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Healthy Eating: Making Healthy Choices When You Shop
At the store
Use the shopping list you created from your menu plan. You may notice that most of the items on the outer aisles of the store are fresh foods, such as meat, produce, and dairy. These items tend to be less processed compared to some of the foods in the center aisles, such as packaged cookies, chips, or soda. As you shop, pay attention to how much you buy from the outer aisles compared to the inner aisles where the processed foods are.
What to buy
When you are selecting items from your list, try to choose foods lower in fat, calories, and/or sodium if possible. For example, when you buy sandwich meat, remember that plain roast turkey or roast beef has much less fat and sodium than processed lunch meat. You can also buy fat-free or low-fat dairy items, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese.
Try to limit drinks with added sugar, such as soda and sweetened iced tea. Instead, try to drink more water or buy sugar-free drinks or drinks with little or no added sugar.
Include some healthy convenience foods on your shopping list for both meals and snacks. These are great to have on hand if you are busy or don't like to cook. You may want to try:
- Bagged, precut vegetables or salad greens that you can either steam to have with dinner or eat raw as a snack.
- Healthy frozen entrees that are lower in fat, calories, and/or sodium. You can use these on days when you don't have time to prepare a meal. Add a salad or fruit and a glass of milk to round out this meal.
- Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit. In small portions, this makes a healthy, satisfying snack.
- Fruits, such as apples, grapes, or oranges, that are ready to eat after you wash them.
- Low-fat string cheese with whole-grain crackers or fruit.
- Individual-size yogurt or applesauce.
Helpful hints
Try to buy just what's on your shopping list as much as possible. Sale items may seem like a good bargain. But if you weren't planning on buying them in the first place, they may not be a good deal.
Portion size is also an important part of healthy eating. Whether you are shopping for yourself or a family, you can buy certain things in bulk. For example, if you buy a large "family pack" of chicken, you can divide it into single-meal portions and freeze them. This is a good way to control how much you eat at each meal and have a quick option available when you don't have time to go to the store.
Keep in mind that if you are shopping for one, not everything is good to buy in bulk quantities. Fresh produce and other perishables in large amounts may not last long enough for one person to eat them all.
Test Your Knowledge
If you are busy or don't like to cook, your only option is to eat out.
TrueThere are lots of healthy, convenient, and ready-to-eat foods that you can keep on hand. These include snacks such as trail mix, cut-up vegetables, yogurt, and string cheese as well as frozen vegetables and healthy entrees you can use for meals.
FalseThere are lots of healthy, convenient, and ready-to-eat foods that you can keep on hand. These include snacks such as trail mix, cut-up vegetables, yogurt, and string cheese as well as frozen vegetables and healthy entrees you can use for meals.
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Healthy Eating: Making Healthy Choices When You Shop
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: February 4, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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