Navigating the grocery store for health

A health-minded person trying to lose or maintain their weight, a simple trip to the grocery store can cause a perfectly rational person to become anxious and panicked. Where to start? With so many choices, so many aisles, how is one to navigate such a vast selection with a clear, health-focused mindset? 

A few simple tips and grocery shopping may just seem a little less dreadful. 

1. Focus on shopping from the outside in. Keep your shopping to the perimeter of the store, where the fresh, wholesome products lay. Most grocery stores' front doors open in front of the produce section for it's appealing bright, fresh atmosphere. Spend the majority of your time here, and make your way through the deli/butcher area for lean meats, dairy section for low fat cheese, milk and yogurt and finally the bread aisle for whole grain breads, wraps and buns. 

2. Focus on the dirty dozen in the produce section. Although it may be ideal, it is not necessary to eat all-organic fruits and vegetables, as the price can be sky-high compared to the pesticide-laden variety. Focus your efforts on keeping yourself and your family chemical-free by switching to Organic for the "Dirty Dozen" fruits and vegetables that are highest in pesticides and unwanted chemicals. Some of these includes peaches (the worst), apples, bell peppers, celery, strawberries and lettuce. For a complete list, please click the above link. 

3. Shop the center aisles last. Once you have filled your cart with wholesome, healthy ingredients like fresh produce and lean proteins, you won't have much more room- or budget- for the inner-aisle processed foods. Remember my tips for choosing healthy nutrition bars for snacks, and make sure the snacks you buy for your kids' lunch boxes are free of added sugars and unnecessary preservatives. 

4. When choosing foods in the center aisles, stick with the simplest staples you can add your own healthy touches to- skip pre-boxed rice mixes and go for a bag of short grain brown rice and add your own spices, low fat cheese or healthy oils for flavor, same for pasta and noodles. When choosing a pasta sauce, look for the varieties that have the least amount of extra ingredients. Remember, if you can't pronounce one or more ingredient, DO NOT BUY IT. 

5.  Bring a list to avoid impulse buys. Do not buy anything that is not on your list, unless it is something you honestly forgot, or a fruit or vegetable that seems especially worthy of your consumption. 

Lastly, don't forget your re-usable bags!