic. Otherwise, shop away!! Load up on leafy green like kale, lettuces and spinach. Make fresh broccoli the staple veggie as it can be used in a variety of ways. Pay attention to those foods that are in season and develop your meal plans to include them.
Tip #5 – Pay Attention to the Labels
This is critically important when buying something in a bag, box or can from the middle aisle. These items are what is known as “processed foods”. Don’t be fooled by the labels on the front that read, “natural” or “wholesome”. Instead, turn the item over and find the ingredient’s list. Why not the nutrition label? The nutrition label only lets you know the general nutrient calories and amounts, not the foods themselves. Example: Sugar; high fructose corn syrup or cane sugar is handled much differently than say fruit juices not from concentrate or coconut sugar. Items in the ingredient list are listed
from the largest amount to the least. Michael Pollen in his book Food Rules, suggests these two criteria (and more) when it comes to choosing “real” foods in the supermarket. First, “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food” and “Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce.” Be smart about your choices – good rule of thumb; It should contain only 5 ingredients or less and be names of foods you recognize.
Labels in the produce section are also important. You should know how far that fruit or vegetable traveled before ending up on the shelf. Produce begins to decay and loose nutritional value as soon as it is removed from the plant. So if you can by produce grown closer to home the better nutrition it will potentially have.
Finally keep your pantry and freezer stocked with healthy food choices for snacks and quick meals. You may even want to make some meals ahead of time and freeze them for a quick meal on a busy day. Put a list on the fridge and write down items when the last one is being used. For more staple items, you may want to put them on the list when only 1 of that particular item is left on the self. However, you decide to create the list get others in the house to help.
Then, when shopping day comes along, your list will be ready and waiting for you to grab and go. You will spend less time wandering the aisles and picking up items you really don’t need. A shopping list, will save you time, money and needless trips to the store.