It’s not as simple as it sounds…
Going to the grocery store…
Deciding what to buy…
Deciding what to cook with the food you just bought…
Oh yeah, and is it even healthy??
As a Registered Dietitian, I get a lot of questions about grocery shopping. It seems like such a simple thing to buy food, take it home, and cook it, but it really isn’t. So today, I want to answer some of the top questions I get when it comes to grocery shopping. Let me know in the comments below if I missed one of yours!
Should I only shop the perimeter at the grocery store?
This advice of only shopping the perimeter of the grocery store stems from finding the freshest ingredients on the outside of the aisle: produce, fresh meat, and dairy. This means you would be avoiding frozen foods, canned goods, and packaged foods. I’m not a fan of this advice. While it’s accurate to say there’s some great healthy options on the outside perimeter of the store, there’s still healthy choices in the center aisle. You’d be missing out on beans, whole grains, canned/frozen fruits and vegetables, flavorful stocks and broths, and beverages such as sparkling water, coffee, and tea. All of which can be a part of a healthy, balanced diet. Obviously, there’s some not so great choices in the center aisles, but that doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid it!
Is online shopping cheaper?
It absolutely can be! Depending on where you shop, there may or may not be a charge for pickup or delivery services, but don’t completely write it off as an option if you’re trying to keep to a grocery budget. If you’re anything like me, you usually end up buying a few extra things at the grocery store you really don’t need. Those impulse buys at the grocery store can really add up! Especially if you’re shopping with kids that want to add a few extras to the cart. If that sounds like you, I would consider online grocery ordering and pickup.
It’s much easier to stick to your list when you’re just searching in the app for what you need and adding to cart. That $5 you spend for pickup isn’t much if you consistently spend $10+ each grocery trip in food you don’t need. You also have to consider what your time and sense of peace is worth. If you’re on a tight schedule with work and family or grocery shopping is stressful right now with little ones, a delivery or pick up fee may be well worth the small investment.
BONUS TIP: I’ve really been loving the Ibotta cash back app recently for grocery shopping and online shopping like Amazon and Office Depot. I like to redeem my cash back for Amazon gift cards!
Best tips for shopping for one?
3 quick tips for shopping and cooking for one: make sheet pan recipes, share with friends, and use the Plate Method for planning your meals. Sheet pan recipes are easy when cooking for one because there’s very little clean up and you can easily adjust the recipes depending on how many leftovers you want. Secondly, if there’s a recipe you really love, invite a friend or family member to join you for a meal! Lastly, I have another blog post talking all about the Plate Method of meal planning which can be easily adjusted depending on how many people you’re cooking for.
How do I make grocery shopping less stressful?
Like most situations you find stressful, the more you know ahead of time the less stressful it will be. Go to the grocery store with a plan of exactly what you’re going to buy so you’re not trying to plan a menu at the same time! If possible, go at a less busy time of day. I love going shopping at 7:00 am right when my grocery store opens! Or try close to closing time if you’re a night owl. If you need more help staying calm while grocery shopping, try listening to music or a podcast while shopping. Just use one earbud in case someone needs to talk to you.
Should I really shop Organic?
If it works for your budget, I think it’s a great idea! However, if you are sacrificing the quantity of fruits, vegetables, fresh meat, and eggs that you’re eating for the sake of buying Organic, I would encourage you to buy some conventional foods. The benefits of eating enough fruits and vegetables far outweigh the potential benefits of an exclusive Organic diet. A great starting point is to prioritize buying organic produce from the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen which have the highest likelihood of pesticide residue. If you are looking for places to buy humanely-raised, high quality meats online, I wrote a whole blog post about it!
There’s so many opinions about what is/is not healthy. How do I know what to buy?
This is a tough one, depending on your taste preferences, genetics, and health goals, everyone’s nutrition needs will vary slightly. That’s why it’s so frustrating when a diet works for one person and not the other! If you have no idea where to start, my top 5 tips for everyone would be:
- Drink at least half your body weight in water daily.
- Reduce or completely avoid sugar sweetened beverages
- Choose real, whole food like you would find in nature as much as possible.
- If you do buy packaged food, look at the ingredient list. It should be mostly real, recognizable foods.
- Cook at home as much as possible so you know what’s going in your food.
If you need more personalized advice on your diet, I recommend one of my private coaching packages!
I hope this helped answer some of your grocery shopping questions! If you have more, drop them in the comments below.
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