How to Grocery Shop for a Healthier Diet

Home is the very first place we learn about healthy eating, so it’s important to have healthy food readily available in your house.

So, if you’re looking to boost your overall health or simply want to lose some of those pesky pounds, then eating healthy meals at home will probably be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.

If you keep preparing “convenient” but unhealthy meals at home, then you’re unlikely to achieve your health goals any time soon. The chances of you consuming artificial and processed foods are greater.

So the next time you shop, remember these smart grocery shopping strategies to resist the temptation of stocking up on unhealthy food. Shopping for your health is the very first step to succeeding in your health goals.

Tip # 1. Keep Your Focus on what’s Important

Don’t wander too far off from the grocery. Proceed to the fresh produce and lean meats section first and choose what you need.

Remember, you don’t eat what you don’t buy.

It’s helpful to plan ahead for your meal. Check our yummy Paleo recipes (www.yumpaleo.com) so you can plan what you need and how much of it is needed.

Tip # 2. Avoid the Bakery Section

The bakery area is where you should NOT be. Bakery food is full of empty calories such as white flour, butter, hydrogenated oils and sugar, so stay away from this section.

You surely don’t want to be tempted to purchase anything that will ruin your diet. Right?

Tip # 3. Dodge the Processed Food Section

Most groceries keep aisles of unhealthy items such as soda, canned goods, high-sodium snacks and packaged convenience meals in the middle, AVOID THESE AT ALL COSTS.

Nothing that comes from this area will give you the body you truly need. You don’t want to bring home rubbish that will make you lethargic, sluggish and generally unhealthy.

It always helps to read the label especially if you really can’t stop yourself from venturing into this area. Make sure that you don’t put anything in your cart that contains sugar, trans fats, artificial sweeteners and chemical-based ingredients you can’t even pronounce.

Tip # 4. Be Careful in the Frozen Section

Although fresh is best, there may be times where you’ll find yourself buying vegetables, fruits, fish and chicken that are in the frozen section. Remember to check the label and ingredients to ensure that you are only getting those without preservatives.

If there is a sale however, you can freeze fresh produce that you purchased in bulk. This can help reduce your grocery cost and ensure that you always have healthy food on hand.

Tip # 5. Eat before you shop

Don’t go to the grocery on an empty stomach. If you do, there’s a bigger chance of you putting guilty-pleasure foods into your cart.

Also, it is difficult to shop when your stomach is growling so feed yourself first before you hit the store. It’s not wise to make yourself vulnerable to temptation, so take the necessary precautions to avoid such situations in the first place.

You’ll be able to stick to your goals by planning your grocery shopping in advance. Navigate the store properly and think of every piece of food you place in your cart.

This way, you’re less likely to deviate from your daily eating plan because you have a specific list at hand.

Don’t get anything that’s not on your checklist. Discipline yourself not to be tempted to buy food that doesn’t naturally benefit your body.

Ask yourself: does this particular food add value to my health, or does it take me further away from my goal?
When you get into the conscious habit of actively choosing healthy products, your body will thank you for it.