You guys hear me talk all the time about how important it is to plan and prep for a successful week and what you do (or dont do) at the grocery store really lays the groundwork for your healthy habits! Remember...if you stock the kitchen with good food, you eat good food!! But its easy to make mistakes at the grocery store too...here are a couple to be sure to avoid!
Before you can make a list you need to make a meal plan so you know exactly what you'll be eating and exactly what you need to buy. Are you having left overs? What nights do you have kids sports? What days do you need extra snacks? Take a few minutes to sit down and look at the week ahead. Then plan your meals, check the fridge and pantry for what you already have then write down the rest on your list
I always advise against shopping while hungry! Thats the #1 distraction right there. You cant concentrate and everything looks so good, you just toss it in the cart! So make sure you've had a nice healthy meal before you start! Also make sure you're really focused on what you're doing. Dont be on the phone or checking emails. It is so easy to skip over prices, nutritional info or even leave without something you actually needed!
Something that is so important to do is to READ LABELS!! I'm not just talking about the Calories, Fat grams and carbs. I mean look over the INGREDIENTS too!! We're all so brainwashed to grab the fat free, low fat, low carb etc. But what that usually means is that the sugars have been upped and the food item is PACKED with crap to still make it taste good! Make sure you can read the ingredients and know what they are. Not wonder if they came from a science experiment.
Also serving sizes....look ahead at your list. I have found through using the 21 Day Fix portion control system that the one chicken breast I used to eat for dinner is actually 2-3 times the amount I should be eating!!! So that pack of chicken you thought might only last your family 1-2 dinners could actually be stretched a LOT further!
4. Skipping the freezer section and canned goods
I typically choose to get fresh produce but at the same time this could mean that I make extra trips to the grocery store through the week as sometimes it can go bad quickly! So I've started getting frozen broccoli, green beans and berries to keep on hand too. These items are frozen at their peak so have just as much nutrition as the fresh varieties.
Same goes for the meat. I recently spoke with the butcher and he told me that much of the stuff comes frozen to the store. So unless you need something to cook for dinner and you forgot to thaw something out the frozen options are just as good
I also stock up on canned tomatoes and beans for chilis, beans and rice or soups. But make sure you check for low sodium options and honestly the organic options are VERY similar in price so I go organic as much as I can.
5. Hitting the produce section last
Just like your dinner plate, your shopping cart should be mostly filled with veggies!! So hit up the produce section first and try some new things!! If youre looking to reduce your carbs try cauliflower for rice or pizza crusts. Zucchini or spaghetti squash noodles in place of pasta!! You'll soon realize you're not missing much from the high calorie rice and pastas and you'll be surprised at how filling it is!!
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