Grocery Store Tips from a Nutritional Therapist
As of 2018, it is estimated that 70% of the food in grocery stores is considered hyper-palatable. (source) This means they are specially formulated to be addictive and taste really good! So good that you can’t stop eating them. It’s not our fault! Food is formulated to taste this good. One study found that food in 2018 was more than 4 times as hyper-palatable than the same food back in 2001. (source) So much of the food available today is highly processed and intentionally designed and engineered to be extremely palatable so that it's difficult to stop eating.
Confession: I very much dislike going to the grocery store. Some weeks I have to go twice and I dread it every single time. My trick is to get in and out super quick and I tend to be very deliberate with my choices.
I am a very careful and selective shopper. Although I buy many products from the grocery store, I also shop online for a few important items. Here's a rundown of simple advice from a nutritional therapist on how to shop inside a grocery store more effectively:
Spend most of your time around the outside aisles.
We all hear the advice, “shop the outside aisles of the grocery store.” It is true that this is where you will find most of the unprocessed and healthiest foods: fruit + veggies, dairy + eggs, and meats. I do spend most of my time here, but there are valuable staples to be found in those inner aisles.
Read labels.
Purchase items with very limited ingredients and make sure you are able to pronounce and understand what every ingredient is. Additives can be man-made or come from nature. They are used for a variety of reasons including to enhance the flavor and to extend the shelf life. Anything that contains an unpronounceable word, a bunch of letters, or numbers, place it back on the shelf.
1. Avoid added sugars.
From corn syrup to honey, these pesky little sugars hide in everything - tomato sauce, breads, condiments, yogurts, frozen foods.
Sugar is sneaky as it hides under so many names.
Here are just a few:
agave nectar/syrup, barley malt/syrup, beet sugar, blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, cane juice crystals, cane sugar, caramel, carob syrup, coconut palm sugar, coconut sugar, confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar), date sugar, dextrin, dextrose, evaporated cane juice. (source)
While some have some nutritional benefits, they are ALL considered to be sugar and do add to your overall sugar intake as well as can cause issue with your blood sugar and general health.
2. Look for healthy fats.
Many items will be filled with unhealthy fats such as soybean, sunflower or canola oil. Be mindful of hidden hydrogenated oils and trans fats lurking in peanut butter, raisins, nuts, sauces, soups, bread, salad dressings, crackers, chips, and cookies by carefully reading labels and choosing whole food alternatives. Instead look for healthier oils such as olive, coconut, and avocado oil, lard, tallow, and duck fat.
3. Look for “organic” or “no-spray” on fruits and veggies.
Although it is a bit more expensive, it is worthwhile to look for these labels. There are ways to save money, while still choosing organic.
buy in season and from local farms
buy frozen or canned fruits and veggies and
buy in bulk at Costco etc.
look at the Dirty Dozen. There are certain fruits and vegetables that you don’t have to buy organic.
4. Be skeptical of health claims.
Many assume that by choosing to eat “gluten-free,” “keto-friendly” or “plant-based”, you are choosing a healthier option. While sometimes this is true, it is not always correct. Many of these items are highly-processed and filled with additives, GMOs, sugars, and unhealthy fats, which may cause more harm to your gut. ”Gluten-free” foods can be filled with bad fats, preservatives and lots of sugars, which may do more harm than good. So read your labels. Gluten-free pretzels, made with GMO corn and sunflower oil are not healthy foods.
Again, people associate “plant-based” as being healthy for you. A plant-based food can also be filled with additives, GMOs, sugars, and unhealthy fats which may cause more harm to your gut. In addition, many plant-based food items are highly processed. Again, read the labels.
“Keto-friendly” products seem great as well for those trying to eat a high fat, low carb diet. However, these highly-processed, packaged foods are often filled with preservatives and artificial sweeteners.
5. Only buy items you want your family to eat.
We all buy those cookies or treats, and then wish we hadn’t. If you don’t have it in the house, then the kids can’t eat it. They will get plenty of treats outside of the house, and you can bake your own healthy versions. For some simple ideas, check out my one-pot peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, or granola bars.
6. Have a plan.
As I mentioned before, I try to make this process quick and easy. I go in with a plan. I keep a running list on my notes app of things I need or recipe ideas.
7. Shop alone (if you can!).
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I do not like to take my kids food shopping with me. Obviously, there are times that this cannot happen, but I prefer to shop alone. I understand the benefits of taking your child to the store to teach them about healthy choices and allow them to pick out foods they like or to encourage them to pick out new food to try. I have found that this simply does not work for me and never has. Instead I find myself saying no over and over. Then ultimately giving in to buying a few things I know I don’t want in my pantry because I get tired of saying no. I prefer to shop alone. Instead, I ask my kids before I go for ideas on what to buy.
Need a nutritional plan tailored to your individual needs? As a nutritional therapist, I can provide the personalized support necessary to achieve your goals. Click here for a free 15-minute consultation to see if nutritional therapy is right for you!
Click here to learn more about why is gut health so important?
In need of some simple recipes the whole family will enjoy? Click here!