How to Grocery Shop Quickly and Bring Home Food That is Healthy and Fits With Your Diet?
In your hurry to get grocery shopping finished it is easy to purchase the wrong kinds of foods.
Some have an undeserved reputation as being healthy, and when too busy to check the label you can be fooled.
Turkey for example is a very lean meat but when sold as frankfurters or bologna is just another fatty food.
Some soups like chicken noodle just sound healthy but be sure to check the labels as some contain high levels of sodium and saturated fat.
That is why the government has enlisted companies to display nutritional ingredients on their packaging to allow us to see what we are actually getting.
In order to save you time when shopping the % Daily Value is displayed on all products.
That allows you to scan the item quickly and determine if the item you are purchasing, has little or much of the ingredient you are looking for.
For example a low fat food will have 3 grams or less of fat per serving and a good fiber cereal may have 16 % Daily Value.
For many of us this excursion to the grocery store is a chore many would avoid.
We may dislike crowds, checkout lines and the hauling of our grocery bags.
It is even more arduous if we have a condo or apartment.
Here are 7 tips to get you into the store and out quickly, but with the proper foods required to maintain a healthy lifestyle or diet.
1.
Prepare a list after checking your pantry and fridge of what you require.
Stick to it and do not deviate.
It will be faster and prevents another trip for something you forgot.
2.
If you shop at the same market each week and can remember, arrange your list by aisle.
Usually the bread and produce are at opposite ends of the store.
3.
Walk by the sample booths that are set up to entice you to buy something you do not want and are usually not what you need for a healthy diet.
4.
Try to avoid the candy, potato chip and dip aisle.
This is an area that has too many temptations for the average person trying to change his eating habits.
5.
If you bring cash it saves time at the checkout, and prevents you from buying items that you do not need.
6.
Shop at a store that is familiar at non peak times and avoid the specialty outlets if possible.
7.
Here are some quick healthy picks by aisle.
In the dairy case buy non fat milk or 1%, cheeses with less than 5 grams of fat per ounce and low fat yogurt.
In the deli aisle try to avoid the processed foods and if you do purchase any, try to make sure they have 2 grams of fat or less per serving.
Pick up fresh pasta as an alternative.
In the meat case select leaner cuts of meats and skinless chicken.
When picking out breads try to purchase whole wheat varieties and cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber.
In the canned aisle watch for products that contain excess sodium, saturated fats or ones that are sweetened.
In the freezer case pick out vegetables and frozen fruits.
Remember that the vegetables are flash frozen and contain all of their nutrients.
The ones purchased in the store depending on the time of year, may have been in shipment or on the shelf weeks after they were picked.
In the produce area try to select vegetable and fruits that will be consumed by the next time you are required to do the shopping.
If you stick to the same grocery store that has the ability to provide you with quality products on a regular basis, you will be in and out quickly with healthy foods and produce to sustain your chosen lifestyle.
Some have an undeserved reputation as being healthy, and when too busy to check the label you can be fooled.
Turkey for example is a very lean meat but when sold as frankfurters or bologna is just another fatty food.
Some soups like chicken noodle just sound healthy but be sure to check the labels as some contain high levels of sodium and saturated fat.
That is why the government has enlisted companies to display nutritional ingredients on their packaging to allow us to see what we are actually getting.
In order to save you time when shopping the % Daily Value is displayed on all products.
That allows you to scan the item quickly and determine if the item you are purchasing, has little or much of the ingredient you are looking for.
For example a low fat food will have 3 grams or less of fat per serving and a good fiber cereal may have 16 % Daily Value.
For many of us this excursion to the grocery store is a chore many would avoid.
We may dislike crowds, checkout lines and the hauling of our grocery bags.
It is even more arduous if we have a condo or apartment.
Here are 7 tips to get you into the store and out quickly, but with the proper foods required to maintain a healthy lifestyle or diet.
1.
Prepare a list after checking your pantry and fridge of what you require.
Stick to it and do not deviate.
It will be faster and prevents another trip for something you forgot.
2.
If you shop at the same market each week and can remember, arrange your list by aisle.
Usually the bread and produce are at opposite ends of the store.
3.
Walk by the sample booths that are set up to entice you to buy something you do not want and are usually not what you need for a healthy diet.
4.
Try to avoid the candy, potato chip and dip aisle.
This is an area that has too many temptations for the average person trying to change his eating habits.
5.
If you bring cash it saves time at the checkout, and prevents you from buying items that you do not need.
6.
Shop at a store that is familiar at non peak times and avoid the specialty outlets if possible.
7.
Here are some quick healthy picks by aisle.
In the dairy case buy non fat milk or 1%, cheeses with less than 5 grams of fat per ounce and low fat yogurt.
In the deli aisle try to avoid the processed foods and if you do purchase any, try to make sure they have 2 grams of fat or less per serving.
Pick up fresh pasta as an alternative.
In the meat case select leaner cuts of meats and skinless chicken.
When picking out breads try to purchase whole wheat varieties and cereals with at least 5 grams of fiber.
In the canned aisle watch for products that contain excess sodium, saturated fats or ones that are sweetened.
In the freezer case pick out vegetables and frozen fruits.
Remember that the vegetables are flash frozen and contain all of their nutrients.
The ones purchased in the store depending on the time of year, may have been in shipment or on the shelf weeks after they were picked.
In the produce area try to select vegetable and fruits that will be consumed by the next time you are required to do the shopping.
If you stick to the same grocery store that has the ability to provide you with quality products on a regular basis, you will be in and out quickly with healthy foods and produce to sustain your chosen lifestyle.